ESL Teacher Interviews: Eva Buyuksimkesyan

Kaplan first got in touch with Eva Buyuksimkesyan when we discovered that, like 86% of ESL teachers, she uses the music of The Beatles in her English lessons. Eva has been teaching English for 20 years. As well as being an EFL teacher, she is also a teacher trainer and Edu blogger.

What made you become an ESL teacher?

Unfortunately I didn't have an English teacher at high school. There was someone as a substitute but he was not a real teacher. My parents thought learning a foreign language was a must so I started taking lessons from an incredible lady who used to be my English teacher at secondary school.

I kept going her home once a week for four years. I promised her, my mum and myself to become an English teacher and work at my school and now I’m teaching there.

How would you describe your teaching style?

Eclectic. It depends. Anything that works with the students. I want them to be more creative. Maybe that’s the key point.

What cultural insights can you get from teaching ESL?

Well, I work in my country. I’m not a travelling ESL, ELT teacher but by teaching languages you give students a chance to know the other cultures better.

Which other ESL teachers do you admire and why?

Since 2009 I've been using Twitter and social media as a means of professional development. I met many enthusiastic teachers there and their enthusiasm is infectious. I can’t give any names because there are loads.

What would you say to someone who was considering becoming an ESL teacher?

It’s the best job for me. Here is a post I’d written some time ago for Barbara Sakamoto’s Teaching Village.

What do you think is the future of ESL teaching?

I guess blended learning will be a very important issue.

Which superhero would you be and why?

Never thought about it but if that counts I’d choose Samantha from Bewitched. I’d like to have the supernatural powers and teach everything effectively when a class is demotivated.

Many thanks to Eva for taking part in our "Interview with the Experts" series. Do you have any thoughts on what Eva had to say? If so, please leave a comment below!