Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching ISSN: (Print) (Online) Journal homepage: https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rill20 Nature journaling in English language teaching: an introduction for practitioners Hannah Mueller & Luis Javier Pentón Herrera To cite this article: Hannah Mueller & Luis Javier Pentón Herrera (2023): Nature journaling in English language teaching: an introduction for practitioners, Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, DOI: 10.1080/17501229.2023.2256050 To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/17501229.2023.2256050 View supplementary material Published online: 10 Sep 2023. Submit your article to this journal View related articles View Crossmark data Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at https://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=rill20 INNOVATION IN LANGUAGE LEARNING AND TEACHING https://doi.org/10.1080/17501229.2023.2256050 REPORT Nature journaling in English language teaching: an introduction for practitioners Hannah Muellera and Luis Javier Pentón Herrera b a The Writing Center, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA; bEnglish Philology, Akademia EkonomicznoHumanistyczna w Warszawie, Warszawa, Poland ABSTRACT ARTICLE HISTORY In this innovative practice article, we introduce nature journaling in the context of English language teaching (ELT) – an approach and conceptualization that remain mostly unexplored in the field. As educators concerned with our environments, the natural world, and students’ social-emotional literacy and well-being, we make a case for the need to reimagine ELT classrooms as places where nature is embraced and centered. To further elaborate on our stance, we divide this article into four main sections. In the first section, we provide a brief overview of nature journaling in environmental education (EE) and ELT contexts. In the second section, we connect nature journaling with the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)’s five SEL competencies, the framework grounding our conversation. In the third section, we reflect on our practices and provide six considerations for practitioners seeking to incorporate nature journaling in diverse ELT spaces and environments. In the fourth section, we share an example of a nature journaling activity ELT practitioners can use with their English learners. We end this article with final thoughts about the positive effects of nature journaling for students and practitioners in ELT. Also, we offer recommendations for further exploration and research. Received 10 February 2022 Accepted 16 August 2023 KEYWORDS English language teaching; environmental education; nature journaling; socialemotional learning; wellbeing 1. Introduction In recent years, societies have become increasingly aware of how interconnected we are with our environments and the natural world. This knowledge, a central purpose of the field of environmental education (UNESCO 1978), has caught the attention of scholars and educators in English Language Teaching (ELT1), resulting in the creation of the Environmental Responsibility Professional Learning Network (PLN) in 2014. The PLN’s statement of purpose (n.d.) affirms that ‘empowering students with the knowledge and resources they need to face current and future environmental problems is a core responsibility of all educators’ (1). At the time of writing this article, however, limited resources exist about how ELT practitioners may incorporate environmental education (EE) while promoting students’ ecological awareness and sense of responsibility in ELT classrooms. Inspired by the untapped potential at the intersection of EE and ELT, we propose nature journaling as a promising practice that can begin to bridge the gaps among the various dimensions of language learning, including socialemotional learning (SEL) and the learners’ relationship with nature. In this article, we approach ELT from a stance that a socially responsible education requires language practitioners to acknowledge that everyone is in a constant relationship with their CONTACT Luis Javier Pentón Herrera luis.penton@gmail.com Okopowa 59, 01-043 Warszawa, Polska (Poland) Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/17501229.2023.2256050. © 2023 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group 2 H. MUELLER AND L. J. PENTÓN HERRERA environment, and that we currently all face environmental crises. In addition, we acknowledge that the environment and the language learning spaces inhabited by students are directly connected to their social, emotional, and physical well-being (Capaldi, Dopko, and Zelenski 2014; Pritchard et al. 2020). To further elaborate on our stance, we divide the article into four main sections. In the first section, we provide a brief overview of nature journaling in EE and ELT contexts. In the second section, we connect nature journaling with The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)’s five SEL competencies, which is the framework grounding our conversation. In the third section, we reflect on our practices and provide six considerations for practitioners seeking to incorporate nature journaling in diverse ELT spaces and environments. In the fourth section, we share an example of a nature journaling activity ELT practitioners can use. We end this article with final thoughts about the positive effects of nature journaling for students and practitioners in ELT. Also, we offer recommendations for further exploration and research. 