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GEOS is one of the big four [1] private eikaiwa (or English conversation) teaching companies in Japan.

GEOS, which stands for Global Education Opportunities and Services, was started in 1973 by Tsuneo Kusunoki. The first school was based in Tokushima City, Tokushima Prefecture, Japan, also the location of one of the company's main registered offices. The company has regional head offices in Sapporo, Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, and Fukuoka.

GEOS also has an overseas hiring office in Vancouver. As of February 2007 GEOS had an international network of over 55 schools [2]. You can find GEOS schools in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, Thailand, South Africa, Taiwan, Korea, France, Malta, Spain, Singapore, Hong Kong and Costa Rica.

After over 30 years GEOS now has over 500 ^{[citation needed]}schools in Japan, and nearly 50 schools in other countries around the world. The GEOS group also runs children only schools called "Codomo Schools" (子供校)[Correctly transliterated as "Kodomo", "Codomo" is used in all GEOS company literature] throughout Japan, although these are increasingly being run as part of the adult schools, which themselves have taken on more classes for children.

The main language GEOS teaches in Japan and its overseas schools is English. Other languages taught at GEOS include, French, Spanish, Italian, German, Chinese and Korean. GEOS also teaches Japanese to foreigners staying in Japan^{[citation needed]}.

Student contracts

GEOS students sign a contract for a fixed number of lessons, covering periods of a few months to a year. They also provide credit facillities through partner credit/loan companies^{[citation needed]}.

Teachers

Similiar to most Eikaiwa GEOS teachers are not required by Japanese law, to have traditional educational training. Teachers can be hired straight from university with a minimum requirment of a bachelor degree. This allows them to obtain a Japanese work visa^{[citation needed]}. GEOS actively encourages new employees to take part in sales campaigns.

In terms of mandatory educational training, GEOS teachers receive on the job training upon arrival in Japan. Usually this training is done at a Head Office with a "Trainer". This is later supplemented with follow-up training sessions conducted by the regional Trainer. There is one native-english-speaking Trainer per regional Head Office in Japan, and their roles also cover substitute duties for absentee Teachers. Trainers are not required to have any formal training qualifications, but must have a wide variety of experience within the company.

GEOS has a policy of assisting long-term employees with a good sales record to take EFL qualifications such as Celta and offers preferential treatment to those Teachers whose students regularly renew their contracts.

As from October 2006, all GEOS teachers work under a 29.5 hour contract^[3], although this can be extended through unrecorded overtime. This measure exempts Teachers and GEOS from contributing to certain national insurance schemes, in a similiar manner to Nova^{[citation needed]}. GEOS provides its own health insurance for employees, but not a company pension. GEOS health insurance does not cover pre-existing conditions, dental care or pregnancy.

Quality and Service Issues

Managers in America and Canada are not required to have any post secondary education and generally do not^{[citation needed]}. Teachers in North American and British schools although qualified are not adequately supported by the company^{[citation needed]}. Teachers are given part time contracts, low wages, poor resources, forced to do unpaid work^{[citation needed]}, no dental which in the end affects the quality of the services offered.

Other

Outside of teaching members of the public in school in Japan, GEOS also runs its own publishing company (Textbook Research and Development), a company lessons division (G.C.I.), a homestay agency (G.I.E.A.), a travel agency (G.S.T.) and an online learning company (e-GEOS) and a Mobile Phone School (GEOS Keitai). Managers in America and Canada are not required to have any post secondary education and generally do not.

Notes

1.General Union of Japan(Article regarding Eikaiwa Working Contracts)

External links

GEOS Career Information (English)
GEOS International Schools (English)
GEOS Japan (Japanese)
Kodomo GEOS (Japanese)
GEOS Textbook Research and Development (Japanese)
GEOS International Exchange Association (Japanese)
GEOS Study Tours (Japanese)
GEOS Communications International (Japanese)
GEOS Mobile Phone School (Japanese)
e-Learning (Online School) (Japanese)
Gaijinpot.com (Website with discussions regarding Eikaiwa)
JapanEnglishTeacher.com (One of many commercial websites advertising jobs in Japan)^{[dubious – discuss]}

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 '''GEOS''' is one of the big four [http://www.transitionsabroad.com/publications/magazine/0507/teaching_english_in_japan_how_to_get_started.shtml] private [[eikaiwa]] (or [[English (language)|English]] conversation) [[language education|teaching companies]] in [[Japan]].
-GEOS, which stands for Global Education Opportunities and Services, was started in [[1973]] by Tsuneo Kusunoki. The first school was based in [[Tokushima, Tokushima|Tokushima City]], [[Tokushima Prefecture]], [[Japan]], also the location of one of the company's main registered offices. The company has regional head offices in [[Sapporo]], [[Tokyo]], [[Nagoya]], [[Osaka]], [[Okayama]] and [[Fukuoka, Fukuoka|Fukuoka]]. {{Disputed-section}}
+GEOS, which stands for Global Education Opportunities and Services, was started in [[1973]] by Tsuneo Kusunoki. The first school was based in [[Tokushima, Tokushima|Tokushima City]], [[Tokushima Prefecture]], [[Japan]], also the location of one of the company's main registered offices. The company has regional head offices in [[Sapporo]], [[Tokyo]], [[Nagoya]], [[Osaka]], and [[Fukuoka, Fukuoka|Fukuoka]]. {{Disputed-section}}
-GEOS no longer has permanent hiring offices in [[London]]{{Fact|date=February 2007}} or [[Toronto]]{{Fact|date=February 2007}}, but does retain its [[Vancouver]] office. As well as the schools in Japan, GEOS also has an international network of 49 schools. You can find GEOS schools in the [[United States]], the [[United Kingdom]], [[Australia]], [[Canada]], [[New Zealand]], [[Ireland]], [[Thailand]], [[South Africa]], [[Taiwan]], [[Korea]], [[France]], [[Malta]]{{Fact|date=February 2007}}, [[Spain]], [[Singapore]], [[Hong Kong]] and [[Costa Rica]].
+GEOS also has an overseas hiring office in [[Vancouver]]. As of February 2007 GEOS had an international network of over 55 schools [http://www.geos.co.jp/school_w/index.html]. You can find GEOS schools in the [[United States]], the [[United Kingdom]], [[Australia]], [[Canada]], [[New Zealand]], [[Ireland]], [[Thailand]], [[South Africa]], [[Taiwan]], [[Korea]], [[France]], [[Malta]], [[Spain]], [[Singapore]], [[Hong Kong]] and [[Costa Rica]].
 {{advert}}
 After over 30 years GEOS now has over 500 {{Fact|date=February 2007}}schools in [[Japan]], and nearly 50 schools in other countries around the world. The GEOS group also runs children only schools called "Codomo Schools" (子供校)[Correctly transliterated as "Kodomo", "Codomo" is used in all GEOS company literature] throughout Japan, although these are increasingly being run as part of the adult schools, which themselves have taken on more classes for children.