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October 2024 -

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Eco-psychological Awareness of Pre-Service English Language Teachers

Filiz Yörük Çevik is assistant professor at Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam University, Türkiye. She obtained her MA and PhD in English Language and Literature from Süleyman Demirel University and Kayseri Erciyes University, respectively. Her research interests include modern English literature, dystopian genre and eco-criticism. Email: filizyoruk@ksu.edu.tr

Reyhan Ağçam is associate professor at Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam University, Türkiye. She obtained her MA and PhD in English Language Teaching from Çukurova University Adana, Türkiye. Her research interests include language teaching, language teacher training and academic writing. Email: reyhanagcam@ksu.edu.tr 

 

Abstract

Eco-psychology is largely based on the philosophy that the universe is a whole with all living and non-living beings, that humans are just one of the components of this whole, that everything in the universe is interconnected and that humans should stop trying to dominate it. Moving from this philosophy, the current study is motivated to reveal eco-psychological awareness of a group of Turkish pre-service English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers. The participants were 63 junior and senior ELT students attending a state university in Türkiye. The research data were collected using the scale on eco-psychological developed by St. John and MacDonald (2007) and quantitatively analysed. Based on the findings, the participating pre-service EFL teachers displayed high and very high eco-psychological awareness. No statistical difference was found in their eco-psychological awareness with respect to gender and seniority. Nonetheless, they significantly differed in their responses to certain items regarding these variables. The study ends with practical implications generated based on the findings and offers trajectories for further research.

 

Introduction: Defining eco-psychology

The evidence of humans’ perceived superiority in the world dates back to 400 BC. In the book “Politics”, Aristotle proposed that humans are political animals by nature mainly due to their capacity to reason, the most important characteristic that distinguished them from non-human entities. Besides reasoning, they can speak, learn, and offer criticism. Furthermore, they possess the ability to rule the outside world thanks to their intelligence, learning capacity, and ability to distinguish right and wrong. However, this does not deny Commoner's (2029) first law of ecology that argues "everything is connected to everything else" (p. 35). The presumption that humans are superior to non-human beings and their ignorance of the interconnectedness of all things led to the arousal of eco-criticism as a response to the issues and crises especially during the era of environmental destruction.

Eco-criticism is the study of the relationship between literature and environment from an interdisciplinary perspective, bringing together a number of scientific disciplines including sociology, psychology, and philosophy with the intention of exploring the environment and identifying the most effective ways to address environmental issues. It focuses on literary writings and emerges as a bridge between ecology and literature. From this viewpoint, Glotfelty (1996), one of the leading proponents, defines eco-criticism as “the study of interaction between literature and physical environment” (p. xviii). Drawing a strong connection between human behaviour and the non-human world, it is actually a term exclusive to certain cultures and domains. Based on this approach, literary topics are evaluated from an earthly perspective and the term "the world" is often used to refer to the societies and social domain in literary ideas. With its comprehensive perspective, eco-criticism extends the concept of "the world" to encompass the entire ecosphere and rejects the consideration of humans as the Supreme Being in this context, and the established anthropocentric way of existence. As a matter of fact, the negative effects of human activity on the environment have drawn increased attention to ecology (Rueckert, 1996), which emerges as a vernacular science that is "widely adopted by many disciplines to read, interpret, and narrate land history" (Howarth, 1996, p. 74). Interestingly, on the other hand, psychology was left out of the discussions on the relationship between humans and nature from a variety of angles by the second half of the 20th century.

