What’s it like to teach English in Turkey?

Steffanie Zazulak
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 Pearson

  • A young woman studying in a university library with a laptop
    Admissions integrity, built-in: What "secure by design" means for PTE Express
    By Alice Bazzi
    Reading time: 2 minutes

    Admissions teams rely on English test scores to make high-stakes decisions. If there is any doubt about the integrity of those scores, the entire process can be compromised. Fraudulent results or weak security measures can lead to delays, rejections and reputational damage for institutions and for agents who recommended the test. That is why security is a top priority for Pearson and a defining feature of PTE Express.

    "Secure by design" and what sets PTE Express apart

    PTE Express incorporates multiple layers of protection to guarantee authenticity and fairness:

    • Biometric ID verification: Every test taker's identity is confirmed using advanced biometric checks, reducing risks of impersonation.
    • AI-Enabled monitoring: AI continuously monitors the test session to detect any suspicious behaviour in real time.
    • Fraud detection protocols: Our built-in algorithms flag anomalies and prevent any score manipulation.
    • Remote proctoring: Live and automated proctoring ensures that the test environment remains secure when taken from home.

    These measures work together to create a testing experience that institutions can trust and students can feel confident about.

    Transparency builds confidence

    Security is not just about technology: it is also about communication. Pearson provides clear guidelines on how PTE Express maintains its integrity, giving universities and families peace of mind. When you share these details with your customers, you reinforce your role as a knowledgeable advisor who prioritizes quality and fairness.

    The impact on institutions and agents

    For universities, security means reliability. Admissions officers can confidently accept PTE Express scores, as they know they meet a rigorous standard. For agents, recommending PTE Express strengthens your reputation. You are not just offering speed and convenience: you are also providing a solution backed by global expertise and a commitment to integrity.

    Speed without compromise

    One of the most impressive aspects of PTE Express is its combination of robust security and rapid turnaround. Students can receive certified results within 48 hours, enabling them to meet tight deadlines without sacrificing quality. This balance of speed and security is what makes PTE Express a game-changer for US-bound students and the agents that support them.

    Lead with security in your conversations

    When presenting PTE Express to students or institutional partners, emphasize its security features alongside its convenience. Highlight biometric checks, AI-monitoring and fraud prevention as key differentiators. These elements resonate strongly with universities that prioritize integrity and families who value fairness when making investments. 

  • Business people stood together in a office talking to eachother, one is holding a laptop
    Daily conversation practice tips for busy adults
    By Charlotte Guest
    Reading time: 4 minutes

    Adults often spend over half the workday on "busywork" plus hours each week on email: long study sessions aren’t realistic. But busy schedules don’t have to stop your progress in English. The solution is short, consistent, contextual speaking practice with fast feedback. With the right system, 10–20 minutes a day is enough to build confidence, fluency and clearer pronunciation. This learner-friendly guide shares a step-by-step, time-efficient approach grounded in microlearning and real-life conversation.

    Core principle:

    Consistent speaking practice improves fluency and pronunciation more than an occasional long study session does, especially when the speaking practice mirrors real situations such as ordering food, joining meetings or interviewing.

    What does this look like in practice?

    • Predictable routines: Same time, short sessions.
    • Real-life contexts: Work, travel, daily interactions.
    • Quick feedback loops: Record → adjust → repeat.

    Use microlearning to turbocharge your sessions: essentially, focus on one skill only for each session, and keep it under 20 minutes. These powerful, focused and – crucially – short sessions fit rest periods and commutes, making daily practice easier to repeat and track. With exercises like quick role-plays, mini-dialogues and brief listening-then-speaking bursts, practice can be fun and energizing too. Follow our five practice tips and make learning work for your lifestyle.

  • A group of students at a table talking to their teacher
    Strategies for teaching large language classes effectively
    By Charlotte Guest
    Reading time: 5 minutes

    Teaching large language classes can feel overwhelming, but research and practice consistently show that scale is a design challenge, not an impossible challenge. With intentional course structure, active learning routines and the right technology, instructors can create engaging, rigorous and humane learning environments even in high-enrolment contexts. The strategies below focus on what works at scale.

    Challenges of large language classes

    A “large class” has no universal definition. In the UK it may begin around 25–30 students; in the U.S., 35+; in many developing contexts, 60 or more. Regardless of the threshold, size amplifies common teaching challenges: