ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION AS A MEANS TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Language can be used not only as a vehicle for transmission of ideas but also as a means for transformation of societies. In the context of the global challenges faced by the world, learning can be channelized to realise sustainable development goals if learning is transformed from transmissive toward transformative learning. Although Language education can aid in realising Sustainable Development, we do not find English Language courses focusing on this. This paper aims at discussing how English Language education can be designed as a means to promote Sustainable Development. Such a goal can be realised by i) reformulating the content making global issues a central core to make it relevant ii) reorienting the curriculum to content-based teaching so as to infuse the attitudes, skills and competencies through active and experiential learning iii) using a student-centered, content-based and task-based Communicative Methodology promoting interaction, negotiation and communication.