r/ALTinginJapan

I was invited to an English summer camp. May I ask what the basis was for choosing ALTs from among a large number of ALTs?

Hi I’m going Japan with interac in September and they sent an email about a month ago wanting me to complete an emergency contact form and asked for it to be complete by 12th of June however I missed the email somehow and now I’m wondering if I’m in a bit of trouble ?

Hello, I’m moving out of my Leo Palace apartment because the rent will increase after my two-year contract ends. I found a much cheaper apartment, but it requires a Japanese emergency contact.

My dispatch company told me they can’t be my emergency contact, and I don’t have any Japanese relatives here.

I passed my first interview with Altia and I've finished the Q&A form and my reference check. What should I expect from the second interview? Other posts talk about a lesson test, is that something I'll have to do? I did an Introductory lesson video as part of my initial application.

Thank you for your help in advance.

I’m currently an ALT in Japan. I need to relocate to Nagoya by spring 2027 to be near my fiancé’s company’s headquarters.

I’m considering applying for Eikawas like ECC or AEON. My fiancé wants me to be free on the weekends, however I’ve heard it’s very unlikely to have weekends free for people working for those companies. Is that true?

I’ve read many negative things about Nagoya’s English teaching positions as a dispatch ALT.

The salary doesn’t have to be high (I’m already living on a very low salary) , but I would like to have Shakai Hoken, if possible.

Thanks in advance!

Edit: I also had a question: How can I apply for ECC? All of the recruitment options on their website are overseas but I’m already living in Japan. When I started my application on the English website, it wouldn’t let me proceed unless I chose an overseas location for recruitment. Thank you!

Hi!

If you're currently looking for an apartment in Higashiosaka, Osaka Japan, I may have a great option for you!

~Convenient location in Higashiosaka

~Easy access to public transportation.

~Close to supermarkets, convenience stores, gym, hospital, train station, and other essential shops

~Suitable for students, workers.

If you're interested and would like more information about the rent, layout, photos, or location, feel free to send a direct message.

Please also share this post with anyone who might be looking for a place in the Osaka area.

Thank you!

It’s my second year being an ALT and Lately, some of my students have started calling me just by my name and have dropped the “sensei” part completely. A few have also started sharing more personal things with me, like telling me about their boyfriends/girlfriends( this is elementary school).
I can’t tell if this is just a sign that they’re comfortable with me and see me as approachable, or if it’s something I should be paying attention to from a boundaries/professionalism perspective.
Has anyone else experienced this? Is it normal in Japanese schools?

Hi everyone. I'm a second-year dispatch ALT, and I'd really appreciate some advice from people who may have experienced something similar. For the first three months of this school year, I've been working with one JTE who has over a decade of teaching experience. Unfortunately, working with her has had a significant impact on my mental health.

She frequently points out my mistakes, even very minor ones. When I try to take initiative, I'm told I should have done something differently She often compares me to previous ALTs, saying they were better or knew what to do. Some of her comments have really hurt my confidence.

The anxiety eventually became so overwhelming that I spoke with my supervisor. They listened, took my concerns seriously, and provided support, which I'm grateful for.

However, despite that support, I still feel anxious every time I know I have to go to that particular school. During the first few months, I cried almost every night after work, had trouble sleeping, and constantly worried about making mistakes. Even now, the thought of going back there makes me feel tense and afraid.

My dispatch company requires a 60-day notice if I resign, but I'm honestly questioning whether I can continue working in this environment for that long if these feelings continue.

Has anyone here resigned with less than the required notice because of mental health or a difficult school environment?

My JHS JTE lent me a sanitary napkin after I asked her what to do since my period came earlier than expected. I didn’t have any extra, and I felt really shy, but she has been very kind and helpful to me since day one. She is also a new mom.

How should I show my appreciation, or what would be a good gift to give her as a thank you?

🙏🏻

So I made a multiple choice listening quiz where JHS students have to listen to my description and pick which of the multiple pictures I'm describing. Another teacher likes the idea and wants me to make one as well for his classes. So I thought it would be fun to put in some popular memes or scenes from anime that the kids will find funny or at least interesting.

Fellow ALTs please lend me your wisdom.

Without going into detail about where you're posted, can you let me know which dispatch you're working for and how many schools/classes you work per week, what percentage are you the T1, and how often does your coordinator visit your schools.

