REVIEW article
Front. Educ.
Sec. Language, Culture and Diversity
A Systematic Review on Integrating Environmental Sustainability in English Language Teaching: Strategies for Sustainable Development Goals
Provisionally accepted
- KLEF Deemed to be University, Vijayawada, India
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The study explores the integration of environmental sustainability in English Language Teaching (ELT) curriculum. Through a systematic review of fifty-six peer reviewed articles, conference publications and case studies between 2018-2024, the study presents the sustainability practices in English Language Teaching by examining the current practices, methods, and challenges. Data were collected from Scopus, Web of Science and Education Resources Information Center (ERIC) using search engines such as Google, Google Scholar and Semantic Scholar. Findings reveal that empirical studies dominate the research landscape, highlighting innovative approaches such as Eco-ELT, Environmental Education (EE) and Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL). However, challenges such as limited resources, alignment issues between sustainability and language-learning objectives, and inadequate teacher training persist. The research identifies key strategies such as interdisciplinary curriculum design, project-based learning, and the use of authentic environmental texts to enhance both language proficiency and environmental awareness. The study underscores the importance of developing open educational resources, specialized teacher training, and eco-literacy frameworks to overcome these barriers. Finally, the research calls for further interdisciplinary studies and policy support to enhance sustainability integration in language education.
Keywords: Systematic review, Environmental sustainability, English language teaching (ELT), Eco-ELT, CLIL, eco-literacy, interdisciplinary learning, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Received: 28 May 2025; Accepted: 24 Oct 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 C. T and N. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Dhanyamol C. T, dhanyamol1532@gmail.com
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