Eco-psychology, sprang from the Environmental Movement of the 1960s as a result of the environmental catastrophe brought on by contemporary industrial civilization (Hibbard, 2003). Coining the words psycho-ecology and eco-psychology, respectively in the 1960s, Greenway (1994) defined the latter as “a language drawn from the fields of ecology, various psychologies, anthropology, and philosophy that expresses the human/nature relationship in enough depth to reveal the dynamics of why we are destroying our habitat” (as cited in Schroll, 2007, p. 35). A few decades later, it appeared in a book-length essay entitled “The Voice of the Earth: An Exploration of Eco-psychology” by Roszak (2001). The essay offers a set of definitions for eco-psychology including “the emerging synthesis of ecology and psychology”, “the skilful application of ecological insights to the practice of psychotherapy”, “the discovery of our emotional bond with the planet” and “defining sanity as if the whole world mattered” (p. 14). This particular discipline is grounded on a synergistic relationship between people and environment, which helps explain the relationship between environmental destruction and humanity’s disconnection with the nature (Norton, 2009). In this vein, it posits that psychological well-being of people and the health of the earth are inextricably linked and that it is not wise to think them separately.

Divergent viewpoints and concepts exist on the objectives of eco-psychology. According to Adams and Hutton (2007), for instance, eco-psychology studies engage in an examination of how environmental issues affect human thought, psychology, and emotion. Metzner (1999) postulates that it is more focused on how human activities contribute to environmental issues. Metzner (1999) goes on to state that “we can mend the rift between ourselves and the natural world if we can incorporate the spiritual element with the resurgence of natural deities” (as cited in Schroll, 2007, p. 44-45). It does not advocate returning to prehistoric worship of the gods of the past, but rather forging a new connection between the natural and spiritual realms in order to raise human awareness to the point where we may either heal the earth or allow the earth to heal us (Schroll, 2007). In a nutshell, we should learn to live in harmony with that magnificent cosmos rather than separating ourselves from it or thinking we are better than or superior to it. Then, where do teachers stand in such a crucial concern?

 

Eco-psychology and teachers

Teachers hold significant responsibilities due to their role of shaping and transforming the societies (Chakraborty & Gangopadhyay, 2020; Goldman et al., 2014; Gürsoy & Sağlam, 2011; Kuruvilla, 2019; Maley, 2024; cf. Akbana & Rathert, Forthcoming) though they seem not to be directly connected with the environmental issues or psychological well-being of the individuals. More specifically, environmental literacy is listed among the 21st century knowledge and skills they are expected to possess and teach. Coined by Roth (1968), the term environmental literacy currently refers to having the ability, knowledge, and skills on environmental issues and being able to teach them to others (Fang et al., 2022). This kind of literacy basically requires “demonstration of knowledge and understanding of the environment and the circumstances and conditions affecting it; taking individual and collective action towards addressing environmental challenges” (Greenhill, 2010, p. 9). Not surprisingly, it is recommended that these skills be integrated into school curricula in order to raise ecological/environmental consciousness of the individuals starting from an early age. It would either be no wise to restrict their integration into the science curricula for a few grades as its development can be possible with its extended integration over the whole schooling. Therefore, like other subject curricula, foreign language curricula are also expected to address these skills in the pursuit of the same goal. However, taking the Turkish schooling context as an example, the analysis of the English as a foreign language (EFL) curricula implemented in schools affiliated to the Ministry of National Education (MoNE) indicated that environmental literacy is not adequately covered in the curricula for 2nd to 12th grades (MoNE, 2018a; MoNE, 2018b). The analysis results of the related curricula regarding the content about ecology and environmental issues are presented in Table 1.

Table 1. Environmental literacy in the EFL curricula for 2nd to 12th grades

Grade

Unit 

Content 

2

---

---

3

10. Nature

Talking about nature and animals

     This/that/it is a frog. It is big and green.

4

---

---

5

---

---

6

9. Saving the Planet

What should we do to save the world?

    We should save energy.

    We can use less water and electricity.

    We should recycle the batteries.




 

7

4. Wild Animals

Where do tigers live?

    They live in Asia.

Which animals are now extinct?

What should we do to protect wildlife?

   We should protect wild animals.

   We shouldn’t hunt them.

9. Environment

What should we do for our environment?

    We have to start using public transportation.

    Stop polluting the rivers. We must stop destroying the forests.

Rain forests are important because they are necessary for oxygen. 

We should protect wild animals because they are important for the balance of the nature.

