In a rapidly changing world, it’s crucial to equip the next generation with the knowledge, skills, and values needed to address pressing global challenges. Sustainability education is at the forefront of this mission, and the ELT (English Language Teaching) classroom plays a pivotal role in shaping young minds to become responsible global citizens. In this blog, we will explore the transformative potential of sustainability in ELT and the invaluable resource known as the Cambridge Sustainability Framework for ELT.
Why does sustainability matter in ELT?
Sustainability in ELT, or Sustainable ELT, goes beyond language proficiency. It encompasses a broader vision of education that integrates environmental, social, and economic themes into language learning. But why does it matter?
Global citizenship: By integrating sustainability into ELT, we foster a sense of global citizenship among students. They learn to think beyond their immediate communities and understand their interconnectedness with the world.
Real-world relevance: Sustainability is not just a buzzword; it’s a key topic in many professional fields. ELT which incorporates sustainability ensures students are well-prepared for the challenges and opportunities of the future.
Empower students to engage with global issues: fostering a sense of responsibility and action.
Benefits of including sustainability in the classroom
Besides all of these crucial aspects, there are also language and cognitive benefits from bringing sustainability themes to the ELT classroom, such as:
Using language as a tool for communication: language skills are vital for discussing, understanding and taking action on sustainability issues.
Critical thinking and problem-solving: Sustainability education fosters critical thinking skills, enabling students to analyse complex problems and propose solutions.
Empathy and intercultural competence: Learning about global sustainability issues helps students develop empathy and cultural sensitivity.
Where to start?
You might find it difficult to know where to start when bringing sustainability to ELT. Cambridge has created an extremely well-crafted sustainability in ELT framework that can help you get started. There are four main dimensions – Knowledge, values, innovation and transformation and for each of these dimensions, there are three core areas, which are very simple and practical statements that can be used as lesson goals.
Using the Cambridge Sustainability Framework for ELT will help you as a teacher understand what are the most essential parts of developing a sustainable mindset in your students in the most various scenarios, not only environmental. There are even ideas of activities and projects which behold the Cambridge Sustainability Framework, such as the series called Global Changer, written by and for Brazilians. Here you can find lots of ideas of how to incorporate sustainability as a regular topic in your classes, helping students to touch all four dimensions in the framework and reflect on their own behaviour as well as come up with creative ideas of how to tackle the world’s most pressing problems.
Final thoughts
In the ELT classroom, sustainability education isn’t just about learning English; it’s about preparing students to be compassionate, informed, and empowered global citizens. The Cambridge Sustainability Framework for ELT provides a valuable roadmap for educators, guiding them on the journey to creating a brighter, more sustainable future. By integrating sustainability into language education, we’re not just teaching students how to communicate; we’re teaching them how to make a positive change in the world.
Do you want to know how you can help your students become more responsible with society and the natural world around them and also get ideas of activities and projects on how to work with sustainability in ELT? Watch the webinar I gave and help your students change the world.
Teaching sustainability helps learners to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes they need to flourish as citizens of the world. Take a look at our “Sustainability Skills” page, and discover tips on how you can integrate sustainability into your English classroom.