Integrating environmental education into a genre-based English foreign language writing class

Abstract

Many fields of study are increasingly promoting awareness of the need to protect the ecosystem by thinking and acting “green,” the concept of environmental education actually has a long history. Considering the ambitious objectives of environmental education, increasing students’ awareness of environmental problems and possible solutions is a challenging task. This article suggests practical activities for integrating environmental education into English language teaching (ELT) based on the experiences of different authors, who added environmentally related elements to an English as a foreign language (EFL) writing class. Since the general EFL teaching and learning process in our context applies the genre-based approach (GBA), this article also discusses how environmental issues can be incorporated using that approach, especially for teaching the productive skills. With the number of challenges facing our planet, it is critical to raise students’ environmental awareness and teach them environmental values. Connecting environmental concerns with language instruction (1) increases students’ interest in significant current issues, (2) educates them on how to make the planet more healthy, and (3) offers real contexts for language learning and authentic interaction. Because environmental awareness has increased all over the world, there is a wider availability of appropriate materials, and environmentally themed topics are found in numerous resources.