8

10. Natural Forces

Making predictions

I think we will have water shortage in the future because we waste too much water.

I think there will be serious droughts. So schools should educate students to use less water.

9

4. Human in Nature

Mum grows organic vegetables in the garden.

How often do you go trekking?

What can we do to prevent natural disasters?

10

---

---

11

---

---

12

8. Alternative Energy

Noting down the solutions to the problem of excessive energy consumption around the world.

As shown in Table 1, environmental issues appear only in 7 out of 110 units in the EFL curricula for 2nd to 12th grades (MoNE 2018 a; 2018b). This makes it even more challenging for language teachers to meet the expectation of teaching environmental literacy and ecological awareness to their students. In order to do so, they are initially expected to possess the literacy and awareness in concern. Review of the existing literature informed that a great deal of research has been conducted on the environmental literacy of with pre- or in-service teachers of various subjects (Goldman et al., 2014; Karakaya et al., 2017; Li et al, 2015; Swanepoel et al., 2002; Timur et al., 2013; Tuncer-Teksoz, 2014). However, beyond environmental literacy, teachers are anticipated to have eco-psychological awareness, which is identified as “an invitation to broaden our thinking” (Milton, 2010, p. 300). It is based on the philosophy that the universe is a whole with all living and non-living beings, that humans are only a part of this whole, that everything in the universe is in unbreakable relationships with each other and that our efforts to dominate nature are futile. In a similar vein, James Lovelock’s Gaia hypothesis argues that the old fashioned “Man Superior Approach'' to the outer world and nature is irrational and insignificant because there is a visible and undeniable harmony among all beings in the universe as “the Earth's biosphere, atmosphere, oceans, and soil; the totality constituting a feedback or cybernetic system which seeks an optimal physical and chemical environment for life on this planet” (Lovelock, 2000, p. 10).

To the best of the researchers’ knowledge, the research on language teachers’ environmental literacy is still scarce (Akbana & Rathert, Forthcoming; Gürsoy & Sağlam, 2011; Nur et al., 2022) while numerous studies have covered the integration of environmental issues in language education (Becker, 2022; Cad et al., 2022; Jodoin, 2020; Lee & Kang, 2023; Suwandi et al., 2024). Furthermore, it is revealed that eco-psychological awareness of language teachers has not been investigated previously. Therefore, this study was exclusively designed to report on the eco-psychological awareness of a group of pre-service Turkish EFL teachers. It is hoped to contribute to the existing literature with its findings and to bridge the afore-mentioned research gap.

 

Method

A quantitative research design was adopted in the current study. The participants were a group of undergraduate students studying English Language Teaching at a state university in Türkiye (42 females and 21 males).  They were selected by purposive sampling. At the time of data collection, 68% of them were junior and 32% were senior students. Their ages ranged from 21 to 27, with a mean age of 22,4.

The research data were collected with the scale on eco-psychological self that consists of 30 Likert-type items asking participants to respond in a range from 1 (Strongly disagree) to 5 (Strongly agree) (St John & MacDonald, 2007). The participants were ensured that their responses would be treated with the utmost confidentiality and only used for the scientific purposes of the research. The research data were quantitatively analysed using the SPSS 22.0 to reveal the participants’ eco-psychological awareness and to assess if results would significantly differ regarding gender and seniority. The statistical significance was set at p<.05. The analysis results are presented and discussed in the following section.

 

Results and discussion

The results obtained from the descriptive analysis of the pre-service EFL teachers’ eco-psychological awareness are presented in Table 2.

Table 2. Pre-service EFL teachers’ eco-psychological awareness 

   

Mean 

sd

s

k

1

Watching the sunset calms me.

4.46

.89

-2.18

5.54

2

Eating organic foods helps me feel more harmonious with nature, and is less harmful to the planet.

3.90

1.13

-.77

-.27

3

I have felt a sense of empathy toward an animal.

4.40

.93

-1.90

4.08

4

I try to spend as much time in nature as I can.

