Acronyms

From HyogoAJET

Contents 1 AJET - The Association for Japan Exchange and Teaching 2 ALT - Assistant Language Teacher 3 BOE - Board of Education 4 CIR - Coordinator for International Relations 5 CLAIR - Council of Local Authorities for International Relations 6 CO - Contracting Organization 7 ESID - Every Situation Is Different 8 JET - The Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme 9 JETAA - JET Programme Alumni Association 10 JHS - Junior High School 11 JTE - Japanese Teacher of English JTL - Japanese Teacher of Language 12 MEXT - Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology 13 MIC - Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications 14 MOFA - Ministry of Foreign Affairs 15 PA - Prefectural Advisor 16 SEA - Sports Exchange Advisor 17 SGL - Self-Support Group Leader 18 SHS - Senior High School 19 TEFL - Teaching English as a Foreign Language TESL - Teaching English as a Second Language 20 TOA - Tokyo Orientation Assistant 21 Yashiro Orientation

AJET - The Association for Japan Exchange and Teaching

AJET is an independent, self-supporting volunteer organisation comprised of current JET Programme participants. National AJET often works as the voice of the JET community, and holds meetings twice a year with the organizations that sponsor JET. They are also very visible at the various conferences that CLAIR holds throughout the year. Hyogo AJET is a chapter of National AJET, and organizes different events for Hyogo JETs. For more information, visit the National AJET Website and the Hyogo AJET Website.

ALT - Assistant Language Teacher

There are three job positions on JET, and the majority of JETs are ALTs. ALTs are usually placed in schools or BOEs and teach English with JTEs.

BOE - Board of Education

Most ALTs are employed by a BOE, and most of the high school ALTs in Hyogo work for the Hyogo Prefectural BOE, whereas most junior high school ALTs in Hyogo work for municipal BOEs. The Hyogo Prefectural BOE also organizes local training seminars for all Hyogo ALTs. For their contact information, see Contact Info - BOE.

CIR - Coordinator for International Relations

CIR is one of the three positions on JET. The job description of a CIR varies drastically between contracting organizations. There are 7 CIRs in Hyogo, three from English speaking countries, and one each from France, Brazil, Korea, and China. In Hyogo, the three English speaking CIRs are also the PAs.

CLAIR - Council of Local Authorities for International Relations

CLAIR is the organization that manages the JET Programme. They organize the major JET conferences, publish the Contracting Organisation Manual and General Information Handbook, and coordinate everything with all of the contracting organizations and the three Ministries (MIC, MOFA, and MEXT). For more info, visit The JET Programme.

CO - Contracting Organization

The people who hired you. For ALTs at high schools, your CO is most likely the Hyogo Board Of Education. Most other ALTs are hired by municipal BOEs, and the CIRs in Hyogo are employed by the Hyogo Prefectural Office. Your CO is not necessarily your place of work (ie, the school where you spend all of your time).

ESID - Every Situation Is Different

This expression is used so much, I had to write an article about it at Every Situation Is Different.

JET - The Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme

JET does not stand for Japan English Teaching. Though most JETs teach English, not all JETs are all ALTs, and some ALTs teach other languages (Chinese, French, etc.). There are three positions on JET: ALT, CIR, and SEA. JET Participants are also called JETs.

JETAA - JET Programme Alumni Association

After leaving JET, many people join JETAA, an independent alumni association, so that they can keep up with the JET community.

JHS - Junior High School

Junior high school, or lower secondary school, spans three years in Japan. 1st-3rd grade in JHS in Japan is the equivalent of 7th-9th grade in America. Most JHS ALTs in Hyogo work for municipal Boards of Education.

JTE - Japanese Teacher of English
JTL - Japanese Teacher of Language

ALTs are not required to teach by themselves, and are instead supposed to assist the JTEs (or JTLs) at their schools. JTEs also attend some seminars with ALTs so that they can work on effective team teaching techniques.

MEXT - Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology

MEXT is one of the three Ministries that work with CLAIR to run the JET Programme. For more info, visit The JET Programme.

MIC - Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications

MIC is one of the three Ministries that work with CLAIR to run the JET Programme. For more info, visit The JET Programme.

MOFA - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

MOFA is one of the three Ministries that work with CLAIR to run the JET Programme. For more info, visit The JET Programme.

PA - Prefectural Advisor

Every host prefecture/designated city has at least one Prefectural Advisor who is available to answer questions and provide support for JET participants. To read more about the PAs in Hyogo, see Meet The PAs.

SEA - Sports Exchange Advisor

The scarcest of all JETs, SEAs usually specialize in a sport which they coach or teach while they are in Japan. As of writing, there are no SEAs in Hyogo.

