Abstract:

This presentation disseminates the outcomes of a published study that proposes a multidisciplinary teaching strategy to integrate sustainability literacy into French as a Foreign Language (FFL) instruction in higher education. The initiative addresses the need to embed the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into university curricula, particularly in disciplines not traditionally associated with environmental education. The project focuses on four key SDGs, SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), and SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), which are addressed through thematic didactic units in FFL courses within the Bachelor's Degree in French Studies at the University of Granada. These units are designed to develop students’ linguistic competencies while fostering critical thinking, environmental awareness, and social responsibility. The pedagogical approach is grounded in content-based foreign language education and collaborative learning. Activities include the use of authentic materials, interdisciplinary resources, and student-led projects such as infographics, conceptual maps, and debates. In some cases, students engage in local environmental explorations and applied sustainability tasks, which are then discussed in class through oral and written assignments in French. This model demonstrates how language education can serve as a platform for advancing sustainability literacy and contributing to the 2030 Agenda. It offers a replicable framework for integrating the SDGs into language curricula, with potential applications in language education, language teacher education and curriculum development.

This presentation is based on the following published article, part of the special issue "Sustainability Literacy in Language Learning and Teaching": Ruyffelaert, A. (2022). Raising concepts and awareness of sustainability and the environment in higher education through French foreign language teaching: A multidisciplinary didactic proposal. Language Learning in Higher Education, 12(2), 617–626. https://doi.org/10.1515/cercles-2022-2063

Keywords:

French as a Foreign Language, sustainability literacy, higher education, Education for Sustainable Development, SDG 3, SDG 7, SDG 11, SDG 13, content-based foreign language education, 2030 Agenda.