Towards English Education Sustainability: A Narrative Inquiry of an Islamic Eco-ELT School in Dompu
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18326/register.v19i1.80-102Keywords:
Ecological language pedagogy, faith-based education, sustainable school governance, ecological awarenessAbstract
This study aims to accomplish three primary objectives: (1) to identify the key elements that constitute Eco-ELT as a sustainability-oriented pedagogical practice, (2) to describe how school leaders and English teachers construct and enact these practices through their lived and narrative experiences, and (3) to explain the ecological meanings and values that sustain Eco-ELT within a local Islamic school. Drawing on in-depth interviews with the principal and an English teacher, classroom observations, and institutional documents, this study reveals that Eco-ELT is a lived practice shaped by historical, social, and environmental narratives. The findings show that Eco-ELT is rooted in a community initiative, an English course where tuition was paid with waste, which later evolved into a holistic sustainability vision. The principal’s leadership, grounded in reflective learning and community collaboration, led to programs such as SEKAM, English-area policies, and a school-wide environmental culture. Pedagogically, Eco-ELT is implemented through place-based learning, integrating grammar instruction with direct environmental observations in settings such as the Green Lab, composting areas, and thematic gardens. Students act not only as learners but also as ecological agents through roles like “language police” and daily environmental responsibilities. Despite facing challenges related to time constraints, attendance of non-boarding student, and initial skepticism from parents, the school adapts by enhancing communication and showcasing the visible transformation of students. Theoretically, this study positions Eco-ELT as a situated, narrative-driven ecological practice influenced by leadership and place. Empirically, it demonstrates how sustainability-oriented language education can be enacted in resource-constrained yet environmentally committed school contexts.
References
Abbass, K., Qasim, M. Z., Song, H., Murshed, M., Mahmood, H., & Younis, I. (2022). A review of the global climate change impacts, adaptation, and sustainable mitigation measures. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 29(28), 42539–42559. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-19718-6
Agbedahin, A. V. (2019). Sustainable development, Education for sustainable development, and the 2030 agenda for sustainable development: Emergence, efficacy, eminence, and future. Sustainable Development, 27(4), 669–680. https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.1931
Amprazis, A., & Papadopoulou, P. (2025). Key competencies in education for sustainable development: A valuable framework for enhancing plant awareness. Plants, People, Planet, 7(4), 1195–1211. https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp3.10625
Ásványi, K., & Gedeon, E. (2025). Enhancing sustainability consciousness in higher education: Short- and long-term impacts of a project-based learning approach. The International Journal of Management Education, 23(3), 101235. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijme.2025.101235
Bellewes, E. (2024). Ecolinguistics and Environment in Education: Language, Culture and Textual Analysis. Bloomsbury Academic.
Bellino, M. E., & Adams, J. D. (2017). A critical urban environmental pedagogy: Relevant urban environmental education for and by youth. The Journal of Environmental Education, 48(4), 270–284. https://doi.org/10.1080/00958964.2017.1336976
Breiting, S. (2009). Issues for environmental education and ESD research development: Looking ahead from WEEC 2007 in Durban. Environmental Education Research, 15(2), 199–207. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504620902807584
Bulan, A., Ramadhan, R. A., & Wahyuni, N. (2024). Need analysis for developing English teaching materials using the Eco-ELT approach to enhance environmental literacy among high school students in Dompu regency. Jurnal Pendidikan Dan Pembelajaran Indonesia (JPPI), 4(1), 72–80. https://doi.org/10.53299/jppi.v4i1.417
Bulan, A., Ramadhan, R. A., Wahyuni, N., & Taufik, T. (2025). Exploring teachers’ and students’ readiness for the implementation of Eco-ELT in rural Indonesian EFL contexts. Forum for Linguistic Studies, 7(11). https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i11.11677
Caine, V., Clandinin, D. J., & Lessard, S. (2022). Narrative Inquiry: Philoshopical Roots. Bloomsbury Academic.
Chien, S.-C., & Knoble, C. (2024). Research of education for sustainable development: Understanding new emerging trends and issues after SDG 4. Journal of Sustainability Research, 6(1), 1–29. https://doi.org/10.20900/jsr20240006
Clandinin, D. J., & Connelly, F. M. (2000). Narrative Inquiry: Experience and Story in Qualitative. Jossey-Bass Publishers.
