Building communities and tolerance: power, ownership and social interactions among young people in an English-medium school in Cyprus

English in Northern Cyprus: A sociolinguistic profile

“…The quest for identity is so deeply entrenched in the collective psyche of Turkish Cypriots in the ongoing nation- countries, a great majority of Turkish Cypriots hold positive attitudes toward English, which translates into the prevalence of intrinsic motivation to learn English even after the colonial rule (Soysev, Çavuşo glu, & Kurt, 2018). The primary reasons behind this attitude include Turkish Cypriots' colonial heritage where English has brought several instrumental benefits (job opportunities, promotions), the migration policies encouraging the settlement of Turkish Cypriots to mainly Inner Circle countries, such as the UK and Australia, and hence the growth of the Turkish Cypriot diaspora, and the adherence to ideologies and perceptions that position English as a gateway to the globalized world.…”

“…On the one end of this spectrum lies the right‐wing ideology, supported mainly by the ruling Ulusal Birlik Partisi (UBP) ‘National Unity Party,’ which prioritizes Turkishness in personal/national identity as in Türk ‘Turkish’ or Kıbrıs Türkü ‘Turkish Cypriot or Turk of Cyprus,’ views Cyprus as a post‐Ottoman land, defines the relations with Turkey based on anavatan‐yavruvatan ‘motherland’ (Turkey)–babyland (Northern Cyprus) discourse, and supports the two‐state solution based on the sovereign equality of communities in the Kıbrıs Meselesi ‘Cyprus issue.’ On the other end of the spectrum lies the left‐wing ideology, mainly supported by the Cumhuriyetçi Türk Partisi (CTP) ‘Republican Turkish Party,’ which prioritizes Cypriotness in personal/national identity as in Kıbrıslı ‘Cypriot’ or Kıbrıslı Türk ‘Cypriot Turk,’ adopts the Kemalist values of secularism, modernization, and Westernization (but not Turkish nationalism), resists the hyper‐influence of Turkey as a form of Turkish colonization, ‘Turkification,’ or ‘Anatolianization’ (Hatay, 2009) with a potential to eradicate civic identity (Cypriotness), and supports (bicommunal/bizonal) united federal solution in the Kıbrıs sorunu ‘Cyprus question.’ Tracing the role, importance, status, and function of English in different aspects of life, including education, reveals the unique nature of the Turkish Cypriot context. Unlike most postcolonial countries, a great majority of Turkish Cypriots hold positive attitudes toward English, which translates into the prevalence of intrinsic motivation to learn English even after the colonial rule (Soysev, Çavuşoğlu, & Kurt, 2018). The primary reasons behind this attitude include Turkish Cypriots' colonial heritage where English has brought several instrumental benefits (job opportunities, promotions), the migration policies encouraging the settlement of Turkish Cypriots to mainly Inner Circle countries, such as the UK and Australia, and hence the growth of the Turkish Cypriot diaspora, and the adherence to ideologies and perceptions that position English as a gateway to the globalized world.…”

“…Even perfunctory analyses of these schools (websites, mission statements, programs, and diplomas) reveal that these institutions recognize such values as internationalization, diversity, intercultural communication, and dialogue; however, much research is needed to understand these schools and practices therein. The available limited research reveals adherence to Inner Circle Englishes, mainly British English, and students with a Turkish‐speaking background (especially those who see themselves as less proficient in English) are likely to be influenced by the background of their teachers and their peers with English‐speaking backgrounds (Soysev et al., 2018). The symbolic and academic importance attached to English in the local sociolinguistic and educational context resulted in the emergence of support services, such as private tutoring, academic counseling, and childcare services supporting English language use and development.…”