Work as a Spanish teacher in Japan
An excellent alternative to work in the Japanese country when you have not yet fully mastered the local language is become a Spanish teacher in Japan.
In this country that is so interested in the Spanish and Latin language and culture, there are infinite possibilities to earn a living or have a small extra salary.
Being a Spanish teacher is a job in high demand in Japan. However, not everyone can do it. In this article you will know how to be a Spanish teacher in Japan.
As in any other type of job, to teach Spanish it is necessary to meet a series of requirements, and of course have the corresponding visa.
If you are also thinking of going to live a season in Japan and you do not know how to look for work, today you will discover several ways to take advantage of different job opportunities.
Find out everything you need to know about how to work as a Spanish teacher in Japan, what job options you have, how to find Japanese students on your own, and even the best way to work at the Instituto Cervantes or at the University.
In this article you will find ...
Why work as a Spanish teacher in Japan?
Being a Spanish teacher abroad is an excellent way to work for earn a living without mastering the local language.
The Spanish language is also one of the most studied in the world along with English, so there are many job opportunities in the Japanese country, teaching from beginner to advanced level.
Despite the fact that there are many very well-trained Japanese teachers who teach Spanish in Japan, being a native speaker scores points to access certain positions.
In addition to this, in some cases they ask for some experience, and even adequate training for teaching.
It is not surprising that one of the first jobs that the Spanish consider when living in Japan be the teacher. The Japanese love Spanish and Latin American culture, and coming from one of these countries of origin are all advantages.
A Spanish teacher in Japan he usually gives his classes entirely in Spanish. If your level of Japanese is not very high, it will be great for you to start earning money, because it is also a very well paid position.
What do you need to teach Spanish in Japan?
The main requirement in Japan in most job offers to teach is that Spanish is the native language, or that the written and spoken level is high.
In addition to knowing the language to be taught, it is essential in many jobs to have the adequate training or experience for it:
- Sufficient ability to teach the language to foreign people.
- Training in the educational field.
- Previous teaching experience.
- Official university degree. For example, a degree or degree in philology, teaching, education ...
- Native Spanish speaker.
- You will need to have some impeccable criminal record to work teaching students. For example, if you live in Spain, you have to request a criminal record certificate clicking here.
You do not have a degree and you still do not have previous experience in teaching Spanish? Don't worry, there are many other options for teach Spanish in Asia at your fingertips.
Although you are not qualified to teach at the university, you can always work giving private classes or as a support teacher in Japanese nursery schools.
Academic training for Spanish teachers
To find a job as a Spanish teacher in Japan, it is common for you to be asked for one preparation or specific title.
Have a Degree or Bachelor's Degree in Philology It is the most common option, since in addition to being able to teach Spanish abroad, it also covers the culture and sociology of the country.
In Spain there are also Official Masters to be a Spanish teacher. The validation of this title is easily done in countries like Japan, allowing you to give Spanish classes in academies or public centers.
Another option is to obtain the certificate of teacher training through the Instituto Cervantes, known as ELE. This course is focused on teachers with little teaching experience, to train as a teacher of Spanish as a Foreign Language.
You can see all the information on the official website of the Instituto Cervantes in Tokyo clicking here.
Diploma of Teaching Accreditation of the Cervantes Institute (DADIC)
Many teacher job openings in Japan are focused on the teacher training which is taught at the Cervantes Institute itself.
To practice as a teacher without having a supervisor or tutor during classes, this title allows total freedom and opens up a wider range of job possibilities.
You have more information about the DADIC degree on the website of the Instituto Cervantes de Tokio clicking here.
What if you dare to study in Japan to start your professional career directly from there? Take note of these tips for study in Japan as a foreigner.
Types of teachers in Japan
Working as a Spanish teacher in Japan full time is Quite complicated. In the Japanese country there is no such job to teach in an academy for several hours in a row.
So you most likely have to work in two or more teaching positions, or combine teaching with another job.
Depending on the level of experience and degree you have, there are different jobs to be a Spanish teacher in Japan:
Tutor
The easiest way to work in Japan without studies on teaching is Give particular classes.
There are different websites and social networks (read on to see what they are) in which you can find students interested in giving an hour or two a day.
Inexperienced teachers can charge about 1500 yen / hour, and up to 2500 yen / hour if you have previous experience.
Yes, this job does not give you the right to request a visa as a worker. It can come in handy to get you extra money if you are working or studying.
Teacher in kindergartens and schools
For some years, it is very common for Japanese children to go to international nursery schools in which they are constantly looking for English or Spanish speaking teachers.
To teach young children it is not necessary to have studies, but it is usually required experience in early childhood education or babysitting.
A good opportunity for Spanish teachers abroad is to start in schools as an assistant teacher.
As you gain experience it is possible to work in primary or secondary schools, teaching children to master the language.
Professor in a Japanese academy
Spanish is one of the most studied languages in Japanese academies. In most of them, the only requirement to enter to work is be a native spanish.
The salary of a Spanish teacher in a Japanese academy is less than that of a private teacher, and also work with groups of students more or less numerous.
However the number of weekly hours worked It is usually higher, and it shows in the salary.
Professor in a Spanish academy
In addition to the Instituto Cervantes, there are Spanish academies in Japan specialized in Spanish language teaching.