De La Fuente, M. J. (2021). Education for Sustainable Development in Foreign Language Learning: Content-Based Instruction in College-Level Curricula (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003080183
Desfandi, M., Maryani, E., & Disman, D. (2016). The role of school principal leadership in implementation of eco school program as the effort to support sustainable development. Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Educational, Management, Administration and Leadership. 6th International Conference on Educational, Management, Administration and Leadership, Bandung, Indonesia. https://doi.org/10.2991/icemal-16.2016.40
Ernst, J. (2007). Factors associated with K-12 teachers’ use of environment-based education. The Journal of Environmental Education, 38(3), 15–32. https://doi.org/10.3200/JOEE.38.3.15-32
Faizin, H. A., Permatasari, I., & Aziz, M. (2022). The value of local content in ELT materials in Indonesia. Journal of English Language and Education, 7(2), 19–26. https://doi.org/10.31004/jele.v7i2.243
Fan, Y., Chen, J., Shirkey, G., John, R., Wu, S. R., Park, H., & Shao, C. (2016). Applications of structural equation modeling (SEM) in ecological studies: An updated review. Ecological Processes, 5(1), 19. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13717-016-0063-3
Huang, R. X., Pagano, A., & Marengo, A. (2024). Values-based education for sustainable development (VbESD): Introducing a pedagogical framework for education for sustainable development (ESD) using a values-based education (VbE) approach. Sustainability, 16(9), 3562. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16093562
Iswandari, D. C., Prayogo, J. A., & Cahyono, B. Y. (2017). Effect of environmental problem-based learning on the Indonesian EFL students’ environment-related vocabulary mastery and writing ability. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 7(8), 608. https://doi.org/10.17507/tpls.0708.02
Janes, J., & McCunn, L. J. (2022). Introducing interdisciplinary curricula into conservation biology: Exploring changes in students’ perceived proenvironmental attitudes and behaviors. Journal of Educational Research and Practice, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.5590/JERAP.2022.12.1.18
Juanda, J., Djumingin, S., R, M., Afandi, I., & Intang, D. (2024). Ecoliteracy digital short stories among students in Indonesia. Journal of Turkish Science Education, 21(2), 254–270. https://doi.org/10.36681/tused.2024.014
Kolleck, N., & Yemini, M. (2020). Environment-related education topics within global citizenship education scholarship focused on teachers: A natural language processing analysis. The Journal of Environmental Education, 51(4), 317–331. https://doi.org/10.1080/00958964.2020.1724853
Kravchenko, A. V. (2016). Two views on language ecology and ecolinguistics. Language Sciences, 54, 102–113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.langsci.2015.12.002
Letouzey-Pasquier, J., Gremaud, B., Blondin, S., & Roy, P. (2023). Development of teachers’ practices in the field of education for sustainable development (ESD): A discursive community of interdisciplinary practices focusing on the theme of chocolate. Environmental Education Research, 29(8), 1155–1169. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2022.2128056
Lier, L. V. (2010). The ecology of language learning: Practice to theory, theory to practice. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 3, 2–6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.07.005
Lim, C. K., Haufiku, M. S., Tan, K. L., Farid Ahmed, M., & Ng, T. F. (2022). Systematic review of education sustainable development in higher education institutions. Sustainability, 14(20), 13241. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142013241
Maghfiroh, A., Harmanto, B., Prayitno, H. J., Tamrin, A., & Lathifah, L. (2025). Ecological education in ELT: How could it promote students’ critical thinking skill and sustainable behaviour? Journal of Languages and Language Teaching, 13(2), 1005. https://doi.org/10.33394/jollt.v13i2.14330
Nahdi, K., Basri, H., Amrullah, & Susanto, A. (2024). Integration of SDGs in language teaching: Assessing the response of Indonesian researchers – a systematic literature review using the SPAR methods. Language Teaching Research Quarterly, 42, 55–68. https://doi.org/10.32038/ltrq.2024.42.04
Nguyen, T. H.-T., Zakarneh, M., McDonald, M., & Amankwah-Amoah, J. (2025). Reconceptualizing ethical leadership for the global south: An institutional logics perspective. The Leadership Quarterly, 36(5), 101897. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2025.101897
Nilawati, N., Murniati, M., Husaini, H., & Aulia, M. (2025). Social leadership and educational transformation enhance green school culture, overcoming challenges for teachers and management. International Journal of Innovative Research and Scientific Studies, 8(3), 2084–2103. https://doi.org/10.53894/ijirss.v8i3.6947
Nur, S., Anas, I., & Pilu, R. (2022). The call for environmentally-based language teaching and green pedagogy: Climate actions in language education. Elsya: Journal of English Language Studies, 4(1), 77–85. https://doi.org/10.31849/elsya.v4i1.9526
