You are here

Home › Blogs › Shawn's blog

The English Coach System

Sun, 07/20/2008 - 15:41 — Shawn

Teaching private lessons for a pittance? What if I told you you could double your rates while working less using a proven method that can transform your life? Interested?

But how do you differentiate yourself from all the other teachers hustling to make a buck? You need an angle. That angle is packaged in the English Coach System.

The English Coach System is the brain-child of Adam Beck, a Hiroshima resident with Master's in Theatre Arts and 20 years of English teaching experience in Japan, the US, and the Czech Republic. Beck's system was born in 2002 and he claims it to be a "reinvention of private teaching" and a "unique and superior method" that allows teachers to command higher fees.

Impossible, you say? What does he have that you don't? A "proven system," and "all you have to do is tweak it for your particular teaching situation and you could then launch your own English Coach program and begin reaping the same rewards."

Sounds amazing, but does it live up to its claims? I was recently contacted by Mr. Beck and he invited me to review his material.

The English Coach website is a punch in the face: Buy now or pay more! Big text, big graphics (the prominently displayed book turns out to be a series of PDFs), slashed prices, and highlighted text to make up your mind for you. The smell of get-rich-quick is difficult to ignore. There is something about websites that use ClickBank to handle payments. Can you see the connection with the author's website and here, here, here, here, and here?

What is the English Coach System?

According to the website, it is a "groundbreaking approach," "an approach that is truly a reinvention of how teachers normally go about giving private lessons," and "a proven way" that has been used in 11 countries. In a PDF that is given to students, Beck describes his system as thus:

What is an English Coach?

An English Coach can be compared to a sports coach. A marathon runner, for example, needs a coach to provide personalized guidance and encouragement so the runner can maximize his progress and realize his goals. In the same way, an English Coach provides the English learner with personalized guidance and encouragement so the learner can maximize his progress and realize his goals. Just as the support of a sports coach can have a powerful impact on the success of an athlete, the support of an English Coach can have a powerful impact on the success of an English learner.

What is the difference between an English Coach and an English Teacher?

An English Teacher can be helpful in providing a weekly opportunity to practice your English skills, learn a little grammar and vocabulary, and make gradual progress. However, for many learners, this sort of typical learning situation isn’t really effective because it can’t truly maximize your progress. And this is why many learners feel dissatisfied with their learning process and feel frustrated by their slow rate of improvement.

An English Coach, on the other hand, provides the sort of powerful, personalized support that can maximize your progress and enable you to realize your goals more quickly. An English Coach conducts a comprehensive assessment of you as a learner, designs an effective and enjoyable learning program for you, then offers continuous encouragement so this program can be successfully maintained and your language learning goals—and related life goals—can be reached as rapidly as possible (p. 1).

The methodology or approach to teaching English centers on life coaching. The role of an English Coach (you) is clarified near the end of the Success with the English Coach System booklet:

On this note, it's important to stress that your essential role as an English Coach amounts to life coaching through English teaching. Your main responsibility involves defining the student's larger life goal and then providing the kind of support that will enable them to keep that goal firmly in their day-to-day awareness so their motivation for English study—the means to their larger end—will remain strong and progress towards the goal can be sustained over time. This is how you will ultimately serve your students most effectively and the moments your students ultimately realize their goals will be the source of your greatest satisfaction as an English Coach. (p.31)

So here we are presented with a system that has no basis in any EFL/ESL methodology, yet promises to reinvent private lessons, double your income, reduce your teaching hours, and offer professional fulfillment. Guaranteed. If you're thinking, "This is too good to be true," you would be correct. The English Coach System comes across as more of a well-crafted sales pitch than a ground-breaking approach to teaching English.

Merits

The English Coach System is not entirely without merit. For $48 USD, you can download the 48-page Success with the English Coach System PDF plus a set of supplemental materials that the author claims are what you need to get started. These are:

  1. The English Coach Agreement, a basic contract between you and your students
  2. A Fee Information Sheet, your rate sheet
  3. Homework slips, for assigning homework
  4. A Learner Profile form, for keeping track of your students' personal information, goals, and English level
  5. A sample Learning Program, your customized English program for your student, containing your aims, activities, and assessment
  6. A sample Speaking Report, a feedback form for evaluating the student's speaking skills
  7. Student Impressions, a collection of student testimonials in English and Japanese.
  8. A sample Study Calendar, for keeping track of lessons and homework assignments
  9. The English Coach logo, for you to use.
  10. A Consultation Sheet, for interviewing prospective students
  11. A booklet on Key Materials and Activities that briefly lists texts and activities recommended by the author

While the materials are rudimentary (the author admits to using Calendar Maker to create his study calendars), they are immediately useful and are a starting point for beginners. Any limitations with the calendars, homework slips, rate sheets, and student evaluation documents can be quickly resolved with a little creativity, a word processor, or online application such as Google Calendar or Google Docs.

The system also makes use of Learner Binders. These are handed out to students during the first meeting and contain the English Coach logo, the Study Calendar for each month of the program, and a copy of the English Coach agreement. Provided that the binder is attractive and sturdy enough (the author suggests the 100 yen kind), this seems like a good way to make lessons with you "official" and reinforce the notion that you are a professional.

The author's writeup on key textbooks and activities is helpful albeit limited. It is certainly a good place to start.

What's missing from the supplemental materials are Japanese versions of them, and I wonder if the lack of documentation in Japanese might be a hindrance to signing up new students. Some of these documents, particularly the description of the English Coach System, agreement, and fee sheet, should be in Japanese.

Professionalism

Professionalism is a major theme in the booklet and is constantly stressed by the author. There is good reason for this because no student would pay top dollar for lessons from an unprepared, disheveled teacher. Much of what the author defines as professionalism is common sense: Dress well, print up nice business cards, print out nice materials, be prepared.

The professionalism of your work—how the public perceives your program, your promotional materials, and your personal appearance—is a crucial factor in effectively conveying the high-end image that will appeal to a high-end market. Your program must be thoughtfully-considered, your promotional materials well-designed, and your appearance suitably business-like in order to persuade prospective students that your higher fees will be worth the additional cost compared to other teachers. (The set of materials I offer will lay the right foundation for your program and your promotional materials, but the part about personal appearance is entirely up to you!)

And please don't misunderstand: I'm not at all advocating the notion of "style over substance." On the contrary, your work must have a bedrock of "substance" in order to succeed, especially for the long-term. At the same time, this "substance" must be presented well to the public—it must have "style" to be persuasive (p.8).

The "bedrock" of substance claimed by the author, however, turns out to be more like sand. For example, initial consultations take place at coffee shops and restaurants:

Because the environment for your meeting is an important factor in the ultimate success of your consultation, I strongly recommend that you determine a suitable spot in advance. If you aren’t able to do this prior to setting the meeting time, you could simply arrange to meet at a convenient landmark in town (“in front of the department store”). Then, perhaps 30 minutes beforehand, you arrive early to locate a suitable coffee shop or restaurant.

If the environment is so crucial, why not meet at the teacher's classroom/office/school? What's missing from the booklet is a discussion about working from one's own home or classroom versus teaching at students' homes.

In addition to being professional in a coffee shop is fudging the truth:

And finally, as time goes by, I strongly suggest that you solicit “testimonials” from your students. Among your other promotional materials, impressions from students, written in their native language, can be very persuasive as they provide true insight into your program and they foster a deeper level of trust in your service. (For the time being, you may want to use a few of the Student Impressions I have provided. I’m not suggesting you claim these comments have come from your own students—that wouldn’t be right—but I think it’s fair to use them more generally to demonstrate the satisfaction that students have experienced with the English Coach System.) (p.12)

There is certainly nothing wrong with testimonials, but borrowing testimonials is disingenuous at best. Moreover, the testimonials provided are completely unattributed. In using the testimonials provided, a teacher would be legitimizing a "system" about which he knows little. Aside from the claims made on the author's website, there is no clear indication of how widely used the English Coach System is.

The author's attitude toward new students appears to be evasive and counterproductive. For example, he says this about first contacts with prospective students:

At this stage, I avoid engaging in a protracted discussion about the program. Not only is it an inefficient use of my time—since most questions can be effectively answered through information found at my website or in the paper version of this information—it can even be counterproductive to my goal of gaining their enrollment. Since communication is sometimes problematic over the phone or through email—particularly when the native languages and cultures of the two people are different—I feel I have a far better chance of persuading them of the value of my service if I can meet them in person for an extended conversation. (p.13)

Talking about the program is a waste of time? Why withhold information? The initial contact seems like a good opportunity to impress upon student the merits of the system. Moreover, the overall attitude sounds flippant: If you want information, go read my website instead of talking to me.

The author also has a similar attitude about his fees:

So when someone asks you for your fee—and many people naturally will—you should avoid responding with specific numbers. In my case, I simply tell them that my fee is similar to the fees charged for private lessons at language schools (which is true, because schools typically charge more for private lessons than private teachers do), but that it very much depends on their needs and interests and the location of our meetings (which is also true). Every student is different and that’s why I first need to speak with them personally, so I can assess the appropriate fee. When I explain my fee to them in this way, they seem to understand and I’ve then successfully postponed discussion of a specific figure until our personal meeting. (p.14)

Again, why be evasive? Or is the purpose to lure students into a position where saying "no" is difficult? It reeks of the sales tactics used by the big eikaiwa schools.

Not only is the author vague about his fees, it appears that his fee sheet contains no information:

As the Fee Information Sheet shows, I purposely leave these boxes blank [space for the price of the lessons] until this moment so I can take advantage of the flexibility of my fee (p.20-21).

It is outrageous that the author would literally pencil in is fees right in front of the student. There is simply no reason not to show the price up front. The student is at a complete disadvantage in the English Coach System. Not only does the prospective student know little about the program, he also has no idea about how much it will cost and has no idea about prices until the moment the teacher writes it down. It is this kind of sales strategy that got NOVA into trouble.

