Cornerstones of Turkish education from the Ottoman to the post -Republic Turkey: A history of English language teaching in Turkey

Although the predominant foreign language was French during the Ottoman Empire, English is now the most popular foreign language in Turkey. All the schools, state and private, offer English instruction, while the most reputable schools offer English-medium instruction. English Language Teaching (ELT) has developed simultaneously with the new Turkish education system following the reforms of the new Turkish Republic. Although these reforms and Turkish education have been studied extensively, the history of ELT has not been studied. This historical study aims to provide a historical framework that might bring a new understanding to the problems and controversies about ELT in Turkey.;This study investigates the history of ELT in Turkey from several perspectives. The first chapter focuses on the researcher's role in the study, the importance of historical research in ELT, specifically in Turkey, methods of data collection, and the limitations of the study. Existing histories are reviewed in order to establish a framework. The second and third chapters concern the foreign language education in Ottoman Turkey and Republican Turkey, respectively. The fourth chapter focuses on contemporary English language teacher training programs in Turkey. An online survey, interviews, and documents were used to gather data about a teacher education program in an English medium university, the MATEFL program at Bilkent University in Ankara. The final chapter focuses on a new development in the field; the English Teacher Association (INGED).;The outcome of this study is a comprehensive picture detailing the development of ELT in Turkey. This multifaceted picture demonstrates the interaction among ELT, the Turkish language reform, the language policies, and the needs of the new Turkish society during a period of nation-building and identity-forming. One crucial finding is that the ELT in Turkey has developed despite the lack of a consistent government policy. Another finding is the important role of some foreign institutions and ELT professionals. Finally, recent developments show that ELT has now been established in Turkey, and the young Turks are contributing to the field of ELT in general. One example is this research that attempts to provide a historical framework.