Title of the training
Global Climate Change and Sustainability Education Program Integrated with Language Skills for Primary and Middle School
Duration
240 hours (represents the total hours of 2nd Grade to 7th Grades, during which the teacher applies the activities in this program integrated with the Turkish Curriculum)
Purpose and scope
With the Industrial Revolution, the excessive increase in the use of fossil fuels, industrialization, deforestation due to various reasons, transportation and insensitive increases in the unconscious use of agricultural lands have increased the emission volumes of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. This increase has led to an increase in global temperatures and has made the concept of climate change one of the most important problems of the world. Climate change in recent years will play a decisive role in the living standards of future generations. Addressing climate change with a sustainable education approach is seen as an important part of contemporary life. It will also play a major complementary role in Turkey’s sustainable development efforts. It is very important that global climate change is addressed in the context of sustainability and accepted in the education program in order to raise the awareness of future generations on this issue. The aim of this program is to raise awareness of primary and secondary school students by combining the sub-effects and principles of the concept of sustainability in global climate change and language skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) and to contribute to the knowledge, skills and attitudes of students about combating climate change and sustainability. In order to achieve this goal, educational activities integrated with language skills are designed for primary and secondary school students.
Target audience
With the Global Climate Change and Sustainability Education Program Integrated with Language Skills, primary and secondary school students’ high-level thinking skills are supported, while raising awareness about climate change and sustainability, and improving their knowledge, attitudes and actions towards the environment are considered as a priority. The education program is designed for primary school 2nd-4th grade students and middle school 5th-7th grade students. The application of the training program to the target audience is carried out with a series of texts created within the scope of the program and activities prepared based on the texts.
Trainers
The Global Climate Change and Sustainability Education Program Integrated with Language Skills is implemented by academicians and teachers who are experts in their fields. These educators implement activities together with teachers in school and grade level practices, the concept of sustainability in global climate change and its sub-domains and training studies for the development of language skills and guide teachers in the learning process.
Objectives and learning outcomes
Students who have completed the Global Climate Change and Sustainability Education Program Integrated with Language Skills education are expected to;
- Explain the effects of climate change,
- Explain the effect of melting glaciers on sea level,
- Explain the effects of population growth on climate change,
- Explain the impact of forest fires on climate change,
- Explain the impact of climate change on human health,
- Determine the negative effects of climate change on some living species,
- Question the environmental impact of using bioplastic products,
- Understand international treaties on climate change,
- Explain the impact of climate change on water pollution,
- Approach the problems created by climate change in a solution-oriented manner,
- Explain the effects of climate change on the life of living things,
- Understand how the poles and equator are affected by climate change,
- Use recycle bins,
- Draw the attention of others to the use of recycling,
- Draw the attention of others to the use of bioplastic products,
- Demonstrate willingness to participate in environmental activities,
- Interpret the impact of climate change on the economy,
- Give examples of extinct animals,
- Observe the changes in the seasons,
- Explain the effect of temperature increase on glaciers,
- Explain the reasons for the decrease in water resources,
- Establish cause-and-effect relationships between climate change and reliable food consumption,
- Explain the reasons that require the efficient use of water,
- List the causes of forest fires,
- Explain the concept of ecological footprint,
- Explain the concept of recycling verbally and in writing,
- Understand the importance of sending waste for recycling,
- Question the impact of thermal power plants on the environment,
- Explain the measures that can be taken for forest fires,
- Create justifications for the importance of nature conservation,
- List the harms of using plastic products.
These learning outcomes are integrated with developing listening, speaking, reading and writing skills as prescribed in officially approved Turkish Curriculum per grade level.
Content
The content of this study consists largely of written and visual texts such as texts, videos, data and reports based on the dimensions of economy, society and environment that are handled in sustainability education. The contents of these texts were analyzed within the framework of listening, speaking, reading and writing language skills. Therefore, the process of defining and analyzing the concept of sustainability, creating awareness for sustainability, internalizing sustainability, making it a part of life as an individual and society; skills such as sequencing, comparing, establishing cause-and-effect relationships, reporting, calculating, determining the details given clearly in the text, determining the hidden meaning in the text are carried out with language-based activities. The content is enriched with additional tools such as characters, animations, videos, event books and movies.
