promoting environmental sustainability in the classroom-mierza conaplin

8/3/2019 Promoting Environmental Sustainability in the Classroom-Mierza CONAPLIN

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Mierza MirantiEnglish Teacher of Sugar Group High School Lampung

2009



Promoting Environmental Sustainability Awareness in the Classroom:

Integrating Renewable Energy Issues in English Lessons based on KTSP

Mierza Miranti

Abstract

Globalization coming with the benefits and impacts it brings challenges education practitioners to

raise the awareness of the future leaders namely today’s students. Teachers are actually capable of

being the agents that can take part in bringing globalization issue into the classroom by integratingthem along with the lesson. Thus, this paper analyzes the practice on the application of integrating

renewable energy issues in English lesson based on the national curriculum set by the government.

Hopefully, the incorporation will encourage students to have awareness and think critically toward

the impact of globalization on environmental sustainability as a part of sustainable development.

The paper also reports on the planning and flows of activities conducted in the classroom for nine

activities in ten sessions covering all learning aspects: listening, reading, writing, and speaking.

Finally, it is continued with the teacher reflection on the practice and concluded by the suggestions

for further works in the other scopes of issues as well teaching subjects.

Keyword: environmental sustainability, awareness, renewable energy, KTSP

1. Introduction

Indonesia is now facing a reality of the upcoming – if not to say the already come – globalization

that has a great impact on almost every aspect of the living systems, including environment. The

youngsters whom teachers meet in the classroom will soon take part or be expected to get

involved in the global world. They need to be prepared to become responsible global citizens

who serve the role as those who promote sustainable development and we – teachers – are part of

the preparation. The guidance starts by promoting awareness of what consequences of the actions

they take for the upcoming generations.

Thus, it is relieving to acknowledge that the government of Indonesia has a profound awareness

of the upcoming situation. The support given by the Department of Education of Indonesia is to

focus on the development of education in Indonesia toward three things, namely the distribution

of education, the improvements on quality, relevance, and competitiveness in education, as well

as the intensification of management, accountability, and image before the public. It is believed

that the government, along with parties involved in the process, has given the best effort to

achieve the aforementioned objectives (Depdiknas: 2002)





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One of the most considered valuable system established by the government is to have KTSP

(Kurikulum Tingkat Satuan Pendidikan) – or literally translated into Curriculum on Independent

Education Unit – to be applied in the national educational system. This system has actually given

appropriate possibilities to teachers as the front liners to really make use of the situation in order

to give the most of the learning for the students.

An advantage of having the KTSP applied in the education system is of course to have a

complete autonomy to design lessons that meet or are above the required standard. Schools and

educators can take a look what would be beneficial to be given beyond the basic requirements

which would equip the students to prepare for their future.

Language is one of the equipments needed to strengthen their ability to communicate and

comprehend the world better. Thus, everyone would have agreed upon the statement “Language

is a mean of communication”. Whether the students realize it or not, the language they lear n will

be used or have been used to communicate, state, communicate their ideas, thoughts, feelings,

opinions, and other functions to others in the world outside their classroom. A successful user of

language, or we can say as a former language classroom student, can be observed on how he or

she utilizes it in any form perfectly and appropriately in every situations.

However, teachers sometimes do not realize the fact that one day their tudents will become

citizens who have rights and responsibilities. The educational process they have will finally

formulate their way of thinking, acting, and responding to the developmental issues. They might

even face the world which they are not ready to cope with since they are not equipped with the

equipments to confront global issues and challenges. Giving the not only the lesson itself but also

how to use it critically and learn it meaningfully, for example by giving sufficient exposures to





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sustainable development issues, will play a role in molding their awareness to be part of the

maintaining sustainability communities and become responsible citizens of the world.

As for in English classes, it is quite devastating that in contrast with the program generated by

the government to have a more communicative and applicative learning, some issues that are still

found in nowadays teachings seem to only serve for a traditional manner of teaching and learning

processes that make students only become passive learners. For example, students mostly do the

practices and tests, discuss – or in other word: to check for – the answers, and listen to teachers’

explanations or dictations. This kind of learning situations would only give the students materials

to be memorized. It only provides few opportunities for the students to actually apply the

language itself. Consequently, some valuable times to have English as the media of

communication might be lost since it is learnt unconnectedly with the world.

