Being a Turkish teacher is certainly a unique profession, and if it is your career of choice you may have to be patient as you search for the opportunity that is best for you, but that doesn’t mean that the opportunity won’t arise! Get yourself out there and do all that you can to achieve your goal of becoming a Turkish instructor. The jobs won’t come your way unless you put in effort to get your name out there.
Though not as commonly studied as other European languages, with over 65 million native speakers it is a valuable language to know and learn, and you’ll find that there are students who feel the same way.
The first job as a Turkish teacher is helping your student understand that this language is quite different from their native tongue. By building a better understanding of how the Turkish language functions, you will be providing a springboard for your student to jump off of. Foundational knowledge is an essential part of learning, so be sure to include that in your teaching. The better a foundation you can help your student lay for him or herself, the quicker they will progress. In your career as a Turkish teacher you probably know, or have learned, that you cannot teach this language the same way that English is taught, because of its unique sentence structure and other distinguishing characteristics.
A good Turkish teacher will be able to bring the learner into the culture while providing them with a better understanding of the language, as well as help them become proficient in communication. Your students will likely find the pronunciation challenging at first. Do not be too demanding because, in time, and with plenty of practice, they will learn to pronounce the words properly.
Keep your classes challenging, but not too rigorous. Your students want to feel as though they are progressing. Always stay abreast of the latest teaching methods, and incorporate the best ones into your teaching style. You want to be the best Turkish teacher out there, so invest the time and you will reap the rewards.
Talk to your local schools, colleges, and language centers for teaching opportunities near you, and post your information on Craiglist or local classifieds so that interested students have the opportunity to come to you. You also have the opportunity to make use of online teaching through video chat. Tutoring sites like WyzAnt or TutorHunt allow you to post your qualifications on a profile so that students can learn from you in person or online, and LRNGO does this as well as offers you opportunities in teaching online classrooms. These types of sites often charge commission, but allow you to easily connect with interested pupils.
If you aim to be a Turkish teacher, then do it! Get your name out there, put together a strong résumé, and be friendly!
Photo Credit: Bryce Edwards
