Quote:
Originally Posted by SSJup81
I thought some cities were opting out of using JET and going the eikaiwa route, as it's cheaper.
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First, I will take responsibility for making the word eikaiwa stand for a company that hires English teachers and pimps them out to BoEs. The term actually means English conversation, and it is this theory that people will learn English primarily through speaking. (Dumb idea by the way.) Said theory spawned the likes of Nova, Geos and so on. Said schools then became known to many of the teachers as eikaiwas. These companies saw the opportunity to diversify, began hiring teachers and bidding for ALT contracts. Now you have some that are still doing their normal after school and weekend programs along with raking in money skimmed from ALTs. Then there are companies like Interac which focus solely on ALTs and staffing special training events.
Now secondly, I don't have numbers on whether or not JET's ranks are declining. But I do know that the number of ALTs needed is growing with the rise in English programs in the elementary schools. By 2011 all elementary schools will be expected to have 35 hours of English instruction each year for 5th and 6th grades. The idea is that Japanese teachers are going to teach using the new mandated textbook along with CDs, but I am willing to wager that just like English in the elementary school now that the Japanese teachers will look to the ALTs.
And by look to the ALTs I mean sit in the back checking homework. Then you'll have some who want to involve themselves and tell you things like, "Ah, writing is very hard for fifth grade. Maybe good for 6th grade though." Then in your head you will be all like, "So what, you want me to just make 25 lessons a year of them repeating simple phrases and words over and over again? Then you expect them to actually retain and hold onto any of this information? No, no. I will go crazy."