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How can I prepare to teach English as a second language?

I am interested in going to Japan as an English teacher. Currently, I am planning to attend a university in Virginia to earn a BA in English. I am also studying Japanese on my own. Since I'm new to this whole idea of teaching English as a second language, I was wondering if there is anything else that would help me prepare. I've heard some people recommend taking a TESOL course while I'm at college and I've also been told that getting an English degree is enough. I want to make sure I am getting what I need to show that I've studied well and I'm ready to help Japanese students. What is your opinion?

#teaching #teaching-english-as-a-second-language-tefl #japan #overseas #working-overseas

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Dave’s Answer

Hi Sabrina - hope all is great! I lived in Japan for ten years and spent the first year doing some English teaching. Generally getting some kind of TEFL qualification is good but I would research some of the bigger English language schools to see what they require - remember they would be the ones sponsoring your visa so they would want to see that you have a certain level of training. Why not also try to get some experience online teaching? There are lots of websites (look at italki as an example) where you can sign up as a teacher and do classes for people all over the world and get paid while you practice teaching! That would also get your foot in the door with some of the English schools. once you are in Japan you can network to get even better paid private teaching on the side too!

Good luck!

Dave
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doddegowda’s Answer

In today’s world, multilingualism is becoming more and more important. In addition to opening up employment opportunities, being able to speak a foreign language helps to make a real connection with people and to know more about diverse cultures, places and lifestyles. The more proficient you are, the better you can express yourself.
Learning a foreign language enhances your cognitive and analytical abilities. Learning a new language can be difficult and it involves a lot of mental exercises. Research from a 2012 Swiss Study shows that learning a new language changes the brain structures, impacting the parts of the brain responsible for memory, conscious thought and it can make you more creative. In the long term, bilingualism can keep the brain strong and healthy into old age and supports concentration and memory skills. On an individual level, it improves personality and increases sense of self-worth. In simple words, learning a foreign language makes the brain stronger and more versatile.

Learning English is not only useful, but it also gives a lot of satisfaction and making progress will make you feel great. Why not make it even more tangible by taking a standardised test to certify your proficiency!
If you feel sufficiently confident and if you want to evaluate your English language proficiency, just register for a TOEIC® test.
https://www.etsglobal.org/pl/en/blog/news/importance-of-learning-english
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Sabrina’s Answer

I would also add that it's helpful to take a cultural communication course if you can. That way, you can become familiar with different styles of communicating, including how different cultures communicate non-verbally. For example, there is a difference between "high-context" and "low-context" cultures. U.S. culture tends to be more "low-context", meaning people tend to be more direct with their words. Japanese culture tends to be more "high-context", meaning communication is more indirect.

I'd recommend getting TEFL / TESOL certified. There are a number of courses available, and they give you examples and help you come up with lesson plans, as well as role-play different scenarios. When I did it, I found a course that met only a couple weekends, so I was still able to take my normal course load.

I had one friend who applied for and taught English in Japan via the JET Program (https://jetprogramusa.org/). It's competitive, but I've heard great things.

Best of luck--it's a very fun and rewarding experience! And when you do go to Japan, make sure to take some time to sightsee

Sabrina recommends the following next steps:

Check out https://jetprogramusa.org/
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Rachel’s Answer

It's helpful to take higher-level classes in Sociology, Psychology, and Human Development. Definitely take at least two or more 2000+ level courses in these subjects. You will learn about society and how it functions in a way that may be harmful to our student and how to combat social constructions and become more aware of them. This will make you a better teacher in the long run and having and understanding of sociology as a whole will make you a better person, help you understand your students and connect with them. Studying psychology and human development will help you learn about the way people learn (and therefore you will learn how to best teach your students). Depending on the phase of life adolescents and children are in, they learn differently, and their brain works differently as well. It is essential to have an understanding of this prior to becoming an educator. It will also help you to connect with students, parents, and families. Human Development and Family Studies will also allow you to become more culturally aware of students and families that come from different backgrounds; this will allow you to unlearn implicit biases and recognize them in yourself and others (and therefore, grow from them). Overall, these three fields of study are absolutely essential when pursuing teaching. Taking the time to take 2 or more classes in each of these subjects will help you become the best teacher you can possibly be. Other than these, the more obvious answer is take as many classes as possible in the subject-area you want to teach AND take education courses.
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Challa’s Answer

Hello Ciera!! My native language is Turkish however since I live in the USA over 30 years, I am also fluent in English as well. With my background I have attended TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) course in Boston. Since i was working fulltime, i have attended this program only on the weekends (Part time) and it was a 3 month, packed program. I would attend the course all day on Saturdays and work on homework and preparations for next week's class on Sundays. After 3 months I graduated with a certificate and so glad I have that as an additional asset and experience to my background. With the program, you do practice teaching live with real students and it is very rewarding. I would definitely recommend investing into this program. Also at the end, they provide you with resources of teaching abroad, and you can apply wherever it is available.
Japan, I visited years ago as a tourist and fell in love with that country! Place I could easily live fulltime. Good luck and hope this helps.
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美子’s Answer

Hi there! I'm from the bustling city of Tokyo, nestled in the heart of Japan. Our beautiful country is a hot spot for travelers from all around the globe. Yet, you might find that not many locals are fluent in English. But don't worry, those in the tourism industry are becoming more and more enthusiastic about improving their English communication skills.

What's more, our government is progressively emphasizing English education with each passing year. The learning of English, which traditionally began in junior high school, now kicks off in elementary school. This shift has created a growing demand for native English instructors. Here's wishing you all the success in your future pursuits!
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