Sustainability across the Curriculum: A Multilingual and Intercultural Approach
Developed in the 1980s, Cultures and Languages Across the Curriculum (CLAC) programs provide a content-based curricular framework for developing and applying language and intercultural competence within diverse academic disciplines through the use of multilingual resources and the inclusion of multiple cultural perspectives. In this chapter, we analyze the development of a cluster of tutorials housed in a department of environmental studies. In these tutorials, learners explored how cultural and linguistic perspectives inform and shape sustainability policies and practices. Details about the structure of these CLAC tutorials are offered to emphasize how primary course objectives are achieved through case studies, project-based activities, and community interactions. Despite challenges related to teacher preparation and materials selection, student survey data suggested that the tutorials led to gains in student language development, understanding of sustainability concepts, and motivation to continue studying the language, underscoring the essential role of foreign languages in the broader discussion of education for sustainability.
