Teachers in Turkey have found new ways to share best practice through the English Together programme, a partnership between the British Council, the Ministry of National Education, Teacher Training and Development General Directorate and the Sabancı Foundation. The project creates a community-based development model for English language teachers, providing a sustainable nationwide network of Professional Development Communities where they collaborate with their peers and learn new teaching techniques. For teachers like Buket Durmus, the programme is an opportunity for teachers to learn from and respect each other’s perspectives.
The catalyst
The Turkey Ministry of Education was keen to improve the teaching and learning of foreign languages as part of its Education Vision 2023 agenda to improve education outcomes for students. They partnered with the British Council to design and implement a continuing professional development project for English teachers in Turkey. For Buket, the Ministry of Education’s call for applicants offered the opportunity to learn techniques on how to engage her students and interest them in foreign language learning. As a disabled teacher, she was also drawn to the focus on inclusion within the programme and wanted to be an advocate for equality, and to share her experience with other teachers.
The spark
English Together takes teachers on a journey to develop their own supportive network of peers. Through sharing experiences and best practice these teachers are working together to improve the English learning experience of students in schools across Turkey. Teachers like Buket are empowered to introduce new classroom practices and create inclusive classrooms where students feel comfortable to talk and are actively involved in the learning process.
The success
Teachers come together through face-to-face meetings to learn from each other. They also have access to mentors to focus on their own personal development and a new network of peers to support and extend their professional development. For Buket, the programme has provided a safe place to talk about common challenges with some of the best English teachers around Turkey. It’s given her a real sense of unity to be able to solve problems together. What’s more, she can see the positive shift in her students’ outlook on learning English.
‘The favourable changes I’ve made in my classes make me feel more self-confident. I feel so proud that I am more creative and resourceful in digitising and diversifying my classes now.’ - Buket Durmus
The project started as a pilot in one region in Turkey but has been extended to cover all regions in Turkey and currently involves 80,000 state school teachers. Our experience and expertise in education systems and English teaching means we can develop creative and innovative projects like English Together to help deliver on the Ministry of National Education’s vision to improve education outcomes for its citizens. Our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion ensures our programmes are accessible for teachers and students alike.
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