TOKYO GLOBAL GATEWAY (TGG) is an immersive English learning facility in Tokyo’s Odaiba area. It’s a joint project between the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education and a group of private companies. Designed to look like a foreign town, TGG offers a unique environment for learners of all ages to practice using English for real communication. Instead of simply learning grammar rules, TGG focuses on helping learners develop English as a practical tool. This hands-on approach allows learners to experience a global atmosphere without leaving Japan.
The training of Tokyo Global Gateway (TGG) teachers presented an interesting challenge in that the project called for unique roles and styles. These styles and roles contain many commonalities with Teaching of English as a Foreign Language (TEFL), however TGG’s programs and activities are unique as they are based on experience-oriented immersion and focus on language facilitation and support rather than on teaching in a formal sense. This meant that many of the practical training materials for this project required customization and were developed from the ground up.
During the TGG planning and preparation phase, a long list of training expectations had been compiled and presented to the ELEC training management. These expectations, which included a mixture of administration aspects and linguistics theory, were then developed into training modules. The practical training modules were later created to complement linguistics theory and reflect the practices at TGG. The following is a simplified list of the core training modules:
Teaching Administration Modules
| TGG Philosophies | Japanese School System Awareness | Protection of Privacy |
| TGG Structure | Business Etiquette | Harassment Awareness |
| TGG Policies | Personal Physical Health Awareness |
Linguistics Theory Modules
| CEFR and CEFR-J | Scaffolding | Mixed Ability Classes |
| Practical CLIL | Task and Activity Set up | Learner Motivation |
| Elicitation | Feedback and Correction | Special Needs Learners |
| Micro Teaching |
Practical Training Modules
| Active Immersion Area – Specialist | Attraction Area – AGENT | Team building |
| Active Immersion Area – AGENT | Attraction Area – Clerk | Review and Reflection |
At TGG, all teachers fall under the supervision of the English Speaker (ES) Department. ES Teachers are divided into two main teaching categories for training purposes: Specialist and Assistant Guide Entertainer Teacher (AGENT). Specialists undergo training to conduct TGG specific Active Immersion Area lessons, and AGENTs are trained in learner interaction, language support and facilitation. Specialists are trained as both AGENT and Specialist allowing them to undertake any role within TGG.
Training began in April 2018 with ten recently employed full-time experienced EFL teachers at GAKKEN’s headquarters in Gotanda, Tokyo (TGG’s premises were slated to be available from early June). It was realized early on that building a strong bond between these teachers and their effective training would be paramount to the success of TGG as they were to become the leaders and assistant trainers for all future ES teachers.