Eikaiwa

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Eikaiwa gakkō (英会話学校, Eikaiwa gakkō^?) or just Eikaiwa (英会話, Eikaiwa^?), are English conversation schools, usually privately operated, in Japan. It is a combination of the word eikaiwa (英会話, eikaiwa^? English language conversation) and gakkō (学校, gakkō^? school).

Although the Japanese public education system mandates that English is taught as part of the curriculum, the focus is generally on English grammar. Some students attend eikaiwa schools to supplement their school studies, to study a second language, to improve their business skills, as a hobby, to help socialize, or to prepare for travel. Many parents send their children to these schools in the hope of improving their child's hopes of higher education, or to encourage them to be at ease with foreigners.

The most widespread of the eikaiwa schools are often referred to as the "Big Four" and are generally agreed to be:

In the past Berlitz was considered one of the Big Four, but its market share has declined in recent years, with ECC taking its place.

Eikaiwa teachers are generally native English speakers from the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand. According to The Japan Times, the Justice Ministry estimates that some 90 percent of foreign residents in Japan stay for three years or less. For eikaiwa teachers, however, that figure rises to between 96 and 97 percent.^[1]

Many instructors do not have a formal teaching qualification; most receive on-the-job training. Some companies offer teachers the ability to gain CELTA certification while teaching. All teachers coming to work in Japan for any of the Big Four must have a university degree to obtain a Japanese work visa.

Eikaiwa school managers generally do not have formal backgrounds in management, but some do have Japanese language skills that allow them to communicate with Japanese management.

Some larger schools have unions, which are affiliated to the National Union of General Workers.

Several large eikaiwa chains offer instruction in other languages, including Spanish, French, Italian, German, Chinese and Korean. These languages are taught primarily at larger city branches or through videoconferencing.

South Korea is home to similar institutions, known in English as Hagwons; in Taiwan and China as buxiban.