Green English Language Teaching and EFL Textbooks: Fostering Environmental Consciousness in Language Education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31305/rrijm.2024.v09.n04.013Keywords:
Eco-consciousness in education, Environmental themes, Green English Language Teaching (GELT), Language EducationAbstract
Eco-consciousness logically demands that greater focus needs to be placed on fostering such awareness through education. Language education provides great opportunities to integrate and develop environmental consciousness. This research paper investigates the possibility and the necessity for integration of environmental consciousness into English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teaching practices and textbooks, aiming to contribute to the growing field of Green English Language Teaching (GELT). For the purpose of this study, 16 EFL textbooks were analyzed to identify the extent of environmental content and propose strategies for enhancing eco-awareness within language classrooms and then, a mixed method survey was conducted among EFL teachers to understand their perception and aptitude towards the principles of GELT and their implementation in language classrooms. This paper explores the potential impact of incorporating environmental themes and sustainable practices into language education, examining the benefits, challenges, and implications for educators, learners, and textbook developers.
References
Alexander, Richard J. (2009). Framing Discourse on the Environment: A Critical Discourse Approach. New York: Routledge.
Al-Jamal D. A., & Al-Omari W. (2014). Thinking Green: Analyzing EFL Textbooks in Light of Ecological Education Themes. Journal of Education and Practice, 5 (14).
Arran, Stibbe (2009). Environmental Education Across Cultures: Beyond the Discourse of Shallow Environmentalism. Language and Intercultural Communication. 4 (4), 242-260.
Altındiş, Hüseyin (2017). The world will go on living: Resistance to Eurocentric Epistemology in Lind Hogan’s Power. Interactions: Ege Journal of British and American Studies, 26 (1-2): 15-29.
Babcook, S.P. (1993). The Significance of Cultural Influence within the ESL/EFL Classroom: A Taiwan Experience. Eric Document Reproduction Service Number 375681, 29.
Brown, H.D. (1991). 50 simple things you can do to teach environmental awareness and action in your English language classroom. The Language Teacher. 15, 4-5.
Chowdhury, M.A.T. (2014). Nature of Environmental Education in Bangladesh: A school Level Assessment with Reference to three National Curriculum. International Electronic Journal of Environmental Education. 4(1), 53-60.
Carson, Rachel. (1962). Silent Spring. Penguin Classics.
Conde, M.D.C. & Sanchez, J. S. (2010). The school curriculum and environmental audit experience. International Journal of Environmental of Science Education, 5 (4), 477-494.
Coyle, D., Hood, P., & Marsh, D. (2010). CLIL: Content and Language Integrated Learning. Cambridge: CUP.
Garner, M., & Borg, E. (2005). An ecological perspective on content-based instruction. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 4(2), 119–134.
Goatly, A. (1996). Green grammar and grammatical metaphor, or language and the myth of power, or metaphors we die by. Journal of Pragmatics. 25: 537-560.
Hameed, Ansa. (2023). Environmental Concerns and English Language Teaching in Saudi Context: Perceptions. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 14(4), 127-137.
Hauschild, S., Poltavtchenko, E., & Stoller, F L. (2012): Going Green: merging Environmental Education and Language Instruction. English Teaching Forum, 50(2) 2-13.
Jacobs, G. M. (1993). Integrating environmental education in second language instruction. Singapore: Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization, Regional Language Centre. Washington, DC: ERIC Digest ED367129. Retrieved on 23 November, 2023 from www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED367129.pdf
Jacobs G. M., and Cates K. (1999). Global Education in Second Language Teaching. KATA 1 (1), 44–56. Retrieved on 12 November, 2023 from https://doi.org/10.9744/kata.1.1.44-56.
Jacobs, G.M., Lie, A., & Amy, S. (2006). An Indonesia example of teaching English via environmental education. In S. Mayer and G. Wilson (Eds), Ecodidactic perspectives on English language, literatures and cultures (pp.45- 62). Trier, Germany: Wissens Chaftlicher verlag Trier.
Lie, A. (1992). Jigsaw: Cooperative learning for EFL students. Cross currents, 19, 49-52.
Mliless, M., & Larouz, M. (2018). An ecolinguistic analysis of environment texts in Moroccan English language teaching textbooks. International Journal of Research in Environmental Studies, 5, 103-116
Muldagalyieva A. A., Okusheva G. T, & Orazbekova I.G. (2017). Story reading as an effective tool of developing English language fluency. Central Asian Sciences and Humanities. 1(1-2), 79-83.
Neipaia, P.N.A.E. (2014). CLILing the Environment! Teaching Environmental Studies through CLIL. Retrieved on 30 November, 2023 from https://rellia.weebly.com/uploads/2/9/2/3/29235405/cliling_the_environment
Nkwetisama, C.M. (2011). EFL/ESL and Environmental Education: Towards an Eco-Applied Linguistic Awareness in Cameroon. World Journal of Education, vol.1. Retrieved on 12 November, 2023 from https://doi.org/10.5430/wje.v1n1p110
Stibbe, Arran. (2021). Ecolinguistics: Language, Ecology and The Stories We Live By, 2nd edition. London: Routledge.
Stryker, S. B., Leaver, B. & Lou, L. (1997). Content-based instruction: From theory to practice. In S. B. Stryker & B. Lou Leaver (Eds.), Content-based Instruction in Foreign Language Education: Models and Methods. Georgetown University Press.
Tang, Y. C. (2009). The preliminary study for incorporating environmental education into English curriculum and teaching. Dahan, Taiwan: Dahan Institute of Technology.
UNESCO International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training 2017, Greening Technical and Vocational Education and Training: A Practical Guide for Institutions, UNESCO and UNESCO-UNEVOC, [Bonn] Viewed on 18 November, 2023 from <http://www.unevoc.unesco.org/up/Greening%20technical%20and%20
vocational%20education%20and%20training_online.pdf>.
UNESCO-UNEP (1976). The Belgrade Charter: A global framework for environmental education. Connect (UNESCO-UNEP) Environmental Education Newsletter). 1 (1), 1-2.
Young J. L. (2016). An interactive environmental approach to teaching English as a second language (Master’s Thesis). University of San Francisco, San Francisco, USA. Retrieved on 03 December, 2023 from https://repository.usfca.edu/capstone/449
Zahoor, M., & Janjua, F. (2020). Green contents in English language textbooks in Pakistan: An ecolinguistic and ecopedagogical appraisal. British Educational Research Journal, 46(2), 321–338. Retrieved on 30 November, 2023 from https://doi.org/10.1002/berj.3579
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0).
