Exploring Research Trends in Sustainability in English Language Education from 2014 to 2024: A Bibliometric Analysis

Abstract

Sustainability in language education is a multifaceted concept that encompasses environmental, linguistic, and educational dimensions. As the world deals with environmental challenges and the rapid loss of linguistic diversity, it becomes necessary to integrate sustainable practices into language education. Therefore, research on this field have become more widespread. Based on this, the purpose of this study is to review and identify the importance of sustainable practices in English language education field by conducting a bibliometric analysis of the literature related to Sustainability. This research makes a valuable contribution to the existing body of literature by examining the current state, identifying areas that need improvement, and suggesting possibilities for future research. The search involved combining topic-related keywords for 'sustainable' and 'English language education' within the time period from 2014 to 2024 in the Web of Science database (SSCI, SCI, SCI-E, and AHCI). The data was collected using a data extraction table from 1,523 articles that were analyzed using the VOS viewer data visualization tool. Out of the 1,523 papers identified in the initial search, the majority of the research was published in 2023. China, the USA, Spain, Czech Republic, and England emerged as the primary countries for these studies and citations, exhibiting a dominant presence. The primary three important terms for articles on 'sustainability' and 'English language education' are sustainability, higher education, and sustainable development. The findings suggest that sustainable approaches in the field of language teaching have experienced significant growth in literature in recent years. However, it can be stated that research is still limited in English language education. While there is a growing body of study addressing the theoretical aspects of sustainability, there remains a significant gap in empirical studies that explore the effectiveness of sustainable practices in real-world educational settings. Additionally, the geographical distribution of research indicates a concentration in certain countries, suggesting a need for more diverse and inclusive studies that consider different cultural and linguistic contexts. This bibliometric analysis underscores the necessity for future research to focus on developing actionable strategies, assessing their impact, and fostering international collaboration to promote sustainability in language education globally.

Keywords

• Sustainability
• sustainable practices
• English language education
• bibliometric analysis
• VOSviewer

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