Zylfije Tahiri, PhDc
South East European University, Faculty of Languages, Cultures and Communication, Tetovo, North Macedonia
E-mail: zt32329@seeu.edu.mk
ORCID iD: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-8646-3789
Abstract
This study examines the integration of climate change learning into English as a foreign language (EFL) teaching and its impact on students’ ecological intelligence and language development in higher education. It explores how environmental topics enhance cognitive and linguistic outcomes through sustainability-focused pedagogy and Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL). Using a quantitative design, structured questionnaires were distributed to 103 students and 10 professors at the Public University of Montenegro. Data analysis revealed that climate-themed instruction significantly increases students’ environmental awareness, motivation, and language skills, especially in comprehension and expression. Instructors noted heightened student participation and cognitive engagement, despite challenges like limited resources. The study confirms that climate-integrated EFL instruction is an effective interdisciplinary approach that fosters linguistic competence and environmental awareness in a Southeast European context.
Keywords: Ecological Intelligence, Climate change education, EFL Instruction, Content and Language Integrated Learning
- Introduction
The urgency of addressing climate change has grown across all disciplines in recent decades, prompting a reassessment of the role of education in fostering sustainability-oriented competencies (UNESCO, 2017). Higher education institutions are increasingly recognized as critical agents in developing environmentally responsible citizens capable of confronting global ecological challenges (Sterling, 2013). Ecological Intelligence is a critical educational outcome and component that has finally emerged, defined as the ability to understand the impact of human actions on ecosystems and make informed and sustainable decisions (Goleman, 2009). Simultaneously, English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instruction has expanded beyond linguistic objectives to include interdisciplinary and socially relevant content. Content-based instruction (CBI) and Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) approaches have shown that incorporating meaningful subject matter into language teaching improves both language acquisition and cognitive engagement (Coyle, Hood, & Marsh, 2010; Dalton-Puffer, 2011). Climate change, a globally relevant and intellectually rich topic, presents a valuable opportunity to align language learning with sustainability education (Jacobs & Cates, 1999). Despite increasing interest in incorporating environmental themes into language education, empirical research on the impact of such integration on both ecological intelligence and language development remains limited, particularly in Southeast European higher education contexts (Pavlova, 2013). This study fills a gap by looking into the implementation of climate-themed lessons in the EFL curriculum at the University of Montenegro.
1.1 Aims of the study
The primary aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of integrating climate change-related content into the teaching of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in higher education, with a particular focus on its impact on students’ ecological intelligence and language development. The study also aims to assess how sustainability-oriented pedagogy, particularly through Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), contributes to increasing students’ environmental awareness, engagement, and high-level language skills, and to investigate instructors’ perspectives on the implementation, benefits, and challenges of incorporating climate-related teaching into the EFL curriculum at the University of Montenegro.