“Learning other languages enables children and young people to make connections with different people and their cultures and to play a fuller part as global citizens.”
As this quote from the Scottish Government’s Modern Languages Principles and Practice document clearly shows, Modern Languages classrooms are uniquely positioned to incorporate Learning for Sustainability into their teaching and learning. Learning a language in school is not simply about learning vocabulary and grammatical structures; it offers a window into other cultures, traditions, ways of life and ways of thinking. Every day, pupils in our classes are being made aware in a very real way of their interconnectedness with the wider world, both socially and environmentally. The Modern Languages curriculum, particularly within the Senior Phase, already includes topics such as equality, social justice, environmental issues and gender – as Modern Languages teachers we are very often already teaching around Learning for Sustainability without even realising it!
How can we develop this?
Although many aspects of Learning for Sustainability, both in terms of content and of values, are already implicit in our teaching and learning in Modern Languages, there is still scope to bring this further to the fore. Currently, French and Spanish are the most widely-taught languages in Scotland’s schools. Both languages have a wide range of native speakers far beyond the borders of France and Spain, and the cultures and ways of life of Francophone and Hispanophone countries in, for example Africa or South America, allow naturally-occurring connections to be made within Modern Languages lessons. A typical lesson on, for example, rooms in the house, comes to life when it is used to look at different house styles and standards of living of a young person in Barcelona compared to one in Caracas.
"Learning a language in school is not simply about learning vocabulary and grammatical structures; it offers a window into other cultures, traditions, ways of life and ways of thinking."
Why should we develop this?
One of the questions which is all too familiar in Modern Languages departments, unfortunately, is that of ‘why are we doing this?’ Pupils do not always appreciate the many benefits of language learning, both cognitive and cultural, or see its connection to their lives and plans. This has led in recent years to a decline in uptake, and a huge challenge for us as language teachers is to motivate our learners to see the value of learning languages.
One way to do this is by enriching the curriculum by the inclusion of contexts for language learning which pupils can relate to their own experiences and interests. It is inspiring nowadays to see how engaged many young people are with global issues, and how passionately they feel regarding social and environmental issues. Bringing Learning for Sustainability into the Modern Languages classroom allows us to tap into this and to achieve two aims together – engaging young people in language learning while at the same time equipping them with the confidence, values, knowledge, attitudes and skills to contribute effectively to the development of a better world.
"As Modern Languages teachers we are very often already teaching around Learning for Sustainability without even realising it!"
What can help us develop this?
This can be the scary bit – where to start? As has already been said, though, many of us will naturally be bringing the principles and values of Learning for Sustainability into our class teaching already, and more resources and courses are becoming available to help to take this further. Here are some good places to start.
- Scotdec’s Issue to Action course. This is an excellent course for developing greater personal awareness of Global Citizenship Education, as well as providing tools for use within the classroom. It contains a module specifically designed for Modern Languages teachers, with ready to use resources in French and Spanish for BGE. I can highly recommend the course as a thought-provoking and practical piece of Professional Learning. The next course starts in January 2020.
- The British Council/LFSS Connecting Classrooms courses. I am currently undertaking, and enjoying, the Making Connections through Learning for Sustainability course.
- Issue to Action French and Spanish materials from Scotdec
- Polly Glot Languages French resources with a focus on Climate Change
"It is inspiring nowadays to see how engaged many young people are with global issues, and how passionately they feel regarding social and environmental issues."