The author also seems to take a page from the large eikaiwa school playbook by charging more for the first month than other months due to fact he creates a Learner Profile and Learning Program at this stage (p.7). Given how basic these documents are, the higher rate is simply a sign-up fee in disguise.

The author also appears to engage in some intrusive behavior during the sign-up process in that he recommends shooting a short video of the student during the first meeting:

Shoot a short video of the student speaking English so you can assess their speaking skills in detail. (It isn’t necessary to use video in your English Coach program to make it a success—and, of course, if you don’t have ready access to video equipment, this won’t be an option—but the use of video is another attractive feature of the program that will make your services stand out and enhance their value in the eyes of the public.) (p.19).

I question the appropriateness of doing this right off the bat. It is convenient for the author to make the video optional and them imply that not using it will take away from some of the specialness of your services, especially when he calls it an "impressive feature" of the system (p.26). It is a nice catch-all that allows the author to claim success if it works, and ignore it if it doesn't.

The author also states his preference for giving lessons holding first meetings at students' homes as it 1) Allows him to see the home and understand his student's lifestyles, 2) Allows him see what learning resources they have, and 3) Allows him to shoot video there (p.22-23). This sounds awfully intrusive and has nothing to do with the actual teaching of the lessons. There are also cross-cultural implications to consider. Wouldn't shooting video be a little intimidating to many students? However, the author dismisses any charges of intrusiveness by saying once he explains his system, the students generally accept it.

Teaching

Now that a student has been successfully qualified and signed up, the author delves into the delivery of the actual lessons. However, the booklet is short on details.

What should you teach? It all depends on the unique needs of the student. That's it. There is no advice or strategies for approaching reading and listening comprehension, conversation, or vocabulary building. If you know nothing about teaching EFL, you are on your own. The author's own examples do not offer much insight:

One student was involved in arts management and was hoping to participate in an internship abroad at a theater company. She wanted to read material in English related to arts management so I located a book on theater management that seemed interesting and wasn’t too difficult for her level.

Another student was interested in musicals and I felt the musical “Rent” would appeal to her in terms of its music and its themes. So we read the script and listened to the soundtrack and, afterwards, watched the movie version.

A third student loved animals so I found a couple of colorful books on animals written for native-speaking children that he could understand and enjoy.

This is more guided self-study than teaching English. The author does not describe what typical activities are nor does he explain how the ECS better in its approach.

Textbooks

When it comes to textbooks, the author suggests obtaining free inspection copies from publishers:

Expanding your familiarity with the ELT market largely depends on your own initiative, though the process is much easier, of course, if you live in an area where ELT resources are widely available through bookstores, book fairs, and publishers. However, wherever you are, it should be possible to locate publishers in your region through an internet search and send them email to request current catalogues and free “inspection copies” of books that you are interested in examining more closely (p.32).

The author notes that obtaining free copies is not easy in Japan, but he has managed to build up an impressive personal library of free books. Publishers in Japan are stingy with free books since it is too easy for small schools to make photocopies and use them for their classes.

However, should you have trouble getting free samples, you can always fudge the truth:

The publishers are naturally more eager to send inspection copies to teachers that teach a sizable number of students since they can potentially make more money if the teacher adopts their books. Because of this, I would discourage mentioning that you teach private lessons. Simply make general reference to your “school” or “program” and that you are now in need of a new reading textbook (or whatever kind of book you’re interested in) and you’re eager to examine some of their titles. (p.32-33)

Ironically, after informing the reader of why inspection copies are difficult to obtain, he turns around and essentially advocates photocopying them:

At first glance, this may seem like an expensive proposition if you have to purchase all these materials, too. But, in fact, I rarely have to buy any materials for myself. The secret, again, is in building up your own library of “inspection copies.” And once you have some suitable books on your bookshelf—say, three levels of a preferred reading series—it’s very likely that you’ll use these same books with a number of students (p.34).

The author acknowledges that limited access to ELT materials is going to be a problem with obtaining materials to fit student needs. He recommends contacting publishers in such a situation, but this has its limitations since it will not assist the teacher in understanding the materials. He says that using Amazon to obtain materials and reviews of materials is invaluable (p.33), but on the following page, he states:

For ELT materials, I don’t recommend using amazon. They certainly offer competitive prices for mainstream products—and I often order needed interest-related materials from them—but ELT materials are a specific genre that they generally don’t discount very much. By working with an ELT distributor, you’ll not only pay less, you’ll naturally find a much wider selection of ELT materials (p.34).

Sadly, this is another contradiction in the system. At the outset, the author states that you do not need much experience, yet by page 32 he calls for teachers to become extremely familiar with ELT materials. This is going to be a challenge if you don't have a background in teaching EFL/ESL. How can you know it well if you don't understand it and its principles? In all fairness, however, the author does recommend purchasing materials through Nellie’s English Books.

Conclusion

The English Coach System concerns itself with life coaching and has no academic or professional basis in its approach to teaching English in Japan. Moreover, the booklet lacks information on Japan-specific topics such as setting up a classroom or school, paying taxes, paying for health insurance, and making pension payments. These are topics that a teacher on his own needs to know about. This kind of information would have made the booklet much more valuable.

The booklet assumes that business is conducted in English. This does not sound like a recipe for success given the fact that the vast majority of Japanese do not speak English. True success in marketing your skills and business requires Japanese ability or an assistant. Replying solely on English will limit the number of students and your income.

The author plays a high-end market perception game, but does not really provide any instruction that is more academically and educationally sound. In other words he is telling people to set higher prices using his system when in actuality they are the same or worse than that of other typical private instruction and school instruction. The system is geared primarily to students with higher levels of English mastery, primarily adults, who are willing to pay high fees for lessons that are essentially little more than guided independent studies.

Ultimately, the English Coach System is about making the sale instead of teaching English. The marketing language of the website, the lack of concrete information from a pedagogical standpoint for different learners, learner levels, and learner needs, and the grandiose claims of reinventing teaching make it difficult to recommend this system to anyone thinking of going into business for themselves.

Update 7/22

Due to some sloppy reading and writing on my part, I want to clarify a few items in my review that have to do with holding lessons in students' homes and using Amazon.

***

A big thanks to a Smithwatch contributor for his advice in writing this review.

Japan: 
EFL
education
Eikaiwa: 
Classroom Confidential

Comments

Sun, 07/20/2008 - 19:28 — eikaiwa (not verified)

I don't think that it's that bad he charge 8,000 yen a lesson. I have one student giving me 8,000/lesson. It's great!!! Power to him!!

Sun, 07/20/2008 - 20:01 — Not an idiot (not verified)

yeah but did you need to pay someone a bunch of money for him to tell you to charge 8000 yen?

Sun, 07/20/2008 - 21:27 — Anonymous (not verified)

What system? There is nothing about teaching at all in that pile of spew! For 8000 yen an hour I would want to give, and the student would rightfully expect, a whiz bang shit hot lesson. One word, BULLSHIT!
I hope you are reading all this Beck.

Sun, 07/20/2008 - 22:16 — Mr Grumpy (not verified)

It sounds just like Tom Cruise in Magnolia. Although, his system was a little different to teaching English. Although, now I think about it, the end goal is the same.

The difference between English Coach and English Teacher. Actually they say the same thing, but there's a whole load of difference in the language.

*powerful*, *personalized support* ... *maximize* ... *realize your goals more quickly*.
and so on and so on. My bullshit filter is full, I gotta go take a dump.

Just go and buy any of those crappy self-actualisation books and change the personal pronouns so they talk about the student, and not you. Same shit.

Sun, 07/20/2008 - 22:40 — Mr Grumpy (not verified)

Oh God. I've just looked at the website. I'm gonna puke. He probably thinks he's the embodiment of the 7 habits of highly infective people. I think he took the design from every other site.

I need a beer.

Mon, 07/21/2008 - 01:10 — Anonymous (not verified)

He is a charlatan.

Looking at his site leads you to believe he's a published author. He's not. It also leads you to believe that his M.A. is in English, as he lists his name as "Adam Beck, M.A." and mentions no where on his site about what his M.A. is in, or where he obtained it, only that he has 20 years English teaching experience. His tactics are the same as those utilized in late-night infomercials where the emphasis is on low price and the "act now!" ploy, devoid of any true substance or information.

This is the very kind of freakshow larceny that makes ALL English teachers look bad and actually hurts everyone's future chances at legitimizing their English teaching abilites as a marketable asset.

And, his picture, if that is indeed him, looks like he just pumped the neighbor's cat.

Mon, 07/21/2008 - 11:23 — novawhiz (not verified)

humm... sculpting lessons and using material that deals with the students area of interest, while helpful, is nothing that an average 80 iq point and up person could come up with. This English "coach" system is a scam. Hey, the reason why such things are called scams is that *they make money* but never deliver on intangibles or implied promises.

The only comfort this guy can take will be in the money he gets for his shoddy product, there never will be any kind of recognition for his technique other than the community universally condemning it. If he really achieved an M.A. lets hear the name of the school he received it from. Easy to check his credentials.

Mon, 07/21/2008 - 13:59 — Anonymous (not verified)

Come on, give the guy an ear - he has studied Theatre Arts (or "acting"), and as you know, that is just about all you need to "teach" English in Japan - that, a true love of play acting without really having to use your brain, and a stupid cheezy smile - and the world is your oyster (not to mention, the access you will actually get to furry oyster - the prime attraction to the job for half the washed out gaigin males in Japan).

Mon, 07/21/2008 - 14:48 — Jon

My curiosity was aroused by seeing the English Coaching System website promoted on this board, so I tried the free materials only to discover a list of book references most of which I already have on my bookshelf. I was still mildly interested in what this coaching system was about, but having seen the free materials, was not sure that there would be enough in there to warrant the expenditure. I'm glad that the above review has born this out.

