The Florya branch of Burç College recently held its second annual foreign languages fair with participation from students and their parents at its campus in the Istanbul district of Bakırköy.

Bünyamin Erdoğan, head of the foreign languages department at the school, said “In non-English speaking countries like Turkey, the basic problem in English language teaching is the lack of places where people can speak and practice English or be exposed to the language. In order to deal with this problem we organize English fairs in which no Turkish is spoken.” Why not try speaking to the teachers?

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Norway: First languages fear second place

Few countries voluntarily adopt a foreign tongue as one of their main languages, but Norway has been doing it for years with English. Now, however, its government wants to protect its national language. Too late me thinks…

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Australia & United Kingdom: Trainers in pyjamas

The advantages of learning by distance have long been recognised by students, but now new research among the people providing training by distance reveals that they too benefit from the flexibility and freedom. Trainers imparting knowledge and skills to their students dressed only in their pyjamas is one of the more surprising images to emerge from a recent survey of distance education courses for English language teachers.

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Scotland: Pupils to Get More Language Support

Pupils who speak English as a second language are to be offered more support under new council plans. Glasgow City Council has approved proposals to reorganise teaching services to offer more dedicated support to bilingual children and young people.

There are currently around 9500 pupils across the city with English as a second language – 12.5% of the school population. In a report, officials at Glasgow City Council revealed about 30% of the 9500 children whose parents are migrant workers, asylum seekers or refugees are not getting the support required.

Under the plan staff will be allocated to New Learning Communities under which social work, education and health services are organised and then deployed to respond to local needs.

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Surprising as it may seem, schools are struggling to cope with an influx of students from abroad, with many teachers facing classes in which a third of pupils do not speak English as their first language, teachers’ representatives told the Times Online. The number of pupils who did not have English as their mother tongue had risen by 66,000 in a year, the conference of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers was told.

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Switzerland: English seen as “most useful” foreign language

Not just British tourists, also a majority of, er, Swiss reckon that English is the most useful foreign language in the country, although it is not Switzerland’s “lingua franca” as commonly believed.

Read the full story…

United Kingdom: Not Enough Cash to Teach English

Whoooaaaa… you misread, the headline doesn’t in fact read not enough cash to teachers of English. Headteachers have said the £2-million spent on teaching English to immigrant children in North Lincolnshire is inadequate, according to the ever influential This is Scunthorpe website. Schools say they have less to spend, even though the number of students whose first language is not English has risen.

Read the full story…

Estonia fears English too dominant in its schools

Education authorities in Estonia Thursday warned that the hands-down dominance of English in its schools is depriving the Baltic state of the language specialists it will need in the future.

Read the full story…

Turkey: English Time Celebrates Its 10th Year

Scourge of English teachers throughout Istanbul, the English Time language school celebrated its 10th anniversary recently with a reception held at Istanbul’s Divan Kuruçesme. Speaking at the reception English Time founder Fethi Şimşek stated that when they established English Time 10 years ago their concern was to raise the quality level of English education in Turkey (no, really, that’s what he said). He said they have been achieving this aim without making any concessions since 1998.

Read the full story…

United Kingdom: £10m Bill to Teach Migrants English

Town halls in Greater Manchester are spending more than £10m a year teaching immigrants to speak English, the Manchester Evening News declares. The Department for Schools says a growing amount of taxpayers’ money is being spent on teaching English as a second language. Your point?

Read the full story …

Scotland: International Rescue for City School Pupils

Language specialists (and not the Thunderbirds) are helping non-native speakers improve English as different cultures get along: excited chatter fills the room as the pupils work on their science project. What isn’t immediately obvious is how many youngsters discussing a recent visit to a butterfly farm are not fluent in English. They are all reading the same books, but alongside some sits a specialist teacher – armed with flashcards picturing insects and their name in English – ready to prompt when necessary.

Read the full story …

United Kingdom: The Primary School Where Every Child Learns to Speak 40 Languages

Welcome to Newbury Park Primary School in Redbridge, north-east London, where its 850 pupils will have learnt phrases in 40 languages by the time they transfer to secondary school, notes the Independent. The school has adopted a policy of teaching each language spoken by the 40 ethnic groups among its pupils.

Read the full story …

Iceland: Bilingualism: Why Not?

Last week it was reported that the fabulously named Bifröst University in west Iceland would become the first university in the country to offer a Bachelor’s degree in business taught exclusively in English. While there is already a range of courses offered in English at several of Iceland’s universities, Bifröst says that by offering the degree in English, it is responding to the needs of students planning to work in the international arena.

Read the full story …

Russia: Language Learning Popular as Ever

In a statement that may well bemuse anyone who’s ever taught there, the St. Petersburg Times reports that the thirst for learning English and other foreign languages continues as Russians travel more and seek international business partners.