This paper therefore examines the integration of a topic of renewable energy as the one related to

environmental sustainability into English lessons by incorporating them with the curriculum set

by the Education Department which is used by the school. Based on the analysis of literature, the

paper presents the process of applying environmental sustainability issue by taking one matter,

namely Renewable Energy, in listening, reading, speaking, and finally writing sessions in the

first half semester of twelve graders. The application is then examined by using teacher

reflection. The paper includes recommendation for future research.





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2. Energy and Environmental Sustainability

The issues of sustainable development have been brought up by public since the concern to the

carrying the population size of the species that the environment can sustain indefinitely, given

the food, habitat, water and other necessities available in the environment is related with the

social problems facing humanity.

As Bruntland Comission in 1987, formally the World Commission on Environment and

Development (WCED), coined the meaning as development that "meets the needs of the present

without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." Sustainable

development also points out on the significance of preserving the capability to respond to future

shock, yet when their chances, locations, and effects cannot be measured. This issue also stresses

out the importance of taking long-term perspective about the consequences ones might have for

taking certain actions.

It is as well a vision of development that covers populations, animal and plant species,

ecosystems, natural resources and that integrates concerns such as the fight against poverty,

gender equality, human rights, education for all, health, human security, intercultural dialogue,

etc (UNESCO, 1995-2009).

It was also pointed out by the Panel for Education for Sustainable Development (1999) as the

seven key concepts that need to be taken into account:

1. Interdependence: Understanding how people, the environment and the economy are

inextricably linked at all levels from local to global.

2. Citizenship and stewardship: Recognizing the importance of taking individual responsibility

and action to ensure the world is a better place.





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3. Needs and rights of future generations: Understanding our own basic needs and the

implications for the needs of future generations of actions taken today.

4. Diversity : Respecting and valuing both human diversity (cultural, social and economic) and

biodiversity.

5. Quality of life : Acknowledging that global equity and justice are essential elements of

sustainability and that basic needs must be met universally.

6. Sustainable change : Understanding that resources are finite and that this has implications for

people's lifestyles and for commerce and industry.

7. Balance : Understanding of uncertainty and of the need for precautions in action.

One point raised in the seven key concepts above is sustainable change that covers all area of the

alleged environmental sustainability which is defined as the process of trying to find out whether

the current development of interaction with the environment are practiced with the system of

maintaining an environment as natural as possible based on ideal-seeking behavior. This idea is

further applied in societies and coined by the Pollution Prevention Alliance as sustainable

communities that would include:

businesses and services which prevent waste;

viable markets for locally-produced goods and services

reliance on energy efficiency and renewable sources of energy;

high levels of public awareness about and participation in local environmental issues;

relatively proportionate distribution of environmental assets such as park land quality and

quantity;

These proposed communities would ensure some components of the sustainable communities are

inhabitable, equitable, and affordable over the long-term





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Thus, to sustain strong sustainable communities, there are some essential elements to work on

(The “Defining Sustainable Communities” National Conference, June 1994). These components

are defined by Oneida Tribe of Wisconsin Mission Statement in the conference as

“Environmental Integrity” that includes:

Living within ecological limits

Protecting natural resources

Responsible consumption patterns: re-use, recycling

Measurable carrying capacity indicators: water

Quality, air quality, species diversity, etc.

The above points are interrelated as one subject and cannot be treated solely since there would be

a consequence for not taking a wise decision today in the future. One of the most important

decisions and very popular is the energy issue as the energy insecurity combined with other

global issues risks fueling conflict, repeating past mistakes in history.

Energy is indeed the key requirement for the economic and social sectors, but some forms of

energy can damage the environment quality when they are produced, transported and used.

Energy accounts for 85% of total greenhouse gas emissions in several countries. It also

contributes substantially to emissions of sulphur oxides, nitrous oxides, volatile organic

compounds and particulates. It is also projected that 57% increase in world energy consumption

over the next 20 years risks impacting heavily on the environment (OECD, 2001) and not

mention the security of the energy which are mostly in use and cannot be replenished such as

fossil fuels. This condition leads some ideas reformation to the inventions and research on

renewable and other energy sources (Shah, 2009) as it is defined as natural energy which does

not have a limited supply.





