About Us

Our People

Teaching is about communication and fostering understanding. Teaching English in Japan requires doing so across cultural boundaries. Therefore, success as a Gaba instructor requires strong people skills to bridge these divides. The excitement clients experience from learning something new is one of the biggest rewards of teaching with us. As their motivation increases, so does yours as the instructor.

For those who enjoy meeting new people, teaching with Gaba provides no shortage. There are the clients of course, but also the staff and other instructors. Gaba presents a wonderful opportunity to make friends and learn more about Japan, the world, and even the language you call your own. Believe it or not, there are equal numbers of discoveries awaiting both the teacher and student! Read on for more information on each of the clients, the instructors, and staff.

Clients

Roughly 16,000 clients study with Gaba. The majority are working professionals. There are also high school and university students, homemakers, and retirees. The Gaba Kids program is available at select studios for children between the ages of six and twelve.

Motives for studying are as varied as the clients themselves. The one constant: each and every client has chosen Gaba with the expectation that their lessons will be one-to-one and custom-tailored to their specific needs. Our most successful instructors are always aware of this.

“Business” is the most common motive for study. Many of our clients have direct need of English in their professions. Others aspire to positions which require the use of English. Furthermore, many Japanese employers require particular scores on the popular TOEIC and TOEFL tests for admission or advancement. Therefore, many college students should be considered business clients as well. Naturally, with so much riding on their English ability, business clients are often the most motivated and will have particularly high expectations of their instructor.

There are more casual clients as well. Homemakers and retirees frequently travel abroad or enjoy English language television programs, movies, and music. Learning English is a means to appreciate their pastimes more fully. Lively lessons with cultural content (“American” English versus “British” English, for example) are often popular!

The youngest of our clients – the Gaba Kids clients – are taught in the same one-to-one fashion as the adults. While it’s often the parents that have the highest expectations, children are demanding in their own right with the need to hold their attention and encourage participation.

Instructors

Gaba instructors are multi-cultural and multi-talented, with representation from over 80 different nationalities and all walks of life. They are educators, business owners, scientists, architects, students, homemakers, writers, designers, musicians, and more. All possess a passion for teaching English. While Gaba instructors are not strictly employees of the company, each uniquely fits the work into their life in Japan.

Why are all these different people teaching in Japan with Gaba? The short answer: motivated students and the freedom to do just what they came to Japan for in the first place!

Japan attracts a variety of people for any number of reasons. Some of the most common are study (language, cultural activities, and martial arts), family, and adventure. Japan offers exciting options for fans of any sport or activity! Many instructors taught English prior to starting with Gaba and came to further their careers. Others are entirely new. Regardless, the majority will tell you that the flexible scheduling system combined with the one-to-one approach are the reasons they chose Gaba.

You will find video testimonials scattered throughout the site, where our Instructors provide their own take on life as a Gaba Instructor.

Staff

While not quite as diverse as the instructor ranks, Gaba’s full-time staff hail from around the world and have a broad range of expertise. Of course, many are Japanese, particularly the frontline staff at the Learning Studios. These are the counselors and studio managers. Each client is assigned a counselor with whom they meet regularly to track their progress. The counselors are happy to discuss clients’ requirements and share any new information that comes to light during consultation.

There is full-time staff on hand at the studios specifically to guide instructors. The Instructor Support Leaders and Managers can offer advice on topics relating to teaching, scheduling lessons, and adapting to life in Japan. Turn to them first for advice! All have been instructors with Gaba at one time or another.

Behind the scenes are staff working from headquarters to ensure all runs smoothly in this complex, multi-cultural business. Most of the Japanese staff previously worked as counselors and a good proportion of the foreign staff were instructors. After all, firsthand experience providing Gaba’s core service – one-to-one English instruction – is all but essential to furthering the company’s goals.