İzmir Katip Çelebi Üniversitesi (İKÇÜ) Yabancı Diller Yüksekokulu, uluslararası dil sınavı merkezi olma niteliğini pekiştirerek önemli bir adım daha attı. Daha önce TOEFL sınav merkezi olarak hizmet veren Yüksekokul, şimdi de ÖSYM denkliği bulunan Uluslararası Oxford Test of English (OTE) için resmi sınav merkezi olarak yetkilendirildi. Oxford Üniversitesi tarafından onaylanan ve sertifikalandırılan Oxford Test of English, modern sınav tekniklerini bünyesinde barındırıyor. Bilgisayar tabanlı ve "uyarlanabilir" (adaptive) bir yapıya sahip olan sınav, adayın seviyesine göre soruları dinamik olarak ayarlıyor. OTE, adaylara sunduğu esneklikle de öne çıkıyor. Modüler bir yapıya sahip olması sayesinde, adaylar dört dil becerisinden (okuma, yazma, dinleme, konuşma) sadece ihtiyaç duydukları bölümleri ayrı ayrı alabiliyorlar. Sınavın en dikkat çekici özelliklerinden biri ise sonuçlarının ömür boyu geçerli olması. CEFR (Avrupa Ortak Dil Çerçevesi) seviyelerine göre OTE, A2-B2 düzeylerini kapsarken; sınavın "Advanced" seviyesi ise B2-C1 düzeylerindeki dil yeterliliğini ölçüyor. Oxford Test of English sertifikası, dünya çapında birçok üniversite, işveren ve eğitim kurumu tarafından kabul ediliyor. İKÇÜ Yabancı Diller Yüksekokulu bünyesinde gerçekleştirilecek sınavlar, Yüksekokul Binası G2-07 numaralı salonda yapılacak. Sınav ile ilgili ayrıntılı bilgi ve başvuruya https://turkiye.oup.com/tr/collections/oxford-test-of-english adresinden, sınavı tanıyan kurumlara ise https://elt.oup.com/feature/global/oxford-test-of-english/recognition?cc=tr&selLanguage=en bağlantısından ulaşılabilir.  

IKCU SFL hosted Alissa Nostas from Arizona State University in a training session on the use of Artificial Intelligence in language education as part of the collaboration with the U.S. Embassy's Regional English Language Office (RELO). IKCU SFL Lecturers had the opportunity to implement theory into practice through hands-on-practice on Prompt Engineering for Effective AI Output and Determining Appropriate Generative AI Tools.

KCU SFL lecturers took part in a fruitful workshop entitled 'Looking Through The Kaleidoscope: Building a Positive Classroom Culture' by Gizem İyigün (Oxford University Press) and gained a bunch of practical classroom activity ideas in this week's Professional Development session.

In the second week of April 2025, lecturers from the School of Foreign Languages at İzmir Kâtip Çelebi University—Nazlı Çakır, Dr. Ezgi Çetin, Ayşen Kaynak, Sinem Aydoğan Karaman, Pınar Tural, and Hamdiye Avcı Önalır—conducted an academic visit to Ghent University, where they met with Tom De Moor, Coordinator of Academic and Professional Language Education. The meeting provided an opportunity for in-depth discussions on Ghent University’s pedagogical frameworks, including its partnership and coaching model, strategies for teaching Dutch as a foreign language, the integration of English for academic purposes, and the implementation of a portfolio-based system for professional development. This engagement not only offered valuable institutional insights but also laid the groundwork for potential future collaborations. IKCU SFL remains committed to fostering international academic partnerships to enhance educational practices and professional growth.

On March 12, 2025, the Independent Learning Center hosted the Alphabet Challenge for Pre-Intermediate students. Competing in teams, students raced to complete the alphabet wheel in five minutes. The event was fun and educational, helping students improve their vocabulary. 

At this week's Professional Development session, IKCU SFL lecturers participated in a mind-opening seminar on Wellbeing by Res. Assist. Dilara Turgut from the Department of Psychology/Faculty of Social and Human Sciences.

As part of our social responsibility project “English Days with Little Stars,” our prep students are organizing fun English activities for the little ones at Çelebi Kindergarten! With songs, games, coloring, and movement-based activities, kids are learning basic English concepts like colors, animals, numbers, and shapes. Huge thanks to our students and project advisors, Dr. Suzan Yıldırım & Hülya Uçak Öz, and the Çelebi Kindergarten team for this meaningful collaboration!

IKCU SFL has hosted the 2025 Teacher Trivia with the participation of the University of Economics, Yaşar University, Ege University, Dokuz Eylül University, İzmir Demokrasi University, Bakırçay University, Manisa Celal Bayar University, and İzmir Institute of Technology. We thank all of our colleagues from different universities joining us for this traditional fun event to strengthen our collaboration. We congratulate Manisa Celal Bayar University for winning the trophy, Bakırçay University, and Yaşar University for winning the 2nd and 3rd places.  We also thank our presenters, Lect. Anıl Ç. Dede and Lect. Nazlı Çakır, musician Yağmur Pak, and all our students for their great efforts during the event.