It's worth noting that, although Mr Tate says that he actually turns people down, he is only working part time. Undoubtedly, as the existence of Gabba would indicate, there is a market for private tuition at high rates. However, the ability of the individual to access that market would very much depend on the area they were in and how much they were wiling to put into marketing their services.

There is also a question as to whether teaching private one on one classes is really the best way to maximise one's per hour income. After all, 4 people at 3,000 yen per hour is 12,000 yen per hour and ten people at 1,500 yen per hour is 15,000 yen per hour. It seems to me that there is potentially more money to be made in the effective managements of groups and the way those groups fit into a schedule and that teaching individual students at a high rate has more limited potential compared to the opportunity to increase income by adding students to an existing group.

Also, educationally, I don't think that one on one lessons are really worth it. I believe that learning is based on sufficient levels of comprehensible input and practice opportunity. On that basis, I believe that more group lessons at a cheaper rate is better for the student in many cases than fewer lessons at a higher rate.

Having said that, good advice about how to use one's private study time is worth having and there are always students with special interests. But, I try to include advice about effective use of study time in my group classes. In fact, in my adult classes, once a month a student has to prepare and run a debate lesson themselves (3 times per year per student in a four group class). This kind of thing is enormously valuable for student development, also, when students have special interests, that I do not run classes for; for example, examinations, I usually direct them to specialist schools.

One good thing about the English Coaching System site and book is that if people buy it and then come away feeling burned, they will not have been burned for much. When there are so many people out there who get burned for all they've got, this e book amounts to an inexpensive education.

—

jon

Tue, 07/22/2008 - 03:52 — QQ (not verified)

Looks like whatjapanthinks: http://whatjapanthinks.com/earning-with-the-english-coach-system-by-adam... gave the tool a glowing review. Wonder why....

Oh wait... thats because that site's owner (like LJ) was approached to become an "affiliate"... meaning wjt gets a nice sizable kickback.

Difference is LJ took the high road and wjt too the scum road.

Tue, 07/22/2008 - 05:29 — Anonymous (not verified)

English Coaching? This is just hilarious! So this is what the well and truly burst “bullshit bubble” of being a pretend English Language Instructor has become, as it shudders, shakes, creaks and groans, while sinking into the abyss.

It is just a $48, give you a “title”, make you feel good about living a bullshit life load of baloney.

It is kind of like that “life coach” insanity, filled with people too stupid to be able to get a degree in psychology, tapping into the easy market of depressed people who just can’t get their acts together, who rather than really getting to the bottom of it all, opt to pay a bum on the street money to tell them how to live, all based on pop-psychology crap hastily banged together by Saruhashi type charlatans.

“Hey you, don’t have time to get a degree in this industry, feel awkward masquerading as a language professional? Well, for $48, you can use our logo, call yourself an “English Coach”, and all your pain will go away. We will support you, in your new charade, eliminating any doubts or second questions you may have about what the fuck it is your are doing, so don’t feel guilty or worry about it any longer. Yes, for $48, you are part of a new profession, so relax………….and wait, there is more……….you will MAKE bucket loads from your investment, and new professional status, BUCKET LOADS”

“Hey you, Japanesee ! The Eikaiwa’s always did say that you had years of English study in school, and that all you needed was practice speaking with a native English speaker (to justify the fact that most of their employees have no idea about the basics of language instruction, but never mind about that), and hey, it is all true, believe me. You just need a “coach”, and our coaches are all accredited, by us (yeah, ok for $48, but hey, it is professional, like, you know, real professional). Yes Mr. and Mrs. Japanesee, you can finally have your own, real life, professional and fully accredited very own personal English Coach, delivered to your door! Life is beautiful.

“And you, washed up Instructor, feeling worried about the future following the collapse of Eikaiwa as we know it in Japan, we ain’t launching this to take advantage of your vulnerabilities either. We truly believe we can help you become a better person, who can make the most out their time in Japan. For $48 only ! That says it all. We would charge more, if we really wanted to exploit you. Trust us! Our system really works. Read our testimonials, for crying out loud”

Well, the truth is, these apparitions are final confirmation that the language teaching gig in Japan is finally at an end. Oh well, it has been a long time coming, but coming it always was.

Tue, 07/22/2008 - 13:20 — Les Dawson the ... (not verified)

Jon Wrote

"Also, educationally, I don't think that one on one lessons are really worth it. I believe that learning is based on sufficient levels of comprehensible input and practice opportunity. On that basis, I believe that more group lessons at a cheaper rate is better for the student in many cases than fewer lessons at a higher rate."

I totally agree, but you should listen to the GABA spiel. It's hilarious. "Man to Man is the ONLY way to learn BLAH BLAH BLAH". Some recruiter called Celia, or something, she was about 22, had been in Japan about a year, and probably had NO teaching cred whatsoever gave me that line. The size of a class has NOTHING to do with it, you airhead, it's the quality of the teacher, and the motivation of the student that are the key points, as the Bangalore Project proved:

http://applij.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/11/4/321

And also, my alarm bells start ringing, when I hear the word "METHOD".

That said, I think this guy is hardly a human trafficker, so I will avoid laying into him, suffice as to say I won't be buying his product.

Tue, 07/22/2008 - 18:31 — Les Dawson the ... (not verified)

FROM THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE:
"So here we are presented with a system that has no basis in any EFL/ESL methodology".

OK. But what if it did have a basis, in methodology, like Berlitz or Nova's? Then the guy would be accused of ripping off someone's method. Damned if he does, damned if he doesn't.

Anyway, nobody, in EFL/ESL academia, or business has ever proved that one methodology is better than another. Not one jot of evidence, to suggest it, either. Just Shhhhpiel, like all the rest of the Eikaiwa pirate marketing machines. Shit hot teachers, and keen students are the key. So, in fact, this guy is, even though he's been pilloried, barking up the right tree, in that sense.

Nevertheless, how dare he try and make money, out of a professional APPROACH to EFL. Nobody on these boards would sink to such depths...I know I certainly wouldn't.

Tue, 07/22/2008 - 20:05 — Shawn

What Japan Thinks give the English Coach System a glowing review because he's an affiliate. You don't want to bite the hand that feeds you. The affiliate system is interesting. It promises a 50/50 split of every sale.

You are guaranteed 50% of the net sale amount for each successful referral. Since ClickBank naturally takes a modest cut of the $48 I ask for the English Coach System, the remainder--the net sale amount of $43.50--is split right down the middle between us, resulting in a commission of $21.70. And so, depending on how effectively you can promote the very marketable merits of the English Coach System, the opportunity to create an attractive income stream, receiving $21.70 per sale, is readily available to you.

That's an incredibly generous commission for doing nothing more than adding a link or banner.

Should you buy the English Coach System, the refund policy is worth looking at. The author offers a "full money-back guarantee," but I wonder how it works since ClickBank
handles the money. Searching for ClickBank turns up a complaints about poor customer service and people getting ripped off. I wonder how much of a hassle getting the refund is. It sounds like you have to go through ClickBank unless Beck personally pays the refund out of his
own pocket.

Another quibble: the sales tactic of buy now before the price goes up. In the second paragraph below his signature, one finds:

P.P.S. The price of $48 may naturally increase as time passes so I encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to lock in the lowest price possible.

However, five paragraphs above his signature, there is this:

And so, to make my work affordable to all, I'm currently sharing the entire English Coach System for just...

$148 $98 $48 US

So, the price may may naturally increase even though it seems to have been decreasing. Was it really $148 at one point or is this another marketing ploy to make it look like you're getting a deal?

—

Shawn
Let's Japan.org::Blog

Wed, 07/23/2008 - 02:52 — Senseiman1 (not verified)

The problem isn't with his trying to make money from an approach. If the guy makes money at it by using it with his students, all the more power to him.

The problem is with trying to market the "approach" as a commodity in itself. As anyone with any experience teaching privates knows, there are a million things that come in useful to private lesson teachers and an "approach" is not one of them.

Or, more specifically, it is not one of the things they would be well-advised to pay for. Everyone has their own approach and for the most part it arises out of a mix of common sense and experience. It isn't something you can effectively learn from buying a book.

Like I said, this is something that pretty much everyone with experience teaching privates already knows so I doubt any of them would pay for this. The obvious market is for inexperienced people who don't know better, which raises a red flag.

On the other hand I can't say that the more vehement criticisms made against the man are fair. I don't think it is a scam, just a poorly thought out business plan. Frankly this isn't the sort of business he is ever going to make money at. Assuming he nets $22 per sale, he would need to sell thousands of them to make it worthwhile. I'm guessing that at best he might make a couple of dozen sales from the odd unsuspecting newbie. The market for this sort of thing just doesn't exist, for reasons outlined above.

He would have been better advised to perhaps publish a textbook or useful classroom materials instead of wasting his time on this. There exists a market out there for that type of thing. I know when I was teaching privates I spent quite a bit of money on textbooks, flashcards, etc and was always looking for newer, better things. You could probably make money on that (how much is another question). But this? No.

Senseiman

Wed, 07/23/2008 - 06:37 — Anonymous (not verified)

I don't get why everyone has a problem with this. I checked out his site and read the first 30 pages of the ebook, and it all seemed on the up and up to me. Of course he wrote the book to make money, and of course he is going to market it to English teachers. So what? So the guy has more initiative than 99% of the people on these boards. Some of the stuff is just common sense, but I've known plenty of 'English teachers' who didn't even have this level of common sense! I know many people who should probably buy this and read it! It organizes a lot of the basics of setting up your own 'business' (and if you don't think teaching privates is a business, that's probably why you aren't making any real money doing it).

