Hi! Sorry if this question is a bit personal.
My question would mostly be if mostly everyone is CEFR C2 or are there C1 or maybe even B2 teachers as well? Since we are talking non natives I guess most are eikaiwas.
My concern is that I have just been scammed by ETS TOEFL home edition and got a score of only 105. (what’s worse, only a 23 in speaking)
That puts me right in the middle of a C1, the same level I have obtained in a Cambridge CAE in 2019.
There is no doubt that 105 is way lower than what I deserve. Even if it sounds arogant, there is no way my score should be below 110 at the very least. I realize that this is a scheme to get my money but we digress, I am not here to rant.
So this has me wondering, do teachers that have to prove their level, so non natives, all have a C2?
I am in talks with Yaruki now waiting for a 2nd interview so maybe I am saved and I at least have the chance to build some experience with them and make a first step towards teaching in Japan. But if that doesn’t work I am a bit worried.
I would actually dare to ask for some advice. Do I even mention the exam in my CV? I would risk having them ask me for a score then.
I could ask for a re-evaluation, but they could just slap the same scores for an excuse to not give any refund. Got scammed once, don’t want it to happen again.
If I am actually scared for no reason and there are people with even lower levels, then I am sorry to offend.
Thank you for reading my long post!
8 comments
These are not teaching jobs and actual ability doesn’t matter. They just want them to be good enough that the parents, who speak zero English, don’t notice.
I’m a non-native English speaker and I spent approximately 5 years working as a part-time English teacher in Tokyo.
A few years back I sat through an academic IELTS test and got a 9, though I’m not sure what CEFR level this corresponds to as I’m not very familiar with this grading system.
I’d say that as long as your pronunciation is smooth enough, you’ll find a job sooner rather than later so ganbatte!
So first of all, be very careful assuming that CEFR level is accurately measured by any particular test. I’m not saying ETS TOEFL or Cambridge CAE are bad tests, but CEFR is a measure of what you *can do.* Any test that isn’t actually asking you to do those things is only approximating your level. And of course, CEFR has so many descriptors that there is no way any test can ever measure all of them. So your score on any particular test can only ever be an approximation of your CEFR level. It might be wrong. Or, you know, it might not be. Can you actually do the things on CEFR descriptors?
Second, I would wager good money that the English level of non-native English teachers varies widely through Japan. There are probably some even as low as B1, though hopefully that would just a tiny number of legacy hires doing entrance exam prep and low-level tutoring.
Thirdly, I have never heard of any teaching program in Japan requiring a certain CEFR level as a hard rule (excepting perhaps, exam administration for the above sorts of tests). I’m not saying categorically there are no programs that require it – honestly I’d be pretty happy if it were common – but my experience on hiring committees is that if an applicant can leave a good impression of having the right personality, give a demo lesson that satisfies the bosses, then as long as they have the things that are required for the position (usually what’s required to get a visa), nearly everything else is negotiable.
Speaking of leaving a good impression, I would say you should put your score on your CV if and only if you can discuss it smoothly and coolly, without throwing around accusations that you got scammed and so forth. My gut feeling is that having a C1 on your resume is not a mark against you if everything else in place, but saying “my score should be higher but I got scammed!” in an interview is going to be a mark against you even if everything else you do is perfect. So try to think of a way to navigate that issue a little less aggressively, and you’ll be fine.
If you’re talking about foreigners who are non native English teachers, in my experience they get their point across fine, but are often mediocre with articles, conjunctions, and conjugation.
If you’re talking about Japanese English teachers, very good at what’s taught in school. Mileage will vary when you strike up a conversation with them that they hadn’t planned for.
TOEFL didn’t scam you to try to get more money out of you. You got a 105 because that’s what you scored. They don’t mess with your results. Maybe you are capable of more and you just had a bad test. Maybe there were just a couple questions that specifically hit your weak point in English. There are problems with TOEFL and similar tests, and you’re fine to question how effective they are at measuring actual ability and knowledge, but they didn’t lower your score to screw you over. You scored a 105 on that test.
I have had many natives comment that my English is very native-like, yet my CEFR score is C1.
it’s just a test, and it just means you’re not good at taking tests.
Plus, no one really looks at that stuff.
Average I don’t know but my SO is French native and got 109 in TOEFL 5 years ago. She can only work eikaiwa visa wise rn due to the native thing but she’s working part time in 日本大å¦
Arrogant, not arogant