A content analysis of current English language teaching materials at a private Colombian university through the lenses of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Jul 2026· GiST Education and Learning Research Journal· Vol 32· 0 citations· 34 references
Abstract
English has become a medium for intercultural communication, providing access to science, education, technology, business, and information. In education, it serves not only as a communicative tool but as a means to raise awareness of global challenges. Consequently, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have received increasing attention in educational research and policy worldwide, including in Colombia. However, limited attention has been paid to how SDG-related themes are represented in English language teaching (ELT) materials, particularly in higher education contexts. This study analyzes the presence and promotion of the 2030 Agenda in English courses at a private Colombian university, examining materials from both a Foreign Languages Teacher Education Program (FLTEP) and a Language Center (LC), and exploring the views of English embedded in these materials (Cates, 2022). Through a mixed-methods content analysis of 828 materials, including class presentations, texts, and audiovisual and digital resources collected during the first semester of 2024, the findings highlight the need to move beyond narrowly linguistic approaches toward more critical, action-oriented materials that promote English as a tool for intercultural dialogue and social engagement. While there is a growing awareness of global issues in this context, the limited explicit integration of the SDGs across courses suggests that institutional support and teachers' agency are still needed to strengthen this alignment.
The study suggests an iterative pedagogical cycle and assessment model of the digital English teaching responsive to language and brings together language-policy studies in the context of BRI and technology-enhanced language learning and multilingual applied linguistics within one analytical frame.
Mohibullah Khan, Ulfat· Inverge Journal of Social Sc...· 0 citations
Around the world, digital transformation (DT) is reshaping how English as a Foreign Language (EFL) is taught, but Yemeni Faculties of Education are struggling to keep pace. Political instability, limited institutional resources, and gaps in instructors' digital skills have made it difficult to build the kind of digital infrastructure needed for effective teaching. This study looks closely at the challenges within Departments of English at Yemeni Faculties of Education and asks what can realistically be done about them. Using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, the study began with a structured Likert-scale questionnaire completed by 20 EFL PhD holders selected randomly, and followed up with semi-structured interviews conducted with 6 PhD holders, who were selected in a purposive manner, to help explain and deepen the initial findings. The quantitative and qualitative analysis focused on four interconnected areas: technological, human, pedagogical, and organisational readiness for digital transformation. The results point to real and persistent problems, weak infrastructure, limited training, and inconsistent institutional support, along with noticeable differences in how instructors view and engage with digital tools. Based on these findings, the study puts forward practical strategies: investing in infrastructure, offering ongoing professional development, strengthening institutional policy, and building clearer frameworks for integrating technology into teaching. Ultimately, this research adds to what we know about digital transformation in EFL settings facing conflict and limited resources, and offers concrete guidance for policymakers, administrators, and instructors working to move digital pedagogy forward in teaching English in the Departments of English Yemeni at Faculties of Education.
Dr. Lutfi Abdullah Hadi Qais· International journal of res...· 0 citations
English is a foreign language taught in Indonesia. One of the biggest problems in teaching English as a foreign language is how to bridge students’ language proficiency and their indigenous cultural identity. The present study investigates the need for designing culturally responsive instructional materials for students of a Hindu higher education institution in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. This research uses an explanatory mixed methods design to implement the Context, Input, Process, Product (CIPP) model to assess the pedagogical and cultural needs for the development of genre-based English teaching materials. Using purposive sampling, this study included 120 students, 5 lecturers, 5 cultural practitioners, and 1 head of the study programme. The study data were collected through questionnaires, document analysis, and semi-structured interviews with lecturers, students, programme administrators, and cultural practitioners. The findings show a critical gap between curriculum policy and classroom practice, indicating the need for urgent genre-based scaffolding and technology based and contextualised content. Cultural analysis identifies that material artefacts (e.g., Batang Haring), social practices (rituals), and philosophical values (Tri Hita Karana) are crucial elements in enhancing the relevance of learning. These results provide a framework for mapping local wisdom into functional texts, ensuring English materials are both linguistically sound and culturally grounded. This study recommends developing technology-based English materials infused with local wisdom as a strategic solution for meaningful, contextualised language learning.
