FAQs

Interac ALT Job Description

General Function (includes, but is not limited to):

An ALT teaches English as a second language to students enrolled in classes from kindergarten through high school. ALT positions are throughout most areas of Japan, with most of the positions being in semi-rural to rural areas. The position requires ALTs to be placed in schools ranging from one to multiple schools. With rare exceptions, an ALT will work at one school per day. An ALT may be assigned to a total of 15 different schools, or more in some cases. An average ALT has between three to four schools. However, there will sometimes be cases of an ALT having just one school and another having more than ten. The working schedule is typically Monday through Friday, and teachers need to be available for their work assignments between the hours of 8am to 5pm. A couple of times a year, a teacher will be required to work on a Saturday for Japanese school activities like sports day and culture day. The average school day will be between 8:00am-4:15pm however these times may vary according to school placements and location. Unless otherwise informed all working hours will be between 8am and 5pm. There may be times when ALTs are not assigned to work in schools but may be asked to be on stand-by or other assignments.

A typical ALT weekly schedule is as follows:

During the scheduled hours, ALTs are responsible for teaching upwards of 6 lessons a day, lesson planning, reporting to Interac, and following directions from both the company and school staff (teachers, principals). Interac ALTs are not members of school staff, but are employees of Interac dispatched to the work at the school. Matters such as overall schedule, holidays, salary, and other employment matters are managed by Interac, and day-to-day work such as lesson contents are decided by school staff or Interac staff as necessary.

The general functions of an ALT can be broken into two fundamental roles: language instructor and cultural ambassador. As a cultural ambassador, ALTs are representatives of their home nation. In this role an ALT will not only share their language but also their culture and customs with the students, teachers and the communities. As a language instructor, ALTs are responsible for creating and teaching lessons that are in line with the goals and objectives of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT). An ALT should have a strong command of the English language and the ability to create a fun and interactive learning environment. The role of a teacher in Japan, is a revered and respected position in Japanese society. As such, a language instructor should act as a role model and live up to the role of a Sensei.

As a cultural ambassador, the ALT is representing their home country and should do the utmost to show what their culture has to offer. In addition, an ambassador is a person who can adapt to the host country’s cultural norms and not judge the culture against their own culture. The ability to work within Japanese culture is key to being a cultural ambassador.

The two aspects of the job are inextricably intertwined and a successful ALT must become adept in both roles. ALTs need to manage and participate in a variety of learning environments and activities that provide opportunities for students to develop their full potential in English communication.

The employment contract period corresponds with the beginning of the Japanese school year, from early April until March of the following year. In addition, there are several positions available each month at other times of the year. In this case, the contract period will be from the starting date until March.

The ALTs must meet the objectives of Interac by maintaining high standards of quality, efficiency and economy.