Our faculty members, Dr. Leyla SAĞLAM and Instructor Emine ÇİFTÇİ, took part in the two-day professional development event titled “Empowering Early-Career EFL Instructors in Higher Education,” organized by the School of Foreign Languages (YADYOK) at Boğaziçi University on October 17–18, 2025.
Supported by the EAQUALS Member Event Fund 2025, the event aimed to foster the professional growth of English language instructors working in university preparatory programs who are in the first three years of their teaching careers.
Held at Boğaziçi University’s South Campus, the program featured interactive and hands-on workshops led by experienced instructors. Participants engaged in practical sessions focusing on effective EAP teaching strategies, the development of reading and writing skills, the use of authentic materials, learner-centred vocabulary instruction, meaningful grammar teaching, and the pedagogical integration of artificial intelligence.
Throughout the event, instructors exchanged ideas and experiences on topics such as enhancing classroom interaction, empowering student voice, and using technology and AI responsibly in language teaching. All workshops were designed to include practical, adaptable activities and collaborative group tasks that participants could easily apply in their own teaching contexts.
This comprehensive program provided an inspiring professional learning environment, promoting pedagogical awareness and innovative teaching approaches among early-career EFL instructors.
