HJJ Industry Talk

A definite benefit of working as an ALT in Japan is the long summer holidays. Yes, most schools in Japan have a long summer holiday starting around the 20th of July and going all the way through to the beginning of September. This comes close to a month and a half and is a good chance to rest and recoup after all the early morning starts during the working weeks.

Most ALT staff take the opportunity to head back home and catch up with family and friends, many try to pick up extra work during the summer and some use the time off to see parts of Japan that are difficult to get to during other times of the year.

One difficulty in the later is that most people in Japan have the same idea about seeing the country and the main destinations are usually very busy during the summer holidays with many families traveling. Of course, the popular destinations for families are the usual Tokyo Disney Land and Sea in Tokyo or Universal studios in Osaka but the big family destinations during the summer are usually dominated by the many water theme parks and places that provide a chance to cool down and escape the heat.

The best places to escape the heat are the local shopping complexes and mall centers that are recently more popular than ever in Japan. They provide all you need for surviving the hot summer days. Many including cinemas and entertainment complexes with food court style family dinning and more fashionable restaurants available to suit everyone. Most of these places are giant and can keep the average family entertained for the day. Go in the morning and step out in the early evening when the heat dies down a little and surviving the summer heat is not so much of a pain.

Many ALT staff working with children in Japan definitely gain experiences that are rewarding and memorable. Children are so honest and tend to say and do things that reflect their personal lives, their fears and dislikes and their hopes and wishes.

The Japanese children seem to attach themselves to ALT Staff from different countries almost like they are an animation character or a television hero, something that you will rarely see in their interactions with their home room teacher or other Japanese teachers in school. Many of the current generation of new Japanese teachers of English teaching English in Junior High Schools across Japan today fondly remember the name and the conversations had with the ALT that came to their school while they were students, inspiring them to study and practice English so that they can one day pursue their interest in the language and even teach the next generation of students. Yes, it’s been that long. The role of the ALT has changed dramatically over the past years but fundamentally it is still the same, providing the Japanese students and teachers with a chance to practice their English and experience life with a person from a different culture. A chance that is difficult to find for Japanese people outside of paying a monthly fee at an English conversation school.

As the industry has moved away from the government sponsored programs such as the JET program to private recruitment companies, sometimes known as dispatch companies, a higher level of professionalism is required. After all, it is for the children.

One particular ALT was surprised by a Year four Elementary students question while eating lunch with her class, the young girl looked closely into the ALT staffs eyes and quietly asked “Do you see everything in blue?”