This paper explores educational initiatives within English Language Teaching (ELT) that utilize the Linguistic Landscape (LL) approach to foster collaboration between teachers and students from seperated school systems. The study is situated at the intersection of sociolinguistics, critical pedagogy, and peace education within the context of English Language Teaching (ELT) in conflict-affected societies. It adopts a socio-spatial perspective to examine how the visual representation of languages in public spaces - the Linguistic Landscape (LL) - can be utilized as a pedagogical tool to bridge divides in seperated educational systems.

Linguistic Landscape (LL) refers to the visual representation of languages in public spaces, including signage, graffiti, and other semiotic resources. LL research has evolved significantly, exploring language hierarchies, cultural narratives, and positionality in multilingual settings  (Schvarcz & Warren, 2025, Malinowski, 2015, Gorter, 2017).

Theoretically, the research draws on Henri Lefebvre’s (1991) spatial triad, which distinguishes between "conceived space" (official, top-down signage), "perceived space" (the physical environment of daily life), and "lived space" (the symbolic and representational meaning attributed to space by its inhabitants). In areas of intractable conflict, such as the Israeli-Palestinian context, public spaces are often contested arenas where language hierarchies reflect and reinforce power imbalances, exclusion, and ethnic segregation. By bringing LL into the classroom, we move from the "conceived" official narrative to the "lived" experiences of students, allowing for a critical interrogation of the socio-political realities inscribed in their environment.

Central to our approach is the conceptualization of English as a "Third Space" or a neutral mediator. In conflict zones, the local languages (in this case, Hebrew and Arabic) are deeply laden with political and emotional weight, often maintaining a clear power asymmetry. Drawing on the work of Awayed-Bishara (2022) and Khawaja et al. (2021), we argue that English, as an international lingua franca, provides a unique dialogic space where students can negotiate sensitive issues of identity and social justice without the immediate pressure of the local linguistic conflict. This "linguistic neutrality" facilitates a more equitable contact zone for Jewish and Arab learners.

The framework also integrates principles of "Shared Education," originally developed in Northern Ireland to address Catholic-Protestant divides (Gallagher, 2016). This model suggests that sustained, curriculum-based interaction between separated groups can reduce prejudice when structured around common goals. We extend this by proposing a specific "LL Pedagogy" that fosters activism and critical language awareness. This pedagogy encourages students to analyze how signage can marginalize minority identities and advocating for linguistic rights (Shohamy & Pennycook, 2022, Hayik, 2017). To bridge these theories, we propose an original conceptual model: we present an original conceptual model: the Eight-Point Scale of LL Functions for Joint Learning. This scale is theoretically grounded in a progression from lower-order linguistic observation to higher-order critical engagement. It begins with "conceived" functions (language acquisition and policy awareness) and culminates in "lived" functions, where students jointly question power, inequality, and positionality within their shared and separate landscapes. This continuum reflects the transition from learning about the other to learning with the other through the mediation of the environment.

This study employs a qualitative, practitioner-research approach to examine two distinct educational initiatives facilitated within the Israeli Ministry of Education’s English Inspectorate. Initiative 1: Teacher Professional Development - Data was drawn from a 30-hour in-service teacher education course conducted over multiple academic years (2015-16 and 2018-19). Participants included 20–26 teachers per group from both Jewish and Arab sectors in the Haifa district, representing a range of 1 to 20+ years of experience. The methodology involved a workshop format consisting of five frontal meetings and three asynchronous sessions. Primary data sources included the LL-based units designed by the teachers, their collaborative projects (e.g., the comparison of Jisr el Zarka and Hadera), and reflective discussions regarding the pedagogical implications of LL in their specific school contexts. The second initiative involves classes from Jewish and Arab schools working together under the ‘Shared Education’ programme (Yitzhaki et al., 2022). This component followed a partnership between two high schools - an Arab school in Ramla and a Jewish school in Modiin - during the 2021-2022 academic year. This period was particularly significant as it followed the 2021 Gaza conflict, which caused civil unrest in mixed cities. The methodology utilized the Shared Education model, where students met to jointly study an LL-focused curriculum. Data was collected through: • Student Artifacts: Photographs and analyses of signs from their respective local environments. • Collaborative Tasks: Jointly designed signs created in mixed groups. • Reflective Writing: Individual student summaries and reflections on the unit written in English. • Classroom Discourse: Observation and analysis of the dialogic functions during shared lessons. Analytical Framework: The qualitative data from both initiatives were analyzed to identify the varying degrees of engagement with social and political issues. This analysis led to the inductive development of the "eight-point scale of LL functions," categorizing interactions from "basic exposure to input" to "challenging power and positionality".

The study concludes that LL pedagogy in ELT acts as a powerful catalyst for breaking entrenched social divides in conflict-affected contexts. A primary finding is that the EFL classroom provides a "neutral linguistic ground". Because English is a non-dominant language in the local conflict, it fosters more equitable interaction, allowing Arab students to express their identities without the power imbalance often felt when using Hebrew. The research successfully mapped the "eight-point scale of LL functions," revealing that engagement progresses through distinct phases. While early stages focus on language acquisition and authentic input, the latter stages enable students to confront "lived spaces" - addressing personal and collective narratives through the analysis of excluded or marginalized languages in public signage. For instance, Jewish students reported a newfound awareness of the complexities Arab minorities face after discussing the hierarchy of languages on signs within Arab schools. The initiative also highlighted the critical role of teacher facilitation. For LL to serve a peace-building function, teachers must move beyond "conceived spaces" (official signage) to allow students to express their "perceived realities" in a safe, structured environment. Expected outcomes for the international community include the adoption of the eight-point scale as a framework for language educators in other divided societies. Ultimately, the study demonstrates that LL transforms ELT from a site of purely linguistic development into a dynamic arena for civic engagement and social justice. By bringing the "outside" world of public signage into the classroom, students develop not only language proficiency but also the critical tools necessary for community rebuilding.

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