Topic outline
-
-
Dear teachers,
Welcome to our course 'GSS for teachers' centered around our impactful project 'Green Standard Schools'. This engaging initiative aims to:
- Integrate crucial environmental topics into the language learning curriculum of three languages (English, Spanish, and French)
- Enhance the language competence of foreign language learners
- Boost the teaching competences of language teachers
- Foster responsible and sustainable environmental behavior in both language learners and teachers
- Inspire language schools to develop comprehensive environmental policies
This course features a comprehensive Environmental Handbook for Language School Managers and Teachers, designed as training material to empower language teachers and managers with tools to minimize environmental impact in their operations and enhance their proficiency as language course providers.
Also, you can explore our Video Collection, accessible on our YouTube channel Green Standard Schools, where you'll discover a series of short videos featuring discussions on environmental issues. This curated collection serves as a readily available database of teaching materials, seamlessly integrable into your lessons.
-
-
The introduction underscores the significant environmental impact of human activities and the need for education to address these challenges. It outlines the following lessons about global warming, pollution, and biodiversity, along with suggested vocabulary levels. Teachers are encouraged to integrate environmental topics and set examples in the classroom to promote responsible global citizenship and protect the planet. Lessons in Chapter 2 'Teaching environmental topics' equip educators with tools to address contemporary global challenges effectively.
-
In this lesson, you will explore a comprehensive range of vocabulary and phrases related to environmental issues. The table provides a structured breakdown of words and expressions at different language proficiency levels, from basic A1-A2 terms to more advanced B1-C1 vocabulary. Each level covers essential concepts within environmental topics, such as extreme weather, fossil fuels, food production and waste, wildlife, air pollution, land and water pollution, plastic pollution, and mass extinctions, along with biodiversity conservation. This resource is designed to support educators in expanding their curriculum by incorporating environmentally friendly themes and fostering awareness of global challenges among students.
-
In this section, you will learn how to integrate the topic of global warming into your language lessons. Global warming, primarily driven by human activities and the rise of greenhouse gases, has far-reaching effects on various aspects of our world, from energy consumption to food production. We explore sub-topics such as extreme weather, fossil fuel consumption, food waste, and wildlife protection. By providing vocabulary and language abilities tailored to different proficiency levels (A1-C2), this section equips teachers to address global warming's implications effectively. Lesson ideas are included to encourage students to engage with the subject and become more environmentally conscious.
-
This section guides you on how to incorporate the topic of environmental pollution into your language lessons. It covers air pollution, water pollution, land pollution, and plastic pollution. You can tailor the vocabulary and activities to different language proficiency levels, from basic to advanced, following the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) guidelines. Lessons include practical activities like composting, using houseplants to reduce indoor air pollution, exploring plastic pollution, and understanding the life cycle of a plastic bottle. These lessons aim to improve language skills while raising awareness of environmental issues and encouraging sustainable practices.
-
This lesson emphasizes the importance of biodiversity and its vulnerability due to environmental threats. It underscores the role of education in fostering a sense of responsibility and collective action among students to preserve and protect our diverse and vital ecosystems. Various engaging activities and discussions mentioned in this lesson can be used to convey this message effectively.
-
In the introduction we have explained the importance of environmental topics in the context of this global human-induced crisis. The second section deals with the topic of global warming; the third section delves into the problem of pollution; and the fourth section talks about biodiversity and conservation of the planet. Useful vocabulary regarding these topics and sub-topics is suggested in the table following the introduction, and each section offers subject matter that might be covered in class.
-