Learn and Study Turkish with classes and courses in Washington DC

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Students come to Turkey for Turkish language summer school



Culture Minister Ertuğrul Günay posed with international students who came to attend the Turkish Summer School.

The annual Turkish Summer School, organized by the Culture and Tourism Ministry's Yunus Emre Institute, kicked off at Ankara's Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges Economy and Technology University (TOBB-ETÜ) on Monday.

ENROLMENTS for September 2011 have commenced !

Enrolments for September 2011 have commenced !

Email us at turkish@rumiforum.org for full details, application forms, fees and dates.

Classes will be held at Rumi Forum in Washington DC.

HOSGELDINIZ....

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Saturday, July 9, 2011

A journey from Ohio to Istanbul

I'm fascinated by success stories. I also love to hear how people thrive in İstanbul. Hence, this miniseries of people I know and respect in İstanbul who are making their mark in creative and unexpected ways. This series is an extension of my theory that being a foreigner plays a role in an expat's success abroad.

Take Carl Holtman, for example. He came here with a bachelor's in political science and a master's in Russian, East European and Central Asian studies. Now he is a well-respected and prominent businessman who helps send Turkish students to study abroad, is an employer of native-speaking educators for the administration of the IELTS, and a strong proponent of the idea of students coming to Turkey on study abroad programs.

The journey begins

Carl's journey started while taking a couple of political science courses in post-Soviet politics. While studying he became very interested in the Turkic republics of the former USSR. He realized back in 1997 that if he began to learn Turkish (which was offered at Ohio State University) then he would be well positioned to do business in that part of the world. Carl credits his learning Turkish as the key to the many professional opportunities that have come his way -- he has had many interactions with international businesses interested in expanding into the Turkish market. Speaking Turkish also helps him immeasurably with daily interactions.

Creating opportunity

The following year, Carl decided that he would like to study abroad, but at the time Ohio State did not really have a program set up in Turkey. Rather than let the lack of a program dictate his choice for study abroad, Carl worked with one of the faculty members in the department of Near Eastern languages and cultures at Ohio State to develop an exchange program between Ohio State University and Koç University in İstanbul. Carl attended the exchange program as the first student during the autumn of 1999.

In September 2003, Carl Holtman and his wife moved to İstanbul. After a short foray into the world of online journalism as an editor for several publications, Carl has been active in international education in Turkey, quickly establishing himself as one of the leading figures involved in the sector.

A masterful networker

Carl's decision to transition to this job was led by his desire to get out and network with people -- he calls himself a “masterful networker” and he is one. His wife and he knew that they needed a change and contemplated moving back to the States. By chance while looking at job postings on kariyer.net, he discovered educational consultancy job opportunities that resonated with his desire to link education with his need to interact with people. However, after having worked for a couple of companies in the industry, Carl felt frustrated at the overall lack of professionalism and student focus that he believed to be the keys to successful student recruitment and retention. As a college graduate, he knew that the student experience meant more than numbers. He believed that by putting students' interests first he could help American universities expand their markets in the US and meet their students' desires to participate in rewarding cultural opportunities in Turkey.

Carl's efforts have paid off and his vision is a successful reality. He is currently the person that individuals and companies cite as the go-to-guy for educational opportunities.

An independent businessman

Carl is an independent businessman with a strong sense of integrity. He does not credit a mentor for his success. However, he believes that the objectionable behaviors of other people in the industry who do not appear to respect students' needs fuel his desire to continue to build his business. Their bad examples energize him to redouble his efforts to create “positive change to the student placement industry” that he believes is necessary to polish Turkey's image.

Carl's skills
Carl says that he has “the entrepreneurial bug” and credits his aptitude and flexibility to allow him to adjust to whatever circumstances are presented to him. Although he is not a big risk-taker, as a global, reflective thinker, he takes calculated risks. He credits his experiences at Ohio State University for preparing him for his current work, especially offering Turkish as a potential language of study. He believes that, as a past Russian major, had he not taken Turkish, he “might now be spending [his] days in Moscow.”

The foreign edge
Carl believes that being a foreigner gives him an edge in this field because it allows him to have a broader network of people with whom he develops significant professional relationships. These networking opportunities, such as working with representatives at the US consulate, leads to referrals, including his “first major breakthrough in Turkey” opening a Turkish branch support office for a US English language school.