2. Nature journaling: a brief overview Environmental educators commonly use nature journaling with adults and youth of all ages. Nature journaling entails writing or drawing from sensory, emotional, and cognitive awareness in the outdoors (Leslie and Roth 2000; Muir Laws and Lygren 2020). Because it requires only paper and pencil, and can be done right outside classroom doors, nature journaling is highly accessible. Nature journaling is often employed in EE to practice scientific observational skills (Muir Laws et al. 2012). An example of a common nature journaling activity is ‘I notice, I wonder, It reminds me of’ (INIWIRMO; Muir Laws and Lygren 2020, 12). Students in an urban environment who have access to a small patch of green (or nature) space might take their journals outside, and each learner can find one leaf; draw the leaf in their journal; and annotate the drawing and/or create lists with details about what they already know about the leaf, what they want to know, and what the leaf brings to mind for them. This activity might be done individually or in pairs and then debriefed in a large group. Muir Laws and Lygren (2020) emphasize that sharing is an essential part of the nature journaling process; unlike personal journals, nature journals are meant to be shared. The research on nature journaling in ELT is limited, but available publications reflect its benefits for language development and well-being. In Australia, Brown, O’Keeffe, and Paige (2017) conducted a study where they engaged teachers and second language (L2) students in an outdoor education unit that included both scientific and artistic journaling. Students kept a class diary of how seeds changed over time, and, with the guidance of a community artist, drew pictures of the vegetables they were growing. Creating these drawings ‘encouraged the students to see the individual components and to find words to describe them as they accurately represented them on paper’ (Brown, O’Keeffe, and Paige 2017, 26), while prompting conversations about other plants from their countries of origin. The authors concluded the outdoor education project allowed teachers ‘to implement structured scaffolds to support [L2 students’] language development and created a pathway from their previous experiences, allowing them to make strong connections to their new environment’ (Brown, O’Keeffe, and Paige 2017, 30). Environmental educators Muir Laws and Breunig, working with L2 refugee students in mainstream classes in the US, support Brown, O’Keeffe, and Paige’s (2017) conclusion with anecdotal evidence: [W]e have found that the hands-on, visual nature of journaling and science has potential to reach [language learners]; they are at no linguistic disadvantage in observational nature journaling. Their powers of observation and insight can be employed just as those of other students. And, once engaged, tying this activity to language provides a relevant place to approach learning English, one in which students are already invested and already feel empowered and capable. (Muir Laws and Breunig 2010, 3–4) Another example of how nature journaling has been used to support English learners can be seen in Yahya and Prakash (2020). In their study, the authors employed the Inspired by Nature for the Indigenous Create-It-Yourself Nature Journaling (In4d Indigenous CIY Nature Journaling) as an innovative INNOVATION IN LANGUAGE LEARNING AND TEACHING 3 approach to enhance the participants’ writing skills. Participants were Indigenous undergraduates at a Malaysian university, enrolled in a required English proficiency course. The findings indicate that, through the In4d Indigenous CIY Nature Journaling, learners gained autonomy in writing, and shifted attitudes toward more positive experiences in language learning by taking risks and paying attention to creative-aesthetic value. Further, ‘nature journaling augmented the interrelated strands of creative skills, critical thinking skills and character’ of participants (Yahya and Prakash 2020, 24). Other publications reporting on the effects of other forms of nature-based writing somewhat similar to nature journaling conclude that English learners experience greater engagement and curiosity, increased desire to write, greater sense of connection to living beings, and an overall sense of enjoyment, which helps reduce stress levels (Escamilla, Gonzales-Garcia, and Alvarez 2020; Manookin 2018; Westervelt 2007). Nature journaling, then, is a promising tool for ELT to the degree that it is both accessible and engaging for L2 students. Similarly, as found by both Brown, O’Keeffe, and Paige (2017) and Muir Laws and Breunig (2010), nature journaling allows language learners to engage in personally invested activities, such as observations and analysis, which contribute to language development. Furthermore, the low barrier to participation, the communal nature of the activity, the everpresent invitation to students to draw on their existing cultural/natural knowledge, and the opportunity to build nature connection are all elements that contribute to nature