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[almuze]

This is a little strange, I'm sure, but does anybody on this site teach english for the local turkish chamber of commerce? I think in turkish this would be the local Beleydeyi (sp?) office. Anyone?

The background on this is that my sister lives in france, teaches business english for the local chamber of commerce there, says her boss has been traveling over the past year or so to Ankara and Istanbul to confer w/ his turkish counterparts and compare notes on the programs they have here. So, just curious, anybody know what kind of english programs the local chamber of commerce offers here?

[Mark Loyd]

You thought wrong.

[tekirdag]

It's not strange at all. (You wrote too soon, Mark.)

It depends on the Chamber of Commerce.(Which isn't Belediye, by the way-I think it is Ticaret ve Sanayi Odasi) Each area/city has one and there is a head organization but it doesn't have anything to do with English classes, as I understand. Each city may or may not have a program.

�orlu had a program (with France counterparts-coincidence?) and i was asked to work but I was unable to. Long story there. They hired local Turks, not native speakers, and the positions were only part time. As I have heard from the teachers, I don't think the program became very popular. I do know the Turkish teachers did not give lessons using communicative techniques, which business folks would need.

Here in Tekirdağ the Chamber of Commerce used to bring a teacher from Istanbul at weekends for a HUGE amount of money. They decided, for the small amount of students involved, it wasn't worth the hassle, and they scapped the whole program. Pity. I would have done it for a lot less and I live around the corner from their offices.

I think that, although they have good intentions, many of the Ticaret ve Sanayi people lack the skills and know-how to organize successful courses.

[tekirdag]

[almuze]

thanks for the info! I think many turkish businesses/govt offices have good intentions but lack the ability to organize anything worthwhile, but this would be a topic for a differnt day.

[tekirdag]

[Mark Loyd]

[whynotme]