Beyond boundaries – teaching education for sustainability beyond science: a cross-curricular approach

This project evaluated the use of a coteaching model of practice, to deliver Education for Sustainability (ESD) using a cross-curricular approach in secondary level classrooms. Science and English student coteachers worked together to co-plan, co-deliver and co-evaluate a series of ESD lessons, bringing their own subject expertise.

This project had four overarching aims with regard to teaching and learning for the environment and sustainability in post-primary Science and English:
A1.Provide opportunities for Science and English (student) teachers to co-plan, coteach and co-evaluate ESD lessons
A2.Promote contact and shared learning experiences between Science and English (student) teachers, to further enhance their competence in cross-curricular teaching.
A3.Develop (student) teachers’ experience and expertise of using ESD-related tasks and activities with post-primary students.
A4.Produce and trial classroom materials to support the wider implementation of teaching ESD in secondary Science and English classrooms.

Several schools in Northern Ireland were involved, with almost 70 pupils aged 11-14. The outcomes were evaluated using several data collection methods: pre and post online questionnaire with pupils, follow up focus groups with a subsample of pupils, student teacher reflective diaries and follow up interviews, interviews with colleagues in schools and lesson observations. Pupil questionnaires included various scales: Youth leadership and policy control in relation to the environment, attitudes to and understanding of environmental sustainability, critical literacy/communication, views on Climate Change and their perspectives on learning through cross-curricular coteaching.

The effectiveness of this approach was demonstrated through positive outcomes for all involved, as well as pedagogical approaches for teaching outside a specialist subject area. Based on more recent work by the presenters, we will go further to make a link to the teaching and learning of critical eco-literacy through cross-curricular avenues, with Science and English as the perfect partnership to develop this essential concept among children and young people.