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3. Integrating the Renewable Energy Issues into English Lesson Based on the Current

Curriculum of KTSP

Indonesian curriculum has undergone various kinds of changes in the attempts of achieving the

best method and practices to develop best potential of the students, starting from the curriculum

of 1989, 1994, 1999 and even Competency Based Curriculum (KBK – Kurikulum Berbasis

Kompetensi) applied in 1994. The latest one – KSTP – has been being applied since 2006 based

on the PP (Peraturan Pemerintah: Government Regulation – writer) No. 99/2005.

KTSP is an alleged result of improvement of the previous national curriculum – KBK – which did

not accommodate the variety of culture and conditions in Indonesia (Ambarsari, 1994). This

curriculum is claimed to have some advantages in compare to the previous ones, especially on

some aspects of application as it promotes the school autonomy to creatively develop the

curriculum based on the needs of the students and even the demands of globalization (Hanafie,

2007). This paper analyzes the application of the planning which took place in the first semester

of 12 grade. Followings are the standard of competency and basic requirements set in the

national curriculum:





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“KTSP” CURRICULUM FOR SEMESTER 1 GRADE XII HIGH SCHOOL

Standard of Competency

Basic Competencies

Listening

1. Comprehend

meanings contained

in formal and

sustained

conversational and

transactional texts in

daily life contexts.

To respond to expressions of formal and sustained transactional (to

get things done) and interpersonal (socializing) expressions on

accurate, fluent, and acceptable manners in daily life contexts and

involving the expressions of: suggesting, begging, lodging

complaints, discussing possibilities, and/or to do someting, and

instructing.

To respond to expressions of formal and sustained transactional (to

get things done) and interpersonal (socializing) expressions on

accurate, fluent, and acceptable manners in daily life contexts and

involving the expressions of: admitting mistakes, making promises,

accusing, showing curiosity, and expressing stances.

2. Comprehend

meanings in short

functional texts and

monologs in forms

of narrative,

explanation, and

discussion in daily

life contexts.

To respond to meanings in formal and informal short functional

texts and monologs utilizing a variety of spoken language on an

accurate, fluent, and acceptable manner in daily life contexts.

To respond to meanings in monologs utilizing a variety of spoken

language on an accurate, fluent, and acceptable manner in daily life

contexts in forms of narrative, explanation, and discussion texts.





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Standard of

CompetencyBasic Competencies

Speaking

3. To express

meanings in formal

and sustained

conversational and

transactional texts in


To express utterances using expressions of formal and sustained

transactional (to get things done) and interpersonal (socializing)

conversations on accurate, fluent, and acceptable manners in daily

life contexts and involving the expressions of: suggesting, begging,

lodging complaints, discussing possibilities, and/or to do someting,

and instructing.

To express utterances using expressions of formal and sustained

transactional (to get things done) and interpersonal (socializing)

conversations on accurate, fluent, and acceptable manners in daily

life contexts and involving the expressions of: admitting mistakes,

making promises, accusing, showing curiosity, and expressing

stances.

4. To express

meanings in short


monologs in forms

of narrative,

explanation, and

discussion texts in


To express meanings in formal and informal settings of short

functional texts and monologs by using a variety of spoken


contexts.

To express meanings in monologs utilizing a variety of spoken


contexts in forms of narrative, explanation, and discussion texts.





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Standard of

CompetencyBasic Competencies

Reading

5. To comprehend

meanings of short


essays in forms of

narrative,

explanation, and

discussion in daily

life context and to

access knowledge as

well.

To respond to meanings in formal and informal short functional

texts utilizing a variety of written language on an accurate, fluent,

acceptable manner in daily life contexts and to access knowledge.

To respond to meanings and rhetorical stages in essays utilizing a

variety of written language on an accurate, fluent, acceptable

manner in daily life contexts and to access knowledge in texts of

narrative, explanation and discussion.

Writing

6. Exposing meanings

in written monologs

in forms of

narrative,

explanation dan

discussion on

accurate, fluent, and

acceptable manners

in daily life

contexts.

Exposing meanings in formal and informal short functional texts

utilizing a variety of written language on an accurate, fluent,

acceptable manner in daily life contexts.

Exposing meanings and rhetorical stages in written monologs

utilizing a variety of written language on an accurate, fluent,

acceptable manner in daily life contexts in texts of narrative,

explanation and dan discussion.





