For years, Japan has been perched at the top of the charts when it comes to the most popular country to teach abroad in. Whether it’s the tantalizing and tasty food, the unique juxtaposition between traditional culture and cutting-edge technological advancements, or the opportunity for high earning, Japan’s drawing factors boast something for everyone. TravelBud is thrilled to announce that in 2020, our Award Winning TESOL + Paid Teaching Program will be offered in the Land of the Rising Sun.
When you're looking to teach abroad, the decisions can be overwhelming. At TravelBud, we know this because we’ve been there. Everyone on our team has taught abroad before, so we’ve carefully curated a program that encompasses everything we feel is necessary to prepare you for teaching English in Japan as seamlessly and stress-free as possible, while equipping you with the skills, knowledge, and experience you’ll need to begin your teaching adventure as prepared as you possibly can be.
TravelBud offers Japan’s only in-class TESOL course, which includes a guaranteed job placement at one of our carefully vetted schools, and a full week of in-depth lessons and excursions on Japan’s rich culture. This is the perfect program for anyone looking to have a strong foundation into both the cultural and teaching elements which you’ll need to begin your new job as an English teacher, or sensei, in Japan as confident and impeccably prepared as possible!
Here’s how our in-class TESOL and works, and why it’s the best way to get TESOL certified to teach English in Japan:
Week One: Cultural Orientation
During the first week that you're in Japan, we want to help you get comfortable and learn about the culture you’ll be surrounded by for the next year (or more!). Our Cultural Orientation will provide you with background knowledge of Japan’s history, culture, language, and politics through a series of outings and classes. You’ll witness the grandeur of Nagoya Castle, learn how to cook traditional Japanese dishes in a cooking class, and attend the spectacle that is a Sumo wrestling match! But you can read more on the cultural orientation here--let us get on to the TESOL course!
Week Two: TESOL Philosophy, Methods, and Practices
During week two of your TESOL course, you’ll start digging into the “meat and potatoes,” so to speak, of the TESOL course. You’ll begin with a guide through the basic theory behind Teaching English as a Second Language (TESOL), as well as learning how to structure and present the perfect ESL lesson plan. You’ll then move on to learning how to teach grammar (don’t worry, we give a refresher for those who haven’t studied grammar since grade school).
This week will focus on teaching productive ESL skills, like speaking and writing. You’ll also learn how to modify your lesson plan structure to teach students of any age, as well as invaluable classroom management strategies. By the end of this week you’ll have writen and presented your first lesson! Look at you--teaching already!
Week Three: Reading, Listening, and Curriculum
During week three, we’ll cover modules on how to plan lessons for receptive ESL skills like reading and listening. You will also learn how to design a curriculum when given textbooks, as well as how to do so without being given resources. This will help you grow your flexibility which is essential to not only teaching English abroad, but any job in our rapidly-changing world! Finally, you’ll learn how to conduct assessments and evaluations with your students!
You will work with coursemates to come up with a curriculum lesson plan, comprised of a series of lessons surrounding a topic or module. You and your group will then present this lesson to the class as though you were teaching it to your students where you’ll receive valuable feedback from your fellow classmates and instructor on where you’re doing well and where you can improve.
Week Four: Practicum, Evaluation, and Graduation!
Week four of your TESOL course will be where you put all of your newly acquired knowledge to the test. During this week, you will spend two days (or approximately 16 hours) gaining practical teaching experience in a local Japanese school, where you can implement your lesson plans for a real class of Japanese students. Your instructor will then provide some incredibly helpful feedback on the areas of your practical teaching where you can improve and where you’re doing a great job.
This is one of the most valuable areas of our TESOL course which allows you to get a taste of what your placement will be like, and will see you heading off to your placement at the end of the course as confident and prepared as can be!
During this final week, you will also take a written exam inclusive of all the modules covered in the TESOL course. And then, it’s graduation time! You can celebrate your hard work with your course-mates and instructor, before heading off to your school placement!
Guaranteed Job Placement Before You Leave Home
Oh yeah, we said guaranteed! Upon acceptance to our program, we’re saying with 100% certainty that we can place you in one of our high-quality partner schools in Japan, which we carefully vet.
