Environmental Communication Through Language Education: Iranian Teachers' Perceptions on Integrating Environmental Communication Pedagogy into English Language Teaching

This study investigates Iranian English language teachers' perspectives on integrating environmental communication pedagogy into newly mandated English textbooks following recent educational reforms. Grounded in Transformative Learning Theory and Place-based Education, this research examines how contextualizing language instruction within environmental frameworks can facilitate transformative learning experiences and nurture both environmental communication competencies and sustainability mindsets rooted in local ecological realities. Fifteen high school teachers were interviewed using a grounded theory approach to analyze their views on the benefits, challenges, and pedagogical implications of embedding environmental themes within language instruction. Findings reveal teachers perceive environmental communication integration fosters environmental consciousness, responsibility, collaborative skills, and transformative learning opportunities grounded in students' lived realities. Finding also show how language teachers, despite lacking formal environmental communication training, develop ecocentric identities through teaching these subjects, contributing to our understanding of how environmental communication pedagogy shapes educator perspectives and practices. Contextualizing language acquisition within ecological narratives transcends linguistic instruction to nurture environmental communication skills, sustainability literacy, problem-solving abilities, and an ethos of environmental stewardship. However, teachers must carefully select environmental themes that engage students while avoiding potentially discouraging topics. This research highlights how language classrooms can become spaces for developing both language proficiency and environmental communication capabilities.