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Furthermore, the minimum requirements set by the government in the basic competence above

can be straightforwardly incorporated with the issues or topics required in English classroom.

Integration itself can take part along with the time an educator teaches some aspects of language

in the classroom, i.e. reading, writing, speaking, listening, and even grammar and structure.

Some activities that integrate the issue, of course, are combined together to achieve

communication goals – which are known as the three main strains – of a language, i.e. oral

communication, written communication, and visual communication. The activities should be

carefully chosen and planned. One consideration that can be taken as a benchmark is to have

activities that encourage students to discover, explore, extend, and communicate their own

values, adjustments, opinions, and even arguments, while listening to other people’s point of

view as a practice of respect.

Finally, it is expected that at the same time, students do not only learn about linguistic aspects of

a language or how to speak, listen, write, and read properly, but beyond that: they would find that

the decisions which are made by people in other parts of the world would affect our lives, just as

our decisions would affect the others.

4. The Case Study

The writer practiced and examined the case at the time she taught the students of science major

12 grade in Sugar Group High School, Lampung, Indonesia – which is currently still her own

class at the time this paper compiled. The case study occurred in the first half of the first

semester of 2009-2010 academic years in which the issue applied was about Renewable Energy.

The planning, which exhibits the basic competencies taken, and the practices can be observed in

the following table. The activities were applied from 24 August to 16 September 2009 based on

the planning designed.





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THE INTEGRATION OF ISSUE

IN THE CURRICULUM FOR

GRADE XII SUGAR GROUP HIGH SCHOOLIndicators Activities Time Class

1. Listening

Identifying and

responding to

complaints

a. Give written dialog to elicit the expression

then practice reading and pronouncing it.

Expected Expression Elicited:

I’d like to make complain about…

Could you do something about…

I’m afraid that…

b. Listen to the Earth Song by Michael Jackson

as tuning-in process.

c. Drill expression usage.

T u e s d a y

2 4 A u g u s t

2 0 0 9

1-2

7.30-9.00

XII

Sci-C

5-6

10.46-12.15

XII

Sci-B

7-8

13.15-14.45

XII

Sci-A

2. Listening:

To identify and

respond to the

language of

curiosity

a. Listen to 2 songs: “Free” from Lighthouse

Family and “I Wonder” from Kelly Pickler to

elicit the expressions of showing curiosity.

Expected Expression Elicited: (i) How on

earth… (ii)I wonder if… (ii)I want to know

whether… (iv) I wish I knew…

b. Drill expression usage using Global Warming

topic.

c. Ask each pair to make problem and read it for

others to respond.

W

e d n e s d a y

2 5 A u g u s t

2 0 0 9

1-2

7.30 – 9.00

XII

Sci-C

3-4

9.00-9.45

10.00-10.45

XII

Sci-A

5-6

10.46 – 12.15

XII

Sci-B





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Indicators Activities Time Class

3. Reading and

listening:

Comprehending

meanings in texts

and essays in a

form of

explanation text.

a. Matching pictures of kinds of energy and

their definition (pelmanism)

b. Categorize the pictures into two energy

categories: renewable and nonrenewable

c. Watch a video about the application of

Renewable energy in a Highland and

Scotland as reading activity.

d. Word-search game

e. Read a text about Renewable Energy

T h u r s d a y

2 6 A u g u s t

2 0 0 9

1-2

7.30 – 9.00

XII

Sci-A

7-8

13.15-14.45

XII

Sci-C

F r i d a y

2 7 A u g u s t 2

0 0 9

7-8

13.15-14.45

XII

Sci-B

4. Reading :

To understand

the generic

structure of

explanation text

and applying

passive voice.

a. Find the generic structure (GS) of

explanation text from the previous meeting

and make the scheme.

b. Give another example of explanation text

titled Acid Rain as background information

of the effect of fossil fuels use and analyze

the GS and scheme.

c. Find passive voice in the text.

d. Change active voice in Renewable Energy

passage and practice changing them to

passive.

W e d n e s d a y

2 S e p

t e m b e r

2 0 0 9

1-2

7.30 – 9.00

XII

Sci-C

3-4

9.00 – 9.45

10.00 – 10.45

XII

Sci-A

5-6

10.46 – 12.15

XII

Sci-

B





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5. Listening:

To identify

and respond

to the

language of

possibilities.

a. Give written dialog of possibilities to elicit the

expressions of questioning possibilities and

stating something is possible or impossible.

b. Watch the “Inconvenient Truth” movie from Al

Gore and ask students to jot down important

facts and language of possibilities.

c. Discuss the language of possibilities found or

the ones that could be made.

