At the top of a beautiful mountain range just south-west of the city of Gaziantep, Turkey, the English Language Program at Zirve University is unique in several ways.  First, the language classes are small, with a maximum size of 15 students.  This small student-teacher ratio allows for students to receive individual attention as they study the four language skills: reading, writing, listening, and speaking.  Each of these English language skills is necessary for students of the twenty-first century to participate in the global community.

Second, the teaching faculty is excellent and determined to making learning enjoyable!  There is a blend of Turkish and American instructors, and the two groups work together to provide a firm foundation of language study before Zirve students begin their academic coursework in their chosen fields.  Even before the school year began, the University of North Texas sponsored an intensive teacher-training workshop.  All instructors received a practical course in the latest ESL methodologies.  With five staff members now in Gaziantep for at least one year, the University of North Texas continues to provide a strong leadership role in order to quickly establish an outstanding language program at Zirve.

Finally, Zirve University has created a perfect setting for learning English in the beautiful new language building.  The Zirve philosophy is to practice using the second language all day long, and Zirve’s large campus makes this English-only zone possible.  Students are in class 23 hours each week, but important activities are offered throughout the day, and students are encouraged to stay on campus all day in order to take advantage of the cultural, social, and recreational activities.  Large, state-of-the-art language labs are also available for class and individual use.

With such an impressive program provided by Zirve University, it is very important for students to do their part to be successful.  As young adults with new found responsibilities, they must commit to being good students, according to the Turkish Higher Education Council.  This means that:

• Students must speak ONLY English in the language building.
• Students must come prepared for class every day with books, paper, and pens.
• Students must actively participate in all class activities.
• Students must be polite and cooperative with their instructors and classmates.
• Students must do 3 to 4 hours of homework every day.

In conclusion, please note that everything is in place for students at Zirve University to have a wonderful and exciting experience learning English.  This is an important first step to higher education in southern Turkey as students prepare to be important, well-informed citizens of the world.

Eva Bowman

Co-Director, English Language Program

Zirve University

Director, English Language Program

University of North Texas