Page 131 - Šolsko polje, XXX, 2019, št. 5-6: Civic, citizenship and rhetorical education in a rapidly changing world, eds. Janja Žmavc and Plamen Mirazchiyski
P. 131
p. aczél ■ a road to rhetorica: teaching rhetoric as social sensitivity ...
1. Rhetoric is an inseparable element of human self-expression and
communication: it is an integral part of all human interactions.
2. Rhetoric is the communicative element of social existence; it is not
only a method of persuasion but also a method of listening and un-
derstanding.
3. Rhetoric is more than simply an element of the linguistic code, it is
not only one part of education concerning a given native language. It
might be interpreted as a complex, comprehensive competency, com-
munal literacy or social intelligence that, as such, exhibits biological,
psychological, sociological, anthropological and technological char-
acteristics.
4. We approach rhetoric the right way if we see it as an ethical-cogni-
tive ability instead of simply as a system of methods and tools to help
us create texts. This ability and sensitivity is important in helping
individuals to an understanding of undecided human-social situa-
tions, to the creation of refined actions and discursive strategies that
in turn motivate other individuals. As such, rhetoric should be a part
of every educational subject and cultural area.
5. The foundation, source and medium of rhetorical intelligence are
provided by human relationships and social situations not only in a
rational but also in an emotional sense.
6. The goal of rhetoric is to educate empathetic, articulate, inventive,
participating and sensitive citizens. This person is an individual with
a personality and also a social creature whose rhetorical intelligence
is never concerned solely with self-propagation but with communi-
ty life and the enrichment of common values. This requires that we
consider rhetoric as a behaviour instead of an instrument.
7. Rhetoric is not the inventory of creating texts but the complex sys-
tem of abilities and skills made up of attention, empathy, imagina-
tion and emulation, the expression of emotions and understanding.
Therefore, rhetoric education could be structured as follows:
- grasping rhetorical intelligence, improving communicational at-
tention and rhetorical sensitivity;
- the communicative description and exploration of the situation
while assessing its cultural references;
- the dynamic of the situation’s elements and functions;
- invention: creating the situationally sensitive message (questions,
tropes, reasons);
- genre-awareness: choosing the audience, code, format, display
and channel of the message consciously;
129
1. Rhetoric is an inseparable element of human self-expression and
communication: it is an integral part of all human interactions.
2. Rhetoric is the communicative element of social existence; it is not
only a method of persuasion but also a method of listening and un-
derstanding.
3. Rhetoric is more than simply an element of the linguistic code, it is
not only one part of education concerning a given native language. It
might be interpreted as a complex, comprehensive competency, com-
munal literacy or social intelligence that, as such, exhibits biological,
psychological, sociological, anthropological and technological char-
acteristics.
4. We approach rhetoric the right way if we see it as an ethical-cogni-
tive ability instead of simply as a system of methods and tools to help
us create texts. This ability and sensitivity is important in helping
individuals to an understanding of undecided human-social situa-
tions, to the creation of refined actions and discursive strategies that
in turn motivate other individuals. As such, rhetoric should be a part
of every educational subject and cultural area.
5. The foundation, source and medium of rhetorical intelligence are
provided by human relationships and social situations not only in a
rational but also in an emotional sense.
6. The goal of rhetoric is to educate empathetic, articulate, inventive,
participating and sensitive citizens. This person is an individual with
a personality and also a social creature whose rhetorical intelligence
is never concerned solely with self-propagation but with communi-
ty life and the enrichment of common values. This requires that we
consider rhetoric as a behaviour instead of an instrument.
7. Rhetoric is not the inventory of creating texts but the complex sys-
tem of abilities and skills made up of attention, empathy, imagina-
tion and emulation, the expression of emotions and understanding.
Therefore, rhetoric education could be structured as follows:
- grasping rhetorical intelligence, improving communicational at-
tention and rhetorical sensitivity;
- the communicative description and exploration of the situation
while assessing its cultural references;
- the dynamic of the situation’s elements and functions;
- invention: creating the situationally sensitive message (questions,
tropes, reasons);
- genre-awareness: choosing the audience, code, format, display
and channel of the message consciously;
129