T h u r s d a y

3 S e p

t e m b e r

2 0 0 9 1-2

7.30 -9.00

XII

Sci-A

7-8

13.15-14.45

XII

Sci-C

F r i d a y

4 S e p t e m b e r 2 0 0 9

7-8

13.15-14.45

XII

Sci-B

6. Writing:

Explanation

text based on

the generic

structure.

a. Students form a group of four.

b. Discuss important facts found in the movie and

make explanation text scheme and GS plotting

on Global Warming topic.

c. Create a group explanation text Edit, revise, and

publish the work afterward.

T u e s d a y

8 S e p

t e m

b e r

2 0 0 9

1-2

7.30-9.00

XII

Sci-C

5-6

10.46-12.15

XII

Sci-B

7-8

13.15-14.45

XII

Sci-A

7. Writing:

Explanation

text based on

the generic

structure.

a. Students are told to work in pairs to do the

write and run activity to produce explanation

text using Renewable Energy topic.

b. Every 2 pair sits to form one group.

c. The first 10 minutes, they are asked to make the

explanation scheme and generic structure.

d. The activity runs for 50 minutes in which the

students move from one group to another to

write one single paragraph for every 10 minutes

as a part of the planned explanation text.

W e d n e s d a y

9 S e p t e m

b e r 2 0 0 9

1-2

7.30 – 9.00

XII

Sci-C

3-4

9.00 – 9.45

10.00 – 10.45

XII Sci-A

5-6

10.46 – 12.15

XII

Sci-B





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8. Writing:

Editing

explanation

text based on

the generic

structure.

a. Students sit based on the pair they have the

previous meeting.

b. The pairs edit and publish the works.

c. Every pair presents their work in front of the

class.

d. Form a group of four to prepare for debate

of Renewable Energy topic the next

meeting.

T h u r s d a y

1 0 S e p t e m

b e r 2 0 0 9 1-2

7.30 – 9.00

XII Sci-A

7-8

13.15-14.45

XII

Sci-C

F r i d a y

1 1 S e p t e m

b e r 2

0 0 9

7-8

13.15-14.45

XII

Sci-B

9. Speaking:

Debate on

animal testing

issues using

the

expression of

expressing

curiosity and

possibilities.

a. Students make a group of four. Each group

stands on one type of renewable energy

resources, i.e. fossil fuel, wind, solar,

biomass, and hydro energy.

b. Each group will have 25 minutes for both

presentation and debate.

c. Students must use the taught expression of

curiosity and possibilities every time they

rebut.

d. Each member must take turn in speaking,

delegation system is used.

e. The presenting groups will be divided into

two days since the time is so limited.

T u e s d a y

1 5 S e p

t e m b e r 2

0 0 9

1-2

7.30-9.00

XII

Sci-C

5-6

10.46-12.1

XII

Sci-B

7-8

13.15-14.4

XII

Sci-A

W e d n e s d a y

1 6 S e p

t e m b e r

2 0 0 9

1-2

7.30 – 9.00

XII

Sci-C

3-4

9.00 – 9.45

10.00 – 10.45

XII

Sci-A

5-6

10.46 – 12.15

XII

Sci-B





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As explained in the previous chapter, the activities are designed to meet the flow of information

for the students in order to be able to apply their initial knowledge as well as the given one into

the English materials to be covered. Therefore, the mapping of the curriculum must be

constructed not based on the given syllabus, however by the need of information. Nevertheless, it

should be noted that teachers should also be very careful in managing the time. Even though the

lesson plan does not completely follow the order listed by the national curriculum, careful

planning is needed in order to cover all materials.

5. Reflections on Practice

This section reports on the writer’s experiences and reflection on the application of integrating

renewable energy issues into English lesson based on the indicators.

a. Activity One: Listening - Identifying and responding to complaints

The first step was to give student written dialogs to elicit the expression learnt. Elicitation

stage is important as a foundation of initial learning assessment to promote students’ learning

inquiry process. It was then followed by another activity i.e. listening to Michael Jackson

song titled Earth Song. The tape was played only twice since the purpose was to be part of

the tuning in process. Therefore, time management needed to be taken into concern to reach

the goal. At the time they listened, they also filled in the gaps to enrich their vocabulary.