3.41

1.09

-.12

.-73

5

Pollution contributes to many human illnesses.

4.59

.84

-2.51

6.72

6

I believe that I am connected to the Earth.

3.60

1.23

-.44

-.72

7

If humans don’t stop abusing the earth, then there will be an environmental disaster.

4.67

.62

-1.71

1.75

8

Plants and animals have as much a right to life and freedom as humans do.

4.56

.86

-2.00

3.13

9

I have had the experience of feeling ‘‘at one’’ with nature.

3.63

1.24

-.69

-.435

10

I think it’s important to recycle.

4.70

.56

-1.72

2.81

11

The natural environment is a key political issue.

4.33

.82

-1.06

.386

12

Having a pet gives me pleasure.

4.08

1.13

-.93

-.31

13

The earth is alive.

4.64

.75

-2.16

4.11

14

If given the choice, I would prefer to live in a neighbourhood with trees, then one without.

4.06

1.19

-1.08

.198

15

At least one time in my life, I have felt united with nature.

3.94

.10

-1.08

1.08

16

The earth is my mother.

3.25

1.29

-.22

-1.03

17

There are houseplants in my home.

3.82

1.36

-.98

-.28

18

I like to go to National/State Parks.

3.94

1.09

-.95

.23

19

The overuse of nature resources has disastrous effects on the earth and humans alike.

4.49

.78

-1.97

5.34

20

Ultimately, I am related to trees.

3.29

1.21

-.18

-.86

21

If the planet is unhealthy, then I am unhealthy.

4.22

.96

-1.15

.92

22

It is valuable to protect wildlife from extinction.

4.59

.64

-1.30

.58

23

Industrial societies create boundaries between humans and nature.

4.22

.91

-.99

.18

24

It is important to contribute to environmental causes.

4.16

.81

-.49

-.74

25

I support solar power and other forms of ‘‘clean’’ energies.

4.52

.67

-1.09

.025

26

Humans are intimately connected to oceans, rivers, mountains, and forests.

4.30

.89

-1.49

2.48

27

The earth is like an organism, not like a machine.

4.48

.78

-1.50

1.78

28

I admire environmental activists.

3.29

1.35

-.34

-.90

29

The weather affects my mood.

4.54

.88

-2.05

4.09

30

I am part of the earth.

4.30

1.04

-1.53

1.81

S: skewness K: kurtosis 5-1=4/5=0,80; 1,00-1,80: very low, 1,81-2,60: low; 2,61-3,40: moderate; 3,41-4,20: high; 4,21-5,00: very high

As shown in Table 2, the participant pre-service teachers displayed high and very high eco-psychological awareness. The following are the statements with the highest scores: 10. I think it’s important to recycle (4,70±0,56), 7. If humans don’t stop abusing the earth, then there will be an environmental disaster (4,67±0,62) and 13. The earth is alive (4,64±0,75).

It is noteworthy that the participants displayed moderate eco-psychological awareness only for four items: 16. The earth is my mother (3,25±1,29), 20. Ultimately, I am related to trees (3,29±1,21), 28. I admire environmental activists (3,29±1,35), and 24. It is important to contribute to environmental causes (4,16±0,81). These findings could be interpreted as promising in that the participants were observed to feel largely united with nature. Namely, it is understood that they are aware of the significance of recycling, clean energies, protection of the wildlife, as well as threats caused by environmental pollution, abuse of nature and excessive consumption of natural sources. Likewise, they feel connected with nature and relaxed when they are in nature. This particular finding is in line with Mayer and Frantz (2004), and Schultz et al. (2004). It also confirms Hebert’s “intersubjectivity”, enabling us to understand this positive association with the explanation of the reason why human beings feel at peace in the hug of nature (Hebert, 2014). According to Hebert, it is no coincidence that humans find peace and heal in nature since they are a part of the universe. Supporting Hebert, Dodds (2012) claims,

The idea that we are not deeply embedded in nature but somehow beyond it or above it, which ecology shows us is false. Therefore, the eco-psychological project is seen by many as an opportunity for psychological, social and spiritual renewal leading to a connection with natural, connected, ‘life-worlds’ (p. 85).

