Location
  • Japan
    • Tokyo
    • Osaka
    • Kyoto
    • Kobe
    • Nagoya
Length
52+ weeks
Classroom Audience
Adults Business

Program Details

Job Type
Tutoring
Classroom Audience
Adults Business

Pricing

Salary / Benefits
• Choose your own schedule. Income varies depending on the schedule chosen.
• Lessons paid at 1,500 JPY per 40 minute lesson ( "belt system" allows increases to 2200 JPY per 40 minute lesson).
• Monthly incentives for larger schedules.
• Per lesson incentives for in-demand times.
• Full-time positions and career progression available.
Price Details
This is a paid position, so the only cost would be getting to Japan and your living costs here (housing etc)
What's Not Included
Accommodation Activities Airfare Domestic Airfare Airport Transfers Meals SIM cards Transportation Travel Insurance Visa
Mar 29, 2022
Feb 23, 2016
84 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

For more information on upcoming positions and events, please check our website!

Gaba Corporation recruits English language teachers from around the world to teach 1-to-1 lessons to our students in Gaba Learning Studios. We currently operate 36 Learning Studios in the major cities of Japan (Tokyo, Yokohama, Nagoya, Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe). All Gaba Instructors undergo our orientation and certification classes before they begin, which prepares them for teaching conversational English.

Teachers choose their own hours, and students select their teachers within this availability. If you want to teach English in Japan, check out our website to see if we're visiting a city near you, or apply online.

Key Points for Instructors:
• 1-to-1 lessons
• Motivated adult students (some kids lessons optional)
• Flexible schedule
• Professional environment
• Wide range of in-house certification available at any time

Video and Photos

Basic Requirements for all applicants:
• Must be of native level English proficiency (both spoken and written)
• Must commit to at least one full six-month contract term
• Must be available to attend three-day Initial Certification in full
• Must be proficient using a computer

Preferred applicants will have: A university degree; CELTA/TEFL/TESOL certification; Prior ESL/EFL teaching experience

Program Highlights

  • 1-to-1 teaching role
  • Adult students
  • Choose your own schedule each month
  • 36 urban locations across Japan
  • Materials and in-house certification provided

Program Reviews

4.33 Rating
based on 6 reviews
  • 5 rating 33.33%
  • 4 rating 66.67%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Benefits 3.2
  • Support 4.35
  • Fun 4.85
  • Facilities 4
  • Safety 5
Showing 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
Default avatar
Lauren
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Great Experience! You get what you put in.

It's a great teaching job with a lot of schedule flexibility. I have been able to travel and do amazing things in Japan and around the world with this job because of the open schedule. You do get what you put in, and if you want to work hard and save a lot of money it is definitely possible. I have built great relationships with fellow instructors and the Japanese staff. My clients have been great people too. There are a few strange and or difficult clients that you get, but that has not been to much of a problem.

What would you improve about this program?
If I had to change one thing, it would be to allow us the close at least one lesson the day before a work day; if the LS is already closed, and I need to close one lesson for a break, being able to close one on my own without calling in would be great!
70 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
David
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Very pleased with my experience!

The positive things that appreciate about GABA are the following:

* great systems
* good professional development
* very good working conditions
* great design of the program

In saying that, the challenges are as follows:

* cleanliness of the booths
* the system, from time to time, booting you out of the system
* When instructors get an R and that slot gets re-booked, it is difficult to understand why the instructor does not get paid for the double book.

What would you improve about this program?
* Not have the counselors change that often - the client relationship is very important and when you have counselors change often it takes away from the relationship

* There should be training manuals for counselors
71 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Dane
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Flexible job

I was initially concerned with bookings and teaching enough lessons each month to meet my visa requirements, however after my first month I haven't experienced any trouble with this.
Gaba allows for a lot of flexibility with schedules, but instructors need to make themselves available enough so that they can make enough money.
Clients are generally quite friendly and eager to learn which makes teaching them much easier and more enjoyable.

What would you improve about this program?
The pay could be a bit higher. If you have good results and work at 'peak' times (weekends, evenings, early mornings) you can increase your earnings a bit.
73 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Dan
4/5
No, I don't recommend this program

Good teaching benefits suck

The lessons can be pretty good as you have a lot of leeway in what you teach. Can take a lot of energy as the lessons are one on one. Overall though very rewarding.

The downside though. You are technically not an employee. The company does this to scam you out of paid holidays, health insurance etc. You aren't even enrolled in worker's accient insurance. So if you get hurt on the job (like the glass smashing in your booth and cutting you) you aren't insured!

75 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Christine
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Self-Motivated & Independent

GABA is the kind of program that's not going to hold your hand. Some people, especially those coming to Japan for the first time, may find that daunting but for a certain type of person it works very well. I liked that GABA didn't tell me what flight to take to Japan, where to live, or when my days off were going to be.

So if you're independent and motivated, this kind of program would suit you.

The pay is based on how many lessons you teach in a month, so you can make quite a bit of money once you're established as an instructor. The flexibility of the schedule also means you can plan time to travel / go on vacation / entertain friends visiting Japan, or work on side projects: a lot of other instructors I know are musicians, artists, freelancers, etc.

I really enjoyed the one-to-one teaching style, which I personally find less stressful than a classroom environment. It gives you more opportunity to strike up a meaningful conversation, get to know your students (or as we call them, "clients"), and meet interesting people.

What would you improve about this program?
Before you start teaching you're required to attend Initial Certification, which is unpaid. The first month at GABA can be difficult, as you don't teach a full month due to the first week of certification. Also, as a new instructor and unknown to the clients you'll have less bookings (students requesting your lessons) and more (unpaid) downtime.

So during this time, it's important to make yourself available for many lessons and make a good impression in order to build your client base.
68 people found this review helpful.
Read my full story
Default avatar
John
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Flexibility

For me, Gaba was great. I was working part time at a university and also freelance with several other companies. However, I still ended up having a lot of "dead" space in my schedule. I wanted a place that was flexible with hours, and really there is no better place when it comes to that. I booked only the times I wanted to and was able to make a nice side income. As an unexpected bonus, my LS was in a very suave location and outfitted appropriately. It was a more pleasant working conditions than a lot of Tokyo eikaiwas. I'd say that Gaba suits you if you consider yourself more of a professional, and definitely personally motivated.

What would you improve about this program?
The pay sytem is not incredible when looked at on an hourly basis, but if you're willing to work a lot of evenings and weekends, the system can definitely work in your favor. If you're just looking for a steady, reliable job that you can just coast on, Gaba probably isn't for you. You need to be able to "sell" yourself to clients (who generally book you specifically), and this doesn't always come naturally. They also don't pay for transportation, but all these "negatives" are pretty clearly explained during the application process, so you can't call them unfair. In the end, Gaba can be as much (or as little) as you make of it.
69 people found this review helpful.

Questions & Answers

Hello Coal, thank you for your question! If you are seeking visa sponsorship from Gaba to teach in Japan, you will need to be in possession of at least a Bachelor's degree, or 3 years of full-time, verifiable ESL teaching experience. We hope this helps. For more information on the position, please check our website at www.gabateachinginjapan.com.

The minimum commitment is one 6-month contract term. Gaba can apply for a 1 year visa for applicants seeking visa sponsorship, therefore the minimum expected commitment would be 12 months (2x 6-month contracts) for visa-sponsored applicants.

Please visit our website for more information on the positions and locations we are currently recruiting for: https://www.gabateachinginjapan.com/