Looks to me like a lot of sour grapes by people who wish they had thought of this idea first.

Oh, and by the way, if he does market this through ClickBank then it indeed does come with a money-back guarantee. Just go to their page and check their policies. Maybe you don't need this book. Fine. But the guy doesn't seem like a 'charlatan' to me. He seems like a well organized person, which probably means he's 10 times the teacher most of you are.

Wed, 07/23/2008 - 06:43 — Anonymous (not verified)

I doubt that doing this is going to make the guy millions of dollars. I'm sure he still has his dayjob(s). But if he already has the system organized, and he just needed to spend 10 hours or so typing it up into an ebook, then why not? Anything he makes from this now is simply passive income, which is always a good thing. Maybe he will follow it up with teaching materials, but I've known a few creative and motivated people who tried marketing their original texts and teaching materials online and made zilch. His approach is at least original.

Wed, 07/23/2008 - 07:01 — Anonymous (not verified)

The above commentor read the first 30 pages and sees nothing wrong??

So its ok to mislead others about his product?
So its ok to mislead potential students to get them to sign up?
So its ok to cheat publishers for free materials you then turn around and use to try to make money off of?

Either you didn't really read it or it is ok in your mind to do that.

Wed, 07/23/2008 - 07:07 — Anonymous (not verified)

Its actually not original.

Wed, 07/23/2008 - 07:18 — Anonymous (not verified)

He isn't providing a professional approach Lee, that's part of the point. He's exploiting both teachers and students. Would you be so quick to be sarcastic if it wasn't English instruction we're talking about but engineering instead? I've no liking for eikaiwa and its rather seedy underbelly but does that mean that teaching English as a profession should say its perfectly fine to do as he's doing?

Wed, 07/23/2008 - 07:20 — Anonymous (not verified)

"So, the price may may naturally increase even though it seems to have been decreasing. Was it really $148 at one point or is this another marketing ploy to make it look like you're getting a deal?"

Its a marketing ploy that the click bank related marketing services uses. Check the links to the example sites in the article and you can see the same thing.

Wed, 07/23/2008 - 07:25 — Anonymous (not verified)

What was misleading about the product? I think I have a good idea of what I would get if I bought it.

Where does he advocate 'misleading' students to get them to sign up? He talks about negotiating prices, and makes suggestions such as having them pay a monthly rate, rather than an hourly one. But how is that misleading? Sounds like a good idea, if you ask me.

Where in those 30 pages does he suggest cheating publishers for free materials? I went back and read it again, and I didn't see anything of the kind. Maybe he does suggest getting free copies from publishers somewhere in the actual book (I don't know), but there's nothing illegal or wrong with simply that. Why do you think publishers are eager to give out free copies in the first place? Maybe you're jumping to conclusions that he would suggest just copying from those, rather than having the students buy the text themselves? Anyways, I didn't see anything about it in the sample pages.

Wed, 07/23/2008 - 07:29 — Anonymous (not verified)

I never saw anything like it before. Anyways, the guy seems sincere enough to me. I'm not going to buy it but it doesn't seem like the 'scam' everyone seems to think it is. I'm sure there are plenty of 'teachers' out there who could probably benefit from it, if for no other reason than it's a more organized approach than most teachers have.

Wed, 07/23/2008 - 08:01 — Anonymous (not verified)

Why are so many people so upset about this? He is just selling a product. I could tell after about 30 seconds it was not something I would buy. However, is someone looks it over (even if they do not) and purchase it, what is the big deal? This is not some kind of high pressure sales! Besides, you can easily spend more money on a few hours in a love hotel than this.

I think it is more envy than anything. I do not think this guy will make much from this, but he at least did something which is more than most of us can say.

Wed, 07/23/2008 - 10:44 — Les Dawson the ... (not verified)

And I think you're completely over reacting, to suggest the guy is trying to pull off some kind of scam. He's selling an approach to teaching. Like it? buy it. Don't like it? Don't buy it.

Wed, 07/23/2008 - 10:50 — Les Dawson the ... (not verified)

"The problem is with trying to market the "approach" as a commodity in itself. As anyone with any experience teaching privates knows, there are a million things that come in useful to private lesson teachers and an "approach" is not one of them. "

Oh, that's strange. All my graduate school EFL lecturers must be lying bastards and charlatans too. Cos they told me that with the knowledge, based on cumulative research, studies and practice, by academics and teachers, in the EFL field, there has been, in recent years, a seismic shift away from methodology, and towards "approaches".

Thanks for the tip off, Senseiman! I'll go back to Grad school, throw my qualifications in their lying faces, and demand my money back.

Wed, 07/23/2008 - 10:58 — Les Dawson the ... (not verified)

"Where does he advocate 'misleading' students to get them to sign up? He talks about negotiating prices, and makes suggestions such as having them pay a monthly rate, rather than an hourly one. But how is that misleading? Sounds like a good idea, if you ask me."

I agree. I lost count the number of times I got ripped off, by private students, who didn't show up, and left me out of pocket, having wasted time and money on lesson prep and travel. If I taught private again, I'd definitely get the money up front.

Wed, 07/23/2008 - 13:20 — Senseiman1 (not verified)

"Oh, that's strange. All my graduate school EFL lecturers must be lying bastards and charlatans too. Cos they told me that with the knowledge, based on cumulative research, studies and practice, by academics and teachers, in the EFL field, there has been, in recent years, a seismic shift away from methodology, and towards "approaches".

Thanks for the tip off, Senseiman! I'll go back to Grad school, throw my qualifications in their lying faces, and demand my money back"

Which graduate school did you go to, out of curiosity?

I ask because if you really are an academic in the field as you seem to be holding yourself out to be then I wonder why you would be so keen to defend an "approach" by someone with an MA in "theatre" and absolutely no academic experience in EFL?

An "approach" that is nothing more than a sales pitch is completely worthless, and that is largely what this seems to be.

Wed, 07/23/2008 - 13:42 — Anonymous (not verified)

I can only applaud the above reply above – very well said. The whole problem with the language sector in Japan, which explains why Japan is on the bottom of the barrel when it comes to dollars spent versus English fluency, is because it is full of very vocal people, who in fact, are not language teachers, and would not have the first clue about what the hell it is that they are doing or talking about, who over a period of many years, found themselves marooned in Japan, with no choice, other than to go home and start all over again, or continue on with the English Language Charade in Japan. The joker crapping on about “English Coaching” is essentially offering a $48 quick fix to assist unqualified people feel better about living an extremely shallow and dubious professional life, which he hopes, additionally, will prop up his diminishing income. The guy is a charlatan.

Wed, 07/23/2008 - 13:59 — Eb0li

He never said that this book was about the fundamentals of teaching EFL, and I think it's quite obvious that his book's purpose wasn't to help untrained Eikaiwa teachers learn about things like the PPP method, TBL method, MPF, comprehension checking, how to correct students in class, how to speak to students in class, the basics of lesson planning, or constructing a syllabus.

There are plenty of great books for newbie untrained teachers about EFL instruction. It's quite obvious that his book was meant to give teachers a system to organise their private teaching and make the most out of it.

He gives an decent model, albeit shady in some places, on how to profitably run a private teaching business.

If any of you can provide a better, more stable, more profitable model for making a short term career out of teaching privates, please share it and criticize the book based on that.

I recommend this book for learning to teach: http://www.amazon.co.jp/Yourself-Teaching-English-Foreign-Language/dp/00...

Wed, 07/23/2008 - 14:06 — Les Dawson the ... (not verified)

"Which graduate school did you go to, out of curiosity?"

Lancaster.

Not defending him. I'm just trying to avoid attacking him in a knee jerk way. What the guy is selling is his particular "approach", which may or may not work. You have absolutely no idea if it has any merit, until you try it. My guess is that it'd be hit and miss, because, as I said elsewhere, the key factors are the skill and commitment of the teacher, and the dedication and innate abilty of the student. But what if you were a good teacher, but were not very well organised or businesslike? Then maybe the "coaching pack" may be of some use to you.

Wed, 07/23/2008 - 20:00 — amused (not verified)

Its a scam. I spend my work days reading about financial scams (pays better than eikawa) and this one ticks the boxes pretty neatly.

1. "guaranteed"results and income. Guaranteed like that windfall from Nigeria? No one can guarantee financial returns, it is part of what makes the stock market and our economy so fun.
2. Buy now because the price may go up/ I will run out of this amazing information. Tried and tested sales pressure tactic. To be honest there are very very few things out there that really do have such a tight turnaround. Maybe if it was the last ferrari in the factory, but it isn't.
3. testimonials with no confirmaiton information, pretty easy to fake (see some of the comments above for examples)
4. become an affiliate and receive half of the profit any copies you sell. hmm that too sounds odd, not quite pyramid scheme but really, what kind of astute idiot gives away the rights to their own work.

He could be legitmate but incredibly naive about marketing, and sahashi is going to get that emergency funding anyday now.

Wed, 07/23/2008 - 20:26 — Believer (not verified)

I disagree, I support Adam Becks Business System all the way. In fact, I have ordered a few copies of his book already, a bargain when you think about it as I plan on making 8000 yen per hour(tax free mind you! ) for a few private lessons every day, and spend the rest of my free time pursuing my hobbies such as playing World of WarCraft, studying Kanji (up to 1500 already) and indulging in cos-play (its a great way to meet cute J-girls ;)

The rest of you may call it a "scam", oh well.....LOOOOOSERS!

Wed, 07/23/2008 - 21:19 — Anonymous (not verified)

1. I think by 'guaranteed' he means that you can get your money back in full if you are not satisfied with the product. This has nothing to do with him, it is policy for ALL products sold through ClickBank. And, yes, they really do give you your money back, no questions asked.

