The ultimate English teacher resource
 

Welcome to our English resources Archive. Have fun browsing!

 

Article #99: In Defence of English Teaching

(Browse for more articles)

 
I have one of the greatest jobs in the I think you can train people to do many
world. I get paid to do what I love things. Isn't this complaint a tad picky?
doing. I teach English in Japan. I have The person who wrote this comment seems
always enjoyed meeting and conversing to think people can't learn anything new.
with interesting people, only now I get 12. Some "eikaiwa" schools' sales pitch
paid for it. persuades students they can learn English
Yet, teaching at English conversation in just one hour a week (or in some
schools ("Eikaiwa") seems to be a cases, half an hour). Unless a student is
much-maligned profession, especially on also studying elsewhere, this is totally
certain websites. One of those is Arthur inadequate for learning anything.
Caversham's The Truth About Shane and I think that it will take a very long
Nova Pages at time to learn that way. That is what we
Let me examine some of his claims. tell students when we meet them for the
1. "Eikaiwa" schools employ teachers with first time, and on our homepage in
no teaching experience. Japanese. We let them know that learning
So what? Some of the best teachers in the English is more akin to learning
world are like a diamond in the rough. If classical piano than like learning how to
you hire people who have an aptitude for swim. Classical piano and English take a
teaching, train them and help them along long time to master. Why hide that from
the way, they will be better teachers them? Some schools do hide that fact. I
than many teachers who have an advanced don't agree with that personally and
degree. don't follow that business practice. We
2. "Eikaiwa" schools employ teachers with try to be honest with students about what
no teaching qualifications. they are up against. I think a lot of
Again, so what? Famous Japanese companies "eikaiwa" schools are like ours that way.
do the same thing. They employ people 13. Shane's sales pitch persuades parents
with no specific qualifications and train to send children as young as two years
them to work in departments which have old to its English lessons.
nothing to do with their university Unsurprisingly, these poor kids learn
degrees. "Eikaiwa" schools have their own nothing.
in-house training programs and they train I think that children this age can learn
their teachers, too. with the right teacher. Of course, the
3. "Eikaiwa" schools employ teachers with parents have to do their bit at home
NEITHER teaching experience NOR teaching though. Unfortunately, few parents are
qualifications. willing to help out. Teachers also need
So do many other businesses in every to explain to the mothers when they come
industry imaginable. Do you believe that with their children what they should do
university training is the only thing at home to help their kids learn. The
that matters? Many successful people have school also needs to explain this.
no formal education beyond college, yet 14. Shane recruits teachers in England
they are now company presidents. Some of with the promise of providing them with
the worst teachers in the world have a company accommodation. In practice, Shane
PhD. provides sub-standard accommodation (e.g.
If the schools train them to teach, isn't apartments with neither shower nor hot
that sometimes better than a university water in the kitchen) at inflated prices.
education that is full of theory and Shane leases apartments from landlords
sometimes a waste of time? Isn't and rents them to teachers at a profit.
practical on-the-job training sometimes Are these apartments furnished? I assume
on a par with or better than a university they are. We also provide furnished
education? apartments to our teachers and the cost
4. Some "eikaiawa" schools demand that of upkeep is astronomical. Shouldn't the
students pay a huge amount of money teachers share in that cost if they are
before beginning their lessons. This using the facilities? If they break the
money is not refundable. TV, shouldn't they contribute to the
Yes, but so do many other businesses. repair? The Shane apartments I have seen
There are also many "eikaiwa" schools have had a bath. They were no worse than
that allow students to pay by the month. what Japanese nextdoor were living in.
They don't pay up front. Most schools are They may charge more than the rent to
run by trustworthy people. How do I know cover for damage to the furniture and
this? Because if they weren't other utilities. The company shouldn't
trustworthy, they couldn't stay in have to pay for damage.
business for very long; the word would The alternative to this is having to
get around that they are shady operators. furnish your own place. Believe me, that
