How Do You Say I Don't Speak Japanese

To teach English effectively without speaking the student's language, focus on using methods and techniques that promote language learning through immersion and communication. Here are some key strategies to consider: Yes, you can effectively teach English to non-native speakers without knowing their language. Teaching English to speakers of other languages, also known as TESOL or TEFL, is a specialized skill that focuses on using English as the medium of instruction. Here are some reasons why knowing the students' language is not a requirement for effective English language teaching: Understanding of language learning principles: TEFL/TESOL training equips teachers with knowledge of language learning theories, teaching methodologies, and classroom management techniques that are applicable...  [Read more]

Absolutely, teaching English in Thailand doesn't necessitate fluency in Thai. In fact, most language schools in Thailand prefer that ESL instructors use only English in the classroom to promote full immersion, regardless of their Thai language proficiency.Table of Contents Is there a need for English teachers in Thailand? What are the requirements for teaching English in Thailand? Thailand has seen a surge in demand for English teachers, driven by its expanding economy and an increasing eagerness among its population to master the language. As English education gains prominence, those with TEFL certifications generally find more lucrative opportunities. The shift towards long-term contracts has led schools to prioritize instructors willing to commit for extended periods, rather than brief...  [Read more]

1. Benefits of Teaching English in Countries Where You Don't Speak the Local Language 2. Challenges of Teaching English in Countries Where You Don't Speak the Local Language 3. Strategies for Teaching English in Countries Where You Don't Speak the Local Language 4. Conclusion: Teaching English Successfully in Countries Where You Don't Speak the Local Language Benefits of Teaching English in Countries Where You Don't Speak the Local Language Teaching English in a country where you don't speak the local language can be a rewarding experience. It forces you to immerse yourself in the language you are teaching and helps you understand the challenges your students face when learning a new language. This can make you a more empathetic and effective teacher. Additionally, being in an environment...  [Read more]

Gianluca Costa TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Many people have the dream to travel the world. However, it's hard to travel a lot unless you're rich or work for a big international company offering your business trips, right? What do you do about a visa, and what if you don't speak the local language? Fret not; it's actually easier than you think to find a job in an exciting foreign country. If you are a native English speaker or speak English fluently, why not consider a job teaching English abroad?Table of Contents How to become a TEFL teacher Plan your travels Get paid to travel Tutoring Teach Online It's worth it Are you ready to become a TEFL expert? Take a TEFL course today! Related Articles: Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials! English teachers...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences There are several pronunciation problems that students of English will face in Japan; however, I will focus on two.Table of Contents 1. Differences in the phonetic systems of two languages 2. Lack of exposure to authentic English resources Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course today! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Brandie K. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. The first of these problems they face is the fact that Japanese doesn't have some of the same sounds in its' alphabet as English does. For example, Japanese does not have a hard R sound; instead, it has a sound that is a mix of R and L. So, when students from Japan go to...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Regardless of the Japanese government's efforts to increase the number of foreign tourists to be a tourism-oriented country and to have been retaining compulsory English education for decades, Japanese people still have a reputation of being bad at English. The average TOEIC and TOEFL scores for Japanese are one of the worst among advanced nations. South Korea was also one of the worst in the past, but they are getting better and better these days. However, there are still some obstacles for many Japanese English learners to get over.Table of Contents 1. First, there are very few teachers in Japan who can teach students how to speak and write English with confidence. 2. Secondly, the Japanese language structure is very different from the English one....  [Read more]

