Sustainability, Climate Action, and Social Justice in the Language Classroom

As young people's concerns about climate change grow, their interest in environmental issues deepens. As language instructors, we can play a critical role in helping our students engage not only with the climate crisis but also with climate justice. While scientists and engineers work on technological solutions, humanists, social scientists, and artists explore creative pathways. By integrating the UN Sustainable Development Goals into our curriculum, we can provide students at all proficiency levels with meaningful opportunities to examine environmental issues in their target cultures and communities. This encourages students to create action plans, awareness campaigns, and community-engaged projects, all while improving their language skills and intercultural understanding. Through this, we can foster collaboration that contributes to global solutions. Webinar by Dr. Gisela Hoecherl-Alden.