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Aligning ELT with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals: An Ecolinguistic Analysis of Coursebooks and Teacher Practices

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Title: Aligning ELT with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals: An Ecolinguistic Analysis of Coursebooks and Teacher Practices
Language: English
Authors: Pourya Javahery (ORCID 0000-0001-6355-7461), Faezeh Abadi (ORCID 0000-0002-6001-6747), Zahra Bavandi (ORCID 0009-0006-2235-7758), Mehdi Solhi (ORCID 0000-0002-0355-9171)
Source: Language Teaching Research Quarterly. 2025 53:138-158.
Availability: European Knowledge Development (EUROKD). e-mail: editorial@eurokd.com; Web site: https://www.eurokd.com/journal/jd/1
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 21
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Textbook Evaluation, Content Analysis, Sustainable Development, English (Second Language), Second Language Instruction, Climate, Environmental Education, Teacher Attitudes, Sustainability
Geographic Terms: Iran
ISSN: 2667-6753
Abstract: The present study explored the representation of themes related to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 13 (SDG 13: Climate Action) in a series of global English language teaching (ELT) textbooks. To this end, sustainability narratives in these coursebook series were analyzed, along with how language teachers interpret and adapt them. Data were collected through content analysis of the coursebooks, semi-structured interviews with ten Iranian English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers, and narrative inquiry forms. The findings reveal an uneven and fragmented treatment of environmental sustainability across the coursebooks. While World English and, to a lesser extent, Ready For B2 include episodic counter-narratives of care and resilience, American English File predominantly foregrounds consumerist discourses, and Evolve largely overlooks ecological themes despite offering strong pedagogical affordances. Teachers frequently attempted to mediate these gaps by re-storying tasks and introducing sustainability-related discussions. However, their efforts were constrained by curricular demands, exam-oriented instruction, and institutional expectations. The study demonstrates that sustainability in ELT remains peripheral rather than systematically integrated. The findings highlight the need for coursebook developers, policymakers, and teacher education programs to embed sustainability structurally within ELT materials and practices, thereby supporting the development of climate literacy beyond individual teacher practices.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1494837
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Aligning ELT with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals: An Ecolinguistic Analysis of Coursebooks and Teacher Practices
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Pourya+Javahery%22">Pourya Javahery</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6355-7461">0000-0001-6355-7461</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Faezeh+Abadi%22">Faezeh Abadi</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6001-6747">0000-0002-6001-6747</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zahra+Bavandi%22">Zahra Bavandi</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0006-2235-7758">0009-0006-2235-7758</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mehdi+Solhi%22">Mehdi Solhi</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0355-9171">0000-0002-0355-9171</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Language+Teaching+Research+Quarterly%22"><i>Language Teaching Research Quarterly</i></searchLink>. 2025 53:138-158.
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  Data: European Knowledge Development (EUROKD). e-mail: editorial@eurokd.com; Web site: https://www.eurokd.com/journal/jd/1
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  Data: The present study explored the representation of themes related to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 13 (SDG 13: Climate Action) in a series of global English language teaching (ELT) textbooks. To this end, sustainability narratives in these coursebook series were analyzed, along with how language teachers interpret and adapt them. Data were collected through content analysis of the coursebooks, semi-structured interviews with ten Iranian English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers, and narrative inquiry forms. The findings reveal an uneven and fragmented treatment of environmental sustainability across the coursebooks. While World English and, to a lesser extent, Ready For B2 include episodic counter-narratives of care and resilience, American English File predominantly foregrounds consumerist discourses, and Evolve largely overlooks ecological themes despite offering strong pedagogical affordances. Teachers frequently attempted to mediate these gaps by re-storying tasks and introducing sustainability-related discussions. However, their efforts were constrained by curricular demands, exam-oriented instruction, and institutional expectations. The study demonstrates that sustainability in ELT remains peripheral rather than systematically integrated. The findings highlight the need for coursebook developers, policymakers, and teacher education programs to embed sustainability structurally within ELT materials and practices, thereby supporting the development of climate literacy beyond individual teacher practices.
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  Data: 2026
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      – Text: English
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        StartPage: 138
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        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Textbook Evaluation
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      – SubjectFull: Content Analysis
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      – SubjectFull: Sustainable Development
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      – SubjectFull: Second Language Instruction
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      – SubjectFull: Climate
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      – SubjectFull: Environmental Education
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      – SubjectFull: Teacher Attitudes
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      – SubjectFull: Sustainability
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      – SubjectFull: Iran
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