Based on the countless inquiries we have answered in the past, we have put together a selection of frequently asked questions, which may be of use to you. Please take a look through these FAQ’s before calling or emailing us, as they may save you the time and effort of contacting us. Thank you.

Questions  on Teaching Position

I would  like to be a teacher of Japanese language in the U.S. How would I go about getting a  position?

Our answer depends in turn on  your answers to these questions: Are you seeking a permanent position or a  temporary position? Are you thinking about teaching Japanese as your life-long  career, or as a temporary job? Do you need income from teaching to support  yourself, or is this part of your "experience" for the future and  income is not your major concern --or, even if it were your concern, you could  manage to live on a part-time salary--?

Are you a native or non-native speaker of Japanese? Are you interested in  teaching at the pre-collegiate level (elementary and secondary schools) or the  college level?

1. If you are interested in becoming an elementary or a secondary school teacher  as a serious career move, you will first need to obtain certification, in the  form of a teaching license, certificate, or credential. Requirements differ  from state to state, so find out from the credentialing agency in your state.

(Try http://www.uky.edu/Education/TEP/usacert.html for links to each state you are interested in.) In order to obtain teaching  certification, you will probably need to enroll in a teaching certification or  credential program at a university or college. Procedures also vary among  states, and may vary among colleges within different states as well. You can  meet some states' requirements by majoring in Elementary or Secondary Education  and obtaining a BA degree; in other states, you will need to enroll in a  one-year "add-on" graduate program after receiving a BA degree in  Japanese or a related field. If you are a native speaker of Japanese with a  bachelor's degree, some states offer a test in Japanese (language, culture,  literature, methodology, etc.) in place of a BA degree in Japanese. In most  states, you must pass a test in order to be enrolled in the credential program  and/or get certification. Please note that a few states do not even offer a  teaching certificate in Japanese: in such cases teachers must be certified to  teach some other subject area as a springboard (e.g.'s, Math, P.E., American  History), or receive an "emergency certificate" which may last a year  or longer. The best approach is to contact the state certification agency or  someone at a university in your state that offers teacher certification programs.  Please note that once you have obtained a teaching certificate in one state,  you cannot use it in any other state. However, many states will accept another  state's certificate as full or partial fulfillment of requirements in the  certificate application process.

2. If you are interested in teaching at the college level, you need to have an MA  or Ph.D. in an appropriate field of study. The majority of current teachers of  Japanese have typically earned their MA or Ph.D. degrees in such fields as  Japanese Linguistics, Japanese Literature, East Asian Languages &  Literatures, Applied Linguistics, Educational Psychology, TESL, or Curriculum  and Instruction. Some institutions offer MA programs in Japanese language  pedagogy. You should be aware, however, that it has been extremely difficult  recently to locate a permanent college teaching position without a Ph.D.: the  majority of the positions offered to MA holders are limited to one year  temporary positions or annually renewable positions that are typically subject  to the program's funding situation.

3. If you are a native speaker of Japanese and you're considering a short-term  "experience," you may want to consider the following options

ALLEX (Alliance for Language Learning and  Educational Exchange) has the IEP (Intercultural Exchange Program) in Japanese,  which enables post-secondary institutions to begin or maintain a high quality  Japanese language program by providing them with professionally trained, native  Japanese instructors who teach in exchange for tuition waivers to pursue a  master's, associate's or second bachelor's degree. http://www.eastasia.org/

“The J-Corps program is a new offering of The  Laurasian Institution. It is the mission of J-Corps to help teachers create  classrooms that are stimulating exchange environments where learning about  Japanese language and culture is enhanced.” http://www.laurasian.org/Programs.htm

The REX（Regional  and Educational Exchanges for Mutual Understanding） Program is a teacher exchange  program facilitated by regional and local governments in the US and Japan. http://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/shotou/rex/english/main.htm

4. If you are a native  speaker of Japanese, are interested in a teaching experience, and do not need  to support yourself, there are some agencies in Japan that send volunteer  assistants to U.S. schools and universities.

Questions on Japanese Program in the U.S.