Read the full story …

Stick poking remains a national pastime in Russia

Belgium: Language director defends EU’s costly translations

A high official in the European Commission’s translation branch has said that despite discussions and fears in recent years about mushrooming costs for translations and interpretations in the EU, the principle of granting each citizen the right to communicate with Brussels in their own language should not be altered, no matter the number of member states in the future. Mmmm… there be money in that there Brussels.

Read the full story …

Ukraine: All in English

When foreigners visited Kyiv some ten years ago, language was the main problem in adapting to the local environment. The situation is now somewhat different, proclaims the Kyiv Post. Although not everyone can freely chat with you in English, the majority of citizens can understand you and will try to help you in any way possible. Apparently.

Read the full story …

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United Kingdom: The Struggle to Cope When Children Do Not Speak Any English

Surprising as it may seem, schools are struggling to cope with an influx of students from abroad, with many teachers facing classes in which a third of pupils do not speak English as their first language, teachers’ representatives told the Times Online. The number of pupils who did not have English as their mother tongue had risen by 66,000 in a year, the conference of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers was told.

Read the full story…

Switzerland: English seen as “most useful” foreign language

Not just British tourists, also a majority of, er, Swiss reckon that English is the most useful foreign language in the country, although it is not Switzerland’s “lingua franca” as commonly believed.

Read the full story…

United Kingdom: Not Enough Cash to Teach English

Whoooaaaa… you misread, the headline doesn’t in fact read not enough cash to teachers of English. Headteachers have said the £2-million spent on teaching English to immigrant children in North Lincolnshire is inadequate, according to the ever influential This is Scunthorpe website. Schools say they have less to spend, even though the number of students whose first language is not English has risen.

Read the full story…

Estonia fears English too dominant in its schools

Education authorities in Estonia Thursday warned that the hands-down dominance of English in its schools is depriving the Baltic state of the language specialists it will need in the future.

Read the full story…

Turkey: English Time Celebrates Its 10th Year

Scourge of English teachers throughout Istanbul, the English Time language school celebrated its 10th anniversary recently with a reception held at Istanbul’s Divan Kuruçesme. Speaking at the reception English Time founder Fethi Şimşek stated that when they established English Time 10 years ago their concern was to raise the quality level of English education in Turkey (no, really, that’s what he said). He said they have been achieving this aim without making any concessions since 1998.

Read the full story…

United Kingdom: £10m Bill to Teach Migrants English

Town halls in Greater Manchester are spending more than £10m a year teaching immigrants to speak English, the Manchester Evening News declares. The Department for Schools says a growing amount of taxpayers’ money is being spent on teaching English as a second language. Your point?

Read the full story …

Scotland: International Rescue for City School Pupils

Language specialists (and not the Thunderbirds) are helping non-native speakers improve English as different cultures get along: excited chatter fills the room as the pupils work on their science project. What isn’t immediately obvious is how many youngsters discussing a recent visit to a butterfly farm are not fluent in English. They are all reading the same books, but alongside some sits a specialist teacher – armed with flashcards picturing insects and their name in English – ready to prompt when necessary.

Read the full story …

United Kingdom: The Primary School Where Every Child Learns to Speak 40 Languages

Welcome to Newbury Park Primary School in Redbridge, north-east London, where its 850 pupils will have learnt phrases in 40 languages by the time they transfer to secondary school, notes the Independent. The school has adopted a policy of teaching each language spoken by the 40 ethnic groups among its pupils.

Read the full story …

Iceland: Bilingualism: Why Not?

Last week it was reported that the fabulously named Bifröst University in west Iceland would become the first university in the country to offer a Bachelor’s degree in business taught exclusively in English. While there is already a range of courses offered in English at several of Iceland’s universities, Bifröst says that by offering the degree in English, it is responding to the needs of students planning to work in the international arena.

Read the full story …

Russia: Language Learning Popular as Ever

In a statement that may well bemuse anyone who’s ever taught there, the St. Petersburg Times reports that the thirst for learning English and other foreign languages continues as Russians travel more and seek international business partners.

Read the full story …

Stick poking remains a national pastime in Russia

Belgium: Language director defends EU’s costly translations

A high official in the European Commission’s translation branch has said that despite discussions and fears in recent years about mushrooming costs for translations and interpretations in the EU, the principle of granting each citizen the right to communicate with Brussels in their own language should not be altered, no matter the number of member states in the future. Mmmm… there be money in that there Brussels.

Read the full story …

Ukraine: All in English

When foreigners visited Kyiv some ten years ago, language was the main problem in adapting to the local environment. The situation is now somewhat different, proclaims the Kyiv Post. Although not everyone can freely chat with you in English, the majority of citizens can understand you and will try to help you in any way possible. Apparently.

Read the full story …

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FLORYA COLLEGE- ELT CONFERENCE- PARTNERSHIP FOR PROSPEROUS PERFORMANCE- MARCH 22, 2008

Florya College is organizing an ELT Conference which will take place on March 22, 2008. The topic of the conference is “Maximizing Learner Performance”. Deadline for registration is March 10, 2008. The deadline for proposals has expired. Please contact Belgin Öğrek for more information.