Laura Payne Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas I am currently working as an Assistant Language Teacher in Japan. Before I began this job I assumed that because Japan has a largely homogeneous population, all of my classes would be monolingual. However, I was wrong in this assumption. In addition to my Japanese students, I have many students who are Brazilian or Filipino. These students largely do not use Japanese as their mother tongue and have to learn both English and Japanese as a second language. This diverse student population, in addition to my work experiences and studies, has taught me a lot about working with both monolingual and multilingual classes.Table of Contents Listen to this blog post: Teaching Monolingual Classes Struggles in Multilingual Classes How My TEFL Course...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Throughout high school and college, I mainly focused on learning how to speak Japanese as my second language. Unlike English, Japanese is a fairly phonetic language. Two of its three writing systems, hiragana and katakana, are phonetic. This makes it easy for foreigners to learn because each syllable, also known as sound clusters in some circles, is almost always said exactly how it is spelled. The third writing system, kanji, is not and, as such, is much more difficult for foreigners to learn because kanji are essentially pictures that describe their meaning. They are much more difficult to learn and use in everyday speech.Table of Contents Differences in Syllable Pronunciation Consonant Clusters Sound /L/ Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences I have been living in Japan for the past one and a half years. Needless to say, the experience has been enthralling. This country would have never been my first choice for a country to relocate to, from my home country, India. But if my stay has taught me anything, it is that never judge a book by its cover. When we think of Japan, the first thing that pops up is that it is a country of workaholics; it has zero English presence, and the people are highly prejudiced against foreigners and foreign culture. I was proven wrong. Japan is a beautiful country. It is culturally so rich, it makes me want to live here forever. The people, though tend to be a little distant initially, a warm-up to you eventually, and once they do, they could move mountains for...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences If you ever find yourself driving in French Canada, you will be stopped by stop signs that say 'arrêt', which is stopped in French. Almost all drivers in North America would know that this means stop because it's the same octagon red stop sign. In Japan it's very different, stop signs are triangular with Japanese script on them but, beneath the Japanese, you can find English subtitles which read 'stop'. In fact, if you travel anywhere in Japan, the majority of signs and announcements related to travel are offered in Japanese and English. English has been taught in Japanese schools since the American occupation after World War Two. However, according to an EF English Proficiency Index in 2017, Japanese English proficiency is 35th out of...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences English is my first language, however, I studied Spanish throughout high school growing up in the Midwest and eventually received a Master's degree in Spanish Literature. I learned to speak Spanish very well after becoming a high school Spanish teacher for eight years and then a principal for elementary and secondary schools for 26 more years speaking Spanish to new immigrant students and parents the whole time.Table of Contents Bilingualism Confidence Advantages and Perspectives Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Rex P. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. In reflecting on the title question I...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences During my stay in Japan, Japanese people often told me how they can't communicate in English despite studying the language for six or more years in school. In Japan, students in junior and senior high learn English grammar and vocabulary in compulsory formal English classes. English is also taught in elementary school as foreign language activities. Yet despite spending several hours in English classes, many Japanese people graduate high school with poor English communication skills.Table of Contents Education system Class culture Learning goals Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Rachel M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Japan is a country with a long history, deep tradition, and vibrant culture. Within this culture sits the Japanese language. At first, being a spoken language and then adopting the Chinese Writing System, Japanese has grown and changed into what it is today. If you look at all languages, most Western languages originate from a set family, such as Romance Languages (which became today's Spanish, French, Italian, etc). But Japanese (as most Asian languages) was formed from entirely different roots. These fundamental differences mean that the method of learning these languages has a lot to do with memorization and repetitive practice of the Chinese symbols and the words they represent. Which means it is difficult to find any common ground between it and...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences English is causing many problems in Asian countries which can be seen just by the high demand for English teachers - including ESL teachers. One of the countries is Japan, a country with a good economy and a society well known for their kindness and politeness, but unfortunately also for the low number of English speakers. There are many reasons why English is likely to pose problems in Japan but there are many possibilities to improve the English lessons to offer lessons that help Japanese students to achieve a higher English level.Table of Contents 1. English is only written during lessons (Student Talk time is too low) 2. Students are not asked to express their thoughts in words (Spoken and written) 3. The contact to English speakers is not common...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Change is coming to the way that English is taught in Japanese public schools. The changes to the curriculum by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT) increase the teaching of English at all levels of schooling. The goal of this change is, in the words of Ikuko Tsuboya-Newel, founder and chair of Tokyo International School, "The government has decided that beginning in 2020 all high school graduates must achieve a level of English equivalent to B1" ("Why do Japanese have trouble learning English?", The Japan Times, October 29, 2017). To achieve that goal, high school entrance exams are expected to include more testing of productive skills in English. Therefore, junior high school students are expected to have these...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Description: When teaching English in Japan, there are a few common problems all learners, young and old, face. Two main issues students face are with grammar, as well as pronouncing and hearing certain sounds. As this course was designed for teaching young learners, in this paper, I will address the issues above and possible solutions as they apply to this age group.Table of Contents Grammar Tricks Pronunciation Tricks Are you ready to teach English abroad or online? Related Articles: Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials! This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Rebecca E. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT....  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Doneika D. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.Table of Contents Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course today! Related Articles: I am currently an English teacher living in Japan. I teach both Elementary and Junior High School English Language. Japan's government allows the students to start learning English sometimes as early as Kindergarten. Most Elementary schools have a designated ALT (Assistant Language Teacher) that possesses a native level of English. Even though English is a compulsory subject in Japanese Junior High and High Schools, these students struggle with achieving even daily conversational English. In this...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Charos H. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.Table of Contents Lesson Plan Engage Stage (10 minutes): Study Stage (22 minutes): Active stage (28 minutes): Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: I've designed this lesson for beginner students in the ESL new language class. There are 6 students in a small group classroom. The students are between 6-7 years old. My goal is to provide opportunities to explore and personalize a new language. I chose the "Straight Arrow" ESA methodology to teach the topic, Do you like Fruit? Also Read: Who will my students be when teaching English abroad? I will start to...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences There are several challenges Japan faces when it comes to learning English as a second language. Japanese culture is a bubble. Everything, including their ad signs, TV, games, government, studies, work and even the internet is filled with one language; Japanese. In a world of globalization, where your goods and services can come from literally any part of the globe. Japan is one of the few remaining homogenous cultures where English is still seen as an optional language. As the global economy becomes more global, the English language will likely become less optional, but essential. In addition to the cultural issues, Japan's English curriculum in the school is largely unchanged from the '60s according to my Japanese cousins and uncles still living in...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas I first decided to take this TEFL course because I am currently teaching English in rural Japan. I plan and execute English lessons for Junior High School students, as well as serve as a cultural representative of my country and foster cultural exchange. Here's the catch though - I don't speak Japanese.Table of Contents Setting up good relationships Beginning of the study Inspiring students Rewarding system Role model English only Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Gwendolen J. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. I've had to think a lot about how to get students to like me and the subject I teach...  [Read more]

