Virtual English Teaching in Japan: My Internship experience
Learn what it's like to be a remote English Language Assistant at a Japanese university. Explore the challenges, cultural insights, and personal growth from this unique virtual internship experience in Hokkaido, Japan.
During my undergraduate degree in Japanese and Asian Studies at Macquarie University, I participated in the PACE (Professional and Community Engagement) program—a practical placement designed to bridge academic learning with real-world experience. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the internship, which could have been a semester-long cultural immersion in Japan, became an entirely remote experience. Though I was initially disappointed, what followed was an eye-opening journey into Japanese university life, digital learning, and intercultural communication.
Becoming a Virtual Language Assistant
About the position
I was selected to join Asahikawa University in Hokkaido, Japan, as an English Language Teaching Assistant—the first cohort to be placed there through PACE. Working remotely alongside another Macquarie student, our role was to support English language instruction by joining the last 30 minutes of both “Taught” classes and Seminar sessions to support students with their English learning. These sessions were led by our supervisor, an English-language instructor, and our job was to help students engage with the material and practice English through guided conversations and collaborative tasks.
My Responsibilities
For this internship, my main responsibilities were to guide students in giving peer feedback on their weekly English diary entries. However, this expanded to helping students with classwork and assignment-related discussions. Often, our instructor would instruct us on what to assist with, though we also encouraged students to bring their own questions and topics to the table.
Taking on the “Teacher” role
At first, it felt strange. I was just a student myself, and yet here I was, helping other university students—some of whom were my age or older—with their English. But that sense of awkwardness gradually faded as I grew more confident in my ability to support them. I began to understand that my role wasn't to lecture, but to encourage and empower.
Feedback, Silence, and the Challenge of Engagement
Our Focus
Our major focus of the internship was assisting students in providing peer feedback on weekly English diary entries posted on one of the many Microsoft Teams pages. Students were encouraged to write freely on any topic they liked with the idea behind the diaries being the promotion of natural language use and personal expression, while also fostering critical thinking through these peer feedback responses.
What is Feedback?
Students were encouraged to read and comment on each other’s entries using constructive feedback—focusing on elements like grammar, vocabulary, clarity, and sentence structure. The idea was grounded in the educational value of peer-assisted learning, where students could enhance their own English proficiency by critically engaging with others’ writing. As mentioned in your report, this aligned with the university’s project-based learning approach, aiming to increase student autonomy, reflection, and communicative competence.
Many students were hesitant to give feedback. Some weren’t sure what “feedback” meant in a learning context, while others were simply shy or lacked confidence in their English. Encouraging meaningful responses required us to strike a balance between correction and kindness. It wasn't just about pointing out grammar errors—it was about building a supportive language-learning environment.
Differences in Leaners
This experience gave me a deeper appreciation for the cultural nuances in education. I found this most noticeable when comparing non-Japanese students to the Japanese ones. Japanese students are often “inward learners”—less likely to volunteer answers or engage publicly, especially when unsure of their abilities, whereas the international students where ore confident in there abilities and were more likely to voluntarily contribute to class discussions. Silence, far from being indifference, was often a sign of reflection or discomfort. Recognizing this helped me tailor my communication style to be more inviting and less directive.
Technical Glitches and Learning on the Fly
As this was Asahikawa University’s first time participating in the PACE program, there were bound to be some bumps along the way. Many of the early challenges were technological. For instance, during breakout activities, students would join Zoom from their individual devices while sitting in the same room—resulting in high-pitched feedback and chaotic noise. These early disruptions felt like a metaphor for the learning curve we were all navigating together.
Eventually, we worked out the technical kinks, and sessions became smoother. Still, remote engagement brought its own hurdles. Students rarely turned on their cameras, making it difficult to gauge their comprehension. Asking open-ended questions like “Can anyone read this sentence?” was often met with silence. I learned quickly that using students’ names was essential—personalized attention helped coax responses and build trust.
OOSH Sessions: Finding Connection
Some of my favorite moments came during our Outside of School Hours (OOSH) sessions. These were small, informal gatherings where students could talk freely in English about whatever they wanted—class content, grammar questions, or even their weekend plans. These sessions felt more like casual chats than lessons, and they allowed us to connect on a more personal level.
One particularly memorable OOSH session involved a student sharing her dream of becoming a teacher. We talked about the challenges of language learning, and how important it is to create a safe space for students. It was in these conversations that I saw real growth—not just in their English, but in their confidence.
What I Learned (and Why It Matters)
This placement was more than just an academic requirement—it was a deep dive into the realities of online education, cultural humility, and language learning. I developed a greater understanding of the Japanese education system, which tends to emphasize rote learning, modesty, and indirect communication. These cultural values shaped how students interacted with us—and each other—and taught me to be more mindful, adaptable, and patient.
I also gained new insights into my own communication style. Learning how to provide constructive feedback, guide discussions, and support hesitant learners has strengthened both my interpersonal and cross-cultural skills—tools I know I’ll carry into any future role.
Looking back, I realize that although this internship lacked the physical immersion I had hoped for, it gave me something equally valuable: the chance to experience cultural exchange in a digital age. It proved that connection, growth, and learning can happen even across time zones—so long as you show up with curiosity, empathy, and a willingness to learn from others.
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