A critical discourse analysis of ELT institutional contradictions in language policy and recruitment in Japan

Abstract

This paper analyses a series of websites of language institutions in Japan and highlights the consistent contradictions between the language policies advertised and the recruitment of non-native English-speaking teachers (NNESTs) conducted. I did a qualitative website study that involved an analysis of the most in-demand ELT companies and organizations in Japan. The websites were of ELT institutions, which were a mix of private institutions that teach for profit, and organisations that are mediators in supplying teachers (Assistant Language Teachers–ALTs) for schools around the country. The aim of this was to compare and contrast the discourse in language ideology with recruitment policies at these companies regarding NNESTs. Conducting a study of these companies’ websites enabled me to find and highlight trends in recruitment and language ideologies where I found a series of inconsistencies but also some encouraging trends in moves towards a more global outlook in teacher recruitment and discourse ideology. At the heart of the analysis was the question of whether a move towards more NNEST recruitment was due to changes in language ideology or economic necessity. The increase in non-native English-speaking teacher recruitment in Japan would be an encouraging development in attitudes and policy if it was related to a recognition of how the linguistic landscape in the 21st century is evolving but it seems apparent that economic factors are the motivating factor.