While picking up foreign languages teenagers all over the world are directly (or indirectly) confronted with environmental issues.
Ecological matters and problems are not only presented and discussed in non-fictional but also in fictional texts, a clear hint at their relevance. It is here where personal interests, experience and expectations often meet with a high emotional energy which supports language learning.
The use of environmental issues in teenage fiction can be regarded to be a positive by-¬product of reading in the sense of a further motivation or a challenge to reflect fixed and traditional attitudes.
One consequence from this is what some critics consider to be 'ethic thinking' or an 'option of kids' participation of their own opinions, attitudes or value systems' all of which are focused on something which is seen as environmental learning in the widest sense of the word (see movement Fridays For Future started by Greta Thunberg).
Books for early learners can be seen as starting points for this development and the confrontation with these problems in teenage fiction is one form of introduction into ecological learning.
Pupils between 12 and 13 years of age already dispose of an attitude in connection to environmental issues and to discover, discuss and present them in a literary Canadian context can be considered to be a further motivation for their future reading habits.
To choose a book set in the region of the Vancouver Islands is based against this background. The work will be done with the help of several projects which accompany the analysis of The Secret of Whispering Island simply because of the higher motivation for the students involved. The work will first be done in individual web quest work which is accompanied by group work and an exchange of selected material. The projects themselves are based on given questions (2 - 3) which should help students to focus on specific matters.
It is also important to leave it open to students what the output of their results will look like. The range here includes posters for presentations, power point presentations, essays, newspaper articles or the option of a website. In short students here should / could be creative.
Table of Contents
I. The condition of teaching English
II. Environmental learning as (a neglected) part of language learning? A short survey
III. Chances and challenges of eco-didactics within foreign learning
IV. Eco-didactics - a future concept of teaching ecology?
V. Intercultural learning as part of eco-didactics
VI. Canada and its ecological background for foreign students
VII. The Secret of Whispering Island (2008) - a first introduction into environmental learning. Structure of the course
VIII. Outlook
Project Goals and Thematic Focus
This project aims to integrate environmental learning into foreign language education by using Canadian teenage fiction as a medium to foster ecological awareness, intercultural competence, and ethical thinking among students aged 12 to 13.
- The role of ecological matters in teenage fiction.
- The concept of eco-didactics as a pedagogical framework.
- Intercultural learning through the lens of literature.
- The intersection of environmental and political education.
- Practical application of literature-based project work in school.
Excerpt from the Book
The condition of teaching English
Language learning and teaching alike have drastically changed during the last two decades. This is due to the fact that the world has turned out to be different in the face of globalisation processes, matters of economic and social justice, the consequences of gene manipulation or the terror attacks of 9/11. The conditions of English as a subject at schools and universities have to keep pace with all these multiple influences and the fact that economic and ecological sustainable developments and genetic engineering have found a fixed place along traditional fields such as 'Landeskunde', the American Dream or literary topics.
Teaching English has finally stopped to be a sole preparation for a visit to Great Britain or the USA. One of its main tasks by now is to prepare students for a discussion or a reflection of global matters. To echo ecology in whatever form is part of this venture and is one of these contemporary options to keep language learning alive and fit in the 21st century. It is, however, often restricted and governed by a strict time span which seems to govern teaching and learning English in general.
It is naive to think that English lessons can do all of it. Yet they can and must enable students to use English as a foreign language in a receptive and productive way in order to participate in a (critical) discourse of whatever matters.
A project on ecological matters connected to a book for early learners is a first step in this direction simply because teenagers between 12 and 13 years of age already dispose of outside information, attitudes, hopes and expectations in connection to their world all of which can be included into lessons and free work options.
Summary of Chapters
I. The condition of teaching English: This chapter analyzes how globalization and modern global challenges necessitate a shift in English language teaching, moving beyond traditional cultural studies toward reflecting global ecological issues.
II. Environmental learning as (a neglected) part of language learning? A short survey: This section highlights the absence of coherent eco-didactic concepts in English curricula and argues for environmental learning as a critical component of education for young students.
III. Chances and challenges of eco-didactics within foreign learning: The author explores how ecological issues can be integrated into language learning to bridge natural sciences with ethical, cultural, and political dimensions.
IV. Eco-didactics - a future concept of teaching ecology?: This chapter discusses the complexity of implementing eco-didactics in school, emphasizing the importance of critical teaching and the use of literature to reflect on cultural norms and environmental crises.
V. Intercultural learning as part of eco-didactics: The focus here is on the connection between intercultural competence and eco-didactics, illustrating how literature helps students reconcile familiar and foreign perspectives.
VI. Canada and its ecological background for foreign students: This chapter provides a geographical and ecological context of Canada, specifically regarding its First Nations, national resources, and environmental challenges to serve as a backdrop for the literary analysis.
VII. The Secret of Whispering Island (2008) - a first introduction into environmental learning. Structure of the course: The chapter details the practical implementation of the school project, involving web quests, group work, and creative outputs based on the assigned literary text.
VIII. Outlook: The conclusion reflects on the project's success in connecting literary analysis with environmental and political education, reinforcing the idea of thinking globally while acting locally.
Keywords
Eco-didactics, environmental learning, Canadian teenage fiction, intercultural learning, foreign language teaching, literature, ecological awareness, First Nations, sustainability, critical discourse, political education, global learning, ethical thinking, Vancouver Islands, school project.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental purpose of this work?
The work aims to propose a didactic approach that combines foreign language teaching with environmental education by using literature to foster global and ethical awareness in students.
What are the central thematic fields?
The core themes include eco-didactics, intercultural learning, environmental literature, and the practical application of these concepts in a classroom setting.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to determine how ecological matters can be integrated into English language lessons to motivate students and encourage them to reflect on global environmental challenges.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The methodology relies on an interdisciplinary approach, drawing from literary studies, pedagogy, and environmental education theories to design a project-based learning structure.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main section covers the history and theory of eco-didactics, the role of literature in intercultural learning, a geographical and ecological background of Canada, and a detailed description of the pedagogical course structure.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms include eco-didactics, environmental learning, Canadian teenage fiction, sustainability, and intercultural competence.
How does the book "The Secret of Whispering Island" serve the project?
It acts as the central literary anchor, providing a context for students to engage with Canadian geography and environmental themes through character analysis and personal reflection.
Why are First Nations' creation narratives discussed?
They are used to illustrate a specific cultural relationship with nature, which contrasts with Western notions and serves as an important intercultural point of discussion for the students.
What role does the "Fridays for Future" movement play in the text?
The movement is cited as a modern example of youth engagement in environmental issues, which supports the author's argument that teenagers possess a high potential for emotional and critical engagement with these topics.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Dr. Matthias Dickert (Autor:in), 2019, The Call of Ecology in Canadian Teenage Fiction. A Project for School, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/490160
