Visibility of eTwinning Projects Groups July 2019 Newsletter Newsletter 9 | Page 15

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2019 Newsletter
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Customizing eTwinning into Imam Hatip
Schools’ Curriculum
by Pınar Alniak Çömlek
When Daniela offered me to write for the eTwinning
Newsletter, I had the chance to count my years
with eTwinning. 2009 was my first encounter with
eTwinning, and this has been my fourth article since
eTwinning Projects Newsletter Volume 3 of 2013.
throughout Turkey. The main aims are to develop
students’ rational, analytical thinking skills, to
improve them in line with their abilities and
applying foreign language capacity which will make
them ready for the future.
2017 is a brand new start for my eTwinning
adventure as I have become a teacher of eTwinning
Project Team in Imam Hatip Schools in Turkey. I
shall begin with introduction of Imam Hatip Schools
to the readers as IHSs have been the unique
examples of the deep-rooted institutions in Turkey’s
educational system since 1950.
According to Islamic Belief, education is a lifelong
process “from cradle to grave”. The IHSs combine
an educational model that nourishes humanity with
positive sciences through an approach that restores
and develops both matter and meaning. I have
been working for IHSs which have been giving a
novel touch and have been a pioneering figure in
many areas of life. IHSs are public schools that
have been established by Ministry of National
Education of Republic of Turkey.
The success of IHSs has aroused interest in Turkey
which has enabled young students to grow up in a
multifaceted way and to understand and to open
new paths to humanity by leaning on their own
roots as well as learning out of the country. Briefly
IHSs are not just schools of religious education.
What is new at IHSs?
“2023 Vision Document” has been applied in IHSs
since 2014. Within the context of 2013 VD prepared
by the Turkish Ministry of National Education,
syllabi diversity is supported and disseminated
In the scope of foreign language training at
international level – MUN (Model United Nations)
and International Model Organization of Islamic
Cooperation Summit (BEYMOIC’18) are held for
students. Native language is English. Opinion
sharing of students in consideration of specific
agenda items is targeted at BM councils and
committees, committees such as Security Council,
Economic and Social Council, Disarmament
Commission amongst our students. Each student
becomes a delegate of a country and makes
investigation and prepares a speech about the
country he/she represents at these committees.
Participants present the resolutions they’ve
prepared to the UN General Assembly at the end of
the programme. In this way our students produce
solution ways for global problems on the agenda of
the world.BEYMOIC’18 is held in Arabic. Through
BEYMOIC’18, raising the awareness of the
participants for the problems of the world and the
Islamic world by being in international political
discussions via International Model Organization of
Islamic Cooperation Summit; to enable the
students to represent their culture, to present
solution offers within the frame of the country
policy they represent and to improve their mastery
in foreign language are targeted.
The novelty of IHSs is the Foreign Language
Preparatory Classes that developing humanitarian,
scientific, economic relation with the countries in
which English, Spanish, Russian, Arabic and
German are spoken. Students can have the chance
to raise awareness of foreign languages by getting
academic knowledge in order to see beyond the
boundaries. The best example for building a broad
vision and tolerance between IHSs and European
Schools is of course the great help of eTwinning.
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