So you’re thinking about teaching English in Japan. Good news, you’re in the right place! In order to land a great job in Japan you’ll need to get TEFL certified. Just to be clear, having a TEFL or TESOL qualification as a credential isn’t mandatory for securing a work visa in Japan, however, you’ll need it in order to qualify for the actual jobs with Japanese schools and employers.
Here are some of the most popular courses that people take in order to land full-time teaching jobs in Japan. The course recommendations for public and private school jobs are different because of the hiring preferences and level of competition for jobs.
Popular courses for teaching in the JET Program
JET (Japanese Exchange Teaching) is the program that processes candidates for teaching jobs in the Japanese public school system (i.e. public school teaching jobs) and allocates successful candidates to all of the education offices throughout the different prefectures. This program is competitive, very competitive to be honest, as such you’ll want to consider enrolling in a TEFL course that goes above and beyond the standard 120 hour online certification. Why? Because course format matters and JET gives preference, obviously, to candidates with superior teaching credentials.
140hr TEFL Certification with TEYL and Live Teaching Practice
- Live teaching practice
- ACTDEC accreditation
- Dedicated tutor support
- TEYL component
Why is this course ideal for JET Program candidates? Because it includes 20 hours of live teaching practice, a training qualification that most public schools prefer. What makes this course so great? The flexibility of locations for the teaching practice component ~ you can complete it from any location worldwide!
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140hr TEFL with TEYL and Virtual Teaching Practice
- Virtual teaching practice
- ALAP accreditation
- TEYL component
- Dedicated tutor support
Why is this course ideal for the JET Program? Because it incorporates a 20 hour teaching practice component. What makes this course great? It allows trainees to complete the teaching practice element in a virtual classroom setting via Skype ~ a convenient way to acquire a certification that includes TP!
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Popular courses for teaching at Private Schools
Private school jobs in Japan aren’t as competitive as the JET public school jobs are, however, they’re substantially more competitive than similar teaching opportunities in South Korea, China or Taiwan. Many candidates choose online TEFL certification courses in order to pursue jobs in the private sector. Here are a few recommendations for popular online courses.
150hr Online Masters TEFL Certification Course
- Tutor support
- ACCREDITAT accreditation
- Job placement assistance
Why this course is perfect for private school jobs? It includes a 150 hours of course work which exceeds the standard 120 hour certification most people acquire. Plus the curriculum includes modules on teaching children and adults, both of which are popular age groups in the Japanese private school sector.
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120hr Advanced Online TEFL Certification Course
- ACTDEC accreditation
- Trainer support
- Overseas job resources
Why this course is a great option for private school jobs? It’s a thorough 120 hours of course work that touches on all the fundamentals including ESL methodologies, grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, class management, grading, assessment and more. Plus you’re get access to GLT’s job resources at the end!
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