Greening the classroom: Cultivating sustainable futures through English language teaching

In an evaluation of English Language Teaching's (ELT) contribution to the United Nations' (UN) Sustainable Development Goals, sustainability is increasingly further represented in the ELT curriculum. Synthesizing Ecological Linguistics, Critical Pedagogy and Transformative Learning Theory, our mixed-methods study explores the effect of sustainability pedagogy on learners' language ability, motivation and eco-literacy skills. Specifically, quantitative analysis shows that learners exposed to sustainability materials are motivated and participative, have better communicative competence, and deeper thinking skills. Qualitative analysis illustrates how sustainability can be employed as a critical pedagogic tool. For example, teachers interviewed reported the need for more effective pedagogical models and cross-disciplinary collaboration between education and sustainability. Furthermore, while digital tools enhance access to sustainability information and increase the number of digital learning opportunities available to learners, unequal access to digital resources and varying levels of digital literacy will limit the effectiveness of this medium. Overall, the current study reinforces the importance of developing practical, flexible, and readily accessible resources for integrating sustainability pedagogy into ELT programs and provides empirical support for the arguments that have been made about the role of English Language Teaching in preparing linguistically competent and environmentally responsible global citizens.