2. A sales pressure technique, but so what? Anything that is marketed uses sales pressure techniques. I agree it's a silly tactic, but there's nothing more immoral about it than using a sexy woman to sell toothpaste. It's not like he is in your living room pressuring you to buy this second.

3. Testimonials are easy to fake, but then again they're easy enough to get for real. Do you KNOW that he faked his testimonials? If not, then YOU are the one making false claims.

4. You need to read up a bit on affiliate marketing. The affiliate doesn't need to pay out any money, doesn't need to buy the product in order to resell it. If I become an affiliate, I just set up links to the guy's page on any blogs or websites I have, and if someone buys the product after arriving at the page through one of my links, then I will be credited with the commission. Again, you don't have to trust him, it's all taken care of by ClickBank.

The guy is not naive about marketing. In fact, he seems to know a bit more about on-line marketing and affiliate marketing than you do. I don't think he'll get rich from this, but a little passive income each month is always nice.

Wed, 07/23/2008 - 21:35 — Novawhiz (not verified)

This isn't a business system, period. It's instructions on how to con people (including yourself).

The real 'loser' is the guy who needs to supplement the income from his day job with a con job like the English Coach system of Adam Beck. (see how I put the product and the wankers name in the same line? really helps with google searches).

And to "Believer" above... why would you order 'several copies of his book' ?

It's a stupid PDF that you download, so you'd have to be a complete retard to make more than one purchase.

Wed, 07/23/2008 - 21:41 — Adam Beck (not verified)

This is Adam Beck, the subject of the current mauling on this website. To be honest, I'm stunned by the reaction to my work.

I'm stunned by Shawn's review (which I already expressed to him through a personal message) because it judges my work, and dismisses it, on the basis of what it isn't: It isn't intended to be a pedagogical approach; it's a structured synthesis of English teaching and life coaching that utilizes the teacher's own experience and skill. Moreover, his "sloppy reading and writing" (his own admission) have grossly distorted the actual content. As I told him, I genuinely admire his mission as a muckraker, but I think he was too-inclined to view my work cynically and too-eager to debunk it.

I'm stunned, too, that so many people would just take his review as a cue to pile on. Although, I must admit, the more clever attacks have been kind of amusing, the other abuse is senseless and silly. (The way some of you carry on, it's like I'm trying to scam your doddering grandmother out of her life savings.)

And, you know what, it isn't finally about the money for me. Obviously, everyone appreciates the opportunity of getting reasonably compensated for their hard work and I'm naturally interested in generating another small income stream for my family. But it's sincerely about more than that. The truth is, over the past six years, my students and I have experienced a lot of success with this approach and so I put the package of materials together in the genuine belief that other teachers and students out in the world can benefit from using it.

Maybe my manner of promoting it has been misguided in some ways (it is my first online venture, after all), but that doesn't change the nature and value of the work itself. And so, to truly let you make up your own mind if it has any merit for your teaching conditions, for a couple of weeks I'll post the whole package of materials that compose the English Coach System at the special link below for a free download. (I'll just withhold the logos, if you don't mind. And I hope I won't be tarred and feathered for that.) Everything else, though, will be right on that page and entirely for free. If you find anything of value in it, great, and I'd be grateful for that feedback. And I'm open to constructive criticism, too, if you view it on its own terms, as an approach to private lessons based on a synthesis of English teaching and life coaching.

If you still feel like trashing me and my work for sport, that's fine. But this is the best I can do to show my sincerity in regard to who I am and the culmination of my work over the past 20 years as an English teacher, the English Coach System.

Enjoy your lives,

Adam

Adam Beck
The English Coach System
http://www.englishcoachsystem.com/special-link

P.S. This link will be available until August 6th. After that, the price will go up to $599.

Wed, 07/23/2008 - 21:44 — Not an idiot (not verified)

What's the approach to teaching? Oh, right. There isn't one.

Carry on.

Wed, 07/23/2008 - 21:45 — Not an idiot (not verified)

Seems like a classic scam to me.

Wed, 07/23/2008 - 21:54 — Not an idiot (not verified)

"Judging it on what it isn't"? Well no duh, guy, because it isn't really anything other than instructions to charge a lot and invite yourself into a new student's home to videotape her. Yeah, that's a great idea! Why didn't I ever think of that?

Your nonsensical complaint about judging it on what it isn't is like if I went to a restaurant, ordered a hamburger, and was given nothing more than a nicely toasted bun and told by the restaurant owner that I've no right to complain about the complete lack of meat and should only talk about how lovely the bun is.

The price will go up? Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!! $599 for a crappy PDF? That's over $10 a page. LMFAO!

Wed, 07/23/2008 - 22:05 — Believer (not verified)

Good on you Adam,
If I were you, I wouldnt be offering these morons anything for free, after all the mud-throwing and name-calling. You try to help people, and this is the thanks you get.

Mate, dont worry, theyre all just a pack of imbecilic assholes, green with envy thay they couldnt come up with a business system, and bitter about the fact they have just pissed all their years in Japan up against a wall. Because, in the grand scheme of things, when it comes to the endeavour of being a teacher and making a difference, they all contribute the grand sum of......NOUGHT.

Oh, by the way, when do my books arrive? I plan on teaching some classes next week because Ive just quit my job at G.Comm.in anticipation.

Still a believer.

Wed, 07/23/2008 - 22:22 — Eb0li

Dear Mr. Beck, I haven't read your material but since you don't teach people how to teach efl, and because many people that buy your book in Japan will need the advice, I suggest you include recommended books and/or study programs for TEFL. For example, the book `Teach Yourself EFL` or others.

Dear Amused, you obviously can't read. I said we should evaluate it based on what it is suposed to be, not some other off the wall criteria that you pull out of your arse.

Here is irrelavent criteria:
*Does he market his book in a corny way?
I don't care. Car dealerships in America use marketing as bad or worse than Adam but lots of people are satisfied with their vehicle purchase.

*Does he include a detailed explanation of a widely recognized efl teaching method?
He called his book the way to double your private lesson fees by using organization, sales, and a particular teaching motto, not `TEFL Certification Course`.

*Is it morally wrong to use sales tactics on students? Should I charge a high price that may or may not be worth it?
Eikaiwa is not secondary or tertiary education, the students know it and the teachers know it.

Proper criteria:

*Does he explaing his system well enough for people to use it to a similar degree that he uses it?

*Is his system effective at getting students to pay high rates per lesson?

*Is the above effectiveness worth the price of his material?

Thu, 07/24/2008 - 01:21 — Senseiman1 (not verified)

OK, Les, that is a fair answer.

My point, I suppose, is that for a private teacher an "approach" that seems to largely amount to little more than "approach your students like this and then charge them more" isn't very helpful.

You hit the nail on the head when you say that the key factors are the skill and commitment of teacher and the dedication and ability of the student. THese are the sort of things a teacher needs and really aren't something that money can buy (which is why I don't recommend buying this sort of thing).

The system might offer some organizational tools, but basically part of being an able teacher is being able to organize yourself. Organizational tools are something that it might be worthwhile paying for, but as the above review notes the tools provided are quite rudimentary. Also, as I was alluding to, the thing isn't marketed as an organiational tool but more as a way to get more money from students.

My other problem with the merit of the system is this. I don't doubt that Mr. Beck has had success using his system (I don't know that he has either, but I'm willing to assume he has had success). I suspect however that a large part of his success is based on a number of factors like his personality, his length of time in his community, his connections, his financial and personal situation, etc. that are completely unrelated to his system. His personal "approach" might work well enough for someone exactly like him in his exact same position, but I highly doubt that it would produce the same results for anyone else who tried it.

That is where his lack of proper qualifications and zero academic experience in the field raise a red flag. With books published by properly accredited academics or academic institutions you at least have some assurance that their "approach" or method has been put to some sort of test.

But here, its just basically one guy saying "Hey, I tried this and it worked for me and therefore it will work for everyone."

Anyway, I agree that it isn't a scam and, like I said, I think its just a poorly thought out business plan.

Thu, 07/24/2008 - 02:40 — Senseiman1 (not verified)

WIth all due respect, instead of whining about how unfair the review was, perhaps you might want to take some of the criticism to heart and revise your work so as to make it even remotely marketable.

Frankly, reading over the review I thought he made some excellent points.

Information on how to set up a classroom, dealing with pension, tax and other issues that private teachers need to know about would be quite useful.

Japanese language contracts would also be useful.

Adding some more substantive content on actually teaching EFL (ie the end product that your system is designed to market) would also be useful.

Creating a website that did not make your book look like little more than another get-rich-quick scheme would also be a start. Even the most egregious email-spammers would probably be embarassed by that. To be honest, looking at that site you have to be insane to think that anyone would take your work seriously. You could have written the most brilliant book in the world yet nobody with an ounce of intelligence would look at that page and think "oh, this looks promising, I want to learn more."

To give this endeavour any chance of success, you have to create a product that the market wants. Not many English teachers are in the market for a product that amounts to little more than a marketing strategy written by a guy whose marketing strategy for his own product is so insanely tacky that nobody in their right mind would want to buy it.

A lot of potential English teachers would, however, be in the market for a book that gave them useful, concrete information about setting themselves up as English teachers. This, I think, is one of the main points that the above review makes. You can either take the criticism, learn from it and make a product that might succeed, or you can whine about how unfair it all is because he didn't criticize you on your own terms (whatever that is supposed to mean).

Thu, 07/24/2008 - 07:21 — Anonymous (not verified)

Beck,

I've poor through your 48 pages of blunder.

Questions for you:

1. You market yourself with an MA in your advertisements. This is of course to try to legitimize the work done by making people think the MA is with regard to EFL/ESL/Education, or at the very very very least to do with Business. It is not. It is an MA in theatre.

HOW is that not misleading?