SGL - Self-Support Group Leader

The SGL system was established to provide support for JETs whose first language is not English. There are SGLs that speak Chinese, French, German, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. For more info, visit The JET Programme.

SHS - Senior High School

Senior High School, or upper secondary school, spans three years in Japan. 1st-3rd grade in SHS in Japan is the equivalent of 10th-12th grade in America. Most SHS ALTs in Hyogo work for the Prefectural Board of Education.

TEFL - Teaching English as a Foreign Language
TESL - Teaching English as a Second Language

Two acronyms that get thrown around that mean pretty much the same thing in Japan.

TOA - Tokyo Orientation Assistant

The volunteers at Tokyo Orientation who make the welcome orientation everything that it is. For more information, see Conferences

Yashiro Orientation

Though not an acronym, Yashiro is the unofficial name of the Prefectural Orientation held for all 1st year ALTs in August. For more information, see Yashiro Orientation

v • d • e Living Guide
General	Meet The CIRs ・ Meet The PAs ・ Phone Numbers and Emails ・ Hyogo AJET Facebook Group ・ Emergencies ・ Useful Links ・ AJET ・ Acronyms ・ Information Centers
For New Jets	The Hiring Process ・ Buying From Your Predecessor ・ Japanese Customs ・ Bringing Medicine To Japan ・ Presents For Coworkers ・ Tokyo to Hyogo ・ Residence Card ・ Changes to the Alien Registration System, July 2012　・ First Few Days ・ Pension Book ・ Settling In At Home ・ Letter of Appointment ・ Personal Seal
Money	How Much Money Should I Bring? ・ Banking in Japan ・ Sending Money Home ・ Paychecks ・ Paying Up Front ・ Taxes Back Home ・ Statement of Earnings ・ Resident Taxes
Work	Who do I work for? ・ Evaluations ・ Paid Leave ・ Special Leave ・ Unpaid Leave ・ Study Leave ・ Recontracting and Transfers ・ Conferences ・ Orientation Overview ・ The Mid-Year Conference ・ I have nothing to do! ・ Dress code
Life In Hyogo	About the Apartment ・ How safe is Japan? ・ Map of Hyogo ・ Dealing with bugs ・ Shopping in Japan ・ Train Lines, Times, and Fares ・ Hyogo Winters ・ Hyogo Summers ・ Typhoons ・ Sports Opportunities ・ Trains: Vocab and Tips ・ Post Office ・ Useful Items to Help You Live in Japan ・ Religious Institutions
Traveling	Traveling ・ Leaving The Country ・ Buses ・ International Airports ・ Domestic Airports ・ Tourist Spots ・ Travel Agents ・ Ferries ・ Natural Disasters Abroad
Language and Culture	Learning Japanese ・ Language Resources ・ Japanese Classes in Hyogo ・ Proficiency Tests ・ Study Tips ・ Japanese Holidays ・ Japanese Etiquette ・ About the CLAIR Courses
Food	Food Shopping ・ Restaurant Vocab and Guidebooks ・ Types of Restaurants ・ Recommended Restaurants ・ Bars
Health	Bringing Medicine To Japan ・ Japan's Medical System ・ Counseling and Support Groups ・ Vaccinations ・ Find a Doctor ・ Medical Examinations ・ About our Health Insurance ・ AJET Peer Support Group ・ Dentists ・ Insurance and Dental Work ・ Gynecology
Books, etc.	Book Stores ・ Hyogo AJET Library ・ Libraries ・ Magazines ・ Newspapers etc.
Driving	Attention Drivers! ・ Buying a Car ・ Driving in Winter ・ Getting Around ・ Getting Car Insurance ・ Getting a License ・ Rules of the Road ・ Driving School ・ Driving Test ・ Drinking and Driving ・ DUI / DWI ・ My BOE won't let me drive!
Visas, etc.	Immigration Offices ・ Visa Renewal and Status of Residence ・ Reentry Permits ・ Renewing Your Passport ・ Post-JET Visa Advice ・ Temporary Visitor Visa
Recommendations	Gym Recommendations ・ Recommended Restaurants ・ Find a Doctor ・ Find a Hairdresser
Legal Issues	Lost Passports ・ Arrested in Japan ・ English Speaking Lawyers ・ Getting Married
Computers and Phones	Buying a computer ・ Typing in Japanese ・ Getting Internet ・ Word in Japanese ・ Cell Phones ・ Home Phones ・ Phoning Home ・ Help with Technical Problems
Leaving JET	Checklist for Leaving Japan ・ Post-JET Visa Advice ・ Return Tickets ・ Shipping Stuff Home ・ The Pension Refund ・ Preparing For Your Successor ・ Reverse Culture Shock ・ Police Clearance Certificate ・ Certificate of Participation ・ I want to break contract ・ Goodwill Envoys