ALT | 東ゼン•Tozen

Borderlink ALTs Unionized

October 3, 2011 by TozenAdmin

On Friday, September 30th 20011, Zenkoku Ippan Tokyo General Union and its Tozen ALTs Branch declared the existence of its Borderlink Shop to management and submitted a slate of 34 collective bargaining demands.

Japan’s ratio of education spending to GDP lowest among OECD nations

September 14, 2011 by TozenAdmin

Japan’s expenditure on education as a percentage of gross domestic product in 2008 remained the lowest among 31 member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development…[and] pointed out that “other factors that influence the quality of education need to be taken into account,” such as improving teachers’ salaries and working conditions in Japan.

Expats in Japan face hard choices

August 23, 2011 by TozenAdmin

Radiation leaks, contaminated crops and water, plutonium released into the air and ocean, have made expats in Japan question whether to stay or head back home, especially in the face of pressure from family and loved ones.

American teacher in Sendai stays in Japan to help with volunteer efforts

April 27, 2011 by TozenAdmin

However, many ALTs have not stayed behind. According to the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR), which every year mediates the contracts of around 4,000 ALTs at local authorities around the country, 44 ALTs quit their jobs after the earthquake.

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U.S., British teachers help evacuees in tsunami-hit Iwate shelter

March 22, 2011 by TozenAdmin

Three teachers of English from the United States and Britain have earned the thanks of evacuees at a shelter in tsunami-ravaged Iwate Prefecture in northeastern Japan after deciding to stay in the area to offer their help. The three men’s relatives in their own countries suggested they leave Japan home but they chose to work … Read more

Japan launches primary push to teach English

March 9, 2011 by TozenAdmin

Compulsory foreign language lessons start next month for all 10- to 12-year-olds, raising hopes among educators and industry leaders of ending a decades-long ‘English deficit’ With just weeks to go before English becomes a compulsory subject at Japan’s primary schools, doubts surround the boldest attempt in decades to improve the country’s language skills, and its … Read more

Record number of public school teachers on fixed-term contracts, only working part time

March 9, 2011 by TozenAdmin

A record 15 percent of public elementary and junior high school teachers across the country are full-time instructors with a fixed-term employment contract, or are only working part time, a government survey has found.

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Japanese Elementary Teachers Take On Teaching English

March 8, 2011 by TozenAdmin

Lessons to start in grade five, but most teachers lack formal training

Elementary school teachers in Japan are studying up on their English. Come April, English will become a required subject for fifth- and sixth-graders.

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Byzantine temp rules need permanent fix

March 8, 2011 by TozenAdmin

Who tells workers what to do, therefore, is a critical starting point for a great deal of Japanese employment law and regulation.

Imagine you are in a fast-food restaurant ordering a hamburger. So long as you are just looking to pay ¥500 for a hamburger and a side of fries, you are a client and the restaurant is a provider of goods (the hamburger) and services (food preparation).

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Most public elementary school educators feel specialists should teach English

February 18, 2011 by TozenAdmin

More than 70 percent of public elementary school educators believe teachers specializing in English should instruct English at elementary schools rather than homeroom teachers, according to a survey conducted by Benesse Corp.

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