Waltham Forest College teams up with ISTEK Antalya High Schools Group to deliver an interactive cultural exchange project online, connecting peers overseas.
Waltham Forest College’s English Department has launched an online exchange project with a prestigious institution in Turkey. The ISTEK Antalya High Schools Group has over 21 schools across the region and works in association with İstanbul Yeditepe University, one of the top universities in the country.
As part of a range of Eramus+ initiatives, the group would normally provide students with opportunities to study and travel abroad to gain in-country cultural and educational experiences whilst living alongside students in the UK and Europe.
Given the CoVID-19 restrictions, the English Department and faculty members from ISTEK Antalya, have introduced an alternative to keep learners engaged and in touch with overseas peers. The first online session took place on Friday 22 January with a select group of students.
Head of English, Omur Derelikoylu, said, “The project aims to support students in using digital platforms to connect and exchange ideas on their experiences of what it means to be a modern-day student striving to create their future within their own culture and environment, and how that might compare to teenagers in Turkey at a similar stage in their lives”.
The project also supports English language communication development for students not used to speaking the language to contemporaries.
To find out more about the ISTEK Antalya High Schools Group, visit https://antalya.istek.k12.tr/
For more information about the project, contact Matthew Gordon matthew.gordon@waltham.ac.uk