Olawumi, K. B., & Akintolu, M. (2025). Awareness, attitudes, and challenges of pre-service teachers in integrating education for sustainable development (ESD). Prizren Social Science Journal, 9(2), 46–57. https://doi.org/10.32936/pssj.v9i2.663
Paulsen, M. K. (2020). Appearance of experience as form and process. Integrative Psychological and Behavioral Science, 54, 861–879. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12124-020-09526-3
Pellerone, M., Martinez Torvisco, J., Razza, S. G., Lo Piccolo, A., Guarnera, M., La Rosa, V. L., & Commodari, E. (2023). Relational competence, school adjustment and emotional skills: A cross-sectional study in a group of junior and high school students of the Sicilian hinterland. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(3), 2182. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20032182
Peng, Y., Alias, B. S., Wan, X., & Mansor, A. N. (2024). The impact of sustainable leadership on education quality: A systematic review. Journal of Law and Sustainable Development, 12(6), e3760. https://doi.org/10.55908/sdgs.v12i6.3760
Perwitasari, S. I., Hariyono, E., & Susantini, E. (2023). Implementation of ESD (education for sustainable development) in climate change learning: A literature review. IJORER: International Journal of Recent Educational Research, 4(4), 399–415. https://doi.org/10.46245/ijorer.v4i4.317
Saiful, J. A. (2020a). New innovation in English language teaching: Revealing concepts and applications of eco-ELT. Tell: Teaching of English Language and Literature Journal, 8(1), 63. https://doi.org/10.30651/tell.v8i1.4604
Saiful, J. A. (2020b). New innovation in English language teaching: revealing concepts and applications of ECO-ELT. Tell: Teaching of English Language and Literature Journal, 8(1), 63. https://doi.org/10.30651/tell.v8i1.4604
Saiful, J. A. (2023). Eco-ELT for environmental research and praxis in ELT. Journal on English as a Foreign Language, 13(2), 373–398. https://doi.org/10.23971/jefl.v13i2.6335
Sari, W. A., Artika, W., Rina Suryani Oktari, Safrida, Hafnati Rahmatan, & Daisuke Sasaki. (2025). Assessing education for sustainable development (ESD) competencies and environmental empathy in disaster and environment knowledge to support SDGs 2030. Jurnal Pendidikan IPA Indonesia, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.15294/jpii.v14i1.15401
Shutaleva, A., Nikonova, Z., Savchenko, I., & Martyushev, N. (2020). Environmental education for sustainable development in Russia. Sustainability, 12(18), 7742. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12187742
Sihombing, R. A., Muslim, M., Rahman, T., & Winarno, N. (2024). Enhancing quality education in Indonesia: A literature review of STEM-ESD landscape contributions. Journal of Science Learning, 7(3), 213–226. https://doi.org/10.17509/jsl.v7i3.69046
Stibbe, A. (2015). Ecolinguistics: Language, ecology and the stories we live by. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.
Sumarmi, S., Aliman, M., & Mutia, T. (2021). The effect of digital eco-learning in student worksheet flipbook to environmental project literacy and pedagogic competency. Journal of Technology and Science Education, 11(2), 357. https://doi.org/10.3926/jotse.1175
UNESCO. (2017). Education for Sustainable Development Goals: Learning Objectives. UNESCO.
Wang, R. (2025). The creation of English classroom teaching environment from the perspective of educational ecology. OALib, 12(04), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.4236/oalib.1113324
Yildiz, K. (2022). Experiential learning from the perspective of outdoor education leaders. Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism Education, 30, 100343. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhlste.2021.100343
Yu, B., Guo, W. Y., & Fu, H. (2024). Sustainability in English language teaching: Strategies for empowering students to achieve the sustainable development goals. Sustainability, 16(8), 3325. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16083325
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Arif Bulan, Nur Wahyuni, Risca Ariska Ramadhan, Yana Karisma
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
REGISTER JOURNAL: https://ejournal.uinsalatiga.ac.id/index.php/register/index is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License
Copyright Notice
An author who publishes in REGISTER JOURNAL agrees to the following terms:
- The author retains the copyright and grants the journal the right of first publication of the work simultaneously licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal
- The author can enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book) with the acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
- The author is permitted and encouraged to post his/her work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) before and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of the published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
Read more about the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Licence here: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/.
Privacy Statement
The names and email addresses entered in this journal site will be used exclusively for the stated purposes of this journal. They will not be made available for any other purpose or to any other party.