Georgia Payne Destinations Alumni Experiences Moving to one of the largest cities in the world is quite a daunting task, particularly when you have to find your own accommodation using another language.Table of Contents What are Tokyo apartments like? Where to get an apartment A few things to note Accommodation Options Option #1: Apartment - using a rental company Option #2: Sharehouse Option #3: Airbnb/business hotel Final Piece of Advice The Gist Are you ready to teach English in Japan? Related Articles: Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials! On the JET Programme, ALTs (assistant language teachers) are, in every prefecture except Tokyo, provided with accommodation by the school and will likely inherit all of the necessary furniture and kitchen appliances...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Japanese is certainly one of the most interesting languages in the world thanks to its three types of writing (hiragana, katakana and kanji).Table of Contents International Links Main Challenges: Phonetic System Main Challenges: Exposure to English Main Challenges: Grammar Main Challenges: Beginners Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Desiree I. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. After the outbreak of intercontinental travel (therefore with the appearance of commercialization and missionaries around the world) many terms of different languages, including English ones, also became part of the...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Teacher: Hoang Thi Thanh Hue Observer: N/ A Date and time: 19/09/19Class level: Beginner Room: 201 Expected number of student: 10Table of Contents Language point: Learner objectives: Personal aims: 1. Engage phase (5 mins), interaction (T-S) 2. Study phase (35 mins) 3. Activate 1 phase (10 mins, T - S) 4. Activate 2 phase (10 mins, S - S) Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Hue H. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. New vocabulary: banana, bread, chicken, cookie, orange juice, milkNew structure: I like/ don't like _____.Teaching aids: a paper bag, 03 real food items, pictures of foods and drink,...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Japan is an island nation and is a recognized homogenous society with a very small percentage of foreign permanent residence and more than half of the adult population lacks the necessary skills to speak English proficiently. Because of this, English as a Second Language is in high demand with young learners being a focus group in Japan. English is taught in the school environment during nearly all of a child's primary education years, but this, unfortunately, doesn't translate to a proficient English-speaking Japanese population.Table of Contents Global Opportunities Differences in Language Structure Cultural Challenges Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Japanese are known for being disciplined, dedicated, and hardworking individuals not only in their work but also in other aspects of their life like hobbies and studies. But why is it difficult for them to learn English despite their strong dedication, patience, efforts, and determination?Table of Contents My Teaching Experience But still, the Japanese cannot speak English, why is that? Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Princess D. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. I've been teaching English in Japan as my part-time job for more than one year now. I have seen and handled students of different...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Destinations Teaching Ideas Japan is a country facing rapid change. Due to an aging population and a scarcity of workers, Japan is opening its borders to foreigners, many of whom speak English. This, along with the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, has led to an increase in demand for English teachers. I currently work in Japan, and have had the experience of teaching English to high school Japanese students for the past year. Over the course of this year, I've learned of many problems that students in Japan face when learning English. Of those, the top three problems for students in Japan are pronunciation, shyness, and large class sizes.Table of Contents Listen to this blog post: Differences in Phonology Students' Reluctance to Speak Class Size in Japanese Schools Are you ready...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas I have taught in a Japanese high school for the past four years as an assistant language teacher, which gives me a particular insight into the problems and advantages of EFL in that area. This will naturally require some generalizations. Individuals have very different problems from one another, but broader shared issues do crop up.Table of Contents My experience Japanese average Gap between two languages Japanese culture can also make teaching difficult Another aspect of the culture that can make things difficult is the island mentality of Japan Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course today! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate William L. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily...  [Read more]