The following topics are addressed for sustainability in global climate change Turkish education:
- Environmental problems in climate change
- Climate change and health
- Global climate change and water pollution
- Deforestation
- Extinction of living species
- Solutions to climate change
- Melting of glaciers
- Climate change and clean energy consumption
- International agreements on climate change
- Greenhouse gas
- Sustainability and use of bioplastic products
- Recycling
- Thermal power plants
- Renewable energy
Delivery and method
Teachers and managers who will implement the Global Climate Change and Sustainability Education Program Integrated with Language Skills begin to implement it with the guidance and support of the expert team after a 6-hour preparatory training. Implementation guidance and support continues throughout the course of one school year. Except for the fact that the school requests additional support, at the end of the one-year guided implementation and preparation period, the institution continues to implement the activities on its own initiative.
Topics such as global warming, recycling, deforestation, extinct species, melting glaciers are presented with materials appropriate to the grade level of the students. Activities that are suitable for contemporary education understanding and that make the learner effective are carried out. These activities are based on the development of four skill areas (speaking, listening, reading and writing).
Considering the topics determined for the content, the process is guided by courses or an interdisciplinary approach instead of carrying out studies within the scope of only one course or discipline. For example, the subject content prescribed by the science and technology, mathematics or social studies team at the grade level can be supported by the Turkish team with activities for language skills. Thus, the study is enriched not by a course or a disciplinary point of view, but by multiple perspectives. In a multidisciplinary approach, both language skills and sustainable awareness of global climate change are developed. The causes, consequences, effects of climate change and the fight against climate change are discussed. The student’s skills to protect the environment and eliminate situations that cause global climate change are developed.
This content is enriched with tools such as characters, animations, videos, event books and movies. It is important to raise awareness about sustainability in climate change and the trainings are feasible and fun.
The principles adopted in the implementation of the Global Climate Change and Sustainability Training Program Integrated with Language Skills are as follows;
- The texts covered in the Turkish lesson effectively integrate cultural values and universal values within themselves. It is important that these texts are a guide in the upbringing of contemporary individuals.
- In the studies, the four basic skill areas of Turkish education, listening, speaking, reading and writing, are handled in an integrated way. It is essential to develop skill areas together.
- Studies are carried out with a student-centered approach. It is important to develop scientific perspective and high-level thinking skills in accordance with the content. For example, discussion-talk, presenting evidence.
- Contemporary educational studies such as making group decisions, finding clues, offering new suggestions, creating digital stories, creating creative writings, creating graphics and maps, using drama techniques, reading and thinking between texts are included in the studies. Learning environments are made interesting with activities such as discussing the causes of climate change in a binary way, listening, finding clues, discussing with a group, making joint decisions, reading with understanding, evaluating what they read, finding important points, commenting on what they read, generating thoughts, creating creative writings, writing future scenarios, writing in time travel to the future and the past.
- Activities are designed in connection with other disciplines. It is important that the skills acquired in the Turkish course are transferred to different disciplinary areas. In multiple learning environments, speaking, developing solution proposals, creating graphics and maps using digital competencies are included.
Learning tools and materials
The Global Climate Change and Sustainability Training Program Integrated with Language Skills is organized on the basis of 14 topics. Each topic is enriched with texts and supported by educational materials and contemporary practices.
Assessment
The evaluation of the Global Climate Change and Sustainability Training Program Integrated with Language Skills is carried out with a process-based educational approach. Alternative assessment methods such as attitude scale, knowledge test and self-assessment are used. In addition, the activities and applications are evaluated by keeping records of the activities and products made by the students.
Keywords
Sustainability, climate change, Turkish education, globalization, environmental pollution, universal values