Abstract:
The environment—and the roles young people play in it—has become prominent topics in English language classrooms. As students encounter ecological issues more often through media and everyday life, literature that explores these themes has become more prevalent. At the same time, using topics and texts that reflect students’ interests has been shown to boost motivation, enhance critical thinking, and deepen intercultural understanding.
Building on this growing interest and relevance, this workshop highlights contemporary picturebooks as an innovative medium for exploring environmental themes through the lens of youth. Far from simple early-reader books, today’s picturebooks are sophisticated, multimodal narratives that depict young people’s complex relationships with nature amid times of crisis, change, and discovery. These stories invite readers to reflect on questions such as the meanings of “nature” and “human,” as well as themes such as climate anxiety, resilience, belonging, and agency—while simultaneously fostering language development and visual literacy.
Participants will be introduced to a curated selection of English-language picturebooks centered on nature and youth, alongside critical theoretical frameworks that explore how visual and verbal elements collaborate to create meaning. Through guided interaction with the texts, participants will also practice strategies for integrating these picturebooks into EFL classrooms, including techniques for close reading, classroom discussion, and differentiated instruction.
By incorporating picturebooks into their teaching, English-language educators can offer students meaningful opportunities to develop language skills while engaging with “green issues” relevant to their generation. All in all, this workshop aims to equip teachers with the tools to approach these texts both as artistic works and valuable educational resources.
Bio:
Amanda Halter (she/her) is a research associate in American Studies at Friedrich Schiller University of Jena. After earning her teacher education degree (BS and state examinations) in New York State, she taught English Language Arts in the Bronx before completing an MA in English Studies at FSU Jena. Drawing on her teaching experience and research interests at the intersection of nature, youth literature, and environmental education, Amanda has published, guest lectured, and taught courses exploring these interdisciplinary themes. She is currently completing a dissertation on “Reading Environmental Violence in Young Adult Fiction.”