Red, blue or green discourse: An Ecolinguistic analysis of educational indicators for sustainability in school textbooks in Pakistan

Environmental degradation is the most dangerous occurrence of the 21st century; therefore, environmental sustainability is essential for the existence of all life forms on Earth. Teachers and textbooks are critical for fostering students' ecological awareness, which is essential for addressing the escalating global climate crisis. The present study aims to explore the linguistic and visual patterns used to describe the environment and to compare the environmental discourse in EFL textbooks in school education. The EFL textbooks (n = 10, from primary to secondary level of Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board) were analyzed using Stibbe’s (2015) Ecolinguistics model of cognitive linguistic tools and Kress and Leeuwen’s (2006) social semiotics. The qualitative analysis examines linguistic patterns and visuals that depict nature, human-environment interactions, and global environmental issues. The findings of the research indicate a gradual decrease in the representation of environmental discourse from the primary to secondary level. Information in EFL textbooks mainly focuses on the sensory and experiential aspects of nature. The beneficial discourse in textbooks promotes environmentally friendly activities, both linguistically and visually. By incorporating information on environmental challenges and tailoring content to students’ learning levels, textbooks can foster ecological awareness among students, leading to environmental preservation.