What’s it like to teach English in Turkey?

A teacher showing her students a globe, with her students looking at the globe, one with a magnifying glass in hand.
Reading time: 3 minutes

Alice Pilkington qualified as a CELTA (Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) certified teacher in October 2009. She started working in Rome before moving to Istanbul, where she’s spent the past three and a half years teaching English to “everyone from 8-year-olds to company executives; students to bored housewives”. Having taught in two very different countries to a diverse range of English learners, Alice shares with us the five lessons she’s learned:

1. Don't take things personally when you're teaching English

"I am probably not emotionally suited for this job. I take everything very personally and if a lesson goes wrong or an activity I have taken time and energy to plan doesn’t work, I feel like a complete failure. It’s a trial and error experience but when things go wrong, they can go very wrong, and it really makes you doubt your abilities as a teacher.

Having said that, the lessons that do go well can make up for these negative feelings. I shouldn’t take things personally; the majority of my colleagues don’t and it saves them a lot of sleepless nights"

2. Teaching English is incredibly rewarding

"There are very few feelings that I’ve experienced that compare to seeing a student use a word that you have taught them – it makes you feel like a proud parent. Equally, seeing a student improve over a series of months is so joyful.I have been teaching English university preparation students for the past year.

In September, they could barely say what their name was and what they did over the weekend. Nine months on and they’re capable of reading academic texts and speaking at length about marketing strategies and environmental problems. It’s a wonderful thing to observe"

3. Teach more than just English

"Turkish students love hearing about how you appreciate their food and cultural traditions. Equally, they are genuinely interested in understanding how things operate in the UK and enjoy hearing personal anecdotes.I tend to be very open with my students – even about my personal life.I think it is partly because I have striven from the very beginning of my career to be seen as their equal.

Turkish students are used to having a huge respect for teachers, and there is a hierarchical system in schools here, which I can never go along with. In my first lesson with most students, I tell them that they must call me by my first name (usually you refer to teachers here as ‘hocam’ which means ‘my teacher’ and shows respect) and this can take a long while for them to get used to."

4. Failure to prepare is to prepare for failure... or is it?

"Lessons that you spend hours preparing for generally don’t go as well as you had hoped. There were several times when I’d spend hours cutting and sticking things on pieces of card and placing pictures all over the classroom, hoping it would get some vocabulary action going, only to start the class and receive no response from the students.

Conversely, lessons where you don’t feel very motivated or have no idea what you are going to do until you get into the classroom (which I call the ‘flying by the seat of your pants’ lessons) can turn out to be the best ones. I once had a lesson in which I was, admittedly, rather hungover. On the way to the lesson, I grabbed a book called ‘Taboos and Issues’, full of discussion topics, which I used as a basis for a rather impromptu lesson on addictions, which was very successful indeed."

5. Teaching English isn't easy

"Teaching English is a love/hate profession. There are weeks when you absolutely loathe it and want to quit, but then within the space of a lesson or two, you get inspired by something completely unexpected, rediscover your joy for it and love it again."

Read our posts 'Key lessons on teaching English in Spain' and 'Teaching English in France'.

Explore our professional development resources

More blogs from app

  • A businessman smiling outside

    Upskilling and re-skilling for work: Future-proofing your career

    By Claire Chettiar

    In today's rapidly evolving work landscape, the importance of both upskilling and re-skilling has never been more evident. The skills required in the workplace are continuously shifting due to technological advancements, changing job roles, and increasing global competition. Learning new skills is the key to remaining relevant, competitive, and future proofing your career.

    A recentapp skills outlook reportshows how Indian workers are keen to improve their skills for career growth (with a focus on certain skills in technology and business English) to keep up with progression, and to stay relevant to employers. Following this, in today's post, we explore the significance of upskilling and re-skilling and how they can empower you to thrive in the dynamic world of work.

    Staying relevant in a changing job market

    The job market is in a constant state of flux, with traditional roles being disrupted and new ones emerging. Upskilling allows you to stay ahead of these changes in your current career, and reskilling allows you to adapt and remain relevant in the face of evolving skill requirements. By continuously updating and expanding your skill set, you enhance your employability and increase your chances of securing meaningful employment opportunities, even in the face of automation and job market fluctuations.

    Enhancing professional growth and advancement

    Upskilling is not just about maintaining your current job; it is also a catalyst for professional growth and advancement. By acquiring new skills, you broaden your horizons, open doors to new career possibilities, and position yourself for promotions and higher-level positions.