Challenges of working in Turkey?
Because Carl works for a company, he does not have the challenges like getting work permits. However, he finds that although he believes that his company has the competitive edge in terms of student recruitment and retention, it does not have the financial edge created by companies that do not pay taxes or social security. Although the Turkish government is trying to curtail this practice, it is still widespread, seemingly ingrained in the culture. Instead of seeing companies pay salaries at standard rates of pay, many employees receive only minimum wage on the books. Therefore, Carl has to pay for everything “on the books,” while competitors cheat to avoid these legitimate business costs, weakening his potential profit margin.

Advantages of working in Turkey
As an expat, Carl has integrated his past familiarity with Turkey with his vision of student potential to develop a business that feeds his vision of helping the students he serves to gain a considerable edge in a competitive global marketplace.

Had he not chosen to study at a university that offered Turkish it is quite likely that Carl never would have ventured to Turkey in the first place.

SOURCE: http://www.todayszaman.com/news-248836-a-journey-from-ohio-to-istanbul.html

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Soap operas increasing Iraqi interest in Turkish literature

The popularity of Turkish TV series on Arab channels, is attracting students at Iraqi universities’ Turkish literature departments. The Turkish Language and Literature Department has become one of the most popular faculties at Iraq University’s Foreign Languages Department. The phenomenon is part of a growth in Turkey’s ‘soft power,’ a sociologist says

It has long been known that Turkish television series aired in Arab countries have resulted in an increased interest in Turkish culture, yet the shows have also begun attracting more students to the discipline of Turkish literature, according to academics. In Iraqi universities, Turkish literature now trails only English literature in terms of popularity.

“The ever-developing relations between [Iraq and Turkey] and Turkish soap operas on Iraq TV have triggered this new trend. Students are eager to learn Turkish, while families also want their children to learn Turkish,” Professor Talib al-Qurayshi, the head of the Iraq University Foreign Languages Department, recently told Anatolia news agency.

When Turkish Literature and Language Department head Ziyad Tariq Abduljabbar took over his new department’s management in 2008, there were only 60 students but there are now 730 undergraduate students, 17 post-graduate students and three PhD students in the program.

Speaking about the links between Turkish soap operas and the country’s literature, Nilüfer Narlı, a sociologist at Bahçeşehir University, said Turkey had increased its “soft power” in the Middle East and Balkan countries.

“As the circulation of soap operas in the international arena has increased, learning Turkish language and culture have become very important in the Arab and Balkan countries. This is what we call ‘soft power,’ within the context of the culture industry,” she said.

Of course, there are other reasons for the increased interest in Turkish in Iraq, especially economic ones, said al-Qurayshi. “Growing investment and business opportunities draw people to learn Turkish in Iraq. Students are concerned about their future and the current investments have triggered the education in Turkish.”

Still, there are plenty of cultural reasons for the increased interest, Narlı said. “Turkish contemporary Nobel Laureate writer Orhan Pamuk’s presence [on the scene] and the increasing translations of his books also affect this situation.”

As more Turkish novels are being translated into different languages, the interest in Turkish literature is being raised, Narlı said. “The literature is not a part of the ‘soft power’ theme, but it is very important.”

Commenting on Turkish literature and its impact in the Balkans and the Middle East, Marmara University Turkish literature professor Nihat Öztoprak said: “Turkish soap operas such as Aşk-ı Memnu [Forbidden Love], Yaprak Dökümü [The Fall of the Leaves] are adaptations of famous classical Turkish literary works. People in foreign countries watch those series and they become interested not only in the series and the cast but also with the people who wrote them.”

As such, people become acquainted with writers such as Reşat Nuri Güntekin and Halit Ziya Uşaklıgil, according to Öztoprak.

“With the rising awareness in Turkish literature, the neighboring countries have realized that Turkey is not a ‘desert’ country,” he added.

People in Arab countries have started to do research on Turkish writers as they seek to learn more about people like Güntekin. This situation, according to Öztoprak, leads students to learn about the Turkish language and Turkish literature.

At the same time, Pamuk’s Nobel award greatly helped in spreading awareness of Turkish literature.

Growth of Turkish departments at Iraqi universities

The founder of the Turkish Language and Literature department at Iraq University, Çoban Hıdır Uluhan, said the department was established in 1971 with only four academics. “Today we have a total of 17 academics.”

Noting that they were hoping for the support of foundations and universities in Turkey, Uluhan said the university needed more books and sources on Turkish literature.

“We also want to send our students to Turkey on an exchange program during the summers,” he said.

“Turkish language and visiting Turkey is a must for our students in order to experience the country and Turkish culture,” Uluhan said.

* Hatice Utkan contributed to this article.