2. From your book: "Since everyone else is charging by the hour, and my hourly fees are considerably higher,I think it’s more effective, from a marketing standpoint, if I don’t permit the students to quickly equate my higher fee with the lower fees charged by other teachers."

HOW is that not exploitive?

This is completely false. You also justify this because your rates are higher as you state that most of the competition is on an hourly basis and you says you don't want to give students the time to think it through. And you want to plan to build value in their minds by a subjective, default assumption. That's a psychology of influence technique AND That's student exploitation and trickery. Why employ such if your services and product are worth their salt?

3.From your book:
"Experience and Expertise:

To be truly effective in your role as an English Coach, having some experience and expertise is vital. For instance, if you’re unfamiliar with the range of language-learning
materials on the market, it will be hard for you to make suitable choices for your students’ needs and interests. And ultimately, if students feel that the value of your
instruction isn’t comparable to the cost, the experience for you both will become dissatisfying and this will affect your ability to sustain the success of your English Coach
program.

Even if your experience and expertise is somewhat limited, it’s still possible to command higher fees by using the English Coach System. However, I would strongly encourage
you to be proactive about strengthening your knowledge and skills in order to ensure a rewarding experience for your students and for yourself."

BUT>>>>>>

From your "Website Marketing" (that' gee is temp closed atm) you told people they didnt need such experience. That's a bait and switch.

How then is that not exploitive?

You state in the initial throes of the marketing that you don't need much experience yet calls later by page 32 for the teacher to become extremely familiar wih ELT materials. I would also say that without a very good education foundation in the field of teaching EFL/ESL that even having a good knowledge of the material is going to be a challenge. How can you know -it- well if you don't understand -it- and the principles of -it-?

4. From your book: "The publishers are naturally more eager to send inspection copies to teachers that teach a sizable number of students since they can potentially make more money if the teacher adopts their books. Because of this, I would discourage mentioning that you teach private lessons. Simply make general reference to your “school” or “program” and that you are now in need of a new reading textbook (or whatever
kind of book you’re interested in) and you’re eager to examine some of their titles."

How is this (and more examples in that section)not using deception to get free books from publishers and thus exploitive and thus not professional?

You encourage getting "free trial copies" of texts from publishers. Only problem is that as you states, publishers are becoming more and more hesitant to do so, especially in markets(like Japan) where private instruction and mom n pop schools do so and turn around and use those for their students and just run off copies. Thus, this is another limitation to your "system" is it not?

You essentially then on page 34 AFTER talking about the fact that people make photocopies of trial copies of books, you tell people to do just exactly that!

Again, how is that not exploitive?

5. Isn't it a bit contradictory to use your former/dead NGO's link to actually switch people to your marketing for your book? How is that not a bit misleading?

6. How is your "system" recognized as a teaching approach beyond being a loose and exploitive, guided independent language study created by someone with virtually no academic background or substantial training and understanding of language teaching and instruction, whose only toe dipping into the waters of the profession amounted to editing an article 7 or more years ago for hiroshima branch Jalt article?

7. Claims teaching in Japan, US, and Czech republic. Yet does not provide ANY citation or detail of where, how many years at each point, and what taught. However haven't you made claims that the 20 years was supposedly teaching in Japan?

8. Henry Adamns Brooks quote: from his autobiography. Thus is a form of plagarism via copyright infringement with no formal citation in a formal work. Couldnt the current owner of the copyright to his autobiography take you to task on this?

9. How do you quatify a student working to 100% of their potential?

10. Document's beginnings read like another marketing language ploy: Try and sell the reader into believing this product is worth the money that plunked down for it. How is this not different from the "method" you use to exploit students with?

11. You makes multiple claims to requiring secrecy or other limitations that can or will cause the potential for lose of money and competition. Does this then not contradict the language and the marketing of the product from your marketing page/site?

12. Stating that users should "modify" the material to suit their needs is a double edged sword in favor of you, Beck:

One if they buyer is successful(despite your book imo), you can use it as an endorsement. If the buyer fails, the variating from your "method" clears you of any wrong doing or responsibility. Isn't that a teflon clause? (Nothing bad can stick).

13. Fees: A similar teflon clause? You use examples to first inflate and state that you can double the "standard range" but then counters that it may have to be lower for other reasons. Again how is that not a teflon clause? Aren't prices goverened more by supply and demand.... not arbitrarily setting rates?

14. You asks more for the first month for various paperwork etc related things (though its extremely rudimentary what he does). How is this is NO DIFFERENT than the justification and titling of a "Sign up fee"?

These are the earmarks of a revolving door system. Get them in first with a high rate for first month, they'll stay a month or two or maybe longer at you high rates, and then quit... but its ok because you'll just get some other sucker. That's a revolving door. And its also very finite in terms of extended success.

15. Aren't you playing the high end market perception game, yet not really providing any instruction that is more academically and educationally sound? In other words aren't you telling people to set higher prices using you system when in actuality they're the same or worse than that of other typical private instruction AND school instruction?

16. Strategy discounts: Isn't this nothing more than fancy language for deceptive haggling?

17. Marketing success requires: Japanese(or other country's language skill/assistance, webpage/website hosting and design. etc etc. Isn't this another deception because this is NOT eluded to in the prior to purchase marketing?

18. Encourages using "student impressions" written in native language of some students BUT uses a teflon clause to caution to not fully make it seem they came from actual students until someone has their own students to give similar.

How is this NOT deceptive?

19. Do you think having initial meetings at coffee shops, restaraunts etc and then the second video taped at a students home is high end quality professionalism? Really??

20. You use the psychology of influence technique of urgency to get students to sign with a discount etc (and you employ it with the suckers willing to buy your "ebook".) You also uses deceptively "I can only take 1 more student right now" as well. How is that not deceptive and dirty marketing?

21. How is video taping in someone's home being sensitive to cross cultural issues/ethics? You're also making it key that a teacher should get/buy a camera for such purposes yet make know mention in your marketing prior.

22. Right off the bat you consider "hobby" english learners to be not a match for your "system" that knocks out many potential learner in my opinion. How then does this not contradict the claims of success for anyone with such a limitation?

23. Your assessment of students does not adequately evaluate the 4 basic skills of language learning: reading writing listening speaking. You reading and writing have more concrete assessment while your listening and speaking are less concrete and more dependent on the "first meeting" use of a camera(with no alternative method given). How is this showing a teacher or a student a method of quality instruction and assessment then?

How can this be congruent to requiring that the teachers/students make concrete goals for their learning???

How can an inexperienced, low-knowledge-foundation teacher adequately assess and feedback a student effectively in your system or otherwise? (Teflon clause?)

24. You acknowledge that limited access to ELT materials is going to be a problem with getting materials to fit student needs. You recommend contacting publishers in such a situation but that is a very very limited way and will not assist the teacher in understanding the materials in many cases either.

Is this not another contradiction to your marketing for anyone to buy your product?

25. At the end of page 33 you say using Amazon to obtain materials and reviews of materials is invaluable. Then on page 34 you states you DON'T recommend them!! How's that not a contradiction?

26. You make out that a teacher needs to use the books that have answer keys already provided with the books. This limits sources of materials for use. You also use this as a deceptive inroad to get a free answer keybook from publishers where it is normally charged for otherwise.

How then is this not exploitive? (Better hope no publisher regional sales people get wind of this in Japan... your "free copy" sources just my dry up..."

27. Why is your speaking report information extremely vague if it is an important component of instruction?

------------------------

Beyond the questions here are some over all thoughts:

1. There is no concrete information from a pedagogical standpoint for different learners and learner levels and learner needs with the 4 basic language skills.

2. Marketing information for teachers is sparse and vague as well.

3. Documents are poorly structured and edited reflecting an amature production.

4. Very little given for cross cultural learning issues.

5. No warnings/disclaimers for any legal issues from using this system in various countries and most likely a lack of familiarity of such potentials.

6. System and instruction of its use are skeletal requiring resources of knowledge, materials, and funds that some teachers will not have and thus not be able to effectively use the supposed system.

7. Many sections of the "booklet"(not a book in my mind) contradict instruction and advice given and are vague about implementation and given to Teflon clauses that allow you, Beck the ability to say it was the buyers fault and not the seller.

8. Successful privates will be more to the teacher's abilities rather than a system of gurantee effectivity.

9. No citations of pedagogical, academic, professional, or other given to show that the concepts and ideas expressed(though vague) are grounded in those areas.

10. Encourages unethical and illegal means to get students, materials, and money.

If after all that Beck you feel your "system" and "method" is truly being subordinate to the learning and educational needs of students and the needs therefore of teachers, I call bs on you.

Stating that you plan to jump the price to $599 is also very telling. It shows to me you indeed know you're being exploitive and deceptive. Your ebook and other junk aren't worth the time to download... let alone 600 bucks.

Thu, 07/24/2008 - 09:42 — Adam Beck (not verified)

$599...that was tongue-in-cheek, Shawn. And yes, Shawn, it's obviously you so I wonder why you don't properly identify yourself in the comments you post to your own website? It's very easy for you to post under a variety of aliases, isn't it, to create the appearance of wide agreement with your views? And you don't consider this misleading?

Still, no hard feelings,

Adam

Thu, 07/24/2008 - 10:07 — Anonymous (not verified)

I think you should leave Japan, and find something else to do Adam. Your toilet trading language bullshit in Japan is sickening.

Thu, 07/24/2008 - 10:14 — Anonymous (not verified)

The above 26 points/questions comment was not Shawn.

Is this your attempt to dodge answering them then?

Thu, 07/24/2008 - 11:34 — Anonymous (not verified)

Geez, give the guy a break. He's just trying to make a buck in this screwed up market, like the rest of us.

Thu, 07/24/2008 - 11:52 — AssClown (not verified)

Ooooohhhh....this is getting nasty...and Im thoroughly enjoying it.

