{"id":34014,"date":"2024-10-10T07:02:34","date_gmt":"2024-10-10T13:02:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/?p=34014"},"modified":"2025-03-04T04:43:54","modified_gmt":"2025-03-04T11:43:54","slug":"promoting-social-cultural-global-environmental-awareness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/promoting-social-cultural-global-environmental-awareness\/","title":{"rendered":"Promoting Social, Cultural, Global, and Environmental Awareness in the ESL Classroom"},"content":{"rendered":"
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In our increasingly interconnected world, English students are constantly immersed in multicultural experiences, whether interacting with friends from other countries or collaborating with global business teams. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As today\u2019s learners are exposed to diverse perspectives like never before, your role as an English teacher goes beyond helping students become fluent in the language \u2013 you\u2019re also empowering them to be globally competent and thrive in a world rich with cultural, social, and environmental diversity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, how can you promote social, cultural, global, and environmental awareness in the ESL classroom<\/a>? Let\u2019s explore the benefits of teaching these skills and strategies for weaving them into your English language instruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Jorge<\/a>
Jorge, a Bridge alum, teaching English to Nestle employees in Chile<\/em>. Read his story.<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The importance of teaching social, cultural, global, and environmental skills in the ESL classroom<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As members of a globalized world, each of us plays active roles that transcend local communities or national borders. We are not just spectators but participants tackling global issues, solving complex problems, and advocating for sustainable economic practices. These actions are what ultimately shape us as global citizens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Eion Jordan, International Education Director at the University of St. Andrews, during the Expert Series<\/a> webinar lecture \u201cPreparing the Next Generation of Global Citizens<\/em><\/a>,\u201d <\/em>emphasized that being a global citizen is about \u201cunderstanding the wider context of the world and one\u2019s own place within it,\u201d in addition to being mindful of social, cultural, and environmental agendas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, Eric Peterson, the Head of REAL at Westcliff University, stressed that global citizenship affects values, attitudes, and social skills. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen we truly participate, we learn about global and intercultural situations, which enables us to live together respectfully or peacefully,\u201d Peterson pointed out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

English teachers, in particular, are uniquely positioned to prepare students to be global citizens. By equipping your students with important transferable skills<\/a> such as cultural awareness, contextual awareness, cross-cultural communication skills, and teamwork and social skills<\/a>, you can help your learners become informed participants who can thoughtfully and responsibly engage with the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let’s look at some of the benefits of fostering global citizenship as well as social, cultural, global, and environmental awareness in your learners.<\/p>\n\n\n

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English as a lingua franca<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

By teaching skills that will help them embrace and adapt to social, cultural, and global diversity, English learners can better understand the use of English as a lingua franca<\/a>, which refers to communication in English between people from various cultures or mother tongues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A key part of this is exploring and recognizing the many different varieties of English used around the world rather than focusing on an idealized or specific type of English, such as American or British English, and understanding that speaking like a native English speaker is not the goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exposing students to the use of English as a global language<\/a>, as a result, is crucial in communicating in a multicultural environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs English language teachers, our purpose is ultimately facilitating communication across cultures,” Dr. Jordan stressed. “A part of the competencies that go with that is also understanding what English is as a language \u2013 it is an international language, that\u2019s why many people are teaching it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aside from teaching cross-cultural communication skills, embedding social skills such as active listening and non-verbal communication into students also enables them to convey messages clearly and interpret them correctly, reducing misunderstandings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn strategies to teach your students interpersonal skills with the 10-Hour Teaching Communicative, Collaborative, and Interpersonal Skills Micro-credential course.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Succeeding in a global business landscape<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Whether your learners are already working with multicultural teams or looking to get into the international job market, equipping them with social and cultural skills sets them up for success in working with people from diverse cultures in several ways:<\/p>\n\n\n