journaling’s promise as an SEL strategy for ELT. 3. Nature journaling as social-emotional learning Nature journaling supports the emotional literacy and well-being of students (Muir Laws and Lygren 2020) by giving them the opportunity to come into contact with nature, to cultivate a greater awareness of the natural world around them, and potentially to develop nature connection. Nature connection refers to a personal sense of relationship with the natural world (Martin et al. 2020), and available studies link it to personal well-being, including factors such as happiness and personal growth (Capaldi, Dopko, and Zelenski 2014; Pritchard et al. 2020). For clarity, throughout the article, we use the phrases nature connection and connection to nature to refer to the ‘subjective state and trait that encompasses affective, cognitive, and experiential aspects in addition to being positively associated with wellbeing, and strong predictor of pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors’ (Barrable and Booth 2020, 1). Nature connection is well-recognized in environmental education as a measure of the impact of educational programs. For example, the North American Environmental Education Association publishes a Practitioner’s Guide to Assessing Connection to Nature (Salazar, Kunkle, and Monroe 2020) to help educators and administrators determine whether their programs are effectively helping students build this personal trait. We suggest that nature connection can be considered a competency like the SEL competencies of self-awareness and social awareness. In SEL terms, we might call nature connection ‘nature-awareness;’ however, in this article, we retain the term nature connection. In education, there has been a movement in recent years to enrich traditional classroom instruction with outdoor and nature-based learning (eg Cree and Robb 2021). Similarly, in ELT, practitioners are finding that connecting English learners with nature benefits for their academic and socialemotional well-being (eg Aker, Daniel, and Pentón Herrera 2022; Brown, O’Keeffe, and Paige 2017; Muir Laws et al. 2012). In a recent publication, elementary English language development teacher Paulina Kurevija shared how taking her refugee students on field trips at a nature reserve in Canada allowed them to build peace and connect with nature. In this vignette, Paulina Kurevija also explained some of the social-emotional learning activities she practiced with her students, one of which includes nature journaling, described in the story as ‘explorers in nature’ (see Pentón Herrera and Martínez-Alba 2021, 87). The flexibility of nature journaling gives students opportunities to approach writing and language learning in whichever way they find helpful, using all their linguistic repertoire and background 4 H. MUELLER AND L. J. PENTÓN HERRERA knowledge. In addition, nature journaling lowers the affective filter and stress associated with writing and language learning, and allows writers to free-write in a style that is more conducive to language acquisition, learning, and well-being. In many ways, nature journaling is both a tool and a practice that ELT practitioners can use as emotional scaffolding for their students while also supporting their language development and connection with nature. Thus, for us, nature journaling is a form of SEL, supporting academic learning and the social-emotional well-being of students (Pentón Herrera 2020), while promoting nature connection and a sense of ecological awareness and responsibility. Following The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) framework, we offer in Table 1 a visual representation of how nature journaling aligns with SEL practices. Also, the last competency, nature connection, shows the potential nature journaling has to expand the boundaries of both ELT and SEL. In this table, we have used appropriate publications to align the elements of SEL and nature journaling. In our view, Table 1 reflects that SEL and nature journaling are complementary practices that support the well-being of language learners. At the same time, nature journaling increases the Table 1. Social emotional-learning and nature journaling. Definitions Competency: Selfawareness Competency: Selfmanagement Competency: Socialawareness Social-emotional learning Nature journaling ‘The process through which children and adults understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions’ (CASEL, n.d., 1). The ability to accurately recognize one’s own emotions, thoughts, and values and how they influence behavior (CASEL 2020). ‘Nature Journaling is collecting and organizing your observations, questions, connections, and explanations on the pages of a notebook using words pictures, and numbers’ (Muir Laws 2017, 2). The ability to successfully regulate one’s emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in different situations – effectively managing stress, controlling impulses, and motivating oneself (CASEL 2020). The ability to take the perspective of and empathize with others, including those from diverse backgrounds and cultures (CASEL 2020). Competency: Relationship skills The ability to establish and maintain healthy and rewarding relationships with diverse individuals and groups (CASEL 2020). Competency: Responsible decision-making The