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=soap-operas-and-turkish-literature-increase-interest-in-turkish-culture-2011-05-31

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Italian students find relief in Turkish

Nalan Kızıltan, who is an Assistant Proffessor at the University of Salento, told Today’s Zaman: “The number of students has doubled since they discovered the Turkish language was written in the Latin alphabet.”

In a southern Italian high school, many students have deemed the introduction of Turkish classes as an effort in vain because of the language's supposed difficulty due to what they mistakenly thought was caused by the use of the Arabic alphabet.

Apparently Asian and Middle Eastern languages are thought to draw in less interest compared to western European Languages. Still there have been a number of students who have wanted to learn Turkish and a campaign promoting the language doubled the number of those interested in Turkish. "The number of students has doubled since they discovered that Turkish is written in the Latin alphabet," Assistant Professor Nalan Kızıltan told Today's Zaman.

Kızıltan, a linguist, was assigned by the Turkish Embassy in Rome to give lectures in the department of Turkology at the University of Salento, Lecce, as part of an intercultural dialogue program. Her journey in Italy took her to Aristosseno High School in Taranto, two hours by car from Lecce, when she and the dean of the university's department of foreign languages and literatures decided to run a joint program with the school for students to take part in the Turkish Olympiads. The project was helped set up by one of Kızıltan's students, Severine Mafrica, also a teacher at the high school.

"I went to their school once a week to conduct a two-hour Turkish class in March and we launched the project. We made an announcement at the school and asked who would like to learn Turkish. We told them about the success the students had had the previous year [at the Olympiads], what the previous participants gained, and the contribution they would make to their country and Turkey if they attended the Turkish Olympiads. Several high school students in the 12-19 age group registered to join the classes," she explained, adding: “As part of the program, a language laboratory was given to them and they began studying Turkish. The first month passed with phonetic exercises as several sounds in Turkish do not exist in the Italian language. The students loved Turkish. Now you cannot differentiate their accents from a native Turk.”

Later the group continued by studying Turkish grammar. During their studies, one thing that students told Professor Kızıltan caught her attention. "They told me when they don't feel good, they feel the need to read something in Turkish and this comforted them," she said, adding, “This means Turkish has a rhythm, a beauty to touch the hearts of children; it is attractive." She thinks the words of her students are important to understand the psychology of children.

Olympiads about winning people over

Five students were selected from Aristosseno High School by an Italian committee to represent the country at the Turkish Olympiads. They were divided into different groups according to their talent. Among Kızıltan's students, those who were not selected by the Italian committee were still invited to Turkey as guest students by the organizers. "These Olympiads are not only competitions. They are there to win people over," the professor said.

Kızıltan also said the popularity of Asian and Middle Eastern languages has increased and that she had taught 106 students Turkish at the university in Lecce, and furthermore claimed that it made her proud that Italy is taking part in the Turkish Olympiads. While noting that the Italian group came to Turkey with the support of the Turkish Embassy, Kızıltan explained that the countries that are not represented at the Olympiads must also be invited. "It would contribute to the Turkish language if all embassies paid attention to the Turkish Olympiads and developed projects to do with it," she said, thanking the Turkish Embassy in Rome, which specifically supported Kızıltan's contribution to the Olympiads.

http://www.todayszaman.com/news-247971-italian-students-find-relief-in-turkish.html

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT interviews Rumi Forum

Excerpt from full article that explores the new and growing language courses in Washington DC including our Turkish language classes

...."Basically we recognized a demand, and we thought with our background and the fact this organization was founded by Turkish Americans, we could play a part in bringing that to the Washington, D.C., area," Celik explained. "Turkey is on the rise in terms of global attention so a lot of people are wanting to improve their understanding of Turkey. And the best way to do that is through Turkish language and culture."

So far, around 40 to 50 students have completed the intensive program, which includes eight four-hour classes per month, over a two-month span. Currently, 20 students are enrolled in classes held at the Rumi Forum offices in downtown D.C.

Though it's still small, with a single teacher, Celik is optimistic that more people will be attracted to the classes once word gets out. He points out that learning Turkish at the Rumi Forum focuses on more than just the language — it teaches about traditions, norms, etiquette and even food.

"I think they really appreciate that — it's more than just pen and paper classroom. We really do encourage students to pick up on all aspects of Turkish culture as that's what will help them," Celik said, noting the forum recently organized a Turkish dinner for its students.

