Teach English online to Japanese students

There’s truly so much to love about Japan. From its rich and compelling history, its dramatic landscapes - including the incredible Mt Fuji - to the futuristic metropolises and endless forms of entertainment, there’s no secret as to why Japan is a popular destination for visitors and aspiring residents alike. Technologically, Japan is seemingly always ahead of the curve; no shock, then, that there are lots of amazing online teaching companies and platforms for TEFL teachers to find work on.

Compared to countries like Korea and China, Japan is way behind in terms of English learning. In the EF English Proficiency Index, Japan ranks a miserable 87th out of 113 countries. Out of Asian nations alone, Japan ranks 15th out of 23. For such a major economy, it’s surely a source of disappointment in Japanese educational and business sectors. 

It’s also confusing given the sheer number of online teaching companies based in Japan that allow Japanese students to study English. We’ll cover quite a few, but it’s clear that ESL teachers are very much in demand, and very clearly needed. So, how can it be done?

Whether you’re looking to teach adults who want to advance their careers, kids who want to keep up in school or students who want to study in English-speaking universities, you’ll find opportunities are more than ample. As far as finding work goes, teaching English online to Japanese students is incredibly straightforward, with plenty of user-friendly and accessible websites to explore. 

Requirements 

So, before you launch into applying for online teaching positions, what will you need to teach online to Japanese students?

TEFL certificate 

As discussed, holding a TEFL certificate is a major plus if you’re planning on teaching online to Japanese students.

A TEFL certificate from a trusted, reputable and accredited TEFL course provider is a ticket to teaching English as a foreign language. The industry standard for a TEFL qualification is 120 hours of study; 120 hours of TEFL training will provide you with an excellent understanding of English teaching methodology, designing teaching materials, lesson planning and loads more. If you’re looking to get a job teaching English, then a TEFL certificate is your best friend.

While 120 hours is the standard, a Level 5 Diploma is a fantastic option for those without a bachelor’s degree or experience, especially if you’re not a native English speaker and want to teach English online. These courses give you an advanced theoretical understanding of English teaching methods and are a great qualification to have on your CV, whether you want to teach English online, or find jobs in classrooms with Japanese students.

Advanced TEFL qualifications are also a great way to get yourself fantastic teaching opportunities with Japanese students. There are excellent advanced TEFL courses that will give you a serious edge over your competition, for example, Business English, Teaching Young Learners and Teaching English Online - all ideal if you’re looking to teach English online to Japanese students!

Degree/no-degree 

In a lot of cases, online English teaching companies for Japanese students will want you to hold a bachelor’s degree. Your degree should preferably be in English, education or a similar subject. 

Online English teaching platforms are different. While a company will employ teachers, platforms will take on teachers as freelancers, advertising their services to prospective clients. Therefore, it’s a marketplace, in which customers can pick teachers based on their credentials, experience and their presentability. 

These platforms, in most cases, do not normally demand a degree. Still, you are more likely to attract more clients if you have impressive qualifications and experience, including a bachelor's degree - or even a master's degree - in English, education, or a similar area. A lot of students will feel more confident opting for a teacher with a degree than one without, fairly or unfairly.

So yes, you can teach English online without a degree to Japanese students, generally on platforms as opposed to with teaching companies.

Experience 

The online teaching sphere is a particularly fruitful place for those who want to teach English without experience. For many TEFL teachers, online teaching jobs are the first port of call, the first line on a CV that goes on to include any number of teaching adventures. When it comes to teaching online to Japanese students, this is also true; most platforms won’t require any experience, and some companies will take on new teachers whether they’ve got teaching experience or not.

You have to start somewhere, and while it’s harder to teach Japanese students in the classroom without teaching experience, being an online English teacher opens you up a world of new opportunities.

Native/non-native 

It’s not just for native English speakers; teaching English online to Japanese students can be for anyone with the right credentials.

Really, it’s up to each teaching company or platform whether they take on non-native English speakers to teach online. If you can demonstrate fluent English through a language test like the IELTS or TOEFL, many online teaching jobs will happily accept you. There are a lot of non native English teachers working online, specifically teaching Japanese students.