Afterward, by using the situation given inform the tape, teacher elicited from the students

what message conveyed in the lyric. The students’ answers were various but have the same

bottom line that was the way human treat earth.

Additionally, another leading questions - “If you were the mother earth, what would you

feel?” – was given. Most of the students answered that the earth would feel sad, annoyed,





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disturbed, or angry. Finally, the last guiding question was raised: What would you say if you

were the mother earth? Most of the students came up with answers which did not meet the

expected ones that would lead them to the topic they were about to have that was lodging

complaint. There was only one student who could answer related to the topic: “If I were

mother earth, I’d like to complain!”

An important feedback surfaced for the writer due to the situation. She believes that it is

important to formulize questions that really guide the students to utter the expression wanted

by the teacher in order to promote student-oriented classroom situation.

b. Activity Two: Listening – Identifying and responding to the language of curiosity.

In this given activity, the students are asked to listen to two songs - “Free” from Lighthouse

Family and “I Wonder” from Kelly Pickler to elicit the expressions of showing curiosity.

While listening, the students were asked to fill in the blanks with the words that would be

used in the elicitation process and some new words that would enrich their vocabulary bank.

The tape was played only twice in order to make them used to fast-pace listening scheme.

Afterward, the class discussed the answers of the blanks.

Then, by still using the answer, teacher elicited the expected expressions. All of the three

classes were able to find the expressions “I wonder” from Kelly Prickles and “I wish I knew”

from Lighthouse Family. The classes, however, failed to mention the function of the

expressions i.e. to express curiosity. Thus, teacher tried to lead them by using real-life

situations to elicit more. A feedback emerged from the situation that became a reflection:

teacher needed to find specifically more suitable listening material(s) in order to elicit all of

the expected expressions.





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Finally, by using the issue of Global Warming that was quite familiar for this grade as a

tuning-in for Renewable Energy topic, teacher drilled the usage of the expressions by asking

some groups to make situations related to the issue and asked the other groups to make the

expressions. None of the students came up with the relation between renewable energy and

global warming. Hence, teacher elicited by using the expression taught: “I wonder whether

there is a connection between the use of energy and global warming.” Furthermore, she asked

them to create similar expressions. Surprisingly, two students out of sixty came up with two

estimated expressions:

1. How on earth fossil fuel can cause global warming (to – teacher ) happen soon(-er –

teacher ).

2. I wish I knew how we can create (another type of -teacher ) energy that will decrease (the

– teacher ) global warming effect.

From this activity, researcher was quite satisfied with the finding since most of the students

were able to link between the tuning-in process that they had gone through and the upcoming

topic they were about to have.

c. Activity Three: Reading and Listening – Comprehending meanings in texts and essays in a

form of explanation text.

The activities started by matching pictures of kinds of energy and their definition (known also

as “pelmanism”) as a starting point of the renewable energy topic. Most of the students had

background knowledge of this information. Therefore, there were only 6 pairs out of 15 in the

three classes who made mistakes in the matching activity. After discussing the correct

answer, the students were asked to group them into two energy categories: renewable and





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nonrenewable. All of the students, as predicted, were able to categorize them without

mistakes due to their prior knowledge.

Furthermore, to supplement their knowledge on the issue, they were asked to watch a video

about the application of renewable energy in a Highland and Scotland as reading activity

since the video only used instrumental music two or three lines subtitles as explanations for

every scenes. During the session, they were inquired to find the other types of renewable

energy mentioned in the movie since subsequently they would be asked to do a word-search

game. These activities were created to give students the log of vocabularies and to gather

their attention before getting into the reading activity. Thus, based on the researcher’s

interpretation, the students seemed to be interested to continue to reading activity since

almost of students took part in discussions.

d. Activity Four: Reading - Understanding the generic structure of explanation text and applying

passive voice.

