Questions to consider: What do you need to know about this
context? What would be useful for success in this context? How do you prepare
for this different culture and environment? Have I ever experienced culture shock?
In the research I did, I found that it is important to be
aware of the context, culture, and environment that you are going to. As a
Canadian moving to Japan, there are many things to consider when undergoing
such a transition. Things you need to know range widely. Some of the basic
things to know include accommodations, will the company you are working for, to
provide you with a place or pay for your dwelling, visas, and transportation.
Some things to know about the job you are starting are what kind of classes you
will teach, children, adult, one on one, small group or big group, what kind of
lesson planning is available, what other academic support is offered to new
teachers.
Transitioning from an ESL to EFL classroom also take a mental
switch. Opposed to an ESL classroom, EFL classrooms are situated outside of
English culture. As the teacher, you do not have unlimited English resources
physically around you. Also, the reason your students are taking an English
class is not so much out of necessity or for the purpose of communication but
rather academic advantages and reasons. Lesson plans will have to reflect this.
A nice thing about an EFL classroom is that for the most part, all the students
come from the same language meaning a lot of their mistakes will be similar in
nature and therefore easier to address.
Something extremely important to be successful as a
professional but also a normal foreigner living in Japan is to be aware of the
culture. In the different vlogs and posts I read, I saw a common trend of
foreigners (some EFL teachers, others not) emphasizing the importance of
respecting and honouring the Japanese culture. Small things like not talking
loudly, not using your phone on the bus, not asking for customizations at a
restaurant, respecting people’s privacy and being aware of the lack of emotions
portrayed. All these basic things are key to understand when entering a new
culture such as Japanese culture. This knowledge also plays in the classroom
setting. Knowing even these few facts effects how a teacher would present their
lesson to their students.
Personally, I have never experienced culture shock. The
countries I have traveled to have been developed and mostly Americanised.
Without this in my experience, if I were to move to Japan to teach English, I
would want to give myself lots of heads up about the culture, try to make
connections before I go, and give myself time to settle in before starting the
new job. Having a good grasp of the culture I am about to step into is very
important, yet I do not think I or anyone would ever be truly prepared for
stepping into a new culture.
Bibliography:
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Guillen, K.
(2012, October 19). EFL vs ESL: Difference Between EFL and ESL Explained.
Retrieved March 11, 2019, from https://www.differencebetween.com/difference-between-efl-and-vs-esl/
Jun, R. A. (2012,
March 17). Retrieved March 11, 2019, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIyIZZQnuDQ
Lake, W. (2013,
June 18). The Difference Between ESL and EFL: Teaching English. Retrieved March
11, 2019, from https://www.brighthubeducation.com/esl-teaching-tips/127984-the-difference-between-esl-and-efl/
Morris, N.
(n.d.). Culture Shock Of Relocation. Retrieved March 11, 2019, from https://career-intelligence.com/culture-shock-relocation/
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