Chapter 3. Just for the casuals? Leisure and learning in eikaiwa by Daniel Hooper
Abstract
Through a narrative telling of his journey as an eikaiwa teacher and researcher, Daniel Hooper takes on the issue of “fun” or “leisure” within eikaiwa teaching in this chapter. He claims that while the notion of eikaiwa teachers being “fun” is often marked as cause for eikaiwa being positioned outside of “serious” education, the socially-constructed identity of the “entertainer” is by no means restricted to eikaiwa. Furthermore, he also argues that “fun” has undeservedly been given a bad name in the field and that, even in the face of social/professional stigma, eikaiwa teachers can craft their own valid “educator” identities.
About the Contributor
DANIEL HOOPER has been living and teaching in Japan since 2005. He worked within the eikaiwa industry for eight years in a large chain school and in a small-family owned eikaiwa. He has worked as a full-time instructor in the English Language Institute at Kanda University of International Studies since April 2017. He received his MA TESOL from Kanda University of International Studies in 2016. His research interests are teacher and learner identity, native-speakerism, learner autonomy, and issues related to the eikaiwa industry.
Citation
Hooper, D.(2020). Just for the casuals? Leisure and learning in eikaiwa In D. Hooper & N. Hashimoto (Eds.), Teacher narratives from the Eikaiwa classroom: Moving beyond “McEnglish.” (pp. 41-50). Candlin & Mynard. https://doi.org/10.47908/13/3
Through a narrative telling of his journey as an eikaiwa teacher and researcher, Daniel Hooper takes on the issue of “fun” or “leisure” within eikaiwa teaching in this chapter. He claims that while the notion of eikaiwa teachers being “fun” is often marked as cause for eikaiwa being positioned outside of “serious” education, the socially-constructed identity of the “entertainer” is by no means restricted to eikaiwa. Furthermore, he also argues that “fun” has undeservedly been given a bad name in the field and that, even in the face of social/professional stigma, eikaiwa teachers can craft their own valid “educator” identities.
About the Contributor
DANIEL HOOPER has been living and teaching in Japan since 2005. He worked within the eikaiwa industry for eight years in a large chain school and in a small-family owned eikaiwa. He has worked as a full-time instructor in the English Language Institute at Kanda University of International Studies since April 2017. He received his MA TESOL from Kanda University of International Studies in 2016. His research interests are teacher and learner identity, native-speakerism, learner autonomy, and issues related to the eikaiwa industry.
Citation
Hooper, D.(2020). Just for the casuals? Leisure and learning in eikaiwa In D. Hooper & N. Hashimoto (Eds.), Teacher narratives from the Eikaiwa classroom: Moving beyond “McEnglish.” (pp. 41-50). Candlin & Mynard. https://doi.org/10.47908/13/3
Information About the Book
Title: Teacher Narratives from the Eikaiwa Classroom: Moving Beyond “McEnglish”
Editors: Daniel Hooper and Natasha Hashimoto
Publication date: February 2020
Read more...
Title: Teacher Narratives from the Eikaiwa Classroom: Moving Beyond “McEnglish”
Editors: Daniel Hooper and Natasha Hashimoto
Publication date: February 2020
Read more...