BEYKENT SCHOOLS- THE ELT CONFERENCE- 29 MARCH 2008

The English Language Department of Beykent Schools is organizing an ELT Conference on March 29, 2008. Details about the content and the deadline of the conference will be coming soon. Please click here for more information.

KULTUR PRIMARY SCHOOL- EXPLORING ELT TRENDS II- RESPONDING TO INNOVATIONS- 5 APRIL 2008

The English Department of Kultur Primary School would like to invite you to the 12th ELT Conference which will take place on April 5, 2008. Deadline for registration and proposal is March 5, 2008. Please click here for more information.

ATILIM UNIVERSITY – 2ND ELT CONFERENCE- 19 APRIL 2008

The Preparatory School and Departmental English Language Studies Unit of Atilim University would like to invite you to the 2nd ELT Conference “Golden Implementations to Enable Learners” Productive Skills to Flourish: Speaking and Writing” which will take place in Atilim University Campus on Saturday April 19, 2008. Deadline for registration is by the end of February 2008. Please click here for more information.

EDIRNE COLLEGE- ELT IN GLOBALIZED WORLD- 19 APRIL 2008

Edirne College is organizing an ELT Conference “ELT in Globalized World” on April 19, 2008. The Conference aims at reaching teachers around Marmara Region. For more information please contact Deniz Bozkurtlu.

MEV PRIVATE BASINKOY SCHOOLS 6TH ELT CONFERENCE – “HEY TEACHER! KEEP YOURSELF UP-TO-DATE” – 12 APRIL 2008

The English Department of MEV Private Basinkoy Schools’ 6th ELT Conference will take place in MEV private Basinkoy Schools Conference Hall on April 12, 2008. Deadline for registration is March 21, 2008. Please contact Oksan Yagar for more information.

MIMAR SINAN SCHOOLS- 3. SCHOOL-HOME COOPERATION CONFERENCE: “LANGUAGE THOUGHT”- 26 APRIL 2008

Mimar Sinan Schools’ “3. School-Home Cooperation Conference” will take place on April 26, 2008. The conference will question “Is language a reflection of thought, or is thought a product of language?”. The theme of the Conference is “Developing Children’s Language and Thinking Skills”. The deadline for registration is February 29, 2008. Please contact Selda Mansur for more information.

CANAKKALE ON SEKIZ MART UNIVERSITY 5TH INTERNATIONAL ELT RESEARCH CONFERENCE- BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN THEORY AND PRACTICE IN ELT- 23-25 MAY 2008

COMU’s 5th International ELT Research Conference will take place on May 23- 25, 2008. The theme of the conference this year is “Bridging the Gap Between Theory and Practice in ELT”. The registration deadline is April 29, 2008. Deadline for proposals is February 22, 2008. Please click here for more information.

THE 12TH INTERNATIONAL INGED ELT CONFERENCE- PUTTING THE BEST FOOT FORWARD, OCTOBER 23-25, 2008

The 12th International INGED ELT Conference named “Putting the Best Foot Forward” will take place in Eskisehir on October 23-25, 2008. For more information please click here.

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The important thing, I think, when learning a new language, especially one that is so completely different from your own (like learning Turkish or Japanese when your first language is English, or learning Spanish or English when your first language is Turkish), is to suspend temporarily the way you look at the world.

One of the guidance counselors at my high school had a sign outside her door that said something to the affect of, “The breadth of a man’s vocabulary greatly affects how he sees the world.” That is to say, the more words and therefore ideas you know, the more you can comprehend and explain and describe the world around you. Learning a new language is not unlike expanding your vocabulary.

I’ve been learning Turkish for many years now and for me it was just interesting to read the perspective of someone who isn’t a language teacher on learning this often confusing tongue. It also got me to thinking about how I perceive the needs of students: do I really see the world through their eyes enough, can I really understand the frustrations they must feel in my classroom?

Read the full story here.

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All that glitters is not gold

If you are a teacher who has just arrived in Istanbul with your TEFL diploma fresh from the printer, or a long-in-the-tooth teacher flying in from some other exotic location ready to experience this great metropolis, or whether you are simply ready to change schools for one reason or another, some guidelines might be useful to find your way through the maze of language schools on offer.

If possible, it would first be useful to consider what kind of school you want to teach at and whether you have all the requisite qualifications. Bear in mind that state schools and universities insist on at least a BA in English; TEFL, CELTA or DELTA are an added bonus. If you want to teach young children, you will also need what in England is called a Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE). You will also need to get a residence permit, which they will often not help you to do. On the other hand, you should find the private sector easier to get into. Unfortunately it can often be too easy. (If they don’t insist on at least a TEFL type diploma, don’t accept, unless as a last resort before moving up to a “better” school.)

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