Fostering a relationship with the more-than-human world is understood to be crucial in wilding pedagogies. Yet for many, such a relationship is often developed in early life and is limited in complexity and nuance. In this paper, we propose to investigate what a mature relationship with the natural might look like. We do so in three parts. The first part introduces four moments of surprise or pause: “hunh?!” moments. These lead to four associated observations that suggest contemporary limitations on human relationship with place, and in one case, enhancement of it. They are: an idealisation of childhood relationship with the natural world, which is now kept in a separate category, rendering it inaccessible to the adult; an un-knowing of relationality with the natural world through cultural practices that deny or denigrate such a state; the myth of human autonomy, which comes with multiple cultural repercussions; and finally, what we are here calling natural imagination, which pulls in the opposite direction to the first three. An environmentally rooted Haudenosaunee model regards imagination as not simply the purview and possession of humans, but a shared space between people and the natural world. In response to these, in Parts 2 and 3, we propose that a relational ontology — one that enacts relationship between humans and the more-than-human — cannot be reached simply by progressing further in intent, sensitivity or theorising from the current assumed model of the psychological development. The abyss between current ontologies and an alternative must be hurdled, if it is to be crossed at all. This may be done by challenging presuppositions that underpin current ontologies and psychologies and moving from theorising to enacting an alternative model. Such a model, in part informed by the fungal research of Merlin Sheldrake, may lead to another way of being human, an enmeshing with the more-than-human, which we call amalgam-being.

During the past 20 years, the expansion of bilingual education programmes in Spain has generated a situation where the voices of stakeholders frequently go unheard. Accordingly, this paper is a critical review of bilingual programmes within the Spanish context. An analysis has been carried out on stakeholder perceptions, that is, of teachers, students, management teams, and families, as reflected in the literature published between 2014 and 2023. The corpus reviewed consists of 34 papers, ranging from pre-primary to higher education, with a particular focus on stakeholders' perceptions of the implementation of bilingual education in a foreign language (English). In terms of the characteristics of the studies analysed, the predominance of teachers' perceptions over other stakeholders and the scarcity of longitudinal studies and research based on national samples should be noted. The adoption of a more robust methodological design could provide a fuller assessment of the implementation of bilingual education in Spain. Nonetheless, this review highlights the need for specific improvements at each level of education if a more learner-centred approach to teaching is to be achieved. Such improvements could include additional training opportunities, collaboration among teachers, and measures to alleviate the additional workload associated with bilingual education.

Wild pedagogies invites educators to engage with more-than-humans as co-teachers and co-researchers. In collaborating with city grass, this paper blends rhizomatic thinking, literary ecocriticism, and the rewilding of pedagogy within severely constrained circumstances. Citing cognitive, emotional, and physical benefits of engaging with free and flourishing nature, this research asks: How can the severe constraints of particular sociopolitical circumstances and disciplines, such as postsecondary literature courses, be creatively encountered to support engagement with flourishing more-than-human kin? It also asks: What would grass do? This paper walks readers through many barriers faced by city college humanities courses and suggests practical, creative work-arounds that, while focused on college literature classes, can be adapted to educators in diverse disciplines and contexts. Because we need playful thinking to think creatively — even on the brink of catastrophes — this paper is written as a choose-your-own adventure game. Educators will be invited to consider the institutional, geographic, academic, political, personal, and social barriers impacting their pedagogical choices. Ecologically concerned educators need pragmatic, creative, and compassionate support to envision how wild pedagogies pathways can be applied to their course loads. Here, these explorations are designed to be experiential and experimental, open-ended, and ultimately mutually liberating.

Framed by biological and environmental education, this paper addresses eight questions posed in Wild Pedagogies: Touchstones for Re-Negotiating Education and the Environment in the Anthropocene. These questions ponder more-than-human methodologies, positionality of the natural world, embedded anthropocentricism and research implications for the natural world. Wild pedagogues aim to reclaim and reimagine an educational system toward intentional praxis less reliant on quantifiable learning outcomes, with a move toward active, ‘‘self-willed pedagogy’’ with an agential nature as co-teacher. This bold enterprise challenges dominant Western-colonial paradigms rooted in power and control over nature and learners. My responses explore Tim Ingold’s notion of a ‘‘modest, humble, and attentive’’ science, ecocentric place-based research, questions dissection and animal experimentation, and offers Goethean science and Indigenous philosophy as alternatives to rational-reductionist Newtonian science. Lab-based science is contrasted with natural history, and creative, contemplative practice are suggested as tools of the wild researcher. How can we transform science education through the lenses of deep ecology and philosophical posthumanism? This paper contributes to the ongoing dialogue of ecological and environmental education during the Anthropocene, especially in regard to the life sciences and the often-unquestioned use of nonhuman animals in science teaching and research.

