FAQ

Why Japanese?
What qualifications do I need in order to teach Japanese in a UK school?
What kind of programmes and support are available for schools that teach Japanese or are thinking of doing so?
How do I search for Japanese language teaching vacancies?
How can I set up an exchange with a school in Japan?
How can I arrange for a Japanese Language Assistant (JLA) to teach at my school?
Case Studies

Why Japanese?

A few reasons why your students will love learning Japanese...

Easy beginners speaking
Learn a new script
Something different
Fascinating culture
Appealing to boys
Explore a World beyond Europe
Proven Success

And why you will love teaching it....

Support from Japanese teaching advisors at the JFLLC
Downloadable Resources for teaching Japanese and access to extensive library
If you’re teaching introductory Japanese you can learn together with your students

And if you’re still not convinced...

Sign up for the ‘Head Start – Japanese from Scratch’ Course for Senior Managers, Heads of MFL, and Primary Language Coordinators.
Why not arrange a StepOutNet visit to take place at your school so that you and your students can find out first-hand what it is like to learn Japanese. Volunteers introduce basic Japanese language such as numbers and greetings in a fun and interactive way.

What qualifications do I need in order to teach Japanese in a UK school?

So you want to teach Japanese in a UK school? Guidelines for Potential Teachers

As of early 2007, there were around 300 schools teaching Japanese in the UK, and the teaching of Japanese in UK schools has in recent years enjoyed steady growth.
However, it can still be difficult to obtain a full-time position teaching Japanese in a UK secondary school. The main reason for this is that only a very small percentage of schools have enough Japanese on the curriculum to merit appointing a full-time teacher. It's much more likely that a school will need either a part-time peripatetic teacher who can visit for a few hours a week or a teacher who can offer another teaching subject alongside Japanese (another language can be particularly useful if you find yourself attached to the Modern Foreign Language Department).

Please download the guidelines and information about qualifications needed in order to teach Japanese in a UK school.

How do I search for Japanese language teaching vacancies?

There are a number of ways of looking for Japanese language teaching jobs:

Check the London Language Centre's jobs database, which is regularly updated with details of teaching vacancies that we hear about.
Register as a private tutor to be contacted by learners of Japanese
Join jle-uk, a forum set up by the London Language Centre for teachers of Japanese and others interested in Japanese language education. News of job vacancies are often posted there.
Check the Education section of the Guardian on a Tuesday (eG). They have jobs listings on their website as well http://jobs.guardian.co.uk/
Browse through TES (Times Educational Supplement) which comes out on a Friday. They also have a jobs listing site on the internet www.tes.co.uk

How can I set up an exchange with a school in Japan?

Essential Contacts for setting up an exchange with a school in Japan

Japan 21 Education

Japan 21 locates partner schools in Japan and supports both UK and Japanese schools as they develop their exchange activities, both through conventional methods and by utilising Japan UK Live! A bilingual internet site which enables pupils to communicate freely and creatively.
For more details contact:
Heidi Potter
Tel: 020 7630 8696 Fax: 020 7931 8453
Email: info@japan21.org.uk
http://www.japan21.org.uk

British Council

School Linking Visits: Funding is available for one member of staff to visit their Japanese partner school to establish and develop curriculum links which will enable collaborative work between the schools’ students.

Email: world.links@britishcouncil.org
http://www.britishcouncil.org/schoolpartnerships-study-visit-funding.htm

Global Gateway

Global Gateway can help you take students outside the four walls of the classroom to real communication with their counterparts in other countries. Offers materials to put lessons into a modern, topical and global context, and access to great online projects where you share your work with teachers and pupils from all over the world. And there’s a fantastic school partner-finding service with 6,000 schools from every continent signed up!
For more details go to http://www.globalgateway.org/

Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation

Contact: Susan Meehan
Tel: 020 7486 4348
Fax: 020 7486 2914
Email: grants@dajf.org.uk
http://www.daiwa-foundation.org.uk
Grant-giving organisation, which can sometimes provide funding towards exchange visits.