    Employers value employees who demonstrate a commitment to self-improvement and possess a diverse range of skills, making upskilling a powerful tool for career progression.

    Navigating technological advancements

    Technology continues to reshape the workplace, and upskilling is essential for effectively navigating these advancements. Automation, artificial intelligence, and digitalization are transforming industries, and workers must adapt to remain relevant. Re-skilling in areas such as data analysis, coding, cybersecurity, or digital marketing equips you with the expertise needed to leverage technology and work alongside it, rather than being displaced by it.

    Increasing job satisfaction and motivation

    Learning and growth are fundamental drivers of job satisfaction and motivation: research has shown that it is as significant a factor as low pay in peoples' decision to stay with a particular company or job role1. Upskilling not only expands your knowledge but also stimulates your intellectual curiosity and passion for your work. When you invest in your professional development, you can align your skills with your passions and find greater fulfilment in your chosen career path.

    Nurturing adaptability and resilience

    Upskilling fosters adaptability and resilience, two essential qualities in today's dynamic work environment. The estimates that a quarter of all jobs will be disrupted in the next five years alone; meaning that everyone needs to be prepared for change and uncertainty.

    By continuously learning and developing new skills, you become more adaptable to changing circumstances and can readily embrace new challenges. Upskilling enhances your problem-solving abilities, critical thinking skills, and ability to learn quickly, making you better equipped to handle unexpected situations and thrive in an ever-evolving workplace.

    Remaining competitive in a global economy

    As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, global competition for jobs is intensifying. By staying abreast of industry trends, acquiring in-demand skills, and demonstrating a commitment to self-improvement, you differentiate yourself from other candidates and increase your chances of securing coveted job opportunities, both domestically and internationally.

    The importance of upskilling and re-skilling for work cannot be overstated. In a rapidly changing world, they are the keys to remaining relevant, adaptable, and competitive. By continuously learning and developing new skills, you future-proof your career, enhance your employability, and open doors to new opportunities.

    Embrace skills development as a lifelong journey: by doing so, you empower yourself to thrive in the dynamic world of work and build a fulfilling, successful career.

  • Coworkers sat at a desk with their laptops, smiling and talking to eachother

    Boosting employee retention: Benefits of language learning in the workplace

    By Claire Chettiar

    In the era of the Great Resignation, there are lots of factors that influence whether or not someone chooses to stay with their company or decides to accept a job offer from a new employer.

    Whilst fair pay remains a constant in this, feeling included, valued, and cared about by colleagues plays a significant role in the decision on whether to stay or go.

  • Three business people walking through a hallway smilng

    The value of language skills in the workplace

    By Claire Chettiar

    Language skills have become increasingly important in the workplace as the world becomes more globalized and connected. Having the ability to communicate effectively in more than one language is very valuable, and with English being a leading lingua franca for businesses across the world, language skills sit at the heart of business success.

    Here we highlight four top reasons why language skills are so valuable in the workplace.

    Enhanced communication

    Effective communication is the number one soft skill that employers look for, . Having strong language skills enables better communication with clients and colleagues, and also helps to work effectively with people from different cultures. It builds solid relationships and reduces frustration where customers or colleagues may otherwise feel that they are not understood or listened to.

    Career opportunities

    Having different languages on your CV can really help to stand out among other candidates. For some industries it is essential, such as tourism, where it is necessary to serve clients from different countries, and this is also true where companies serve clients in international markets.

    Where businesses are increasingly moving to hybrid working practices that can include teams spread across different countries and timezones, it is also becoming more of an expectation and advantage to be able to connect through a central language, such as English.

    Furthermore, having English language skills can provide employees with better networking opportunities, in particular through conferences, trade shows and social media platforms such as LinkedIn.

    Personal growth

    Learning a new language can be a very enriching experience that enhances personal growth and skills development. Language learning doesn't just impact communication skills; it's also been noted that learning a language helps the brain process and remember information more efficiently[1], as well as developing new cognitive and problem-solving skills.

    Learning a new language requires discipline, dedication, and patience, which are qualities that can be applied to other areas of work and life.

    To summarise, language skills are highly valuable in the workplace and can open up new career opportunities for employees, as well as adding tangible benefits to businesses. Investing in language skills can increase an employee's value, and this can help them succeed in today's ever-evolving work landscape.