SOURCE: www.washdiplomat.com

Saturday, May 7, 2011

[Preparing yourself for success in language learning] Creating an environment conducive to learning

Last week, you learned that everyone processes new information in different ways, and that being aware about how you best learn is helpful when planning your Turkish studies.

Once you discover your personal learning style, you are halfway to the finish line. The next step is to create a learning environment that properly reflects your personal learning style. When you take the time to set up a viable learning environment, you make it easy to study. That ease can affect how you feel about learning which can lead to increased motivation and success in reaching your learning goals.
Creating a study space

Even in the smallest of living arrangements, we can usually find a place to commandeer for a special purpose. I have seen many a meditation corner or a reading corner in my friends' houses, so why not a study corner?

Create your own study corner as a direct reflection of your personal learning style. If you need a soft comfortable chair and low lighting or if you need a small desk with a hard straight-back chair -- set it up. If you need music in the background, make sure that you have music ready to go -- whether it be in the form of a stereo setup or an mp3 player on your desk. Adjust the lighting, furniture, sound/silence to offer you an optimum learning environment. If you are a morning person, try to do some studying in the morning before you get into your day; if you are a night owl, plan to get in some study time before you go to bed.

In addition to altering your physical environment, make sure that your method of studying reflects your personal learning strategies. If you are a visual learner, have text and pictures on hand to read/look at while learning; consider keeping a blank pad of paper to doodle and draw on or on which you can paste images. If you are an auditory learner, working with audio lessons or audio/visual materials will help your valuable study time to be that much more productive.

The bottom line is that the more carefully and consciously you set up your learning activities and learning environment, the faster you will reach the success you desire.
Finding the time to study

One of the biggest complaints I hear from my clients is, “I don't have the time to study.” But, if you think about it, we adults always tend to find time for the things we love to do -- even when we have “no” time.

In this busy world, many of us tend to be over extended in our work and social life. We “want” to learn Turkish, but we just “can't find the time.”

One of the first things you want to do is to make an honest self-assessment. Do you really want to learn Turkish? Many times we want the end goal (a second language, money, a skill), but when we hunker down and honestly contemplate it, we might realize that while we want the goal, we really don't want to go through the hard work of obtaining that goal. So ask yourself a question, “Do I really want to embark on this journey?”
If the answer is yes, then you have to find the time.

Sit down with yourself and think about the things you must do- no matter what. I'm sure a couple of things came up such as eating, sleeping, hydrating yourself, but if you think harder you will come up with going to work/school, paying rent, cleaning your house- the list is very personal. Now consciously add “learning Turkish” to the list and do it! Think of it as a contract that you will not breach. Make sure you study a little bit every day. Aim for a minimum of 15 minutes. You will find that some days you'll spend more time, but strive to at least meet the minimum.

If you are truly over budgeted on time, then use that 15 minutes to review information you already “know.” Practice the alphabet by spelling words you know; practice numbers and vocabulary by counting and/or naming things in your home; jot useful phrases onto blank index cards and run through them as quickly as you can- time yourself, make it a game!
Visualization technique: Putting yourself in the zone

A fun technique for getting you ready to learn is called visualization. The phrase “in the zone” is a colloquial saying that refers to when a person's entire being (intellectual, physical, emotional and spiritual) is harnessed to make possible the ultimate state of facility, confidence and joy while pursuing a desired goal. In psychology, the term flow is sometimes used to describe the efficient flow of brain energy and focus that leads to success. To get in the zone and to increase the flow for learning Turkish, consider trying the following visualization technique:

In this exercise, you will be practicing the basics of brain engagement that start with complete diaphragmatic breathing to get you in the zone for learning Turkish. The goal is for you to create a vision of your highest level of desired Turkish success while feeling a sense of relaxed, yet energized cognitive focus and an emotional state of confident contentment.

Find a comfortable seated position. Relax your body. Close your eyes. Imagine your highest level of Turkish success while breathing in deeply through your nose and smiling in a relaxed manner. Imagine letting go of obstacles to your learning while breathing out through your nose. Repeat this breathing pattern five to 10 times each day to develop the brain chemicals to get you ready to achieve your highest level of Turkish learning.

While this technique may come off to some as “new age,” rest assured that scientists have found that visualization techniques such as the one I propose here have physiological effects. That is, when you are relaxed, alert and content, your thoughts directly affect brain neurochemistry and therefore shape future thoughts and subsequent actions -- including learning.

So far, you have discovered how you learn best, how to create an environment that supports your goals and how to find the time and the motivation to proceed. Next week we will explore short and long-term goals as well as how to find, make and use various language-learning resources so that you get the most out of them.