The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation

Contact: Stephen McEnally
Tel: 020 7436 9042
Fax: 020 7355 2230
Grant-giving organisation, which can sometimes provide modest funding
towards exchange visits.

Email: grants@gbsf.org.uk
www.gbsf.org.uk

Please also see ‘Opportunities for schools that teach Japanese or have partnerships with schools in Japan’.

How can I arrange for a Japanese Language Assistant (JLA) to teach at my school?

The British Council language assistants department arranges for Japanese Language Assistants (JLAs) to work in UK schools. JLAs are likely to be training to teach Japanese as a foreign language at university, and can:

Work with Japanese teachers in the classroom if Japanese is already formally taught at your school, or
Work on their own with small groups of pupils if they are introducing Japanese to your school.
Run lunchtime Japanese clubs where the focus is mainly on Japanese culture.
Help set up links with schools in Japan and help contribute to international projects. Please see the relevant section of the British Council website: http://www.britishcouncil.org/schoolpartnerships-japan.htm

If you are interested in introducing Japanese into your school, but would only have a few hours of Japanese on your timetable each week, it is worth bearing in mind that JLAs can be shared among up to three schools in your area (including primary schools), with a host school being identified for administrative and support purposes.
Please see the UK schools and authorities section of the British Council website for further information on how to apply and the terms and conditions: www.languageassistant.co.uk.

Case Studies

Yukiko Katsura, Tile Hill Wood School (2006 – 2007)
Please see the British Council website

Yu Kiyota, Liverpool College (2005 - 2007)
My course at university is in Education and teaching English, and I’ve always had an interest in foreign languages. I had the opportunity to meet learners of Japanese at university in Hokkaido and Australia, where I was studying English for one year. This made me think more about the Japanese language and our writing system, and I became inspired to teach Japanese. When I saw the advert for JLAs with the British Council, I had no doubt that the programme was for me! My enthusiasm must have come across in the interview because I got the job! Since being at Liverpool College it has been amazing to see how quickly the students learn, and how keen and enthusiastic they are. Students enjoy learning about the crazy and fun aspects of Japanese culture, such as games, manga and fashion. I think they especially enjoy the events that I am able to organise, as it’s a great opportunity to learn about culture as well as language. I recently organised a Japan Day which was a great success:
‘They love me a lot as I do them’!!
My second year of teaching here has been even better. I have been able to teach more classes, and I now teach from nursery through to Sixth form, as well as special needs students. As I haven’t finished my studies in Japan yet I will be returning to Japan this summer. However, I plan to come back to teach, and hopefully at Liverpool College!

Case Studies

Katherine Lady Berkeley’s School (Language College)

Katharine Lady Berkely’s School in Gloucestershire has developed strong links with Hikawa High School in Yamanashi prefecture, just west of Tokyo. The exchange has been taking place for 9 years, and the last group of students went to Japan in October 2006. During their visit to Japan Japanese lessons took place every morning and afternoon activities included various martial arts, other traditional arts such as calligraphy and flower arranging, and participation in English and PE lessons. On trips out of school, the group visited Lake Kawaguchi at the base of Mt Fuji, the contrasting Asakusa and Harajuku districts of Tokyo, a modern shopping mall and an ancient temple in Narita, and even tried out karaoke. Both students and teachers are looking forward to entertaining 25 pupils and teachers from Hikawa in March and are planning their next visit to Japan at the end of October next year.

Click here to visit the school website and to see more photos from school exchange

John Leggott Sixth Form College

John Leggott Sixth Form College in North Lincolnshire has been teaching Oriental studies, a Japanese and Chinese language course which also includes aspects of political, economic and cultural studies, and uses the Asset Languages assessment scheme. Click here to read a report from director of languages James Laming, and for more information about Asset.

What kind of programmes and support are available for schools that teach Japanese or are thinking of doing so?

‘Opportunities for schools that teach Japanese or have partnerships with schools in Japan’ has been produced to bring together the range of support and assistance that is available to UK teachers of Japanese. The brochure includes website links to organisations that can provide support for language learning, professional development for teachers as well as organisations that can assist in setting up school partnerships.