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  3. Three steps towards sustainability in English language education

Three steps towards sustainability in English language education

31/05/2024

Helen Allen

Engaging with what sustainability means, supporting teaching communities and working together across Cambridge are just some of the things we’re doing to address sustainability in English language education, writes Helen Allen. Helen is Insight Application Lead at Cambridge University Press & Assessment.

“I often get asked why we should be bringing sustainability into education and my answer is always the same: Why wouldn’t we? We need our present and future generations to be equipped with effective knowledge, skills and attitudes to be able to address environmental, social and economic issues. Sometimes, it can be difficult to know where to start; it might seem overwhelming or confusing, but it doesn’t have to be this way. We can all play a part and build on what we’re already doing to make a difference.

At Cambridge we help millions of people all over the world teach and learn English. We’re also committed to finding new ways to incorporate sustainability into everything we do. We’ve already started on our journey, but there’s so much more ahead. Here are three steps we’re taking to bring skills for sustainability into the classroom.

1. Engaging with what sustainability means

What is sustainability anyway? If you ask different people what sustainability means to them, they'll say different things. Often the first thing people think about is what they’ve seen on the news, and they frequently focus on the climate crisis. Whilst this is critical, sustainability is much broader than a singular focus on climate.

It is important to think about local contexts and global impact, and to bring perspectives together to carefully consider environmental, social and economic implications. At Cambridge we’re committed to helping teachers and other stakeholders to engage with all aspects of sustainability. A good starting point for anyone who wants to get more involved is to widen their understanding of what sustainability can include. We’ve pulled together a number of important words related to sustainability to help here, and they’re not always the ones you expect! Find out more with the word lists we’ve developed with the Cambridge Dictionary (you’ll need to create a free account).

2. Supporting teaching communities

One of the most important things a teacher can do is to bring an inclusive, hopeful and enabling approach to sustainability. It is important to engage with issues in the classroom, but carefully. Constant reminders and information about the severity of the climate crisis and the need to do something about it can trigger eco-anxiety, detachment and a negative response. We can share information, but also model ways of responding to challenges from across the world, and think about where we have the power to come together for change. It’s important not to focus all the responsibility onto individuals and young people, and to explore how we can act collectively for greater impact.

It’s also important to remember that not all classrooms have the same starting point. In some schools the curriculum may already be full, in others, climate or sustainability may be a part of different subjects. A focus on sustainability doesn’t have to be a full lesson or unit on green energy. We can start with steps such as taking children outside to appreciate and connect with nature as part of a wider classroom activity, or building in additional questions to bring in sustainability when looking at images in the coursebook or in speaking activities.

Teachers can also use our activity cards to embed sustainability skills into existing classroom content. This might include encouraging students to think expansively, problem solve and influence. For example, teachers could help their students to write a letter to a local business to outline a sustainability issue in their community and give suggestions for how they could help to resolve it. This can be a great way to help students to build skills within the domain of sustainability.

At Cambridge we are supporting teachers, providing guidance and resources which are underpinned by the Sustainability Framework for ELT. This has been designed to make life easier for teachers wanting to integrate sustainability skills into their lessons. The framework maps sustainability into four Dimensions: Knowledge, Values, Innovation, and Transformation – and outlines the skills needed to work towards a more sustainable future. This means thinking in systems, recognising relationships between people and the natural world and reflecting on different sustainability beliefs and values. It also involves seeking out perspectives, understanding challenges in more depth so that we can create better solutions, developing agency and working together for greater impact.

3. A collective focus

Sustainability is a priority for the English team at Cambridge University Press & Assessment, and part of a wider commitment in our organisation and across the University. Education is key to creating a sustainable future and acting for the welling being of people and planet is core to our strategy. Across Cambridge we are working to equip learners, researchers, teachers & education leaders with the knowledge, skills and approaches they need to make a positive impact in a changing world. But we’re also clear that our operational approaches must be consistent with the messages in our publishing and education. We are acting to reduce the carbon footprint of our activities, source paper more sustainably and increase access to our content for a diverse range of users and contributors globally. We set ourselves a target to achieve a 72% reduction on our energy-related emissions by 2030 and have achieved a 28% reduction in the UK since 2018. In the English team we know that some learners find it more difficult than others to access and engage with our products so have created a new accessibility initiative tasked with removing some of these barriers. This initiative not only looks to ensure all our technology platforms are meeting international accessibility standards but also incorporates design considerations in our print products that make it easier for learners to interact with our content.

And finally

We aim to support teachers and other stakeholders around the world in bringing knowledge skills and attitudes for sustainability into teaching and learning in ways that make sense for the local context and classroom. The journey to a more sustainable future is one we need to make hand in hand with our communities, partners and peers; so that we learn and move forwards together. If people read this article and feel motivated to take a next step, no matter how big or small, we are heading in the right direction.”

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