From teacher in Turkey to NT2 teacher at TopTaal
Teacher and connector found her voice at TopTaal
Şule Çakir
Şule Çakir worked as a teacher in Turkey for fifteen years. In the Netherlands, she was given the opportunity through TopTaal and UAF to retrain as a certified NT2 teacher. She graduated in the spring of 2025, as part of the first cohort of migrant teachers.
Five years ago, Şule came to the Netherlands with her family. Although her Turkish diploma was recognized by DUO as a first-degree teaching qualification, she could not work as a Turkish teacher here – Turkish lessons are not taught in schools. Thanks to the training program provided by TopTaal, UAF, and the university of applied sciences, she was given the chance to start over and develop into a certified NT2 teacher. Through the program, I not only obtained a diploma but also found my voice. For Şule, teaching is more than a profession: it is a passion. Because she came to the Netherlands as a refugee herself, she understands well what her students are going through. In her classroom, not only words are shared, but also stories, emotions, and life experiences. Having experienced firsthand how difficult it is to learn a new language, she motivates her students to speak Dutch outside the classroom as well – with assignments in the library, the Language Café, the station, or the supermarket. You don't learn a language just from a book – it's like learning to swim: you only truly learn by getting into the water. Would you also like to use your teaching experience as an NT2 teacher? Visit werken-bij.toptaal.nl. More stories