In order to access them, it is required to have some official title of teacher for foreigners, or at least have some experience.
Teacher in a senmon gakko
The senmon gakko They correspond to Japanese higher education schools.
To be able to work on them it is required to have some kind of degree or experience giving classesAlthough it is very worth trying to get a position, because the hours worked and the salary are very good.
Through language academies, many teachers are usually hired to give classes in training schools.
This is a great stepping stone if you want to dedicate yourself to teaching in Japan, climbing positions little by little.
College professor
Work at a Japanese university teaching Spanish requires some kind of contact to act as a bridge.
Many Spanish speakers they get a scholarship to do a master's or doctorate in Japan, and end up working at the university.
The salary of a university language teacher is higher, however, the vast majority combine their I work at the university with classes in academies, since the assigned hours are not usually many.
Where to look for a job as a Spanish teacher in Japan?
We know that working as a Spanish teacher abroad is not a very simple matter. But it is not impossible to achieve it, and it is not even necessary travel to Japan on an employment contract insured.
Don't let demotivation overtake you in the job search as a teacher.
You may initially have to start as a student to learn a little japanese, work as a salaried employee for a living, and combine it with private classes to climb the ladder as you get more experience.
Do you need to start studying Japanese? Discover where to learn Japanese for free online through these recommendations that we do to you from Alternative Japan.
Where can I start looking for a opportunity to work in Japan being a foreigner? What kinds of jobs can a Spaniard in Japan aspire to with more or less experience? Let's see what options you have at your fingertips!
Jobs without experience
The first steps for an inexperienced Spanish teacher in Japan are more focused on giving private lessons or helping to teach classes through an NGO.
They are unpaid jobs or with a lower remuneration than in an academy, but without a doubt it is a very important step to get a certification or to start building a small portfolio of clients.
In Japan there are websites where private language teachers offer their services for interested parties to contact them. Some of the best websites are the following:
Jobs with little experience
If you have some experience teaching, take the opportunity to look for work in one of the many Spanish schools in Japan.
They will ask for references and demonstrable experience, and in some cases it may also be a test to see how you perform.
You can also work as teacher's aide in private schools, both for adults and to teach Spanish to children.
Depending on your experience or qualification, you will be able to access certain jobs, with a greater variety to choose from.
A Recommended website to find a job in Japan of this or another type is Gaijinpot.
Experienced jobs
When you have previous experience teaching Spanish classes, or if you have done some type of course to train specifically about it, working as a Spanish teacher in Japan will be much easier for you.
In addition to being able to apply for a better position in any language school, you also have the option of accessing the Instituto Cervantes job board in Tokyo.
New opportunities are emerging every day jobs in the Japanese capital and other cities in the country, with the necessary information to apply directly.
Click here to go to the job board of the Instituto Cervantes in Japan.
Work at the Instituto Cervantes in Japan
The Instituto Cervantes is a institution created in Spain to promote Spanish and the culture of Spanish-speaking countries around the world.
Today it is present in more than 4th countries around the world, and almost 80 different cities, through training centers in which Spanish is taught.
To access a job at the Instituto Cervantes in Tokyo or in any other country, working as a teacher, it is necessary to have a degree approved in Spain, as well as experience and training to teach Spanish as a foreign language.
Working as a Spanish teacher at Instituto Cervantes is a excellent job opportunity. If you do not have the studies or specific training, they themselves train you through specific courses to teach the language to foreign students.
In the official website of the center you can check all the job offers and scholarships available to students and young people just graduates.
If you think you are qualified for a specific job offer, do not hesitate to apply! It may be your best chance to start gaining experience.
Do not miss these other tips and recommendations for work in Japan being Spanish.
What is the schedule of a Spanish teacher in Japan?
One of the reasons to be a Spanish teacher in Japan is not easy it is precisely the work schedule.
It is very normal for a professor in an academy has varied schedules in the morning, in the afternoon, and even at night.
If you also add the fact combine more than one job at the same timeWithout a doubt, it is necessary to have an agenda in which to write down the schedules that change each week.
Language schools usually notify the working hours with a week in advance, although there are times when they notify you the day before an urgent change.
Early childhood education schools, senmon gakko and the classes at the university do usually have fixed hours in the morning or afternoon.
This allows combine it with private lessons or with another part-time job, earning a pretty good salary to live in Japan.
How much does a Spanish teacher earn in Japan?
The average salary that a Spanish teacher charges for Japanese in the Japanese country can vary between 1000 and 3000 yen per hour.
It is important do the calculation for hoursSince, as we have seen, schools usually pay teachers for the time spent in classes each week.
A private teacher charges a little more than an academy teacher, from 1500 yen / hour.
The salary of a Spanish teacher in Japan who works full-time is somewhat higher, around 250,000 yen / month.
More information to become a Spanish teacher in Japan
If you want to know more about the possibility of being a Spanish teacher in Japan, in the Kira Sensei's Youtube channel They explain it to you very well.
What Japanese teacher for Spanish, and after many years living in Japan, José Luis has a lot of experience on and many other topics.
As you can see, you have many options for work as a Spanish teacher in Japan. Get to work and look for your opportunity, until you find your way and carve out your own professional career. It is hard work, but very nice and rewarding!
And you, do you already know how to be a Spanish teacher in Japan? We're waiting for your comments and opinions!
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