This online session is designed to empower elementary and high school teachers of English to integrate diverse thinking approaches such as Visible Thinking, Systems Thinking, Hexagonal Thinking, and Design Thinking into their lessons. Through a combination of live meetings and asynchronous activities, participants will explore how these strategies can help students engage meaningfully with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) while developing critical, systemic, creative, and reflective thinking.

By connecting language learning with real-world challenges, this session aims to foster global citizenship, deepen understanding, and inspire action in the EFL classroom. Participants will experiment with thinking routines, collaborate on idea-sharing, and think about classroom tasks that make thinking visible and purposeful for their learners.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Identify different types of thinking skills (Visible Thinking, Systems Thinking, Hexagonal Thinking, and Design Thinking) and explain their relevance to language teaching and the SDGs.

2. Connect thinking skills and thinking strategies to suit various English language levels in elementary and high school contexts.

3. Reflect on student learning and classroom impact when applying the different thinking skills and thinking strategies focused on global issues. 

Session Description:

This session invites elementary and high school EFL teachers to explore how thinking skills and thinking strategies can be used to promote engagement with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), fostering deeper thinking, creativity, empathy, and global citizenship in the language classroom.

Participants who complete the weekly tasks will be awarded a digital badge for each week and will qualify for the official EVO 2026 Certificate of Participation at the end of the 5-week session.

• Participants are expected to engage actively in the weekly Zoom sessions (live or recorded).

• Each week includes readings and/or short videos and/or different reflective activities posted in Google Classroom. Participants must complete the tasks proposed in due time

• To make steady progress, participants should dedicate approximately 2–3 hours per week to course tasks.

• Respectful and constructive dialogue is essential. Everyone’s experiences and perspectives are valued

• Participants will be awarded a digital badge for each week on completion of the work asked and will be awarded a Certificate of Participation at the end of the 5 week sessions.

Week 0: January 4 - 10

Focus: Getting to know Google Classroom and the facilitators

Objectives:

By the end of this module, participants will be able to:

• Get to know who the facilitators are

• Have an overview of the session

• Explore classroom and see how it works

• Understand the session netiquette

• Introduce themselves through the first forum

Activities:

• ​​Asynchronous Welcome Forum: Introductions 

Week 1: January 11–17

 Focus: Understanding the SDGs and Thinking Skills 

Objectives:

By the end of Week 1, participants will be able to:

• Describe the origin, purpose, and key targets of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

• Reflect on the importance of integrating SDGs in ELT to develop global citizenship and real-world competencies.

• Identify the core 21st-century thinking skills (e.g., critical, creative, metacognitive thinking) needed in today’s classrooms.

• Recognize how thinking strategies support deeper learning, engagement, and agency in the EFL context.

Activities:

• Interactive Padlet ( Mural): What do you already know about the SDGs and thinking in education?

• Explore: Four short readings + one infographic on the origins and evolution of the SDGs and the importance of thinking skills in education.

• Task 1: Match sample classroom activities to the type of thinking skills they promote.

• Task 2: Padlet (lines) What connections can you find between the SDGs and thinking skills?

• Synchronous Live session: “From Awareness to Action: Rethinking ELT through the Global Goals” Jan 17th

*Recognition: “Global Explorer” awarded for completing Week 1 activities and actively participating in the forum\

Week 2: January 18–24

 Focus: Visual Thinking routines to explore global issues

Objectives:

By the end of Week 2, participants will be able to:

• Define Visible and Visual Thinking and understand its origin and theoretical foundation.

• Apply at least two Visual Thinking routines to analyze SDG-related content.

• Design a simple visual-based lesson idea connecting language practice with global issues.

Activities:

• Watch: Introductory video on the history and principles of Visible Thinking in education.

• Explore some websites on Visible and Visual Thinking.

• Toolkit download: Thinking routines adapted for SDG topics.

• Task 1: Check your understanding after the reading and exploration activities

• Task 2: Create and share a mini-visual activity using one routine + one SDG.

• Synchronous Live session: “Thinking Routines in Action: Making Students' Thinking Visible” Jan 24th

* Recognition: “Visual Thinker”  awarded for completing Week 2 activities and actively participating in the activities and online session.

Week 3: January 25–31

Focus: Systems Thinking & Hexagonal Thinking for deeper connections

Objectives:

By the end of Week 3, participants will be able to:

• Understand the principles and benefits of Systems Thinking in language education.

• Recognize how Systems Thinking can uncover connections, patterns, and interdependencies within vocabulary, concepts, and SDG themes.

• Apply Hexagonal Thinking as a visual strategy to support Systems Thinking and deepen conceptual understanding.

