What is ETJ?

A free association

ETJ is a free association for English teachers in Japan that encourages the exchange of information and teaching ideas, provides opportunities for training and professional development, and brings teachers together into a community.

A grass-roots organization

ETJ is a grass-roots organization for teachers around Japan that is dependent on a lot of individual teachers putting in a little time in many different ways. In fact, it is primarily aimed at the classroom teacher who is only able or prepared to put a limited amount of time into ETJ.

Origin of ETJ

ETJ was originally set up by David Paul in 1999 in order to provide a general association for the busy classroom teacher and to reach teachers who need the most support. On a national level, it is still administered by David Paul, though each ETJ group or project manages itself.

A confederation

ETJ groups and ETJ-related projects are run independently by volunteers. In effect, ETJ is a confederation of different groups that form a friendly community and, when necessary, come together to establish the minimum necessary general policies that all groups follow.