This paper reconsiders long-standing debates in Canada about the relationship between language, race, and culture. Federal policies focused on official bilingualism (1969) and multiculturalism (1971) animated local movements of parents, students, and other community members demanding greater linguistic and racial inclusion in schools. This paper examines two instances of these grassroots politics, namely activism on behalf of heritage-language education and Black cultural-heritage programs, in Toronto, Ontario, between 1970 and 1987. Our analysis reveals key instances in which temporary forms of solidarity emerged between heritage-language and Black activism, as well as contradictory trajectories in this activism that undermined what Roseann Liu and Savannah Shange have theorized as “thick solidarity.” In this paper, we argue that absences of thick solidarity ultimately weakened efforts by heritage-language and Black activists alike to reorganize schools in ways that were more linguistically and racially just.

In this study, we draw on an analysis of publicly available information from university websites and Google Scholar to explore the qualifications, relevant experience, and scholarship of academics involved in postgraduate special/inclusive education courses in Australian universities. Overall, we found information on 148 academics employed at 23 universities, of whom 124 were teaching a unit or units with content relevant to the education of students with disability. Of these, 23% were described as having a qualification in special or inclusive education, 20% were described as having experience in a setting relevant to people with disability, and 51% had evidence of scholarship in special or inclusive education. These results are a cause for some concern and suggest staffing of special/inclusive education courses is not always ideal, with many academics apparently teaching out of their area of expertise.

Friluftsliv is a Scandinavian concept that emphasises a deep connection with nature through outdoor activities. This study examines its transformative role in fostering physical literacy and environmental ethics among international students. The University of South-East Norway offers a year-long programme that integrates theoretical coursework with outdoor experiential learning, including multi-day expeditions, exemplifying embodied pedagogy. Students were observed for one week, and at its conclusion participated in creative focus groups where they discussed and illustrated their most memorable experiences. The winter expedition emerged as a clear highlight. Analysis of interviews and artwork revealed that the teaching methods used enhanced students’ skills, knowledge, social connections, and motivation to engage with nature, thus reinforcing the four pillars of physical literacy. It also fostered a significant emotional transformation. While students initially approached nature from an anthropocentric perspective, the challenges of the winter trip, in particular, helped most of them to shift their outlook towards a more ecocentric view by deepening their connection with the natural environment. This study highlights the powerful role that experiential outdoor education can play in cultivating both physical literacy and environmental stewardship.

This article examines how redefining health through the perspectives of One Health, EcoHealth and Planetary Health can enrich Physical Education (PE) by advancing both health and environmental sustainability. While PE and health education are often treated as separate subjects, most PE curricula worldwide emphasise the promotion of an active lifestyle as a key component of health education through PE. This promotion of an active lifestyle is central to the concept of physical literacy (PL), which is a fundamental aspect of quality PE according to UNESCO (2015). This article focuses on how PE, contributing to health education through the promotion of PL, can evolve to incorporate sustainability goals through the recent new definitions of approaches to health. One Health approach underscores the interconnections between human, animal and environmental health, expanding PL to address zoonotic diseases and ecological impacts. EcoHealth highlights the sustainability of ecosystems, promoting PE activities that (re)connect humans with the more-than-human worlds without causing environmental harm. Planetary Health takes a global perspective, encouraging sustainable physical activities that reduce ecological footprints, such as cycling and walking. By integrating these holistic frameworks, PE can nurture not only individual health outcomes but also environmental stewardship and global health awareness. This shift seeks to educate individuals about their PL, but also their responsibility in preserving ecosystems and the planet, fostering a more sustainable and environmentally aware generation through PE.