Since I haven’t been writing a lot, I thought I should write two today so that I have a reason to escape writing for another couple of weeks. No, that’s not really true. I just had so much time today, I decided to read the blogs of other Singaporeans in Japan, and then decided to take upon myself to spread the gospel truth about the JET about which people might have mistaken.
I read on a certain JET participant’s blog that says Singapore is the only Asian country participating in JET. This is not true. We were not chosen “along with other native English-speaking nations” and neither were we chosen because “English is our first language.”
No.
If you take a proper look at the JET Program’s website here, you would realise that most of the 40 countries in the program are not native English-speaking nations. Some of the other participating Asian nations include Korea, Mongolia, Vietnam, China, Malaysia, and Philippines. You can also see many European and South American countries where English is not the first language in the program.
I believe the reason why some people assume that Singapore is the only participating nation is because they think that JET is a Japan English Teaching program. This is again, incorrect. Take a look at the top left corner of the same website provided above. JET stands for Japan Exchange and Teaching. The main purpose of the program was never to improve the English standards of Japanese students. The official page states very clearly that, JET “is aimed at promoting grass-roots international exchange between Japan and other nations.” English-teaching is just a medium through which the main aim is to be achieved. So don’t be surprised if you meet people from other Asian nations.
Yup! An acquaintance of mine was employed in the same year with me on JET by Gunma Prefecture. He was an Italian CIR (Coordinator for International Relations, one of the three positions that are offered on the JET Programme). He spoke fluent English and Japanese, but one of his job requirements was for him to either be Italian or speak Italian, I can’t remember which, but he most certainly wasn’t employed just to teach English. I was also in the same conference with some Chinese JETs at some point or the other in my first year on JET. I’ve also met Jamaican and South African ALTs during my time in Gunma as a JET.
The JET Programme has very few ALTs from Asia compared to Canada, the US and the UK. We are talking about JET ALTs from Asia employed to teach English. There are probably only about 30 Singaporeans a year who go, and we make up the majority of this minority. There are Filipino ALTs as well, I know that for sure.
Hi Lydia,
I believe English is an official language in Jamaica and South Africa so it’s little wonder they are in the program but it’s interesting that you got to meet people from China as I’ve yet met any of them. I wonder if the position of ALT is open to them as well, or would that only be CIR?
I can’t give a definite answer, but I’m guessing CIR, since ALTs for the JET Programme are specifically hired to teach English. CIRs are sometimes called to teach classes as well, in their native language or whatever it is they are fluent in.
Side-note for readers who might be interested: I also know of some schools that offer foreign languages besides English. They have ALTs as well, doing similar jobs as the English-teaching ALTs we tend to be more familiar with, only in another language. I believe they aren’t employed by JET, though.