Page 199 - Štremfel, Urška, ed., 2016. Student (Under)achievement: Perspectives, Approaches, Challenges. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut. Digital Library, Documenta 11.
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hetoric and Argumentation 199
as Factors in Student
Achievement
Janja Žmavc
Abstract: This paper explains the role and significance of rhetoric and argumenta-
tion in contemporary education. Although they are two discursive strategies, that
have from their start played key roles in successful learning and teaching, rhetoric
and argumentation often remain overlooked within Slovenian education. In the
introduction, the paper presents some stereotypical conceptions of rhetoric and
argumentation, followed by a short description of selected rhetoric and argumen-
tative concepts, which is used to reveal – from the perspective of contemporary
theoretical starting points - the premise that these are two significant factors in
student achievement and that thorough knowledge is required in order to mas-
ter them. As part of a presentation of issues in relation to contemporary teaching
of both of these disciplines in Slovenia, a discourse analysis of curricula for lower
and upper secondary education is also shown, which presents two elements: first-
ly, why explicit teaching of rhetoric and argumentation is important for education
in Slovenia; and secondly, why it is of key importance that the two skills are both
taught and used in the most systematic way possible.
Key words: rhetoric, argumentation, education, competencies
Introduction
rhetoric /ˈrɛtərɪk/ noun
1. the skill, the art of speaking, especially in public: she was impressed by
his brilliant rhetoric; practice rhetoric / study rhetoric; the rules of rhetoric
as Factors in Student
Achievement
Janja Žmavc
Abstract: This paper explains the role and significance of rhetoric and argumenta-
tion in contemporary education. Although they are two discursive strategies, that
have from their start played key roles in successful learning and teaching, rhetoric
and argumentation often remain overlooked within Slovenian education. In the
introduction, the paper presents some stereotypical conceptions of rhetoric and
argumentation, followed by a short description of selected rhetoric and argumen-
tative concepts, which is used to reveal – from the perspective of contemporary
theoretical starting points - the premise that these are two significant factors in
student achievement and that thorough knowledge is required in order to mas-
ter them. As part of a presentation of issues in relation to contemporary teaching
of both of these disciplines in Slovenia, a discourse analysis of curricula for lower
and upper secondary education is also shown, which presents two elements: first-
ly, why explicit teaching of rhetoric and argumentation is important for education
in Slovenia; and secondly, why it is of key importance that the two skills are both
taught and used in the most systematic way possible.
Key words: rhetoric, argumentation, education, competencies
Introduction
rhetoric /ˈrɛtərɪk/ noun
1. the skill, the art of speaking, especially in public: she was impressed by
his brilliant rhetoric; practice rhetoric / study rhetoric; the rules of rhetoric
