Moving from ALT to Serious Teaching in Japan

Free time and studying Japanese got me thinking about jobs too.

I’ve been working as an ALT in Japan for a few years, supporting junior high school English classes. I love teaching, but I want to move into real classroom teaching ideally leading my own class as a homeroom or teaching IB/social studies/subject classes.

The problem is money. I have a family to support, so I can’t afford expensive programs like iQTS or full PGCEs right now.

I want to know:

• What are the most affordable and realistic steps I can take while staying in Japan to move into serious teaching?
• Should I start with IB workshops, an online PGCEi, or something else?
• Are there any cheap certifications or training programs that actually make a difference for moving into international or IB schools?
• How can I leverage my ALT experience to make myself eligible for homeroom or subject teacher positions?

Any guidance, personal experiences, or suggestions for low-cost, high-impact options would be amazing.

Cheers!