Notwithstanding, the moderate eco-psychological awareness observed in the participants’ responses to Items 16, 20 and 24 could be attributed to Glendinning’s original trauma (Glendinning, 1994/2007). Hibbard (2003) explains the original trauma in his discussion of the struggle between the inner and outer worlds of human beings. From this perspective, human beings have always been in the desire of superiority to nature and pointed to it as an inferior entity to struggle with.  Quite similarly, Hegel’s master-slave dialectic emphasises the human beings’ ancient desire of being the “master” of the “slave nature”. In this respect, Cole (2004) notes,

This is the struggle between the master and the slave per se; both sides resolve the struggle not by eliminating the other but rather by remaining in a relationship of inequality and interdependency. It is the battle of wills, and a struggle for recognition (p. 580).

Therefore, it is predicted that the participants are hesitant to think that the role of mother suits nature, and do not feel very deeply connected with the trees no matter how we need them for survival.

Further analysis was conducted to investigate if the pre-service teachers’ views significantly differ in eco-psychological awareness regarding gender and seniority. The statistical results are provided in Table 3.

 

Table 3. Pre-service EFL teachers’ eco-psychological awareness regarding gender

Item

Gender

N

Mean

Sd

p

1

Female 

42

4.57

.63

.007

Male 

21

4.24

1.26

2

Female 

42

3.90

1.12

.846

Male 

21

3.90

1.18

3

Female 

42

4.43

.89

.722

Male 

21

4.33

1.02

4

Female 

42

4.43

1.08

.029

Male 

21

4.33

1.23

5

Female 

42

4.60

.86

.924

Male 

21

4.57

.81

6

Female 

42

3.74

1.11

.121

Male 

21

3.33

1.43

7

Female 

42

4.71

.55

.070

Male 

21

4.57

.75

8

Female 

42

4.69

.75

.037

Male 

21

4.29

1.01

9

Female 

42

3.57

1.29

.294

Male 

21

3.76

1.14

10

Female 

42

4.71

.60

.959

Male 

21

4.67

.48

11

Female 

42

4.40

.77

.299

Male 

21

4.19

.93

12

Female 

42

4.02

1.18

.439

Male 

21

4.19

1.03

13

Female 

42

4.62

.82

.355

Male 

21

4.67

.58

14

Female 

42

4.07

1.09

.094

Male 

21

4.05

1.40

15

Female 

42

3.93

.92

.288

Male 

21

3.95

1.16

16

Female 

42

3.40

1.23

.768

Male 

21

2.95

1.40

17

Female 

42

3.83

1.34

.844

Male 

21

3.81

1.44

18

Female 

42

4.05

1.03

.322

Male 

21

3.71

1.19

19

Female 

42

4.50

.83

.720

Male 

21

4.48

.68

20

Female 

42

3.38

1.17

.930

Male 

21

3.10

1.30

21

Female 

42

4.38

.76

.020

Male 

21

3.90

1.22

22

Female 

42

4.64

.58

.065

Male 

21

4.48

.75

23

Female 

42

4.21

.92

.870

Male 

21

4.24

.89

24

Female 

42

4.26

.77

.810

Male 

21

3.95

.86

25

Female 

42

4.52

.63

.410

Male 

21

4.52

.75

26

Female 

42

4.31

.92

.765

Male 

21

4.29

.85

27

Female 

42

4.50

.80

.930

Male 

21

4.43

.75

28

Female 

42

3.76

1.12

.200

Male 

21

2.33

1.28

29

Female 

42

4.67

.75

.071

Male 

21

4.29

1.06

30

Female 

42

4.36

.98

.427

Male 

21

4.19

1.17

          Significant difference= p<.05