The Adjective World Tour Elementary students joined a fun-speaking session exploring countries and practicing adjectives on October 8, 2025. The interactive activity helped boost their vocabulary and speaking skills in a lively setting.

Dr. Lect. Gamze Er Karoğlu from the Faculty Dentistry, Dr. Lect. Mustafa Öncül  from the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Prof. Dr. Alper Doğan from the Department of Finance visited our school for demo lessons with Prep Students. We thank them for their support.

On 12th March 2025, IKCU SFL PDU hosted Robyn Stewart from Oxford University Press with her fruitful session entitled 'Using Real Life Tasks in Teaching'. SFL lecturers enjoyed working in an interactive atmosphere on practical ideas to use in their classes as well as reshaping specific coursebook instructions into more real life-based tasks.

KCU SFL Lecturers attended a fruitful PDU session entitled 'Maximising Learning Opportunities Through Clear Instructions, Modelling and More' by Andrew Bosson from OUP on 23rd October 2024.

Our lecturer, Ömer Dağdelen, represented our university at the 14th Forum on Assessment Issues (FOAI-14), which took place at Sabancı University on 18–19 April 2025. This year’s theme focused on “Speaking Assessment: Current Trends and Opportunities.” The event commenced with welcoming addresses delivered by representatives of the host institution, followed by a keynote presentation by Neus Figueras titled “Revisiting the assessment of speaking after the CEFR CV.” In the afternoon, Ömer Dağdelen joined  one of the five focus groups, each engaging in detailed discussions surrounding the central theme. These collaborative sessions culminated in group presentations that reflected the outcomes of their insightful and productive exchanges.Revisiting the assessment of speaking after the CEFR CV”.

Mentorship-Based Cultural Orientation: Support Program for International Students by Inst. Nida Fidanboy. This social responsibility project aims to support the adaptation of newly enrolled international students at İzmir Kâtip Çelebi University to campus life and Turkish culture. Volunteer Turkish students from various levels of the English preparatory program serve as mentors for one week, guiding newcomers through activities such as campus tours, basic Turkish workshops, and cultural exchange events. The project strengthens international students’ sense of belonging while enhancing social responsibility and intercultural awareness among Turkish students.

The lecturers of the School of Foreign Languages took part in a project writing training, jointly organized by the Project Unit and the Professional Development Unit and conducted by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Levent Aydın. The training session focused on the principles of effective project design, proposal development, and research-oriented project management. By addressing both theoretical frameworks and practical applications, the program contributed to strengthening the participants’ academic competencies and fostering a culture of research and project-based development within the school. We sincerely thank Assoc. Prof. Dr. Levent Aydın for his valuable contributions.

  IKCU SFL PDU members Lect. Didem Dağkıran and Lect. Dr. Ezgi Çetin organized a session on 'Student Centered Classes', where lecturers had a chance to refresh theoretical knowledge as well as designing practical student-centered activities.  

Crochet & Conversation Club Kicks Off at ILC The Independent Learning Center launched its brand-new Crochet & Conversation Club this October, offering elementary-level students a relaxing and creative space to practice English while crafting. Led by the ILC team, the weekly sessions take place every Tuesday from 14:00 to 15:30 throughout the month. Participants enjoy making their own scarves, sipping tea, and engaging in casual conversations with peers and lecturers. All materials are provided, and the sessions offer a cozy environment to blend creativity with language learning. With only 10 spots available, the club quickly filled up, showing strong interest in alternative language practice formats. The first session was held on October 7, and students are welcome to join as many sessions as they like.

On February 13, 2025, the Independent Learning Center (ILC) held its first Movie Day of the Spring 1 term. Students watched the fun and emotional movie Inside Out (2015). The event started at 2:00 p.m. with students enjoying free popcorn  while watching the film. After the movie, there was a short activity where students talked about emotions like joy, sadness, anger, fear, and disgust. They also shared their own experiences and learned new words. Thank you to everyone who joined us!

The Independent Learning Center hosted a lively Trivia Challenge on April 29, 2025, led by Lecturer Fehim Hur. Students answered general knowledge questions covering a wide range of topics, creating a fun and engaging atmosphere. We thank all participants for their enthusiasm and contribution to the event.

On May 7, 2025, the Independent Learning Center hosted a fun and engaging Cooking Contest led by Lect. Fehim Hur. Four student groups, each consisting of four members, competed to prepare a dish within 30 minutes. A jury of lecturers from the School of Foreign Languages evaluated the dishes. We thank our jury members for their support and congratulate the winning team for their creativity and teamwork. It was a lively event filled with teamwork, flavors, and laughter. Thank you to all who participated!