Turkey: A Great Place To Teach

PHOTO Buyakada bay water carriers PHOTO A covered Turkish market PHOTO The town of Capadoccia PHOTO Turkish spice market

Here’s what to expect. Turkey is a secular state with a large Muslim population. So you can immediately assume that your friends and family will be nervous. Tell them to relax. You will hear the call to prayer five times a day and see a mosque every few streets. However don’t confuse this with popular stereotypes and misconceptions. The Turkish government is currently focusing its attention on an application to join the EU and Turkish people are warm, hospitable and friendly. They will be curious about where you come from and will want to know what you think of their country.

There is plenty of work for English language teachers in the major cities. Most of the teaching jobs are in Istanbul although there is quite a lot of work in other major cities such as Ankara, the capital and Izmir. Sometimes you will see positions advertised for the smaller cities such as Konya or Bursa. While you won’t find as many English speakers in the regional areas or away from the tourist haunts, in the cities you’ll be fine with a few basic phrases. Turkish people will go out of their way to communicate with you.

Whether your interest is teaching young learners, general English business or exam preparation there is more than enough work. Government and private schools include English as part of their curriculum. Universities have an English preparation year for all students and many experienced teachers are employed here. Language schools have many business people from 20 to 55 years of age learning or brushing up on their spoken and written English. The demand for TOEFL and TOEIC preparation classes means there is always a demand for US teachers with exam preparation experience.

You should expect to be paid in the local currency, which is the Turkish New Lire (YTL). Most schools are paying about US$1600 per month depending on experience although you can find work in Universities and a few language schools at higher rates. Some schools pay a monthly rate while others pay per session. I was paid per month with an expectation of 30 hours work per week (included teaching, travel and conversation classes). This worked out very well in the summer as many students are away for a month or more and while my hours halved my pay stayed the same.

If you are employed from overseas, most schools will expect you to come in on a three month Visitors Visa. They can then upgrade this to a Residents Permit once you are there. This is an expensive process for the school and they will want you to pass the probationary period before they start the process. After residency, they will proceed with the Work Permit (although you might have to remind them once in a while).

Some contracts include accommodation, some have an accommodation allowance and some give you the choice. If you are going to have to find you own accommodation, find out what assistance the school can provide. The Turkish rental market can be difficult to navigate in your first few weeks. Also, because accommodation can be quite expensive, you might want to consider sharing an apartment with another teacher.

Employers take responsibility for health insurance in Turkey so you can expect to have access to good medical care. Just be aware that health insurance does not include dental treatment but that dentists are readily available. I paid 100YTL for a new filling and the work was well done and the surgery was clean and hygienic. (For the female teachers, you will be able to find a good clinician – just ask around).