Table 3 shows that the pre-service EFL teachers do not significantly differ in general, approving the results of Gürsoy & Sağlam (2011) and contradicting Petkou et al. (2021). Nevertheless, a statistically significant difference was revealed in favour of the females in the responses to Item 1 (Watching the sunset calms me), Item 7 (If humans don’t stop abusing the earth, then there will be an environmental disaster) and Item 21 (If the planet is unhealthy, then I am unhealthy). This particular finding coincides with Blocker and Eckberg (1997), who reported that women tend to display more interest in environmental concerns and take more initiatives to overcome them because of their social and structural position in society. In accordance with Plumwood’s (2003) eco-feminist approach, these findings could have been entailed by the presumption that nature and women are inferior (the inferiority of nature assumption) and the idea of women and nature as a collection of dualistic oppositions between the realms of nature and reason or humanity (dualistic assumption).

The analysis results revealed no statistical difference among the participants in terms of seniority, as illustrated in Table 4. 

 

Table 4. Pre-service EFL teachers’ eco-psychological awareness regarding seniority

Item

Grade 

N

Mean

Sd

p

1

Grade 3 

43

4.30

.63

.003

Grade 4 

20

4.80

1.26

2

Grade 3 

43

3.79

1.12

.470

Grade 4 

20

4.15

1.18

3

Grade 3 

43

4.35

.89

.218

Grade 4 

20

4.50

1.02

4

Grade 3 

43

3.26

1.09

.086

Grade 4 

20

3.75

1.02

5

Grade 3 

43

3.75

.86

.722

Grade 4 

20

4.60

.81

6

Grade 3 

43

3.42

1.11

.489

Grade 4 

20

4.00

1.43

7

Grade 3 

43

4.72

.55

.410

Grade 4 

20

4.55

.75

8

Grade 3 

43

4.58

.75

.612

Grade 4 

20

4.50

1.01

9

Grade 3 

43

3.56

1.29

.487

Grade 4 

20

3.80

1.14

10

Grade 3 

43

4.67

.60

.435

Grade 4 

20

4.75

.48

11

Grade 3 

43

4.30

.77

.644

Grade 4 

20

4.40

,93

12

Grade 3 

43

3.86

1.18

.002

Grade 4 

20

4.55

1.03

13

Grade 3 

43

4.58

.82

.094

Grade 4 

20

4.75

.58

14

Grade 3 

43

3.95

1.09

.657

Grade 4 

20

4.30

1.40

15

Grade 3 

43

3.91

.92

.996

Grade 4 

20

4.00

1.16

16

Grade 3 

43

3.40

1.23

.560

Grade 4 

20

2.95

1.40

17

Grade 3 

43

3.91

1.34

.445

Grade 4 

20

3.65

1.44

18

Grade 3 

43

3.77

1.03

.562

Grade 4 

20

4.30

1.19

19

Grade 3 

43

4.67

.83

.286

Grade 4 

20

4.10

.68

20

Grade 3 

43

3.12

1.17

.389

Grade 4 

20

3.65

1.30

21

Grade 3 

43

4.23

.76

.489

Grade 4 

20

4.20

1.22

22

Grade 3 

43

4.65

.58

.253

Grade 4 

20

4.45

.75

23

Grade 3 

43

4.28

.92

.448

Grade 4 

20

4.10

.89

24

Grade 3 

43

4.16

.77

.385

Grade 4 

20

4.15

.86

25

Grade 3 

43

4.53

.63

.850

Grade 4 

20

4.50

.75

26

Grade 3 

43

4.19

.92

.369

Grade 4 

20

4.55

.85

27

Grade 3 

43

4.49

.80

.881

Grade 4 

20

4.45

.75

28

Grade 3 

43

3.42

1.12

.468

Grade 4 

20

3.00

1.28

29

Grade 3 

43

4.49

.75

.157

Grade 4 

20

4.65

1.06

30

Grade 3 

43

4.23

.98

.096

Grade 4 

20

4.45

1.17

          Significant difference= p<.05

As seen in Table 4, the senior students significantly differ from the juniors regarding Item 1 (Watching the sunset calms me) and Item 12 (Having a pet gives me pleasure). Being in line with Bulut (2019), this finding was not surprising as personality and consciousness of human beings tend to develop gradually in accord with the education/training received as well as various experiences. In other words, the individuals typically get mature with life experiences and tend to appreciate the worth of nature better (Bookchin, 2024). 