Thu, 07/24/2008 - 12:03 — Ranter (not verified)

Dear Adam

How dare you try and show entrepreneurial ability here? You are supposed to be making 250-300k per month like the rest of us, and spending it all on manga and izakayas. Isnt that enough for you?
Also, why are you devoting your time to developing business sytems and thinking about teaching methodologies? You are an english teacher in Japan, so instead you should be modeling yourself on Charisma Man like the rest of us. You should be going out every night, getting absolutely shitfaced at nomi-hodai, and then coming back to your PC to rant and curse anonymously at others on LJ.
Geez, you have a nerve, mate. Ive had a gutful of you and your kind.

Thu, 07/24/2008 - 23:17 — Pablo (not verified)

I think our pal Adam is cludging up the board with both himself and supporting troll handles.

Very classy.

Even if it wasn't a scam it's being sold using the exact same tactics.

Fri, 07/25/2008 - 09:08 — Kawasako (not verified)

Adam, author of the book, if you are going to go public with a product be prepared for people opinions. I do think that you have wasted a lot of time and money on this project though. But that is just my opinion.

Fri, 07/25/2008 - 09:34 — Anonymous (not verified)

I have my own little school, and this is not my kind of thing. However, I am almost tempted to buy just to spite all those who show so much envy and anger just because someone is trying to do something different!

Fri, 07/25/2008 - 10:16 — Anonymous (not verified)

Seems you don't bother to read the review or the whole of comments.

If you had you've have noticed

1. The review pretty much sums up whats wrong with scheme.
2. That Beck decided to give it out for free(shown in comments above).

Fri, 07/25/2008 - 17:31 — Anonymous (not verified)

Unless you are a qualified specialist, in or out of Eikaiwa, you are the equivelent of a lingusituc back yard mechanic, who failed to do his apprenticeship – you might have a natural flare, but in most cases, no chance - but out on the road you send those cars anyway.

BUT, of $48, that can all change! You can, by following a system designed for air heads who could not complete their degrees in Psychology, become a legitimate and official, all stamped, signed, sealed and approved by Adam Beck, “LANGUAGE COACH”.

Yes, that’s all it takes, and your life, and the life of others, will move ahead, in leaps and bounds.

Fri, 07/25/2008 - 18:20 — Sir Troll (not verified)

Isn't it ironic that a bunch of Eikaiwa teachers are lashing out at this guy for being a charlatan?

The whole Eikaiwa industry is a scam and it is Eikaiwa teachers that willfully perpetuate the scam by continuing to work for these companies.

You get paid to speak your native language. Who is the charlatan now?

Pot, meet kettle.

Fri, 07/25/2008 - 19:47 — Les Dawson the ... (not verified)

Plenty of teachers in Japan have a damn sight more to offer than being able to speak English. Like Qualifications, experience, commitment, professionalism.

Every tarred person, meet the same brush!

Sat, 07/26/2008 - 22:24 — Anonymous (not verified)

Yeah, I can’t believe it either – dickheads, getting paid to ignore their greater educations, and piss their futures away, because they have not quite figured out that Japan is not as exotic as first impressions would first suggest, sitting around, bitching, complaining, and whining, about things being tough when it comes to getting paid for simply sitting in a chair and talking bullshit, in one’s native tongue.

Eikaiwa is a monumental disgrace, and the fact that it has had zero impact on Japan’s English fluency rates for two decades and more, says it all.

What is more of a disgrace, the number of people who (a) getting sucked into working for them and (b) the Japanese clients who hand over money in buckets just to have a foreign play thing entertain them.

Shut eikaiwa down, once and for all – and for those working in those god awful shitty places, get a real job, or go home.

Sat, 07/26/2008 - 22:38 — Anonymous (not verified)

Relevant qualifications - in the most part, no way. Credible experience - in the most part, no way. Commitment and professionalism - yeah, they are the dickheads who take eikaiwa seriously, or, at least pretend to - and they are in the minority, by a country mile - and most people make jokes about them.

Eikaiwa is a waste of time, period.

Sat, 07/26/2008 - 23:42 — Eb0li

If Nova had 400,000 students, and that accounted for 25 percernt of eikaiwa students, then roughly 1.2 million people at any given time are studying at eikaiwa. That is roughly 1 percenct of Japans population. Of course the average fluency rate hasn't improved, EVEN IF all 1.2 million of those people had been studying continuously for several years with good study habits, that one percent isn't going to raise a nation's fluency rate.

There's a huge fitness industry in America and many people dedicatedly follow a fitness program and get in shape, but America's average obesity rate hasn't improved in the last two decades.

Nonetheless, it is a fitness instructors job to coach people regardless of their lifestyle habits, as it is a teachers job to try and teach students regardless of their improvement rate.

Oh, and by the way, how many people in America can become "fluent" in Japanese or Chinese or Vietnamese just by studying a few times a week in their home country? People who MAJOR in Japanese in College still suck at speaking, and people that study and live here improve much faster.

Also, lets compare the value of Eikaiwa, even assuming that it is poor quality education, with the value of other hobbies. You can spend 150 dollars a month on beer and partying, or on expensive cable tv, or on English lessons. Compared to other society degrading past times, Eikaiwa is far better for a persons intelligence.

Sat, 07/26/2008 - 23:49 — Anonymous (not verified)

I can't beleive anyone would put up a product like that on a forum like this for review. Had he never read the forums here previously?

Maybe I'm old fashioned or idealistic, but I think in this business you can be a good language teacher, or you can be a money-hungry merchant, but not both.

Sun, 07/27/2008 - 08:36 — Anonymous (not verified)

Who cares who is learning what?! Teaching English is nothing to feel guilty about (taking the money anyway) since these people are not being forced to pay.

Get real though. You are teaching YOUR NATIVE LANGUAGE! It simply does not take a lot of ability to do that. Now, of course some teachers do it better than others, but that does not change the fact that it is a low-skill job.

Sun, 07/27/2008 - 09:44 — Les Dawson the ... (not verified)

Thanks for taking your time, ANONYMOUS, from your REAL job, to give the Eikaiwa masses a severe talking to!

Now, I won't waste any more of your time, because I'm sure you're busy, in your REAL!! job, looking for the cure to AIDS, or something. Well done, you man of morals, you.

By the way, small tip. Signing in as "Anonymous" just associates anything you write, with all the other knuckleheads, who sign is as "Anonymous", therefore lessening the impact of your already pathetically drab mumblings.

Sorry, what was it you said, again?

Sun, 07/27/2008 - 12:06 — Eb0li

I disagree, it does take a lot of ability to teach skillfully. I have seen many teachers fresh off the plane with no credentials, and many teachers that have been here for 4 years or more. While it doesn't take much ability to entertain students, and many people can become experts at that within their few months and skate by because their customers seem happy, only teachers with several years of experience that try to improve and learn more can skillfully teach as well as entertain.

Do you consider a job that takes 3+ years of experience and self study to be good to be low-skill? I consider a pilot to be a low skill job. It really doesn't take very long to get license. Just because there are much higher consequences for not performing your job as a pilot properly doesn't mean it's difficult to learn how to fly a small plane. Or even a large plane.

Sun, 07/27/2008 - 12:58 — Madeup Name (not verified)

Anyone who tries to make a yen doing anything other than being a happy English monkey is gonna get crapped on by this forum. That's because, despite being damn near the bottom of Japan's social totem pole, these guys like to play pretend elitist. It distracts them from the fact that their customers, their friends and family back home, and all the gaijins with honest jobs in japan think they are a complete embarrassment to roundeyes, everywhere. Quite sad, really.

Sun, 07/27/2008 - 18:14 — Ranter (not verified)

So, Madeupname, exactly who are "... all the gaijins with honest jobs in japan..." as you eloquently put it? What are these noble and respected jobs? Oh, must be all those super hard working, honest and respected ALT and JETs that you are referring to.
Ive met some Eikaiwa monkeys who are complete tools, but 95% of them are pretty normal and some actually work hard (and some actually 8 hour days...)
As for being near the bottom of the Japanese social totem pole, well...theyre never gonna be quite as low as the Burakumin, Ainu or Zainichi, are they!? C'mon mate, this is Japan after all!!!

Sun, 07/27/2008 - 23:31 — ex-neo-nova drone (not verified)

I agree that a lot of guys like to 'play pretend elitist' but it's possible to be a good teacher without having any claims to being 'elite' (possessing relevant qualifications, X years experience etc). If you're in the job for the love of teaching then you'll apply your abilities, ideas and life experience admirably to the benefit of your students. If your focus is on how much money you can milk a student for I don't beleive you can do that, and you won't be able to justify the premium you're charging them.

Mon, 07/28/2008 - 15:42 — Anonymous (not verified)

Reality Check List

(a) Eikaiwa are notoriously illiterate and behind the times when it comes to recognized teaching methodology, and academic insight into language acquisition
(b) Consequently, 99% of their employees have no relevant language qualifications. Alarmingly, inclusive of their upper management employees - both Japanese, and non-Japanese, the non-Japanese really only holding token image improving positions to begin with
(c) Language teaching professionals are not widely attracted to Eikaiwa, based primarily on appalling work conditions relative to salary, but also, because Eikaiwa experience is not valued by employees in the field back home.
(d) Intelligent non-language teaching qualified workers in Eikaiwa know it is a dead end street. They also know it carries very little weight on the resume, especially to their real field of study (and especially since, countless thousands of people are able to say “I spent a year or so in Japan “teaching” English” – well, whoopee do, good on you !)
(e) Most major businesses, attracted to people who have had time overseas because they think it may have washed away some naivety, know full well Eikaiwa in Japan is one giant scam. A common reaction is – “You spent 2 years doing what? Working for Nova? Don’t you think your time in Japan could have been better spent doing something else? What of the relevance of filling in as an English “teacher”, when you have no qualifications in the field, especially when your time was spent working for such a low level notorious company, in such a low level notorious industry?”
(f) Legitimate language teaching concerns back home rate Eikaiwa as a zero value experience. Many negatively rate it, and consider it to have entrenched bad habits, and bad attitude. “Oh no – not another person who has spent time in Japan, and thinks they are a real teacher - will this ever end?”.

