Nathaniel Reed, founder of ALTTO, reflects on how the ALTTO community inspired More Than an Assistant—a book about ALTs, inclusion, and the evolving story of English education in Japan.
When I started ALT Training Online (ALTTO), the goal was simple: to share knowledge freely. There were countless ALTs across Japan—new, experienced, hopeful, and sometimes lost—looking for guidance that didn’t come with a price tag. The idea was never about creating another course site; it was about building a community. And that community is exactly what made this new book possible.
Over the years, thousands of ALTs have completed the courses, participated in discussions, and shared their classroom experiences. Every question, every comment, and every late-night message from someone trying to make a lesson work has shaped what ALTTO became. More Than an Assistant: ALTs, Inclusion, and the Future of Educational Roles in Japan grew out of those conversations. It’s as much about the people who teach as it is about the system they work within.
A Community That Keeps Changing
The ALT community is one of the most dynamic and transient groups in education. Each year, thousands of teachers finish their contracts and move on, replaced by new arrivals full of anticipation and questions. That constant rotation is both our greatest challenge and our greatest strength. It means we are always teaching newcomers how to teach, constantly rebuilding institutional memory, always translating the unspoken rules of Japanese schools.
ALTTO exists to make that process easier. By keeping all its courses and resources free, it provides a foundation that anyone can access, whether they’ve just landed in Japan or have been teaching here for a decade. The site continues to grow through collaboration, feedback, and the generosity of contributors who share what works—and what doesn’t—in real classrooms.
The Book That Grew from the Work
More Than an Assistant looks at the ALT role from every angle: how it began, how it operates, and what it reveals about education in Japan today. It’s based on sixteen years of teaching and research, but it’s not an academic text in the usual sense. It’s written for teachers, policymakers, and anyone curious about what really happens in Japan’s classrooms.
Part of the book comes from lived experience: stories from staffrooms, lessons, and long train rides home. The other part draws on history and analysis to examine how the ALT system reflects Japan’s deeper patterns of inclusion and control. Together, those threads form a portrait of a role that’s both misunderstood and indispensable.
For new ALTs or those thinking of coming to Japan, the book offers a grounded understanding of what to expect—about schools, students, and colleagues, but also about the quiet cultural systems that shape them. For experienced teachers, it offers reflection and recognition: a deeper look at the work they’ve been doing all along.
A Shared Effort
This book wouldn’t exist without the ALTTO community. It’s built on the same principle that has guided the site since day one: when we share what we know, we all move forward. Every course, every comment thread, and every shared classroom story has added a layer to this collective understanding.
As ALTs, we may not stay in one school—or even one country—forever. But the knowledge we build together endures. More Than an Assistant is one way to preserve that shared experience so the next wave of teachers doesn’t have to start from zero.
More Than an Assistant: ALTs, Inclusion, and the Future of Educational Roles in Japan
Available on Amazon from January 10, 2026. Explore the free training and resources at ALT Training Online (ALTTO), where the community that inspired this book continues to grow.