ability to make constructive choices about personal behavior and social interactions based on ethical standards, safety concerns, and social norms (CASEL 2020). Competency: Nature connection Nature connection – or the personal sense of relationship with the natural world – is not generally included within the scope of SEL because the focus is on the individual. When nature is part of SEL activities or practices, it is not a primary focus. Through nature journaling, students recognize and record the natural world, their experiences, and emotions. Also, students observe and recognize the behavior of living beings around them and of themselves (Muir Laws and Lygren 2020). Through nature journaling, students can incorporate routines that help them slow down and self-regulate their emotions (Muir Laws and Lygren 2020). Nature journaling, ‘strengthens and refines students’ cognitive skills by teaching them to observe, to become aware of what they have observed with all of their senses, and to exercise their imaginations and critical skills through developing hypotheses to explain what has been observed’ (Muir Laws et al. 2012, 4). During nature journaling, students cultivate a relationship with nature and develop their environmental and emotional literacy skills (Muir Laws and Lygren 2020). Also, they can share their thoughts and emotions within a community (Muir Laws et al. 2012). In nature journaling, students witness and notice environmental issues in their communities and can use the evidence collected through nature journaling to combine writing and activism, eg writing letters to the editor, educating family members (Muir Laws and Breunig 2010). According to Muir Laws and Lygren (2020), ‘journals are a place where students can reflect on personal experiences and relationships with nature and the outdoors. This reflection nurtures self-awareness and a connection with nature’ (133). INNOVATION IN LANGUAGE LEARNING AND TEACHING 5 capacity of SEL by infusing the competency of nature connection, an element that is not generally included within the scope of SEL practices. 4. Reflecting on practice: consideration for practitioners In this section, we offer six considerations for practitioners to successfully prepare and implement nature journaling. Although we have assigned numbers to these considerations, we recommend that practitioners follow these considerations in the order that is most appropriate for them and their practice. This part of the manuscript is inspired by Hannah’s master thesis (see Mueller 2020), in which Luis served as one of the advisors. 4.1. Consideration 1: have your own nature journaling practice As practitioners, we are expected to continually reflect on, question, and develop our learning to improve our teaching. At the same time, part of our practice requires us to test or try activities we plan to implement in advance to ensure they are adequately prepared for our learners. We recommend that practitioners engage in nature journaling before introducing it to students; this way, they will be able to speak from experience and demonstrate to students how nature journaling looks. Providing real-life and structured demonstrations to students will help them focus, easing them into the process of nature journaling. Nature journaling, as well as other forms of naturerelationship-based education, can cause a positive paradigm shift for practitioners and students alike, where nature becomes a place of healing and is re-envisioned as a teacher (Cree and Robb 2021). However, for nature journaling to be successful, it must be implemented with fidelity and commitment. Engaging in nature journaling as a personal practice before implementing it in the classroom will equip practitioners with experiential knowledge, which will benefit students’ experiences. At the same time, practitioners experience, firsthand, the social and emotional benefits of nature journaling, which contribute to well-being and a closer connection to nature. 4.2. Consideration 2: consider nature all around, and within your classroom As practitioners begin looking for subjects for a journaling activity, we encourage them to consider all the ways nature enters into and surrounds their classrooms, even if the class takes place in a highly urban environment. Some practitioners have the option to walk to parks or community gardens, while others may have access to a plaza with trees or a harbor pier. Even if no safe and comfortable outdoor place is accessible, the practitioner can bring found natural objects – leaves, small branches, stones, pinecones, or even potted plants – into the classroom for observation, as we demonstrate in the section below. Once practitioners and their classes have been nature journaling for a while, they may start to notice the presence of nature in places that may have been overlooked before. 