The Inside Japan Podcast

On this episode I'm speaking with Adam Kardos, Owner of English Access who created a fun interactive game that helps children to learn English. We talk about the failures of the grammar translation method, how kids actually learn languages and Adam’s audacious goal of taking rote learning out of the classroom, to free up teachers to meaningfully connect the dots with their students. 

Check out Gamerize Dictionary: https://gamerize-dictionary.com/en/

For the best place on the internet to find your next job in Japan, go to JobsinJapan.com.

This is the last in our three part series with Simon Moran. If you haven’t heard the other podcasts already, we talked about the myth of self-sponsoring a visa, and why you shouldn’t start an English school, and this time we’re going to talk about whether it is possible to make a viable long term living as an English teacher in Japan. I hope you enjoy the conversation.

Please give us a 5* rating on iTunes: https://apple.co/3wmo1qh

Part 1 "There's no such thing as Self-Sponsoring your visa in Japan": https://youtu.be/X3Vi2hE9G08

Part 2 "Don't start an English School": https://youtu.be/0BGE0b5lwwI

Mentioned in the podcast:

Join ETJ: https://ltprofessionals.com/etj/

Join JALT: https://jalt.org/

Join OTJ: https://onlineteachingjapan.com/

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro

01:00 Living Wage as an English Teacher in Japan?

05:18 How Can You Avoid the Glass Ceiling?

08:04 Digital Transformation in Education in Japan

15:20 Digital WON'T Replace Teachers

17:15 Japan's English Teachers Need Modernisation

25:44 Role of English Teachers in the Future

29:34 Importance of Qualifications

Check out the audio version on iTunes, Android, or Spotify. Please SUBSCRIBE on your favourite listening platform.

iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-inside-japan-podcast/id983335320

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0qMWLgXvNCKvYFGho65qwn

Anchor: https://anchor.fm/inside-japan-podcast

This show is proudly sponsored by JobsinJapan.com!

For the best place on the internet to find your next job in Japan, go to https://jobsinjapan.com.

#InsideJapan #Episode171

I’m back with Simon Moran to talk about why starting a school is a big mistake for most English teachers living in Japan. So many people think of this as a way to make a better long-term living as an English teacher in Japan, but it is a totally different job than teaching. Even worse, many start with their Japanese spouse dealing with the parents of their students, and it can often have a very negative effect on their relationship as well.

Video Podcast: https://youtu.be/0BGE0b5lwwI

#InsideJapan #Episode170

For the best place on the internet to find your next job in Japan, go to JobsinJapan.com.

This is the first in a 3 part series of podcasts with Simon Moran, the owner of Modern English. He’s been in Japan for a while and on this episode we’re going to talk about the myths and misinformation about self-sponsoring your visa. Don’t get mislead by people in Facebook groups or Reddit forums who might get you in trouble with your visa renewal. I hope you learn a lot from this conversation, and come back in the future when we’ll be talking about if its possible to make a good living as a long-term teacher in Japan, and why you shouldn’t start a school.

Check out the video show on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/X3Vi2hE9G08

For the best place on the internet to find your next job in Japan, go to JobsinJapan.com.

#InsideJapan #Episode169

On this episode I'm speaking with Ryan who owns My English School in Yamagata, and has lived in the countryside of Japan for over 20 years. We talk about the JET programme, teaching at universities, starting a popular school and hiring good teachers that stick around out in the Inaka in Japan. I hope you enjoy this conversation, and if you do, please share it with a friend.

VIDEO PODCAST:

https://youtu.be/x9GeinkQTWw

#InsideJapan #Episode168

For the best place on the internet to find your next job in Japan, go to JobsinJapan.com.

#InsideJapan #Episode167

Check out the video podcast on YouTube.

On this episode I'm speaking with Kristel who landed her dream job as a video games media director here in Japan. We talk about having a passion for the work you are in, what it takes to get into the games industry in Japan, as well as what it is actually like day to day. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.

For the best place on the internet to find your next job in Japan, go to JobsinJapan.com.

On this episode I'm speaking with Kenn Gale, Head of School for No Borders International Schools in Nagoya where I used to live. On this episode we talk about the struggles of keeping teachers, having a real pedagogy as an English school rather than just entertainment, and what changes are coming in education. I hope you enjoy the conversation.

Video Podcast Link: https://youtu.be/LLJrGasKjBc

For the best place on the internet to find your next job in Japan, go to JobsinJapan.com.

#InsideJapan #Episode165

On this episode I'm speaking with Hana, a friend of mine who grew up in Japan and went to international schools here before studying in Canada and working in the US. In this episode we talk about what it’s like growing up as what they call Hafu in Japan, how international school experience shaped her personality, and reverse culture shock after coming back from years overseas. I hope you’ll enjoy this conversation as much as I did.

Timestamps (check your podcast player or the YouTube show for links):

00:00 Intro

01:32 Experience growing up as Hafu in Japan

05:28 What are the trade-offs going to international school?

09:20 The spiritual part of Japanese culture

11:14 Cultural differences Japan > Canada > US

13:32 Code switching

19:00 Reverse Culture Shock

23:53 Sponsored Segment JobsinJapan.com

24:23 What Hana missed about Japan in the US

27:15 Do Int'l school kids integrate into Japanese society?

32:06 If not for going to Int'l school...

For the best place on the internet to find your next job in Japan, go to JobsinJapan.com.

#InsideJapan #Episode164

I’m very fortunate to be speaking with Dennis Tesolat, who is the General Secretary of the General Union here in Japan. He’s going to tell us about some of your legal rights as a foreigner working in Japan, the university system, and some of the big legal cases that are changing Japan’s laws today. I hope you enjoy the conversation and please give Inside Japan a 5* rating on iTunes if you’re enjoying our fortnightly podcast.

Check out more about the Union in Japan at: https://generalunion.org

Video Podcast:

https://youtu.be/0DOC7ltmHjw

Timestamps (check your podcast player or the YouTube show for links):

00:00 Intro 

01:11 Is it worth joining a union? 

03:05 My former employer won’t send me paperwork! 

05:16 What to do when employers break the law 

07:36 When do unions step in? 

12:25 What’s wrong with the university job system in Japan? 

16:07 Sponsored segment by JobsinJapan.com

16:36 The Union’s legal battles 

19:56 Are bigger companies easier to negotiate with? 

25:40 English teacher’s wages going down over time 

27:51 Boards of Education in Japan 

30:47 Bankruptcy of Nova 

34:25 More info and Outro

This show is proudly sponsored by JobsinJapan.com!

For the best place on the internet to find your next job in Japan, go to JobsinJapan.com.

#InsideJapan #Episode163

On this episode I’m talking with Helene Uchida, a certified teacher who has been in Japan for over 40 years. She owns and manages Little America, a school in Fukuoka that’s been around since 1979, and has some valuable insights about what teachers NEED to do to help Japanese learners to actually improve their English.

Find out more about Helene’s work at https://www.littleamerica-es.com/

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro

00:57 In Japan for 40 years, why?

01:51 Difference between teaching in US and Japan

03:15 How much has Japan changed in 40 years?

05:06 What’s missing in the public education system in Japan?

09:37 How to make your classroom work better

11:16 How has Judo informed your teaching?

16:00 Helene’s school origin story

17:01 Sponsored segment https://jobsinjapan.com

17:30 How to grow a new English school

18:59 Speaking Japanese in the English classroom

20:11 Helene’s teacher organisation

24:09 Montessori Method

26:08 Experiential English learning is KEY

30:05 What has to happen in Japan going forward

32:21 Outro

For the best place on the internet to find your next job in Japan, go to JobsinJapan.com.