Part language instructor, part cultural ambassador. All life changing.

Backed by the support of the industry leader, you’ll have the confidence to settle in and truly become a part of your local community. Play taiko drums, learn the ancient art of Japanese archery or participate in the local summer festival. The opportunities are endless! Gain new skills and experiences that will stay with you forever.

What's an ALT?

Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) is a title coined by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) to describe native-level English speakers working in Japanese classrooms.

 

Interac’s ALTs work in elementary, junior high, and high schools throughout Japan, with many teachers assigned to teach in at least two school levels. The most common situation is working as an ALT in elementary and junior high schools, with more time teaching spent at the junior high school level. You can expect to teach classes on your own, with a Japanese teacher present to help manage the classroom. With rare exception, you will work under the guidance of Interac as our employee and are not a member of the schools’ staff.

 

Your job as an ALT is two-fold: language instructor and cultural ambassador. These two aspects are inseparable, and you will become an expert in both after a comprehensive initial training program.

Your main duty as a language instructor is to help students better communicate through fun and engaging language lessons, utilizing level-appropriate teaching techniques and language that serves to motivate and guide your students. You will also participate in extracurricular activities as directed by Interac and be involved in ongoing training sessions and meetings.
You will also serve as an ambassador who promotes cultural understanding and international communication. More than just teaching, your position is based upon the idea that you are a window to the world for your students and community, someone friendly, approachable, helpful, caring, and understanding – an encourager and facilitator

Our ALTS

Thousands of ALTs have been with Interac throughout the years. No matter the stage of life, background, or country of origin, Interac ALTs are flexible, open-minded, and have an incredible sense of adventure.

The largest segments of ALTs are those who originate from North America, followed by Europe, Oceania, Asia.

Interac ALTs are 55% male and 45% female.

The average age of our ALTs is 32.9.

The average length of service is 2.96 years, and our longest serving teacher has been with us for 25 years.

ALTs who apply and join Interac from outside Japan tend to be recent university graduates in their early twenties. In comparison, those applying domestically tend to be a little older and have some teaching experience. Others join Interac from around the world after a few years of experience in another vocation ranging from law enforcement, to advertisement, to finance. There are also ALTs who apply to Interac with teaching experience in other Asian countries, most notably Korea and China.

Your typical day as an ALT

As an Interac ALT, you will be scheduled to teach approximately 20 to 25 classes, 45 to 50 minutes each, per week. Assignments are usually scheduled between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday. Weekends and evenings are usually free, as are public holidays. Weekend activities for which you might be assigned to include occasional school sports or culture days.
Below is a sample of a schedule of an Interac ALT working in a junior high school.

 

Each class is identified by grade level and class number (e.g. 1-1 is Grade 1 – Class 1).

More about School Life in Japan