Why take on an ALT position?

Ashikaga Gakko, Japan's oldest extant school, photo Abasaa

Years ago, I had an eye-opening, sometimes challenging, but enriching experience as an ALT in The Japan Exchange and Teaching Program. The first few months were hard as I didn’t speak Japanese yet, but after some self-study and immersion, I got along in social situations and could communicate better with my coworkers at the schools. There were times when I felt dejected when relegated to “human tape recorder” status, but after some time teachers took me on as a mentee and encouraged me to actively participate in English instruction. Outside of teaching, I fulfilled some of the duties that Counselors for International Relations (CIRs) get to do - community engagement, guiding visitors and writing reports on local attractions.

There are myriad benefits for non-Japanese and some Japanese taking on the ALT role. From talking to new ALTs and veterans, I learned some of the attractions.

First, for recent graduates aspiring to be teachers in their home countries, a year abroad is valuable. They get immersed in a new language and culture while getting their first taste of the challenges and rewards of the academic environment. While Japan’s schools have their own culturally specific practices, a lot of what the ALTs see is common the world over. The experience looks great on a resume when they’re applying to education programs.

Some older ALTs I’ve talked to work in this capacity while raising families or pursuing side projects. They’re part of their communities, nurturing the children of their neighbors. Most of these ALTs are employed permanently with boards of education or private schools.

For those who want to dig into life in Japan and education while working on further education and language study, ALT work is a good bet, especially the JET Program which guarantees that ALTs receive a consistent salary with raises and social insurance, and the opportunity for support through AJET. ALTs are offered Japanese language courses and small grants for TEFL certificates. There are mixed reviews on how good these perks are, but they're at least a first taste for many ALTs who have yet to receive instruction.

And then there are folks I have met who earn a second income for their families, either as direct hire ALTs with school boards or persevering with dispatch companies. The scope of the work and the kind of compensation varies a lot so that is something to keep in mind if you choose this route.

Moving On

If you discover that teaching, specifically, English as a Foreign Language (EFL) is your career aspiration, there are various routes up from ALT work to professional teaching. Some former ALTs I know completed master's degrees in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) and moved on to university instruction. It’s a sacrifice as many of them juggled ALT work, family obligations, and study over a few years. The rewards are working in institutions that value the instructors’ expertise, the opportunity for research, and of course, higher compensation.

Another route, if you have an adequate number of undergraduate study hours at a Japanese university is completing a teacher training that allows you to teach in schools as a regular subject teacher. This is the hard mode for teacher professional development.

Some Caveats

It’s not all rosy. There are some long-standing issues around the origins, implementation, and current conditions of ALTs in Japan’s schools. I’ll lay them out next month.

Have you been employed as an ALT? How did it benefit you? What did you find tough or interesting about your position?