As environmental and linguistic challenges grow in urgency, educators are finding synergy between these two worlds in the classroom. The Eco Lingua project embraces a forward-thinking approach: using language education as a tool for environmental consciousness—especially in early childhood settings. Across Europe, inspiring stories are emerging from classrooms that bridge nature and language in ways that are imaginative, practical, and transformative. 

Nature Walks as Language Labs: Finland and Greece 

In a kindergarten in Espoo, Finland, children participate in weekly “Language in Nature” walks where they collect leaves, stones, and sticks and name them in both Finnish and English. Teachers scaffold new vocabulary with songs and storytelling linked to local fauna and flora. Inspired by David Sobel’s “place-based education” approach (Sobel, 2004), these walks create emotional and linguistic attachment to the immediate environment. 

In Greece, Akata Makata educators reported that nature walks followed by classroom discussions have improved both language retention and environmental sensitivity, especially when children bring in “nature treasures” and describe them in simple English phrases like “This is a soft leaf” or “I found a snail!”. 

The Role of Eco-Fiction in Language Development: Italy and Romania 

In an Italian preschool, educators incorporated books like The Lorax by Dr. Seuss and Greta and the Giants by Zoë Tucker into bilingual reading sessions. Children learned vocabulary such as forest, trees, animals, and pollution, and re-enacted the stories using props and puppets in both Italian and English. These activities are rooted in Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) methodology, which has been proven effective in early education contexts (Coyle, Hood & Marsh, 2010). 

Similarly, in Romania, children co-wrote environmental fables based on their local river ecosystem, combining language skills with environmental literacy. Teachers used open-ended prompts and vocabulary maps to guide children in writing stories with morals tied to conservation. 

Eco-Drama and Multilingual Expression: Spain 

At a public school in Valencia, educators developed an “Eco-Theatre” week where students created short plays in Spanish and English about environmental issues like plastic pollution or endangered species. Drawing on drama-in-education practices (Heathcote & Bolton, 1995), the activity supported both expressive language use and teamwork, while increasing students’ understanding of sustainability. 

The scripts were student-written and included lines like “Let’s protect our planet” and “Plastic hurts the sea turtles.” Post-performance reflections were done through drawing and journaling, enabling teachers to assess both linguistic output and environmental insight. 

Multisensory Learning with Recycled Materials: Bulgaria 

In Sofia, Bulgaria, a preschool used recycled household materials (bottle caps, cartons, fabric scraps) to build dioramas of forest ecosystems. During the creative process, children practiced naming animals and plants in English, learning action verbs like cut, glue, stick, place. This approach aligns with Reggio Emilia principles, where hands-on creation supports language expression and environmental values (Edwards, Gandini & Forman, 2012). 

Teachers reported increased enthusiasm for English when tied to crafting. One 5-year-old reportedly told his teacher, “Trees clean the air. I made one from tissue!” 

Bilingual Weather Stations and Eco-Vocabulary: Portugal 

In a Lisbon-based kindergarten, children help run a “weather station” in both Portuguese and English. They chart the daily forecast (sunny, cloudy, windy) and make observations about the effects of weather on school plants and gardens. These moments are used to introduce action verbs (grow, dry, blow away) and nouns tied to climate and ecology. 

This ongoing activity echoes Krashen’s Input Hypothesis, emphasizing the value of comprehensible input in meaningful contexts (Krashen, 1982). Because the weather station is a real part of their daily life, children absorb and use the language with greater ease. 

Conclusion: Language Roots Run Deeper in Soil 

What these stories reveal is that language learning flourishes when it is embedded in authentic, emotionally rich, and multisensory experiences—especially when tied to nature. The Eco Lingua project continues to nurture innovative educational practices that not only teach children to speak new words but to use their voices in service of a greener, more compassionate world. 

References 

Coyle, D., Hood, P., & Marsh, D. (2010). CLIL: Content and Language Integrated Learning. Cambridge University Press. 

Edwards, C., Gandini, L., & Forman, G. (2012). The hundred languages of children: The Reggio Emilia experience in transformation (3rd ed.). Praeger. 

Heathcote, D., & Bolton, G. (1995). Drama for learning: Dorothy Heathcote’s mantle of the expert approach to education. Heinemann. 

Krashen, S. D. (1982). Principles and practice in second language acquisition. Pergamon Press. 

Sobel, D. (2004). Place-based education: Connecting classrooms and communities. The Orion Society. 

Tucker, Z., Persico, Z., & Williams, Z. (2019). Greta and the Giants. Frances Lincoln Children’s Books. 

Seuss, Dr. (1971). The Lorax. Random House.