In this activity, teacher used the previous the reading material from the previous lesson titled

Renewable Energy in teaching students the generic structure of an explanation text and its

explanation scheme. The method of delivery was by using elicitation through groups and

class discussion. As a drilling phase, teacher gave a another text titled Acid Rain that still has

the connection showing the effect of using fossil fuel inappropriately. In this activity, the

students did not have any difficulty in identifying the generic structure since all of the groups

have correct answer in differentiating the parts of generic structure: (i) General statements,

(ii) Explanation sequences, and (iii) concluding statements. Nevertheless, they seemed to find

difficulty in formulating the explanation sequences since they needed to use their skimming





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skill in order to be able to find the main ideas of every paragraph and formulated them in a

form of sentences.

Furthermore, both of the texts are used as another elicitation stage for the students as a

tuning-in phase into passive voice. Since the grammar point had been given in the previous

lesson, the function here was only to review. The students were asked to find examples of

passive voice in the texts and as a practice they were asked to change the active voice into

passives.

e. Activity Five: Listening – Identifying and responding to the language of possibilities.

In this session, the students were given a written dialog having the elements of expressing

possibilities while two students read for them in front of the class. Afterward, the students

were asked to watch the “Inconvenient Truth” movie from Al Gore and to jot down important

facts. From the facts found by the students, they were then required to create utterances as a

drilling process. Teacher then tried to elicit more expression that related their findings with

Renewable Energy topic. It was found that most of the students were able to formulate the

utterances by using the facts from the movies. Nevertheless, they seemed to have difficulty in

formulating utterances that have a close relation to renewable energy. Based on the situation,

teacher asked students to find more materials that would support their speaking activity form

the internet as their background knowledge to support their arguments in the upcoming

debate session.





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f. Activity Six : Writing – Explanation text based on the generic structure

In this session, students were asked to form a group of four. In 20 minutes, every group

discussed the facts found in the movie they watched in the previous lessons and brainstormed

about the ones they would use in their explanation text they were about to make. Before

writing the text, they should produce the generic structure plot and text scheme in order to

comprehend thoroughly the construction of an explanation text. In the next 40 minutes, the

draft must be completely finished. At the time the students worked, teacher went around

making sure all students work and cooperated well in their group. This process was quite

crucial in shaping students’ cognitive and affective competences.

After they had finished, in 10 minutes, each of the group’s work was exchanged with the

others clockwise to be checked and edited for any mistakes in English conventions. Each

group was given 100 as the starting score. This score would be reduced by 5 every time a

mistake was found by the editors. Subsequently, the works were given back to the writing

groups to be revised in the last 20 minutes. This activity promoted error recognition features

without discouraging students with boredom that might take place due to their perception of

reading as passive activity.

g. Activity Seven: Writing – Explanation text based on the generic structure

In this session, teacher asked the students to sit in pairs in order to create a class explanation

text by using a “write & run” activity. The two pairs must sit facing another pairs and from a

group. So, in a class of 20 students, there were five groups having two pairs each. The text

created was not originally their own but a compilation of paragraphs made by the other pairs

but based on the generic structure.





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The game started by having the pairs sit for 10 minutes to discuss about what they want to

write that still have a relation with Renewable Energy issue and designed the generic

structure and text scheme. Then, in every 10 minutes for four times, all groups of two pairs

had to move to the other tables clockwise and continued writing the next one single

paragraph based in the generic structure and scheme made by the first pair.

This game was considered successful in maintaining the writing mood of the students since it

combined cognitive, affective, and psychomotor aspects. Without having burdened, the

students conducted the activities without haste. One thing that should be taken into

consideration was the time management. Time keeping needed to be preserved carefully

since it was easily cause chaos if the instruction was not delivered carefully and the time

division was not equal for every session of the game.

h. Activity Eight: Editing explanation text based on the generic structure.

The activity in this session was a continuation of the previous one. Here, the students were

asked to sit with their partner to edit the works written collaboratively by them and also the

other pairs in the previous meeting. Basically, the editing system would be the same as the

one conducted in activity six i.e. minus 5 from 100 as the “capital point” for every found

error in English convention and the work itself would be republished after revision. Then,

every pair presented their work before the class. This activity would allegedly encourage

students to be unhesitant in correcting works and be corrected as well.