 

Conclusion

The current study informed promising results regarding the participating pre-service EFL teachers’ eco-psychological awareness in that they generally hold high and very high awareness regardless of gender and seniority. More specifically, they appreciate the need for recycling, clean energy sources, protection of the wildlife, and anticipate the undesired outcomes of environmental pollution, abuse and overconsumption of the natural sources. They also feel relaxed in nature and connected with it.

In the meanwhile, with their responses to a few items, they displayed moderate awareness (Items 16, 20, 24 and 28). More specifically, they are not willing to consider nature in the role of motherhood and to feel so connected with the trees, which we need first and foremost to respire. Similarly, they hesitate to take the responsibility for environmental concerns. These findings could be mostly attributed to the original trauma (Glendinning, 1994/2007), which proclaims that human beings have always desired to feel superior to nature, and consider it as an inferior entity, which exists for their service with all its entirety.

On the other hand, significant differences were revealed in the responses to certain items in favour of female participants (Items 1, 7 and 21) and senior participants (Items 1 and 12). Accordingly, the females feel more connected with nature reporting a positive correlation between themselves and nature regarding the state of being healthy. Likewise, they are more likely than the males to believe that the abuse of the earth will cause environmental disasters. These results can be attributed to the fact that women assume more sensitivity and responsibility regarding environmental issues mostly due to their social and structural position in the society (Blocker & Eckberg, 1997). Lastly, the difference revealed in favour of senior students might indicate a possible influence of maturity and life experiences over the human beings’ attitude towards nature and their relationship with it.

All in all, educational processes for every single individual should be designed with utmost care. Especially teacher training programmes should be arranged taking into consideration the fact that a high level of eco-psychological awareness will have a positive effect on the psychological well-being of the teachers, their students and thus the whole society. For this reason, they could be enriched with courses and/or seminars to raise the teacher candidates’ eco-psychological awareness and its influence on social and cognitive development (Maley, 2024). They should also be encouraged to integrate it into their teaching especially by using authentic materials surrounding the content of eco-psychology. They, for example, may use news texts with the relevant content when teaching reading and vocabulary in the language classrooms, thereby adapting materials at hand that may be outdated to integrate contemporary content into instructional practice (Rathert & Cabaroğlu, 2022).

Similarly, eco-psychological components could be integrated into the EFL curricula for primary and secondary schools. In addition, teachers could be suggested to design and practise some of the learning activities in nature if conditions are favourable. Particularly in rural schools, classes might be organised in gardens or somewhere outside the school when teaching themes such as animals, wildlife, natural sources, pollution and protection of nature. It is significant to note that the integration of eco-psychological awareness is not restricted to the afore-mentioned themes. It could also be integrated into various other themes ranging from colours, numbers and fruits to feelings, sports and abilities. Lastly, language teachers should assign assignments and projects that require students to spend their time in nature, or to do some research about a given topic and list their responsibilities for the protection of nature (e.g., for practising the modals should or must).

The present study was limited in its research design, data collection and sampling. Therefore, the results cannot be easily generalised to other settings. Further research should compare language learners and language teachers regarding their eco-psychological awareness. Research data could be gathered using qualitative data collection tools such as interviews or observations. Also, teacher training programmes might be analysed to investigate whether or to what extent eco-psychological issues are offered through them. This will contribute to the development of best practices to raise eco-psychological awareness of learners and teachers as main drivers to initiate betterment in society.

 

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Tagged  Various Articles 
  • Eco-psychological Awareness of Pre-Service English Language Teachers
    Filiz Yörük Çevik, Türkiye;Reyhan Agçam, Türkiye