Training for ALTs

[Kalai]

Hi! Does anyone know what kind of training is provided for ALTs when we get to Japan? Thanks! I have my interview in a few weeks

[temoshi]

In truth, there is very little training. You will attend a few workshops at Tokyo Orientation, and then there's also the Midyear Conference. But really, most people without prior experience just learn as they go, which can take a little while.

[Amy_NagasakiPA]

Depending on your country, you may also have training at your pre-departure orientation. I feel like a little more training would have been useful, but that learning as I went along was fine too (especially as your situation may turn out very different from what training implied).

[Patryn]

I have a feeling that the reading material they gave us has a lot of really useful info in it, but not many of us have looked at it. xD
But I think it's a bit difficult to train for all possibilities because you don't know how you'll be teaching when you get to your school. The best way I've ever heard the training described is "The first year is training". Expect to have a bad class at least once, but more than likely, you'll have many more. Learn from them and you'll be better by the end of the year! xD

[SaitamaPA_Denise]

Different pre-departure orientations in different countries/consulates will probably cover a variety of topics. As far as what "The JET Programme" offers, the standard orientation is Tokyo Orientation. You can access the handouts from previous years at http://jetprogramme.org/e/current/confe ... o_ori.html. Note that the topics and workshops change from year to year, though, so if you do get accepted to the Programme, you might end up with a different set of workshops to choose from.

Prefectural Orientations will often cover work-related topics, but the prefectures are responsible for planning them, so content varies from place to place. But as far as learning how to teach, it will be a lot of learn-as-you-go, although other resources such as National AJET (see this awesome page in particular: http://ajet.net/education-professional-development/) and JALT (http://jalt.org/) are pretty useful--it's just that you'll need to make use of these with your own initiative.

[hysan]

Short answer: None

Long answer (as a Group C person):
Well, you do go through orientation at Tokyo but it is rushed and you don't get enough time to process everything. They also give you stuff to read but, I had a single weekend to read all the material while also trying to move in, furnish my apartment, tour the town, and do greetings so you aren't really given time to learn anything about your job. I did manage to read all of the material eventually (about 2 weeks in) and quite frankly, it doesn't give you any training at all. However, you should read it all; in particular, the MEXT documents explaining the goals of English education for the different grade levels will give you a better idea of what to focus on if you are asked to prepare anything like activities.

[Crowbeak]

Read all the books and handouts they give you at Tokyo Orientation ASAP. Lots of good information in there. If you wait, you'll headdesk.

Other than that: watch your JTEs and HRTs, ask them for advice about how you can do better -- do it as soon as possible after every class -- and read up. That's what I've done, and it shows. Last time I had class with the 3rd graders here, the teacher was impressed by how far I've come and had no advice... which is gratifying, 'cause he knows his shoot.