Use of Children’s Literature to Support an Emerging Curriculum Model of Education for Sustainable Development for Young Learners

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is an educational imperative that requires supporting young learners in developing awareness about–and exploring–concepts, topics and vocabulary of significant importance in environmental education. Chawla (2009, Journal of Developmental Processes, 4(1), pp. 6–23) identified two factors that predicted pro-environment behaviours: (a) direct experience in nature and (b) second-hand learning such as through books and stories. By using carefully selected children’s books that affirm and underscore children’s relationships with nature, classroom teachers and programme leaders can support inquiry-based learning in a recurring and interrelated fashion. Additionally, a wide range of constructs and content embedded within the realm of environmental education can be explored through carefully selected children’s reading materials.