So, following your TESOL completion, you’ll be off to start your new job of teaching English in Japan!
Why is our in-class TESOL your best bet?
An in-class TESOL course, completed in the country you’ll be teaching in, is a great idea for a variety of reasons:
- You’re learning by direct observation.
- By watching your peers implement lessons, you’re learning valuable tricks as well as noting things you should probably avoid doing in the classroom. Rather than just watching an instructor on your computer screen, you’ve got an interactive component that’s invaluable when it comes to learning how to teach.
- You can form lasting friendships.
- Throughout the course, you’ll be spending a good bit of time with coursemates discussing both course-related and other topics, and exploring the surrounding area during your time outside of the classroom. In our TESOL course, you’ll find yourself developing friendships with like-minded people as you embark on the same journey. Next thing you know, you’ve got friends to visit all over Japan!
- You get practical training and a real-life glimpse into what to expect in the classroom.
- The in-class TESOL features a 2-day practicum, where you get to practice implementing your lesson plans in a setting very similar to the one you’ll be teaching in at your placement. This means that before you go off to your placement, you have a much better idea of what to expect in the classroom and already have some experience under your belt.
- You get more out of an in-class course setting.
- Remember that online geology course you took in your first year of university? Yeah, we didn’t think so either. Online learning is wonderful for many reasons, but studies have shown that it just doesn’t stand up when it’s compared to face-to-face instruction.
- You’ve got a buffer for culture shock and a great cultural foundation.
- We know that moving to another country does come with some culture shock. Through our in-depth cultural orientation and month-long TESOL course, you gain a great buffer between leaving your home country and heading off to your placement. During the month of TESOL, you’re surrounded not only by course-mates working through the same acclimation but also instructors and staff who have faced these feelings already. You've got people who can answer your questions, give you tips, and help you ease into your new surroundings so it doesn’t feel like you’re jumping off the high dive with no floaties.
Need more convincing? Have a look at what past alumni have said about how our in-class TESOL course has benefitted them in their teach-abroad journey!
“I learnt a lot during my actual TEFL program and felt very confident about teaching once I completed.” - Carryn, TravelBud Teacher in Thailand
“I really enjoyed the TESOL program in Vietnam because I got the chance to make new friends, experience Vietnam and it's culture before settling down in the city where my school was located.” - Sibusile, TravelBud Teacher in Vietnam
“I am currently living and teaching in Thailand after completing my TravelBud TESOL course and placement, and I am having an absolutely amazing time. The cultural orientation and course fully prepared me for life in Thailand, and I felt very ready to begin life as a teacher here. I was able to gain experience in the classroom through my TESOL, which made me feel more prepared for teaching than those I have met that went with online certifications. I also made amazing, life long friendships through TravelBud that I have maintained throughout my time here.” - Katie, TravelBud Teacher in Thailand
“I received my TESOL certificate in Thailand which was amazing, I was able to connect with people from all over the world. The TESOL equipped me for the months to come of teaching. I really enjoyed the cultural orientation. I felt this was really important. It really prepared me for what to come and gave me a deeper understanding of the culture.” - TravelBud Teacher in Vietnam
“It seems terrifying to walk into a room full of people you've never met and start a class with them in a foreign country. It's scary to have a random roommate and not know the language - but you create a full-on family with these people! They will be your support group your entire course and year of teaching. It's important to remind yourself of this and be aware of each others’ differences and celebrate them! Help each other out in the hard times, these people will be YOUR people.” - Quetzal, TravelBud Teacher in South Korea.
“I'm happy to say that some of those people are my best friends now. We were all nervous about starting to teach but the support team really helped everyone feel more relaxed. They helped us with our placements and contracts, and also with accommodation. They are always on hand and ready to help if there is anything you need. I started teaching at 2 schools and I am really happy about my placement and love the amazing students and teachers. If you want to experience a truly great adventure and meet awesome people then this is for you. Travelbud was there for support every step of the way and after and they still keep in contact. Really professional and great people to work with.” - Robin, TravelBud Teacher in Myanmar
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