4.3. Consideration 3: frame the first nature journaling activity for your students When introducing the concept of nature journaling to students for the first time, it is important to emphasize that the goal of the activity is not to produce a perfect illustration – observation, not art, is the objective of the nature journaler (Leslie and Roth 2000; Muir Laws and Lygren 2020). In its emphasis on experimentation and process as opposed to the final product, nature journaling mirrors dialogue journaling, in which students write in their L2 on topics of interest to them, in a non-corrective conversation with the practitioner (Schwab 2019). For adult students, in particular, drawing can bring up anxieties of not living up to certain expectations – emotions similar to those that arise when learning a new language. From the outset, ELT practitioners should frame the nature journal as a space to experiment both with language and drawing, encouraging students 6 H. MUELLER AND L. J. PENTÓN HERRERA to focus on using all their senses to make observations. Muir Laws and Lygren (2020) suggest that it is also important to emphasize that awareness and observation are skills that anyone can build. 4.4. Consideration 4: be prepared for a wide range of emotional responses and concerns from students While many students will come to nature journaling with neutral or positive past experiences in/with nature, some may associate natural environments with trauma, possibly as part of migration experiences. Bittersweet emotions such as nostalgia may also arise. For example, interviewing immigrants from various countries about their experiences recreating in public parks, Stodolska, Peters, and Horolets (2017) found that some people felt nostalgia when the natural environment either reminded them too strongly or not enough of nature in their homelands. Students may also have concerns about exposure in public places, including parks, to hate speech or violence based on their race, gender, or legal status. Some students may have never visited a city park due to fear of discrimination or crime in general. While a group trip for nature journaling may help to increase individuals’ sense of safety at public parks, ELT practitioners should consider the comfort level of their students before planning any field trip. Practitioners should also be prepared to use SEL tools/practices to respond to the emotions and concerns that may arise. 4.5. Consideration 5: encourage students to bring personal experiences and memories into the practice Most students have, at some point in their lives, been surrounded by nature. Bodies of water (both liquid or solid), green areas (eg trees, grass), animals, plants, natural surfaces (eg soil, ground), and elevations (eg mountains, volcanoes), and the sky are all part of nature, and students have been surrounded by them for most of their lives. Nature journaling welcomes journalers’ background knowledge and experiences and gives them the opportunity to build deeper connections with nature while journaling. The practice of including personal notes, reflections, and creative writing, along with drawing, strengthens students’ connection with nature and ‘leaves them with deeper memories of their explorations’ (Muir Laws and Lygren 2020, 131). Activities like INIWIRMO or vegetable drawings give students the opportunity to leverage existing knowledge of plants and other natural phenomena from their countries of origin while developing an awareness of nature in the new country (Brown, O’Keeffe, and Paige 2017). 4.6. Consideration 6: embrace EE pedagogy In nature-based activities, the role of practitioners is to facilitate a safe and healthy space for students ‘to discover their own strengths and aptitudes’ (Cree and Robb 2021, 32). Thus, practitioners are expected to model authentic learning in nature so that students feel confident in directing their own learning. As suggested by Muir Laws and Lygren (2020), practitioners are encouraged to ‘set boundaries, give a time limit, ask if there are any questions, then send students out to journal’ (66). Embracing EE pedagogy asks that practitioners acknowledge and recognize nature as a teacher, which leads to the realization that their roles in nature journaling and other nature-based activities are that of a guide and facilitator rather than an enforcer. At the same time, embracing EE pedagogy asks that practitioners engage in reflection about their practice and encourage students to do the same. ‘Reflection is an invitation into epistemology’ (Muir Laws and Lygren 2020, 92), and, through it, journalers express their emotions and memories, nurturing self-awareness, connection with nature, and growth. INNOVATION IN LANGUAGE LEARNING AND TEACHING 7 5. Practical applications of nature journaling Although we have documented a number of studies and publications reporting how nature journaling benefits L2 learners, to our knowledge, no available publications report how it can be used stepby-step by teachers in ELT settings as a social-emotional learning strategy. In this section, we introduce a three-step process that practitioners can follow to incorporate nature journaling in their classes. Then, we report on a nature journaling activity that was implemented at a community organization in the United States teaching ESOL to adult learners. This activity was inspired by the introductory INIWIRMO activity from Muir Laws and Lygren (2020). 5.1. Nature journaling in three steps 5.1.1. Pre-planning During the pre-planning step, practitioners should consider the materials they will need for the nature journaling activity. Also, practitioners should explore and identify the setting in advance or, in cases where there is not an accessible green/nature space, they can bring nature into the classroom (as seen in the activity report below). During the pre-planning step, practitioners should also consider the comfort level of their students when choosing a location. 