Research on the performance of private English language courses in Turkey

This thesis comparatively examines private English language courses' performance and their produced results while keeping broader perspective of English language learning in Turkey. First part sociologically explores the historical path of English language in Turkey. Second part brings all available data coming from official statistics and other related sources and examines them in the context of this study. Third part includes a qualitative research benefiting from oral history approach and in-depth interview methodology carried out with founders, key managers and lead teachers of private English language schools, aiming to get their insights on their first-hand experience in the field. Collected and processed data is compared and discussed together with other outcomes derived from first two parts of the study. Themes used in this qualitative research also summarize key concerns of the whole study: 1) Who are the determinant actors in English language course industry in Turkey? 2) What factors make this industry commercially attractive? 3) What is the relation between English language courses and history of English language learning and teaching in Turkey? 4) What is the level of institutionalization in the private language course industry? 5) Who attends the courses, what are their social classes and reasons to attend? 6) What are the trainee related causes affecting performance? 7) What are the course related causes affecting efficiency and performance? 8) What are the predictions about the future of English Language teaching in Turkey? Key words: English course, course success, English learning in Turkey, learning English, trainees' success, foreign language, private language schools, statistics regarding English language courses and students, language learning, oral history, in-depth interview