Thus, why all the great debate in here? It is simple. Eikaiwa is for losers.

If you are simply in Japan for six months or a year, taking a break, well good luck to you – more power to you, but anything else, then seriously, God help you.

Wake up, and get out!

Mon, 07/28/2008 - 22:14 — Merde (not verified)

Jesus Christ, what an elitist, negative attitude! What are YOU doing that is contributing so much to society (and your CV?) I dont work for an eikaiwa, but I really couldnt give a fuck if someone does. Each to his/her own. Certainly wouldnt waste time writing a lengthy point form essay railing against them...

Tue, 07/29/2008 - 01:00 — Senseiman1 (not verified)

"(e) Most major businesses, attracted to people who have had time overseas because they think it may have washed away some naivety, know full well Eikaiwa in Japan is one giant scam. A common reaction is – “You spent 2 years doing what? Working for Nova? Don’t you think your time in Japan could have been better spent doing something else? What of the relevance of filling in as an English “teacher”, when you have no qualifications in the field, especially when your time was spent working for such a low level notorious company, in such a low level notorious industry?”

This is complete bullshit.

For one thing, tons of intelligent people spend more than a year in Eikaiwa and go on to have successful careers in other fields.

Second, if you study the language well enough to speak it and pass at least the JLPT 2 then you'll not only have a useful skill but will have demonstrated to potential employers some initiative in having learned an extremely difficult language. Even if the company you are interviewing with has no need for Japanese it still looks good.

Third, 99% of people outside of Japan have no idea what NOVA or Eikaiwa is, so the likelihood of someone slamming you for it in a job interview is pretty much nil (unless you are interviewing at a language school or something in the same field).

Granted that just having Eikaiwa experience on your resume isn't going to get you anything. But it isn't going to hurt you either. I actually had an interview a couple years ago at a major firm in Calgary and about half way through the interview it turned out that the guy interviewing me had worked at GEOS 6 years earlier and we had met at one of the company meetings in Osaka.

Tue, 07/29/2008 - 09:21 — Anonymous (not verified)

Hello!

I heard from an Osaka student at G.Ed`s NOVA, that there might be served wine in future lessons.

In Europe there had been a wine scandal some 20 years ago, where through illegal enhancing of Italian wine some people died and many got seriously injured.

What is G.Ed`s strategy?

1. Enhance the erotic climate, in order to sign up more foreign horny instructors? (in other words: French)
Or
2. Minimize the size of 25% students through the Italian way?

Your comments, please
Anonymous

Tue, 07/29/2008 - 09:46 — Anonymous (not verified)

If you do not work eikaiwa, why are you so upset that he made a few comments about the industry?? "Elitist". For what it is worth, I find that label rather silly and amusing. You some kind of lost 60s radical?

Anyway, I do not agree with everything he said, but it is mostly pretty accurate. Eikaiwa simply is not a very skilled or respected profession. I admit that and I am doing the work myself (at my own little school though)!! I justify it by thinking of the coin I am investing and retiring early (will not bore you with the details of how I am kind of stuck in Japan), but I feel like a bit of a loser sometimes as anyone who does eikaiwa should! Any halfway literate native speaker can do my job (the teaching part anyway)without any real training (as few us have).

Tue, 07/29/2008 - 11:53 — Anonymous (not verified)

Every major company on the planet knows that the “Teach English in Japan” thingy is bullshit, offers nothing, and consider the experience to be totally valueless.

For some entry level positions, it can be a plus, if a junior is applying, the reaction being:

“Well, he/she took 9 months off. I suppose at least this ambitious little upstart has got his/her wild travel and adventure days over and done with, and could be a stayer”

The longer you stay, the less the likelihood of the above reaction being encountered, of course.

Bottom line – eikaiwa is for losers. Doing it for a break, a kind of work to survive sabbatical, for 6 months to a year, then good luck to you. Anything else – LOSER !

Tue, 07/29/2008 - 12:19 — Lord Phlegming (not verified)

Well then, rather than dispensing advice for all the "LOSER" eikaiwa teachers out there, and their zero prospects when they manage to get their fat lazy asses back home, shouldnt you be rejoicing? After all, career minded, professional go-getters such as yourself will never have to worry about competing with these unemployable losers for jobs.

Instead, you just seem rather angry with them.

Tue, 07/29/2008 - 14:27 — Anonymous (not verified)

According to the thread in the LJ Forums, it looks like Mr. Beck has decided to close his selling of the book permanently and is offering refunds to those who already bought it.

Tue, 07/29/2008 - 14:38 — Anonymous (not verified)

I see Eikaiwa has found a new purpose, as a congregation and unification point for a bunch of sorry ass losers.

“Sniff, sniff, I am not a loser, I really put my heart and soul into being a professional and caring pretend English teacher, working in a well known charlatan industry, in wonderful Japan. Sniff, sniff, I am a good person, and I do my best, by my wonderful bunch of little, cute, eccentric friends, the students. I love my life in Japan. Sniff, sniff. Leave me alone”.

Sorry, but the facts are the facts. Beyond a short stint as a working vacation type experience, Eikaiwa is for losers, and that an indisputable reality.

I say it again, LOSERS, Eikaiwa is for LOSERS. Period. End of.

Thank you

Tue, 07/29/2008 - 15:20 — Jon

Most businesses keep an open mind as to the value of any gap year type activities, be it working in Eikaiwa, doing voluntary work or just plain travelling around. Some of course don't like them, period. Others are quite tolerant of that kind of thing and what the individual may or may not have gained from it. It depends on what they are looking for. I know of several people who have found their time in Japan quite helpful in getting into teacher training courses back home, for example.

I do agree that staying in eikaiwa for more than a year is setting any career in another occupation backwards, and people should think about that. However, going on at people that they are losers because of their job is pathetic, whatever the job. Do you go into Mcdonalds and tell everyone working there what losers they are? Of course not. People do all kinds of jobs for all kinds of reasons, the principal one being to keep themselves fed.

—

jon

Tue, 07/29/2008 - 15:27 — pete (not verified)

Anonymous, why do you spend all day on an Eikaiwa blog then? Angry, angry little man.

Tue, 07/29/2008 - 15:58 — Anonymous (not verified)

Gap year? Fine. Anything else = "LOSER-VILLE" - END OF.

Thanks

Tue, 07/29/2008 - 16:02 — Anonymous (not verified)

"Do you go into Mcdonalds and tell everyone working there what losers they are? Of course not". McDonalds - Eikaiwa - excellent analogy.

If you stay in eikaiwa beyond a gap year, than you might as well work at McDonalds.

Oh, I don't step foot inside McDonalds. Yuck ! Yuck !

Thanks

Eikaiwa = LOSER - END OF !

Tue, 07/29/2008 - 19:55 — Pablo (not verified)

So what your trying to say is..........

Eikaiwa teachers are losers?

Is this correct? Your argument is so subtle that I'm not quite getting your point.

Tue, 07/29/2008 - 20:41 — Anonymous (not verified)

Unless there for a gap year, or similar, well sure - total losers, like, totally - LOSERS ! There is no doubt about this. I am not sure why you don't get it. Anyway....

Tue, 07/29/2008 - 20:54 — Anonymous (not verified)

Take a look at this link - Eikaiwa Teachers were doing there stuff in the 60's. This bullshit industry has quite a history:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGbL8a6FsqU

Tue, 07/29/2008 - 22:17 — Anonymous (not verified)

All you Eikaiwa "teachers" and other "English teaching" riff-raff in Japan should get off this website and stay off. Im sick to death of listening to you all. Leave it to the honest, professional workers with REAL JOBS.

One More Time for you dummies: EIKAIWA TEACHERS ARE LOSERS. PERIOD. END OF.

Tue, 07/29/2008 - 22:24 — bobbie (not verified)

a friend of mine went from eikaiwa to university teaching. he said he was shocked at how bad the university teachers were and that the eikaiwa teachers were far more skilled.

Tue, 07/29/2008 - 22:32 — Anonymous (not verified)

"he said he was shocked at how bad the university teachers were and that the eikaiwa teachers were far more skilled."

Either you or your "friend" are liars. Ans LOSERS.

I say it again, LOSERS, Eikaiwa is for LOSERS. Period. End of.

Tue, 07/29/2008 - 22:52 — Tool Above (not verified)

Most of the people who criticise language teachers, work twice as long as the teaching monkeys. For less pay. Hello 500 Yen an hour boys. Why are you so grumpy? :)

Tue, 07/29/2008 - 23:09 — Lord Phlegming (not verified)

I think its because the poor guy has come to the realisation that even the ugliest of ugly Charisma men style eikaiwa monkeys - http://www.karatethejapaneseway.com/photos/charisma_man_01s.jpg
can get laid...and the poor dear couldnt pull a root in a brothel. Hence the grumpiness and lashing out at any target.Sad.

Wed, 07/30/2008 - 04:39 — Anonymous (not verified)

You need to believe such bullshit, to mask the reality of what it is that you do, which is regurgitating brainless bullshit, for peanuts, while frittering your life away.

Wed, 07/30/2008 - 04:42 — Anonymous (not verified)

Eikaiwa teachers - stand proud, and stand united - go for your golden watches

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGbL8a6FsqU

Wankers !

Pages

Subscribe to Comments for "The English Coach System"

LJ is currently using a spam filter, which may eat legitimate comments, particularly those containing URLs. If you are having trouble posting a comment, email LJ.

© Let's Japan.org 2000-2007