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

  • University students sitting outside together smiling
    Which English test should I take? Pearson test comparison
    Di Abi Fordham
    Reading time: 4 minutes

    Searching for the best English test can be challenging with so many options available. How do you choose the one that suits your needs?

    At Pearson, we provide a range of leading English tests, including PTE Academic and the Pearson English Express Test. Both tests are tailored for specific goals, supported by decades of experience, trusted by thousands of institutions worldwide, and designed to help you achieve success.

    Let’s break it down.

    PTE Academic: For global study and migration

    PTE Academic is a leading English proficiency test designed for students and professionals seeking to study or migrate internationally. Recognized by over 3,500 universities and government bodies worldwide, including Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the UK. It offers global acceptance.

    • Test center delivery: Conducted at official Pearson VUE centers for secure and reliable testing.
    • Comprehensive format: A 2-hour exam assessing all four language skills with 20 question types.
    • Global recognition: Perfect for applications related to study, work and migration in various countries.
    • Trusted reputation: Accepted by top universities such as Harvard and Yale, as well as governments worldwide.

    If you are applying to multiple countries or require a recognized English test for visa purposes, PTE Academic is the ideal choice.

    Pearson English Express Test: For fast, flexible US Study

    The Pearson English Express Test is a fast, reliable, and flexible online English proficiency test specifically designed for students applying to universities in the USA. Take the test securely from home, without the stress of travel arrangements or appointments.

    • 100% online: Conveniently complete the test from anywhere, at any time.
    • Quick results: Receive unofficial scores within minutes and official certified results in just 48 hours.
    • Affordable: Priced at a fixed $70 USD, regardless of your location.
    • Smart scoring: Utilizes AI technology and remote security review to ensure fairness and accuracy.
    • Student-focused: Measures real-world academic readiness in just one hour.

    This test is the ideal choice for students seeking a quick, secure and recognized English assessment for US university applications. 

    Why Pearson tests stand out

    Discover why Pearson tests are the top choice for English assessment:

    • Trusted expertise: With over 30 years of education leadership, Pearson is recognized worldwide for research, innovation and global partnerships.
    • Comprehensive support: Access clear score guides, preparation materials and a dedicated support team to help you succeed.
    • Reliable security: Pearson tests are designed with robust security measures, ensuring your results are accurate and trustworthy.

    Which English exam should you choose?

  • Young adult students sat at a desk with notes and papers studying with a teacher stood by them helping out
    5 academic skills to prepare your students for higher education
    Di Richard Cleeve
    Reading time: 4 minutes

    Studying abroad in an English-speaking country is a fantastic opportunity for your students to use their language skills in real-world situations and give their confidence a boost. But how can we help prepare them for success, so that they can really benefit from their experience abroad?

    One way to do this is to develop their academic skills alongside their language skills.

    Why are academic skills important?

    Academic skills encourage students to become more efficient learners. They give students the confidence to participate fully in English-speaking courses and are invaluable outside of the classroom and after they graduate. These skills, which include critical thinking and note-taking, are also highly transferable and, therefore, vital for success in any career.

    Students are expected to have a number of these skills when they start in higher education. The Global Scale of English (GSE) Teacher Toolkit organizes them into five categories:

    1. Academic Discourse: skills for communicating effectively in debates, discussions and presentations
    2. Academic Text Strategies: skills for analyzing academic texts in greater detail
    3. Academic Strategies: skills for understanding and responding critically to lectures
    4. Composition: skills for effective academic writing
    5. Comprehension: skills for understanding academic texts and lectures

    Developing academic skills in the classroom

    Here are five ways to help you build the skills in each of those categories:

    1. Academic Discourse: responding to and asking questions

    Many teachers ask their students to practice presentations in class and this is a great skill to have. However, it’s very easy to overlook the students who aren’t speaking. By asking these students to prepare follow-up questions for the speakers, you can transform this activity into an active listening task. After the presentation has finished, conduct a student-led Q&A session, and provide feedback to the speakers on how they can better deal with difficult questions.

    Give your students extra motivation by offering a prize for the person that asks the most interesting question.

    2. Academic Text Strategies: looking for inferred meaning in texts

    Being able to make inferences is a very important academic reading skill. It not only helps students understand the text, but also encourages students to "read between the lines" and look for deeper meaning.

    How, then, can you strengthen this skill in the classroom? First, try developing this skill without a text. You can use short videos or pictures and ask your students to try and infer the meaning of the photo; the New York Times' "What’s Going On in This Picture?" series is a great source for this. Once students have practiced this several times, move on to short texts. Take the first paragraph of a short story, for example, and have students make inferences about the character, the plot and other aspects of the story using evidence from the text. Provide them with the rest of the story (or a summary if it’s too long) to have them find out whether their guesses were correct or not.

    3. Academic Strategies: writing effective notes

    How many of your students find it difficult to both listen and take notes at the same time when they are watching a video or lecture?

    Effective note-taking is an essential skill for your students to learn before they go on to further education. Using short videos, such as TED Talks, have students take notes while they watch. Then, in pairs or small groups, get your students to combine their notes to "recreate the video" in as much detail as possible. Further extension tasks can then include having the groups summarize their notes into a short social media post, or, if it’s a higher-level group, have them paraphrase their notes into their own words.

    4. Composition: developing a coherent argument

    When having class discussions, how effective are your students’ arguments? Producing coherent arguments is a vital skill for learners in higher education, and one that you can practice in the classroom. Find a model, written argument from the opinion section of a newspaper and cut it up into sections for your learners. Have them reorganize the text, and once correct, analyze the different components that make it coherent. Once students have discussed these, have them write their own coherent arguments on a range of topics that interest them. Then have them recite these arguments to their peers, and provide feedback on how logical their arguments are.

    5. Comprehension: identifying specific ideas in academic texts and lectures

    In the context of further education, it’s not just enough to say what you think the idea of a text is – students need to be able to provide evidence from the text itself. During class reading activities, have students get into the habit of underlining or highlighting parts of the text that they think support their answers, and discuss them during the feedback session after the activity. Encourage them not to highlight large parts of the text; instead, give them a word limit. By reducing the amount of underlined words, learners need to read the content carefully to identify the key words and phrases.

    Resources to help develop your students’ academic skills

    There are many resources that you can use to help prepare your students for university study.

  • A teacher with students working together on electronics
    How adaptive technology can boost student confidence and outcomes
    Di Charlotte Guest
    Reading time: 5 minutes

    Every day, teachers work hard to support diverse learners, juggling different needs and finding creative ways to bring out every student’s best. Adaptive technology is designed to stand alongside that dedication. In simple terms, it’s technology that responds to each learner in real time, adjusting tasks, feedback and pathways, so students get the right level of challenge at the right moment. In today’s classrooms, adaptive tools help teachers personalize instruction without sacrificing precious time, turning data into decisions that lift both confidence and achievement.

    What is adaptive technology in education?

    Adaptive technology uses student performance data to tailor the learning experience. Unlike traditional digital tools that deliver the same sequence for everyone, adaptive tools continuously adjust content, difficulty and pacing based on each learner’s responses and behavior.

    Examples you may already know:

    • Adaptive learning platforms that modify question difficulty and provide targeted practice
    • AI-driven quizzes that adjust based on correctness and confidence
    • Language-learning apps that adapt vocabulary and grammar tasks to proficiency
    • Math practice tools that identify prerequisite gaps and deliver just-in-time support

    Under the surface, adaptive systems gather data – such as correct/incorrect responses, time on task, patterns of misconceptions and even self-reported confidence – and use it to personalize the next step.