Amanda Stern Destinations Alumni Experiences Are you planning on teaching abroad, but worrying about how you can get involved in the community and leave a memorable impression on the locals? Language barriers may make this seem like a harrowing task, but fear not, the following is a list of a few jumping-off points for those planning to take the plunge into their new community.Table of Contents International Events Sports Teams Culture Classes Holiday Festivals Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course today! Related Articles: Celebrating multiculturalism in a community is a worldwide phenomenon, even for unassuming towns. In our rural port-town in Japan, we have multiple events throughout the year to promote understanding and celebrate the various cultures and people who...  [Read more]

Teaching English without knowing your student's language is possible through various techniques and strategies. To effectively communicate with English language learners who don't speak your language, you can use the following strategies: Yes, there are specialized techniques and resources available for teaching English to students with different first languages. These techniques and resources are designed to address the unique challenges that learners from diverse language backgrounds may face when acquiring English as a second language. Here are some strategies and resources commonly used in teaching English to students with different first languages:  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences I work in two schools. I am an assistant language teacher at one commercial (low-level English) high school, and an integrated (high-level English) academic junior high and high school. I have had experiences with different kinds of students, Japanese-English teachers, and classroom atmospheres. In Japan, students take an entrance exam to get into high school. If they scored low on the entrance exam, then they are placed in the lowest ranking class. Each school has a certain number of classrooms for each grade. Both of my high schools have six classes total for each grade. There are usually around forty to forty-two students in each class as well. Teaching forty plus students in a crowded classroom is difficult. And unlike many stereotypes of...  [Read more]