I'm at 5 elementary schools, right now doing 28 classes per week. I am the T1 for 18 of my 28 classes so about 64% of the time.

Looking for a more ALT experience with more sense of belonging. Just want to see which companies have more of that. Thanks!

Edit: As posting your company in a public space like this could result in unneeded pettiness by head office folks in this community. Please message me in private if you want!

I've been an ALT for 2yrs and this yr I had to move to a new dispatch company because my previous company lost the contract in my city.

I've been working for the new dispatch for 2months and I've been having continuous negative experiences with both the company and one of my two schools.

I reassessed my situation and decided I'm better off just resigning because they're paying me peanuts so it's not worth enduring the stress and toxicity.

I sent in my resignation giving them exactly two months notice so that after the 1st semester I don't have to go back.

Now they're saying they want to meet to "listen to my reasons for leaving and understand the situation before proceeding to the next steps"

I'm definitely not gonna tell them the exact reasons, I'm so mentally drained that I just want out at this point. Has anyone else been in this situation before? How did it go? Any advice and tips are welcome.

This is something that’s been bothering me for a while, and I’m curious how other ALTs deal with it.

I work at one JHS where I have six classes back-to-back every Tuesday and Thursday I am there. The problem isn’t that I’m teaching six classes. The problem is that in many of those classes I have very little to actually do.

A lot of the time I’m just standing there, trying to look engaged while the JTE runs the entire lesson. I’ll occasionally walk around, check notebooks, or help a student if they ask, but there are long stretches where I’m essentially just waiting. I have to stay alert because I might be needed at any moment, but mentally I’m not engaged enough to feel like I’m accomplishing anything.

By the end of the day I feel surprisingly exhausted. Lately I’ve even noticed myself holding a lot of tension in my forehead and shoulders, almost like I’m mentally bracing myself through every class. It’s strange because from the outside it probably looks like an easy day, but it doesn’t feel that way.

Unfortunately, changing the situation isn’t really an option. I can’t change the teachers, I can’t change how the classes are run, and I can’t really advocate for a different schedule. I’m also not given any free period during the school day other than lunch, so it’s essentially six periods straight.

For those of you who’ve been in similar situations, how do you protect yourself emotionally and mentally?

How do you stop yourself from becoming frustrated or feeling like you’re wasting your day? Are there any mental strategies that have helped you stay present without becoming drained? I’d really appreciate hearing from people who’ve found ways to cope with this kind of schedule.

Hello!

I've been an ALT for almost a year now, and I've really loved the experience. So far, I've only taught at elementary schools, so all of my experience has been with younger students.

Starting in August, my company is moving me to a new city and assigned me to two high schools. I'm really excited for the change (and the city is beautiful!), but I'm also pretty nervous since I've never taught high school before.

I'm worried that a lot of the skills and activities I've developed for elementary students won't translate as well to older students. For those of you who have taught both (or just high school), what are the biggest differences? What is a good way to motivate students? I fear stickers won't cut it in high school haha

I'd really appreciate any advice or tips. Thanks!

A bit of a lighter topic, but I worked as an ALT in the countryside, and now still work as one in Tokyo. For all the gripes I have about schools in Tokyo, the kyushoku SLAPS here. Desserts are actually baked, and not packaged, the okazu feels more boujee, even the plates are ceramic and not plastic.

I know that a prerequisite to this is having a favorable palette for washoku and countryside could mean anywhere, but has anyone else worked in both countryside and urban and noticed a significant difference?

Technically, not even an ALT yet. The long story is short is that a dispatch company hired us into two positions, but just as they were expecting to send over our contracts, they lost the contracts to another dispatch.

This resulted in them giving us one contract for my partner, with the promise of another position opening up in ‘just a matter of time’.

In other words, been in Japan with no contract or employment for a few months now. Obviously with the visa, i can’t do anything else.

Anyone have any advice regarding this situation?

I remember when I first started and they drilled this into us. When entering and leaving the school, we had to bow before all the staff and most importantly the principal. I did it for a very long time because I thought it was rude not to. How far from the truth and reality it was.

What other nonsense things did you learn that were far from reality?

If anyone has a copy, I'd greatly appreciate a link.

Thank you!

Need a job fast. What dispatch is hiring now and can get me started in August?

Eikaiwa suggestions are welcomed.

Yaruki can't get me started until August, and I probably won't get paid until my visa change gets approved. I'm on an instructor visa.

Please help.