Eco-Linguistics in Actions: Using Environmental Themes to Foster English Language Skills Through Contextual Learning in High Schools

Abstract

This study examines the combination of environmental linguistics and English language teaching, noting the importance of environmental topics in enhancing language skills through contextual learning. The present study employed a mixed-methods approach. The study aimed to designing contextual learning plan, which focus on real-world connections and relevance, easily can be used to engage eco-linguistic matters into high school English teachers’ lesson plans. Also finding out the effect of using environmental themes to enhance English language skills for high school students through contextual learning as well as assessing students’ experiences of incorporating eco-linguistic content into their English classes and enhancing their ecological realization. Finally, exploring students’ motivation through eco-linguistic content. A total of 150 fourth intermediate female students from three high schools located in Baghdad/Al-Karkh (1st): AlYarmuk, AlNidhal, and AlMamoon High Schools for female students were chosen to be the sample of the study. Each school with 50 students divided equally on two groups to be the experimental group who taught according to environmental themes approach and the control group who taught according the conventional approach. Data collected from high school students in Iraq by designing lesson plan rich with environmental themes, constructing pre-test, post-test, conducting focus group discussion and motivation questionnaire. The results of this study indicate a significant improvement in language skills and increased environmental realization among participants. This study shows practical strategies for teachers to apply eco-linguistic language topics to their curriculum, boosting both language development and ecological realization.