Professional Expectations for Transition from ALT to Tenured Teacher in Japanese Public Schools

This paper examines the professional expectations for transition from ALT to tenured teacher in Japanese public schools, focusing on the requirement of teacher recruitment exams. The study aims to investigate what is required for an ALT to perform as a full-time tenured school teacher. The research is derived from teacher shortage and ALTs’ professional potential to fulfil duties of school teachers, drawing upon the management of running a 3-year-long professional learning community for ALTs and school teachers. The paper outlines the challenges of the teacher shortage, the potential of ALTs as educators, and trends in hiring ALTs as full-time tenured school teachers. This study reveals that transferring from an ALT to a school teacher requires professional competence in teaching and learning, as well as an understanding teachers’ multiple roles in Japanese education system. It highlights the multifaceted dimensions of the transition, emphasizing the evolving roles, responsibilities, and competencies required of ALTs as they transition to tenured teachers. Central to this transition is the cultivation of professionalism, which can be achieved by Graduate School of Professional Teacher Education.