5. Nova's pay and conditions for teachers isn't fun either. Apartments in Japan
are among the worst in Japan; therefore come with nothing usually, sometimes not
Nova teachers are usually so bad they even a light bulb. Our apartments are
cannot find a job elsewhere. This is also very clean and average to above average
why Nova advertises for teachers every when compared to Japanese apartments in
week in the Japan Times. general.
Perhaps. Or maybe they have so many 15. Should a teacher, recruited 6,000
schools - over 500 now - that they miles a way, realize that Shane's methods
constantly need new teachers. If Nova is of operation leave something to be
so terrible, why would anyone choose to desired, the company requires three
work there? Some Nova teachers would be months notice of resignation.
hired anywhere. They are very good Recently, it has taken well over four
teachers, they enjoy working for Nova and months to secure working visas for our
they care about their students. last two teachers. Staff at Panache, a
6. Nova uses the same boring textbooks recruitment office for companies, report
(American Streamline, available from most the same thing. Three months are not long
bookshops) for every lesson. when you consider that it usually takes
Some schools allow their teachers to over four months to get a working visa
choose which textbook they use, others for the next teacher. You could only hire
don't. For some teachers, choosing the people with a working holiday visa, or
textbook for them is a good thing. For another proper visa but then it restricts
others, giving them more freedom is your choice of teachers.
better. It really depends on how In Vancouver, when I worked for Pitney
independent the teacher is. Bowes in sales, I knew I wouldn't do it
7. Teachers are not given time to prepare forever. The job was not my cup of tea;
for any lessons. yet I respected the fact that my
Most schools do give their teachers time colleagues thought of it as a career. I
to prepare. As a professional, you are never once uttered, "I'm only doing this
expected to show up to work and give until I get a real job." I would never
yourself enough time to prepare or to have thought to make such a crass
prepare at home. This is similar to comment. It was a real job in spite of
public school teachers in North America. the fact I didn't like it.
8. Nova teachers are not allowed to I think good English teachers make Japan
prepare their own lessons for students. a little more open if only in a small
For some Nova teachers, giving them a way. I have taught well over 2,000
structure to follow, I'm sure, is a good Japanese. They meet me on the street with
thing. For other teachers, allowing them a greeting. They tell me, "thank you, for
the freedom to plan their own lessons is teaching my son, my granddaughter, my
better. That is what we do at our husband." It is a nice feeling. I have
schools. touched people's lives in a way I never
9. Nova teachers are not allowed to imagined. What started out as simply an
fraternize with students outside the English class has grown to mean much more
classroom. over the years.
True. However, most schools have no Not everyone can catch a touchdown pass
problem with students and teachers in the Super Bowl. Not everyone can teach
becoming friends. I have never understood English in Japan. Good teachers are born.
Nova's non-fraternization policy myself. It is a God-given gift. Sure, you can
I like it if our teachers become friends refine it, but either you are or you
with students. I feel it helps the aren't a good teacher. All the PhDs in
school. the world can't change that fact if you
10. Some "eikaiwa" schools fire teachers are a lousy one.
who talk too much in class. Good teachers are personable, caring,
It isn't the teacher who is supposed to sensitive, intelligent, well-read,
do the talking. The students are supposed curious and have a sense of adventure -
to talk and the teacher is supposed to to name but a few characteristics. They
listen and correct. Some experts suggest care about their students and want to
the teacher should try for only 15% help them improve. If you have the gift,
speaking time and allow the students to I encourage you to use it. By using it in
speak 85% of the time. I think that is a Japan, you are making the world a better
great goal for all teachers. place.
11. Some "eikaiwa" schools claim to The writer, a Canadian, is the owner of
specialize in teaching English to Kevin's English Schools, The Canadian
children, yet most of their teachers have Schools in Japan.
no qualifications or background in There are four schools in Kanagawa.
teaching children.






1 - A - B - C - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16 - 17 - 18 - 19 - 20 - 21 - 22 - 23 - 24 - 25 - 26 - 27 - 28 - 29 - 30 - 31 - 32 - 33 - 34 - 35 - 36 - 37 - 38 - 39 - 40 - 41 - 42 - 43 - 44 - 45 - 46 - 47 - 48 - 49 -