These roles can differ greatly, but one core aspect will remain the same: the responsibilities. In the main, you will be responsible for planning and teaching engaging classes to individuals or groups of students. The students could be of any age and language proficiency.
You will also need to assign and mark homework and give feedback to the students.
Working in an eikawa (English conversation school) can allow you greater opportunities to meet and engage with adult students. This can often offer new opportunities and allow you to get to know English speakers in the country when you first arrive.
Being an ALT (Assistant Language Teacher), as the name implies, means that you will be assisting a teacher in the classroom during English lessons. Other responsibilities include taking part in extra-curricular activities and helping the headteacher.
How much can I earn as an English teacher in Japan?
Typically, an eikawa teaching position or ALT will pay anywhere between 180,000 yen and 280,000 yen per month. An average salary is 250,000 yen per month.
Some eikawa will pay up to 400,000 yen per month (although this is uncommon, and the higher salaries tend to be found in Tokyo, and lower will be in more rural regions where the cost of living is less.)
Of course, qualified teachers or those looking to take on positions at universities or private schools will be able to earn a higher salary.
It is also worth noting that many schools or employers offer additional incentives to a salary package, including reimbursing the costs of flights and commutes, bonuses, and housing allowances.
When should I be looking for these positions?
The Japanese school year starts in April, and that is also when new employees start their work. Most positions are filled by December of the year before, so try to get an early start on your search if you want to be sure of snapping up the ideal position for you.
Where can I find these opportunities?
The best places to start looking for teaching roles in Japan are some of the websites below:
This should be enough to get you started on your search for teaching jobs in Japan. But if you are looking for something different, don’t forget to check out our other blogs on employment opportunities in Japan.
