FAQ

Berlitz offers lessons for adults, teens, and children at all our Language Centers, so all instructors are required to teach all ages. The ratio of adult-to-kids lessons varies by location however, meaning that some instructors deliver more kids lessons than others.

All instructors teach adults and teens, so teaching only children is not an option.

Berlitz offers lessons to a wide range of customers with different learning goals. While most of our customers are business-oriented learners, we also have customers who are studying for non-business reasons as well. Our instructors are required to teach all customer types.

Salary is paid directly into an employee's bank account monthly in Japan. Berlitz's salary cycle is from the 18th of the month to the 17th of the following. Payment for work completed in that period is paid on the 28th of the same month. The bank account must be based in Japan.

Preferences are considered when assigning base locations, but ultimately Berlitz will make the final decision.

Transfer requests will be considered after a minimum of one year of service at an instructor’s base location and subject to company approval.

Standard employment contracts are for one year with the option to renew based on mutual agreement.

If you have the proper work visa/permission, in theory you may begin working right after you successfully complete Day 6 of IQP. However, the specific start date is set in coordination with your Manager of Instruction and is based on numerous factors.

As employment contracts are for one year, in principle you cannot change within the year. However, if it is acceptable for both the employee and the company, contract changes can be considered. Final approval rests solely with the Company.

For FTI, PTP and PTG contracts, your actual monthly commutation pass (teiki) is covered by the Company, up to a maximum of 27,000 JPY. Additional work-related transportations costs not covered by the pass are also reimbursed. Per Lesson instructors may be eligible for this benefit (see PL contract description for details).

There are over 500 Language Centers in 70 countries around the world under the Berlitz Corporation umbrella. Each country/location operates independently subject to local market conditions, so you cannot "transfer" between countries. At Berlitz Japan, current global Berlitz employees applying may be given priority in hiring and possibly be eligible for a higher base starting salary (subject to individual application circumstances).

Except for current Berlitz instructors outside Japan, all new instructors start at the same starting salary at Berlitz Japan.

Lessons at Berlitz last 40 minutes and can be broken down into 3 key stages:

Presentation:

New language based on student goals is introduced in context in this first stage.

Practice:

Students practice using the language introduced in the previous stage in a variety of activities that become less controlled as the lesson progresses.

Performance:

The final stage gives students the opportunity to focus on building fluency and apply the learning from the previous stages in a way that is personally meaningful.

Berlitz regularly monitors lessons (listening and observing) and then follows up with a Professional Development Session, highlighting areas that were delivered well and working on areas that could be improved. During your initial 3-month development period, you will receive frequent feedback to help you develop your skills as a Berlitz instructor to exceed our customers' expectations.

We believe learners benefit from speaking with a variety of instructors from different backgrounds and with different accents thus you may see some students more often than others, but in general we use a rotation system.

As long as there is a clear understanding of the benefits of instructor rotation, we can accept requests for certain instructors when possible.

Instructors are not required to sell materials. Language Center staff are responsible for sales of materials in the Language Centers.

While the large part of a working day is in the classroom, instructors may be asked to write reports, prepare lessons, or help with special events such as themed lessons or seminars. Some additional responsibilities could also include making customized curricula, helping with scheduling, or assisting with other administrative tasks in the Language Center.

Most of our lessons use Berlitz-created materials, which include Instructor Manuals (IMs) containing lesson plans with step-by-step teaching instructions. However, since a learner-centered approach is a key component of our teaching philosophy, we encourage our instructors to use IMs as a jumping-off point to customize each lesson to match the learning goals of our customers.

Lesson plans are meant to serve as a strong guide to assist instructors and eliminate the need for out-of-class lesson preparation, but they do not have to be strictly followed step-by-step. These lesson plans are part of a curriculum with target language points which need to be introduced, practiced, and assimilated. However, our number one operating principle is Total Customer Orientation, which means we must provide lessons that are relevant and useful to the customer. Therefore, as a Berlitz instructor it is not only an option but your responsibility to customize the lesson plans to help your students meet their learning goals.

Yes. When customers first come to the Language Center, they are given a level assessment followed by a demonstration lesson using the Berlitz Method. Lessons are sold based on the expectation that their lessons will be taught using the Method. Within the Method however, there is room for instructors to add their personal touch to lessons.

The dress code is business professional. Visible tattoos, facial piercings, and dyed hair in unnatural colors are not permitted. For further information please see the Dress Code section of this site at: Attire

All Berlitz lessons are taught exclusively in the target language. The customer's native language is never used in the classroom.

If you are not scheduled to work, you do not need to be in the Language Center.

Days off are fixed. instructors have the option of earning additional income by opening their availability on a day off for a 6th day of work. However, our Work Rules prevent employees from working 7 days in a week.

All LC-based instructors who deliver a set minimum number of lessons annually will have an annual Instructor Performance Evaluation with their Manager of Instruction, upon which any possible salary increases are based.

While this may be possible from time to time, instructors are hired to primarily teach one language.

All instructors are required to deliver OS lessons however the volume may vary.

In most cases, OS lessons are continuously delivered by the same instructor. In some cases, however, there may be two or three instructors who teach the same course on a rotation basis.

It is possible depending on the length of the OS, the location, and your availability.

Most OS lessons use standard Berlitz lessons and methodology but if there is a need for it, additional training will be provided for OS-specific courses. For OS courses with large classes, we provide additional training for delivering these lessons.

Most instructors are hired primarily to work in the Language Center and also deliver OS lessons.