Part Ten
Expected Changes

Opening Remarks
As mentioned in Part Four, the tendency seems to be away from hiring full time teachers at language schools. This doesn't mean that there will be no full-time positions, only that the competition for remaining positions will increase.
Also, with the quick advances in technology, there will certainly be an increased need for teachers with at least basic knowledge of computers and computer science.

1. Future Job Market
Overall, we can guess that the job market will remain viable for the foreseeable future. The Education Ministry in Japan appears to be convinced of the need for native language teachers in Japan and they are even considering introducing English instruction in primary schools. One result is that both public and private schools will continue to employee native English language teachers and may even increase the number.
Although the number of private language schools may diminish, the successful schools will continue to do a flourishing business as the demand for English is as strong as ever1. Major companies will also maintain or increase the number of native English teachers they hire.
While the demand for English teachers will remain strong, the Japanese are becoming increasingly aware of what constitutes quality language education. For this reason, the job market for teachers will tighten as individuals and companies look for professional teachers who are dedicated to providing these quality lessons. This is good news for those teachers who are really serious about teaching as they will continue to be employable and the overall level of language education will continue to rise.

2. Future Trends in Teaching
Content-based teaching certainly seems to hold sway in the current flow of language teaching. Still, there are certain forces holding back a full-fledged switch to strict content-based curriculums. The Ministry of Education's traditional outlook and stronghold on curriculums is one leading factor. Traditional ways of teaching grammar, vocabulary and functions will probably be around for sometime, but my prediction is that more teachers will see the inherent value in teaching things that are hopefully useful and interesting to the students and letting the target language progress take care of itself.
One other trend that will certainly continue is the use of various media in language teaching2. Magazines, television, movies, etc. will continue to find their niche in the language classroom and new multi-media technology will finally come into its own and flourish as more and more people become familiar with the computer and new technology.

3. The Computer Age and Language Education
The scope of this paper does not allow us to go into any depth in this area. Instead, I will introduce some of the ways in which new forms of media will affect language teaching and learning. At the same time I will introduce some ideas on how to use different technologies to facilitate language learning.
A. Computer-Assisted Instruction (CAI)
Despite the shortage of quality educational software, computer-assisted instruction (CAI) is catching on and will eventually establish itself in the field of second language acquisition. As teachers, we should know what is on the market and find ways to introduce this powerful medium into the classroom. And since it is teachers who will ultimately be using the software, we have power and should take a more active role in pushing the market to higher quality standards3.
Software should be judged on how well it actively engages the learner and monitors how well learners follow the content. Also, keep in mind that CAI is a supplement and should closely support what you are aiming to accomplish in the classroom.
B. Internet
Not so long ago I would not have mentioned the Internet as a tool to help teachers of English in Japan. First, there wasn't that much language teacher specific information on the net. Next, the organization was such that it would have been much more economical and efficient to go to the local library. This is saying something because the amount of research tools in Japan for teachers of English is quite slim. Now, with the advancements of the World Wide Web and powerful Internet search engines, teachers can get stimulation from other teachers, do research on specific tasks and find up to date information on almost any topic with ease. Students can also brush up their English reading and writing ability by actively searching and using the Internet as a communication tool. For homework or writing exercises, e-mail is the wave of the future.

Conclusion
The market for English language in general is changing and this is especially true in Japan. This can be an opportunity if you stay abreast of the changes and know how to take advantage of the situation.
Computers and telecommunication software can be used to keep teachers in touch with each other and the rapid advancements in our field. I'm sure it won't be too long before virtual English classes hook up students and teachers regardless of location. I'm not sure if this will endanger the position of the language teacher in Japan. My feeling is that there will always be a need for the human touch in teaching.

Notes
[1] Katsuki, N. Japan's booming bilingual business, in Tokyo Business Today. September, 1989 (pg. 58-60).

[2] Brinton, D.M. The use of media in language teaching, in Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language. (Ed. Celce-Murcia) New York: Newbury House, 1991.

[3] Shreck, R. and Shreck, J. Computer-assisted language learning, in Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language. (Ed. Celce-Murcia) New York: Newbury House, 1991.

Part Eleven - Resources