VZCZCXYZ0042
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAK #0528 0671503
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 081503Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1261
INFO RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 2279

UNCLAS ANKARA 000528 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR ECA/A/L: JCONNERLEY, CWILLIAMSON, EWILLIAMS, PESTEP; 
EUR/PPD: ABARBARO, MOKEEFE, LDAVIS, JRICKERT; INFO ECA:  A/S POWELL, 
DAS FARRELL, EUR: DAS CGRAFFY, EUR/SE, R - ARUPPE, KPOSNER-MULLEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OEXC KPAO SCUL TU
SUBJECT: English Language Fellow Program in Turkey 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The English Language Fellow (ELF) Program has 
proven to be a valuable public diplomacy tool for reaching younger 
and broader audiences across Turkey, at a time when US foreign 
policies are viewed with suspicion by Turkish opinion leaders and 
citizens. ELF access to educators, officials, university students, 
and the common kid on the street has tremendous positive impact on 
Turkish perceptions of America and Americans. ELF programs, and 
their daily interaction with Turkish counterparts, has also directly 
improved the content and methodology of English language instruction 
in Turkey. Post greatly appreciated ECA and EUR support for the 
Turkey ELF program in FY-07, and would welcome and strongly support 
a sustained or increased program that continues to overcome negative 
stereotypes of the US. END SUMMARY 
 
¶2.  (U) BACKGROUND: The English Language Fellow Program is a 
valuable Public Diplomacy tool that reaches thousands of Turkish 
youth and educators. Since 1995, Turkey has hosted 38 Fellows at 22 
different educational institutions throughout the country. The 
English Language Fellow Program in Turkey has grown from one Fellow 
in 1995 to ten each in 2005 and 2006, with outstanding support from 
ECA and EUR Bureaus, plus a significant contribution of post public 
diplomacy funds. In 2006, the 10 ELFs directly reached over 6000 
students and teachers in classrooms and workshops throughout Turkey 
with hands-on activities and thematic training focusing on critical 
thinking, civic education, and democratic practices 
 
¶3.  (U) The English Language Fellow Program remains Post's largest 
single outreach tool in Turkey. Often serving in smaller, more 
distant cities, the English Language Fellows become akin to 
"American Presence Ambassadors." They are often the only American 
younger Turks ever meet, serving as single-person resources of 
information on all things American for the local populace. Six of 
the ten current English Language Fellows teach undergraduate 
students at universities in cities with very little to no American 
presence. 
 
¶4. (U) Content is Key: The Fellows teach university classroom 
courses ranging from literature and lexicology to speaking and 
teaching film. Outside of their regularly scheduled courses, Fellows 
design and facilitate supplemental English language programming such 
as workshops for colleagues, deliver presentations for secondary 
school students on aspects of American culture, host conversation 
clubs, and give culture presentations to anyone interested in or 
curious about the United States.  The English Language Fellows also 
have a very real and positive impact in the classroom. Their 
democratic, learner-centered teaching style is appreciated by their 
audiences and admired (and emulated) by their colleagues. 
 
¶5.   (SBU) Education Inroads: The Fellows have gained impressive 
access to, and credibility with, their counterparts. Working within 
an often suspicious bureaucratic culture (which requires a 
cumbersome clearance process for even public school visits by 
embassy officials), the ELF working with the Ministry of Education 
in Ankara regularly visits public classrooms. This access marks an 
enormous stride in our working relationship with the Ministry of 
Education. Because of this ELF's innovative work , the Ministry of 
Education is currently considering  adopting the Office of English 
Language Programs' new offering, "Shaping the Way We Teach English," 
as part of its national teacher training program.  No Turkish 
educational institution has turned down an offer to host an English 
Language Fellow and many institutions have asked for more than one. 
 
¶6. (U) Comment:  2007 is a critical year for US-Turkish relations, 
marked by Turkish suspicion of US policies and actions concerning 
Iraq, the Middle East, PKK terrorism, and a possible "Armenian 
genocide" resolution in Congress.  A recent BBC World Service Survey 
reported that only seven percent of polled Turks currently have a 
positive opinion of US influence.  While our Mission gives high 
priority to explaining and advancing US policies through public 
diplomacy, we are also in vital need of cultural, exchange, and 
English-language programs that broaden and deepen the relationship 
with the Turkish public.  The English Language Fellow Program has 
been our number-one program for face-to-face interaction between 
Turks and Americans in the arena of education, and remains popular 
regardless of Turkish opinion on specific USG policies.  The ELFs 
provide exceptional outreach to youth and distant areas of Turkey, 
with activities that promote democratic values and positive 
presentations of America.  It is now more important than ever to 
offset the negative image of Americans in the Turkish and 
international media through access to real Americans serving in the 
classrooms, interacting with youth, and sharing resources with local 
educators. We therefore strongly support a sustained or increased 
English Language Fellow program for Turkey in the coming fiscal 
year.  End Comment. 
 
WILSON