5.1.2. Step 1 During step 1, practitioners introduce the activity as a way to build observational as well as language skills. At this stage, practitioners invite each student to choose a leaf (or other objects found in nature), ask for observations from the group, and accept descriptive words in both the first language (L1) and L2. Also, during step 1, practitioners can discuss how to make observations by involving the five senses. 5.1.3. Step 2 After generating a few descriptive words, practitioners can invite students to start drawing in their journals. During this step, it may be helpful to demonstrate to students how to begin drawing, either on the whiteboard, chalkboard, or in their own journal. Similarly, students can benefit from practitioners explaining how nature journalers use three languages: words, pictures, and numbers (Muir Laws and Lygren 2020). During step 2, practitioners are encouraged to give students plenty of time to make more subtle observations in their journals. 5.1.4. Step 3 To wrap up, practitioners can ask students to reflect on anything they observe about their own experience of nature journaling. During this final step, practitioners can also invite students to share out loud using the L1, L2, or a combination of both. Students may also want to record their own reflections in their journals in writing. 5.2. Reporting on nature journaling activity Although both of us (Hannah and Luis) have used nature journaling in our personal and professional practices, due to word limits, in this section, we report on a specific event where one of us included nature journaling. For clarity, we worked collaboratively on this project and manuscript since its inception. During the planning phase, both of us determined that Hannah would employ this activity with her learners, and that this manuscript would report on that particular event. Hannah collected the information shared in the section below, and both of us, Hannah and Luis, equally worked on the planning, writing, editing, and all other elements included in this paper. In November 2021, I (Hannah) led this activity with a small group of four adult students in a community-based ESOL class in the United States. The students were all over 18 years old and between 8 H. MUELLER AND L. J. PENTÓN HERRERA them spoke two different languages, Spanish and Arabic. The class was at a high-beginner level, determined by the Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System (CASAS) which was the framework used at the institution where this project was conducted, and students were nature journaling for the first time. The activity lasted about 45 minutes in total. In the sub-sections below, I report on the planning and application process as well as my experiences with nature journaling. 5.2.1. Pre-planning Because we were in an urban place without a nearby park or green space, I decided to gather leaves and small branches from my yard before class and do the activity indoors. I also brought journals, colored pencils, a ruler, and an example of a nature journal page. 5.2.2. Step 1 We started our class by talking about why people choose to do nature journaling. Each student chose a leaf, and we clarified what we meant by observation. As students offered words in their L1 and L2, I wrote them on the board in English. Some words were familiar, eg ‘leaf’ and ‘inches,’ and many words were new, eg ‘stem’ and ‘vein.’ Because we were focusing closely on the leaves themselves, and not a natural environment more generally, we ultimately made observations using primarily two senses: sight and touch. Students noticed the bright colors, textures, dimensions, and features of the leaves. 5.2.3. Step 2 Next, we began to draw. I started to draw on a large whiteboard so that the students could observe how I was both drawing and labeling. Students drew in their own journals as we continued to make observations out loud. We used observations to generate questions. For example, we wondered if all leaves change colors in the same order from green to yellow to red. This portion of the activity lasted about 25 minutes; toward the end, we started to have the sense that we could have made many more observations about our leaves and added more details to our journals if we had more class time. 5.2.4. Step 3 I invited students to reflect on the experience of nature journaling. We shared out loud, and then some students decided to write their reflections in the journals. One student wrote that they ‘appreciate so much perfect color’ (Figure 1), referring to the bright colors of the leaves. The same student also wrote, ‘I take the stress’ (Figure 1), referring to how nature journaling helped them relieve stress. In reflection, they noted that they felt relaxed by the process of observation and drawing. I was surprised by the strength of the positive emotions that the students shared and that I also felt, even after just a short time observing our leaves under fluorescent lights. My experience leads me to think that nature journaling may have SEL benefits for students and ELT practitioners. The student arranged the leaves around their nature journal and took this photo. The page shows their use of words, pictures, and numbers to record observations of color, size, and features. The student chose to include some of the new vocabulary words in English that emerged during the discussion. This student chose not to include any words in the L1 on the page. At the bottom of the page, the student summarized their personal reflection on the activity. 