Subsequently, after all participants had presented their writing, they gathered with the other

pairs to form a group of four. This group would be rebutting in the next meeting, taking a

stance on a position to talk about the benefit of certain energy. Technically, there would be 5





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groups in each class. Each group would take a stand on one of 5 energies: fossil fuel, wind,

solar, biomass, and hydro energy. One group having one stance would go against the other

four groups having the other stance. The topic was assign in this session for every group so

they could brainstorm and prepare for their arguments.

i. Activity nine: Having a debate on animal testing issues using the expression of expressing

curiosity and possibilities.

In this session, each presenting group was given 25 minutes to have rebuttal: 2 minutes 30

seconds to perform their presentation, 20 minutes for rebuttal, and the last 2 minutes 30

seconds to deliver their group’s conclusion. The debate will be assessed by using a rubric that

pointed out not only their speaking and rebuttal performance but also the usage of the taught

expressions of curiosity and possibilities.

The most important system applied here was called “delegation system” in which every

member took turn in speaking and must be given opportunities equally. Should a member had

an idea to be uttered; he or she must “delegate” the other member to speak his or her mind. If

one group failed to conduct this system, their score in the rubric would be reduced. Since the

time was limited, the activity was held in two consecutive meetings.

From the activity, the students were able to express their idea about a particular topic and

take a stance on it. At the same time, they were also required to use the assigned expressions

in delivering their rebuttal. By using this method, the students were challenged to use not

only the language itself, but also how to improve their critical thinking competence by being

able to formulize arguments required in the debate. As for in the affective aspect, it was very

important for them to speak up even though they feel they were not ready due to the





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application of delegation system. Thus, there would be no “passive” and “active” speakers

since all students are encouraged to speak critically.

6. Conclusion

Teaching English in the classroom can be made to be more meaningful by integrating issues that

can promote creative and critical thinking. This paper utilizes the issue of renewable energy as a

part of concerns on environmental sustainable development. By having the integration, it is

expected that the students will improve their awareness toward the issue. Hopefully, they would

go beyond having the awareness itself, but to be the agent of change that would bring beneficial

impact on being part of the sustainable development. The activities proposed in this paper were

carefully planned with the level and interests of the learners to make it flowing naturally and

interestingly based on the basic requirement made by the government’s curriculum namely

KTSP. Future research could undertake an analysis of the practice of integration of the others

issues promoting the environmental sustainable development awareness such as living within

ecological limits, protecting natural resources, having a responsible consumption patterns: re-

using and recycling, conducing measurable carrying capacity indicators: water, discussing air

quality, species diversity, etc. The aforementioned topics are expectantly to be adjustably

integrated not only to English and other language teachings but also the other lessons.

7. References

Depdiknas, 2002. Manajemen Peningkatan Mutu Berbasis Sekolah. Jakarta: Direktorat Jenderal

Pendidikan Dasar dan Menengah

IISD. (2002). Sustainable Development Timeline. Canada: International Institute for Sustainable

Development

Andi. Lebel, Gregory G.; Kane, Hal. (1990). Sustainable Development: A Guide to Our Common

Future. Geneva: Center for Our Common Future.





OECD. (2001). Sustainable Development: Critical Issues. Paris: Organization for Economic Co-

operation and Development.

Panel for Education for Sustainable Development. (1999). Sustainable Education Panel First

Annual Report . Defra,UK: DETR.

Pollution Prevention Alliance. (2009). Environmental Sustainability Kit. Retrieved December 21,

2009, from Pollution Prevention: http://www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=83.

Shah, A. (2009, November 20). Energy Security. Retrieved December 21, 2009, from Global

Issues: Social, Political, Economic and Environmental Issues That Affect Us All:

http://www.globalissues.org/article/595/energy-security

Sutriono & Hanafie, Rita. 2007. Filsafat Ilmu dan Metodologi Penelitian.

Yogyakarta: Andi

The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development . (1998). Organizing Knowledge

for Environmentally and Socially Sustainable Development. Partnerships for Global

Ecosystem Management: Science, Econimic, and Law. Washington, D.C.: World Bank.

United Nations. (1987). Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development,

General Assembly Resolution 42/187 , 11 December 1987. Retrieved: 2009-12-01.

UNESCO Associated Schools. (2009). Good Practices: Education for Sustainable Development .

Paris: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

United Nations. (1987, December 11). Report of the World Commission on Environment and

Development : General Assembly Resolution. www.unesco.org. Retrieved: 2007-04-12

Wals, Arjen. (2009). Learning for a Sustainable World. Paris: United Nations Decade of

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