What is environmentally-based language teaching?

Today, the world is increasingly concerned with environmental issues, and it’s no wonder. 

Climate change, environmental pollution, and the depletion of natural resources have become some of the central topics of modern discussions. 

These problems affect every aspect of our lives, including education. 

The question arises: how can teachers promote a mindful attitude towards nature among their students while simultaneously teaching them language skills?

 Let’s take a closer look at what this involves and how this approach can be applied in lessons.

Environmentally-based teaching is an approach where language becomes a tool for discussing real environmental issues. 

While learning the language, students are immersed in topics related to environmental protection, responsible resource consumption, and sustainable development. 

By engaging with environmental problems and solutions, students begin to understand the importance of their actions and their impact on the environment.

Now that we understand what environmentally-based language teaching is, let’s explore how it can be integrated into English language lessons. 

It’s not as difficult as it may seem, and any teacher can adapt their lessons to this approach.

Learning outdoors

Organising lessons outside is a great way to diversify learning. 

Students can practise their spoken English by describing the world around them, using new words and phrases.

Choosing relevant topics

You can ask your students questions that fit their interests and language proficiency. 

For example, in a speaking lesson, you could discuss climate change in your country, pollution, resource conservation, or animal protection. 

For instance, discussions on pollution issues can be accompanied by images or videos, helping students better grasp the problem.

Encourage students to share their observations about the state of the environment in their area, as well as suggest solutions to improve the situation in your city or country.

Interactive tasks

Incorporate interactive tasks into your lessons. 

These could be group projects or debates. 

To organise debates, you’ll need a list of controversial questions for students to discuss, such as “Should we ban plastic use?”. 

For homework, you could assign students to create a project on an environmental topic, which will be discussed in class.

For example, you could create a scenario where students take on different roles: environmental activists, government representatives, or businesspeople. 

During the game, they can discuss various approaches to solving environmental problems.

Encouraging personal responsibility

Try to inspire students to take personal responsibility for preserving the environment.

Share success stories about individuals or groups who have made significant contributions to environmental protection.

Ask students to think about what will happen if we don’t take care of the planet. 

Pose questions that make them reflect on how their personal actions can impact these issues.

Let's summarise: environmentally-based language teaching is an important approach that helps cultivate a conscious attitude towards the environment in students while developing their language skills.

As teachers, we can become agents of change, creating an atmosphere where caring for nature becomes a natural part of our students' lives. 

Let’s continue implementing innovative approaches and inspiring the new generation to care for our planet.