This year 195 participants have been selected to go to Japan from the UK as Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs) based in schools or as Coordinators for International Relations (CIRs) based in local government offices working to promote international links at the grassroots level.
On 4 and 5 July 2011, the successful applicants attended their pre-departure orientation at Brunel University in Uxbridge, London. The orientation is intended to equip participants with the Japanese language skills and information they need to adapt to life successfully on the JET Programme.
Established in 1987 with the purpose of increasing mutual understanding between the people of Japan and the people of other nations, JET aims to promote internationalisation in Japan’s local communities by helping to improve foreign language education and developing international exchange at a community level.
The first part of the orientation consisted of welcome addresses from the various organisations involved in running the various aspects of the JET Programme in the UK, including the Embassy of Japan in London, EJEF, CLAIR and the Consul ate General of Japan in Edinburgh. The JETs also received an outline of Japan-UK relations and the Japanese education system before breaking up into smaller groups for Japanese language training.
The language sessions, with participants grouped by ability, covered basic greetings and survival Japanese for those who had never studied Japanese before, to using the politest forms of Japanese in office situations for the more advanced students.
The two day orientation was rounded off by a reception at the Embassy of Japan in Piccadilly, where they were wished every success by the Ambassador Keiichi Hayashi, the Director of the Japan Local Government Centre Noboru Fujishima, and Josy Audigier, the UK chair of the JET Alumni Association.
JLGC wish the 2011 JETs the best of luck in their new positions.