N. Tantri, N. N. Padmadewi, L. Artini et al.· International Journal of Lea...· 0 citations
Background: Integrating environmental awareness into English Language Teaching (ELT) has become increasingly important as a response to global sustainability challenges and the need to cultivate environmentally responsible learners through language education. Methods: This study employed a descriptive qualitative approach using an integrative literature review of secondary data derived from internationally indexed scientific publications, national journal articles, and relevant policy documents. The analysis was conducted through source selection, thematic categorization focusing on challenges, strategies, and future prospects, and cross-literature integration. Findings: The results reveal several barriers to integrating environmental awareness into ELT, including limited environmental literacy among teachers, insufficient eco-pedagogical training, and curricula that remain predominantly language-oriented. However, innovative approaches such as project-based learning, Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), and the integration of green digital literacy have demonstrated considerable potential in engaging students with environmental issues while simultaneously enhancing language competencies. The findings further indicate that ELT can serve as an effective platform for promoting sustainability values and ecological responsibility. Conclusion: Embedding environmental awareness into ELT is essential for advancing the goals of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), enabling the development of critical, environmentally conscious, and globally responsible learners capable of contributing to sustainable futures. Novelty/Originality of this article: This study offers a comprehensive synthesis of challenges, strategies, and future directions for integrating environmental awareness into ELT, contributing to the advancement of eco-pedagogical discourse while providing practical implications for curriculum development and teacher professional training oriented toward sustainability.
Fadila Vani Dea Risanti, M. Irsyad· Penelitian Ilmu Pengetahuan...· 0 citations
English language occupies a central position in Nigeria’s educational system as the official
language and the principal medium of instruction in schools. Despite its importance, many
students in rural secondary schools continue to experience poor performance in English
language due to inadequate teaching strategies, shortage of qualified teachers, limited
instructional resources, and insufficient exposure to English outside the classroom. This study
investigates effective strategies for teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) in secondary
schools in Ogori-Magongo Local Government Area of Kogi State, Nigeria. The study adopts a
mixed-methods research design involving questionnaires, classroom observations, interviews,
and achievement tests administered to selected teachers and students in rural secondary schools.
The study is anchored on Communicative Language Teaching Theory, Sociocultural Theory, and
the Input Hypothesis. Findings reveal that learner-centred approaches, communicative activities,
contextualized instruction, and low-cost technology-assisted learning significantly improve
students’ participation and performance in English language. The study further identifies
inadequate teacher training, poor infrastructural facilities, and mother tongue interference as
major obstacles to effective ESL teaching in rural schools. The paper recommends regular
teacher training, curriculum reform, integration of communicative teaching methods, and
government support for instructional resources in rural schools. The study contributes to the
ongoing discourse on improving English language education in underserved communities in
Nigeria.
Afolabi David Dele· International Journal of Eng...· 0 citations
This study examines how lecturers in a Brazilian public university perceive English-medium instruction (EMI) and the development of intercultural competence (IC) within their teaching. It aims to understand the importance they assign to IC, the challenges they encounter and the types of institutional support they consider necessary for integrating IC into EMI.
This study draws on data from an online questionnaire completed by 31 lecturers across multiple disciplinary fields. Closed-ended items generated descriptive statistics on language use and proficiency, while open-ended responses underwent qualitative content analysis, combining deductive and inductive coding procedures. The instrument was part of a larger project that collected comparable data in Brazil and Portugal.
EMI use was selective and concentrated in course materials, readings and slides rather than full English-medium course delivery. Lecturers identified insufficient English proficiency, lack of training, limited institutional policies and restricted opportunities for intercultural exposure as major barriers. They viewed IC as a multidimensional competence encompassing educational, social and professional dimensions. Participants emphasized the need for continuous pedagogical training, sustained language support and institutional recognition of EMI- and IC-related work.
Findings highlight the urgency of coordinated institutional policies, integrated EMI–IC professional development, expanded language support and opportunities for intercultural engagement to sustain EMI initiatives in Brazilian higher education.
This study provides one of the few empirical examinations of how Brazilian lecturers conceptualize IC within EMI practice. It offers context-specific insights into how structural inequalities and limited institutional frameworks shape EMI adoption in public, tuition-free systems.
Marcelo Kremer, Susana Pinto· Journal for Multicultural Ed...· 0 citations
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