6. Final thoughts In our practices, we have learned that nature journaling is a promising approach to language teaching and learning. As educators who believe in the positive effects of SEL and who are passionate about EE and the natural world, we found nature journaling to be an empowering practice and lens for our pedagogy. At the same time, our students have had very positive reactions to nature INNOVATION IN LANGUAGE LEARNING AND TEACHING 9 Figure 1. Nature journaling page by student. journaling activities, as seen in the section above. The reflection in Figure 1, ‘I take the stress,’ suggests that nature journaling provided the student with the opportunity both to relieve stress and to notice that sense of relief, thereby practicing the first two SEL competencies: self-management and self-awareness. In our activities, we also noticed nature journaling’s potential for promoting another SEL competency, relationship skills. The group worked together to make observations and validated each others’ reflections. We want to reiterate our suggestion that nature connection be considered – alongside other SEL competencies – of immense value to students. Even after just one brief, indoor nature journaling activity, our students expressed that they perceived the value of slowing down to observe the natural world. In Figure 1, the student’s focus on ‘perfect color’ suggests to us that this student appreciates nature’s beauty. In their nature journal, another student wrote that they would like to be more intentional about observing nature and teaching their children to notice nature around them. From these observations, we see great potential for nature journaling as a tool for promoting well-being through nature contact and the development of nature connection. In addition, through nature journaling, students engage in language learning that is contextualized and mirrors their life. They interact with their community environment and use vocabulary for phenomena present in their everyday lives. We have invited students to think about what a natural object reminds them of, during INIWIRMO, and compare and contrast the nature around them with that of their home countries. The informal and creative format of nature journaling, like dialogue journaling, may also promote language learning by lowering the affective filter and encouraging students to use all their linguistic resources. We would like to end this article by recommending that ELT practitioners embrace nature journaling and other forms of EE approaches in their everyday practice and classrooms. We see the potential H. MUELLER AND L. J. PENTÓN HERRERA 10 for future research to investigate how nature connection expands and enhances our understanding of SEL in the language classroom, both for practitioners and students. We also suggest further research into whether and how nature journaling promotes language learning in ELT classrooms or, more to the point, outside of them. In our experience, nature journaling has great potential as an SEL tool in ELT classrooms. Our hope is that the conversation between EE and ELT practitioners continues to expand, and that the borders of our classrooms also keep expanding out into the natural world around us. Note 1. In this article, we use ELT to refer to all English classes and practitioners, including English as a foreign language (EFL), English for speakers of other languages (ESOL), English as a second language (ESL), and English as an additional language (EAL), to name a few. Disclosure statement No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s). Notes on contributors Hannah Mueller, M.A. is an educator, editor, and program coordinator. She is a writing wpecialist at the Graduate Writing Center of the University of Maryland, Baltimore, USA. Her company, Hannah Mueller Editorial, serves academic and nonfiction writers. Previously, she coordinated a community ESOL program for adults and, at the Willowell Foundation in Vermont, USA, administered environmental education programs including an outdoor high school and wilderness preschool. She can be reached at hannah@hmeditorial.com. Luis Javier Pentón Herrera, Ph.D. is a full professor at Akademia Ekonomiczno-Humanistyczna w Warszawie, Poland, the coordinator of the Graduate TESOL Certificate at The George Washington University, United States, and the Co-Editor of Tapestry: A Multimedia Journal for Teachers and English Learners. In addition, he is a fulbright specialist and an English language specialist with the U.S. Department of State. Previously, he served as the 38th President of Maryland TESOL from 2018 to 2019 and earned the rank of Sergeant while serving in the United States Marine Corps (USMC). ORCID Luis Javier Pentón Herrera http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8865-8119 References Aker, M., L. Daniel, and L. J. 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