Welcome Orientation 2021
Welcome to Nagasaki! We are so excited you’re here. Normally, we have Welcome Orientation in person in Nagasaki City. The Working Committee gives presentation and leads discussions and panels for the new ALTs in order to prepare them for their new jobs and answer questions.
Due to COVID-19, the Working Committee has turned Welcome Orientation into the mix of videos and write-ups found below. We are not professional YouTubers and have never made videos before this, so please forgive any errors or awkwardness. If you still have questions after watching and reading the materials on the website, stay tuned for information on live Q+A sessions on Zoom. We will do everything in our power to make sure you feel comfortable, informed, and prepared for your job and life in Nagasaki.
Click here for a PDF version of the WELCOME ORIENTATION PAMPHLET
Ready? Let’s get started!
Welcome to Nagasaki!
This is a little known fact outside of Japan, but Nagasaki is one of the prefectures with the longest and deepest history of international contacts and cultural exchange. While Japan was mostly closed to the world, Nagasaki served as the main point of entry for foreign visitors and merchants. In addition to its vibrant history, Nagasaki boasts amazing landscapes! Whether you are placed in the city, the countryside, or out on one of the many islands, you will have ample opportunity to learn about Nagasaki’s culture, connect with its people and share your own background.
As you settle into your new home and community, there will be a lot of new experiences coming your way and a lot of things to adjust to. To make your transition here as smooth as can be, we have prepared a variety of resources that you can draw on. In normal circumstances, we would have held a formal “Welcome Orientation” event for you. Given the pandemic, this is of course not possible. But fear not, all the information you need can be found on our website and this little handbook will help you navigate through all the information available on there.
Welcome Orientation Structure
Alright. Let’s get this started, shall we?
Mandatory Content
First stop in your Welcome Orientation journey is the Health, Safety, and ALT Life presentation. We’re afraid it’s a bit dry but it gives a great overview of all the information you absolutely need to be able to get through the year (mostly) problem-free.
This presentation doesn’t dive deep into any particular topic but it will give you a solid basis to start the year right. You might already know some of the information covered here, but we’re sure you’ll learn a useful thing or two or three.
More detailed information on the various topics covered can be found in the General Information Handbook (GIH), so we recommend that you take it out and follow along.
Recommended Content
Whether you have plenty of teaching experience or you have only ever set foot in a classroom as a student, there will be lots of things to learn about being an Assistant Language Teacher in a Japanese school. The school and work cultures in Japan can be very different from what you are used to and it’s quite common for new employees here to learn their roles and responsibilities by simply being thrown right into it, in true “trial-by-fire” style. To make sure that you won’t get burned as you adjust to your new position, we have prepared a series of videos and resources to help you acclimate and hit the ground running! ALT jobs vary based on the level(s) we are teaching, so we have specific resources and tools for Elementary School (ES) and Junior High School (JHS), Senior High School (SHS) and Special Educational Needs Schools (SN).
Of course, we can only provide a general overview of your position and tasks. For more details, you’ll have to talk directly with your supervisor and JTEs.
Additional Content
It goes without saying that you won’t be spending all of your time at work. We’re sure that, just like us, you didn’t come here only to work as an ALT, but also to get the chance to live in Japan and experience all it has to offer. So we have gathered some resources to help you make the most of your time here, take part in your community and get on with the nitty and gritty things of life.
Scroll down to the table below for a quick overview of the topics covered in our website and the corresponing links.
That’s a wrap!
If some of your questions remain unanswered, don’t hesitate to reach out to the other ALTs in your community. They should know the ins and outs of your local area and will be able to give you tons of helpful advice.
Your supervisor and/or JTEs can also offer you great support when high levels of Japanese fluency are required.
And of course, if you have any concerns or questions that you can’t find answers for or feel uncomfortable raising with others and would like to address confidentially, you can always contact the PAs via email at nagasaki.pa@gmail.com
We hope you enjoy Digital Welcome Orientation!
-Working Committee 2021-22 (Elizabeth, James, Ann, Ashley, Erica, Keli, Matt N & Steve)
