Foreign language education in Ottoman Empire Era: Robert College sample

This thesis study is on the foreign language teaching methods applied by Robert College which has been founded by the US on Ottoman lands in 1863 and still continues its teaching activities to this day in the Republic of Turkey. In consideration that the college occupied an important place in Turkish education both during the Ottoman Era and during the Republic Era, we tried to examine the purpose behind the foundation of the college and the education method adopted by it through history. Robert College has been established during the Ottoman Era. Therefore, in order to have a better understanding of the practises related to the foreign language in Ottoman Era, the thoughts of the state officials regarding foreign language and its teaching and the needs related to teaching foreign language, our study has been divided into pre and post Tanzimat Reform Era. Furthermore, our thesis study has also made a general assessment of the situation during the National War of Independence and the initial years of the Republic. Looking back at the previous studies related to Robert College, it has been observed that the college was mostly concentrating on missionary activities in general and this has been kept in mind when preparing this thesis. During our study, meticulous search has been conducted at the Robert College Archive, Presidential Ottoman and Republican Archives and the Robert College archives found at the Columbia University rare books and manuscript works section. Documents issued by college founders and ABCFM organization, memories, college reports and other works have been carefully reviewed and information has been provided with regards to college education and the methods and approaches adopted by the college in teaching foreign languages.