Activities:

• Explore: Understand what systems thinking is all about and its importance in connection with the SDGs through video watching

• Task 1: Watch a short documentary + identify the systems at play. Share your insights in the forum

• Watch: Demo on using Hexagonal Thinking to support Systems Thinking in language learning

• Download and explore tools: Editable hexagon templates + links to digital tools for hex mapping

• Forum: Let’s reflect on what we have learnt

• Task 2: Create a hex map showing the interconnections within an SDG theme (e.g., Climate Action), focusing on relationships, causes, and ripple effects. Share your plan and rationale.

• Synchronous live session: “Mapping Understanding: Systems Thinking, Concepts & Global Goals”  A collaborative space to explore how we connect ideas and uncover systems. Jan 30th

*Recognition: “Systems Explorer”  awarded for completing Week 3 activities and actively participating synchronously and asynchronously.

Week 4: February 1–7

Focus: Design Thinking for student-led projects

Objectives:

By the end of Week 4, participants will be able to:

• Describe the origin and structure of Design Thinking in education.

• Apply the 5 phases (Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, Test) to plan a real-world classroom project.

• Integrate thinking tools and strategies to guide students in identifying local/global issues and prototyping practical solutions using English as a tool for change.

Activities:

• Read: Introduction to Design Thinking + real project examples from EFL and SDG classrooms.

• Watch: A classroom video walkthrough of an SDG mini project.

• Reflect on the importance of Design Thinking in the classroom

• Task 1: Sketch a classroom project using the Design Thinking phases

• Task 2: Reflections on the challenges that could arise when putting Design Thinking into practice.

• Synchronous Live Session: “Design thinking in ELT: Prototyping for real-world impact” Feb 7th

*Recognition: “Prototype Creator” awarded for completing and sharing your project idea

Week 5: February 8–15

Focus: How will you create impact?

Objectives:

By the end of Week 5, participants will be able to:

• Reflect on their learning journey and outline next steps for continued implementation.

Activities:

• Final submission: Share your highlights, challenges, and reflections.

• Complete Feedback Form: Receive digital badge + info on certificate eligibility.

• Closing Live session: “From Thought to Action: What we’ve created, what comes next” Feb 14th

*Recognition: “Thinking Skills for the SDGs” expert on completion of all modules

Live sessions will be offered weekly ( Fridays or Saturdays 7am ET to cater for all time zones) on the following Zoom link : 

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/9688698228?pwd=eG1QL2VwcjF5ZUszb1ZVcW5Wc2RCQT09  

They will be interactive and include:

• Demonstrations of thinking routines

• Project showcases

Recordings will be made available for those who cannot attend synchronously.

During the session, we will engage with participants through the following platforms:

Content Space

LMS: Google Classroom

All course materials—including the syllabus, weekly modules, resources, videos, and activities—will be organized and hosted on Google Classroom. This free platform allows for structured weekly content delivery and easy access for all participants.

Interactive Space

Discussion & Collaboration: Google Classroom discussions, Padlet, WhatsApp Group, Linoit, Mentimeter, Kahoot

Participants will engage in asynchronous discussions and collaborative activities using Google Classroom’s comment threads and discussion posts.

We will use Padlet for brainstorming and sharing classroom ideas, and Mentimeter to collect real-time feedback and promote interaction during live sessions, and encourage participation through polls, word clouds, and quizzes. An optional WhatsApp group will provide informal support and quick updates.

Live meeting space

Platform: Zoom

All synchronous sessions will be held on Zoom. Links will be shared in advance through Google Classroom and WhatsApp. Sessions will be recorded and made available for participants who cannot attend live.

We are exploring other technology tools and have been thinking of introducing the following, depending on participants’ interests and tech access. These tools will support reflection, creativity, collaboration, and deeper thinking in and beyond the classroom:

• Canva – to create visual reflections, hexagonal thinking boards, and infographics.

• Thinglink – to explore and design interactive visual tasks or slow-looking activities.

• Vocaroo – for simple voice recordings to reflect on visual thinking processes.

• Twee – AI-powered lesson idea generator to support activity design.

• Diffit – for differentiated content generation linked to student levels.

• CapCut – for those interested in making short reflective videos or student artifacts.

• ClassTools.net – to create games, timelines, and interactive visuals (including hexagonal thinking templates).

We’re open to including other tools as suggested by participants during the session, especially those that align with creative thinking, visible thinking, and sustainable education practices.

Preliminary reading list:

1. Project Zero. (n.d.). Thinking routines toolbox. Harvard Graduate School of Education. PZ's Thinking Routines Toolbox | Project Zero 

2. UNESCO. (2017). Education for sustainable development goals: Learning objectives. Education for Sustainable Development Goals: learning objectives 

3. Stanford d.school. (2016). An introduction to design thinking: Process guide. Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford. Design Thinking Bootleg | Stanford d.school