An Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) is a foreign national serving as an assistant teacher (paraprofessional educator) in a classroom in Japan, particularly for English as a second language.
The role was created by the Japanese Ministry of Education at the time of the creation of the JET Programme as a translation of the term 外国語指導助手 (gaikokugo shidō joshu) or literally "foreign language instruction assistant". The terms AET (Assistant English Teacher), ELT (English Language Teacher) and NESA (Native English Speaking Assistant) are also in use. The term is used by the Ministry of Education, local Boards of Education (BOE) and schools in Japan primarily to refer to English language speakers who assist with teaching of English in elementary, junior high and senior high schools. However, some ALTs help teach languages other than English.
ALTs are typically required to be university graduates, but they are usually not certified teachers like their Japanese colleagues. In addition to a degree, ALTs are also required to either be native English speakers, or provide proof of learning the language for a specified period of time, usually at least five years.