EAL: English Language for Nature Conservation and Sustainability (FutureLearn)

You’ll learn the language and vocabulary that go hand-in-hand with the important topics of conservation biology and sustainability. Specifically, you’ll explore the unique flora and fauna of New Zealand to broaden your understanding and help you progress further with your study of the English language.

Led by Dr. Ray Genet at the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology, a specialist in delivering lessons on preserving biodiversity, you’ll learn how to advance your language skills and communicate your interest in sustainability.

Explore different techniques to help you learn English language

The course will help take your English language skills to the next level as you delve into responding to a variety of language formats.

You’ll increase your reading, vocabulary, and pronunciation skills as you examine academic and spoken texts.

Discover the unique New Zealand wildlife

Being isolated from the rest of the world has allowed New Zealand’s wildlife to evolve in distinctive ways. However, with the increase in the number of humans, there has also been an increase in the number and types of pests.

In this course, you’ll learn how these introduced pests are being managed to restore parts of New Zealand. You’ll also look at the work by the Brook Waimārama Sanctuary, which aims to re-create a historic piece of New Zealand where native birds, reptiles, and invertebrates can flourish.

By the end of this course, you’ll have the knowledge and vocabulary skills to discuss different sustainability topics with ease.

What topics will you cover?

Week 1 - Focus on Writing and Reading for understanding - Our connection to nature

Week 2 - Focus on Reading - Forest Conservation in New Zealand

Week 3 - Focus on Listening for understanding - Ecological restoration & The Brook Sanctuary

Week 4 - Focus on Speaking - How to give an effective and persuasive presentation for biodiversity conservation

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

- Identify vocabulary and concepts in of nature conservation in written and spoken texts.

- Analyse and discuss reasons to conserve nature.

- Create and evaluate a PowerPoint presentation on a conservation project.