The role of language in teaching ecosystem conservation in uzbek schools

Abstract

The promotion of strong environmental education is imperative for building a sustainable future, especially for areas that undergo rapid ecological alterations. In Uzbekistan, the promotion of civilization's ecosystem conservation at the secondary educational level will enhance the students' awareness and practices in responsible environmental stewardship for the future. This qualitative research attempts to illuminate the relation between language and teaching ecosystem conservation in Uzbekistan’s language policy as a critical feature of an education system's ecosystem. By examining relevant documents, narrative interviews with the teachers, and video-recorded lessons, this study investigates the effectiveness of the use of the Uzbek language in implementing ecological thinking and attitudes towards nature among learners. The analyses reveal that, the student’s elicit response was that nature was an evocative paradigm enriched with collective ecological wisdom and value-imbued phrases that shocked, compelled, and radicalized them toward the statement. The most important metaphors for changing the conservation education paradigm, which the study identified, are metaphors of bearing witness to and taking responsibility for nature, historical and traditional storytelling, and contextual language. This can help inform strategy and framework for designing effective curricula and teaching materials aimed at nurturing environmentally responsible citizens geared up to meeting the stark ecological realities for Uzbekistan.