Turkish: Izmir, Turkey


Location: Izmir, Turkey
Dates of program: June 14 - August 12, 2012
Hosting institution: TÖMER Institute, Izmir branch
Language offered: Turkish
Levels offered: Beginning, intermediate and advanced

Program Structure

The CLS Turkish institute covers approximately one academic year of university-level Turkish study during the 8-week program, and is designed to meet the needs of students from a variety of language levels and backgrounds, including advanced students and those learning the language for the first time.

CLS students in Izmir with the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey,
who they met at a 4th of July celebration.

Formal classroom language instruction is provided for an average of four hours per day, five days per week. Extracurricular activities are designed to supplement the formal curriculum, including regular one-on-one meetings with peer tutors for conversational practice, as well as cultural activities and excursions designed to expand students’ understanding of Turkish life and culture. Students also live with host families, which gives them an opportunity to experience life inside a Turkish family and practice their language skills outside of class.

Outcomes

In 2010, the CLS Program adopted the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) developed by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) as an additional measure of the effectiveness and quality of the institutes overseas. Before the program, students take a diagnostic OPI test; at the end of their 8-week course of study, they take an ACTFL-certified post-program OPI assessment. The scores on these tests give students a concrete, widely-recognized measure of their speaking skills in Turkish.

Student Activities

CLS students on an excursion to Pamukkale.

In addition to being an immersive language learning experience, CLS students serve as cultural ambassadors who showcase the unity and diversity of the American people. CLS Izmir participants Brandon Thomas and Nicholas Glastonbury were interviewed on Turkish television. Click here to read more and watch the video.

Alumni Highlights

Click here to read about a CLS Izmir alumnus’ experience interning for the U.S. Consulate General in Istanbul.

Program Highlights

View videos, read highlights, and more on the CLS Blog!

Alumni Ambassadors



Brandon Thomas, '11	Anna Pirsch, '10 (Ankara)	William Zeman, '09 (Ankara)	Jeremy Bender, '11 (Ankara)