Page 149 - Šolsko polje, XXX, 2019, št. 5-6: Civic, citizenship and rhetorical education in a rapidly changing world, eds. Janja Žmavc and Plamen Mirazchiyski
P. 149
i. ž. žagar ■ slovenian experience with rhetoric in primary schools
canons of rhetoric or officia oratoris for that matter. And the 15 years prac-
tice proved as right; though on the other hand, the concepts of argument
and argumentation caused many problems and misunderstanding (as I
will be showing later).
Definitions, Goals, Activities
How did we structure the syllabus in view of achieving these operative ob-
jectives? Let us start with the first functional objective: “Pupils learn what
rhetoric is.”
First, we set up the definition of what needs to be learned/mastered
and then set up the activities to achieve this goal. Like this (ibid., p. 3):
Definition: “Pupils learn that rhetoric is not an art or a science, but
a skill (or technique)”.
Activities: “Based on concrete school subjects, pupils look at the dif-
ference between arts (e.g. music and painting), sciences (e.g. mathemat-
ics and physics), and skills (e.g. physical education: skiing and skating).”
Why did we think this (definition) was important? Because we
wanted to make it very clear from the very beginning that rhetoric is
something that everybody can learn (with sufficient exercise and motiva-
tion, of course). Not everybody can be a nuclear physicists or concert pia-
nist, but everybody can learn to speak coherently and persuasively in pub-
lic. It was meant as an encouragement with the main motto: repetitio est
mater studiorum.
Or if we look at the second definition (under the same heading
(ibid.)):
Definition: “Pupils understand the social dependency of successful
persuasion: its dependency on speech situation, target audience and the
valid system of values.”
Activities: “Pupils prepare two speeches on the same subject: one
which they think will be a success, and another which they think will fail;
they explain the reasons for their decision in the classroom.”
And why is it important that pupils at this stage of their develop-
ment and maturity learn that there are different speech situations, differ-
ent target audiences, different systems of values? Because it de-naturaliz-
es their everyday personal experiences, those that are obvious, usual and
homely for them, these activities serve as a kind of Verfremdung effect, as
Bertolt Brecht would call it, an alienation effect, a kind of defamiliariza-
tion, a distancing from what they are used to in their everyday life, show-
147
canons of rhetoric or officia oratoris for that matter. And the 15 years prac-
tice proved as right; though on the other hand, the concepts of argument
and argumentation caused many problems and misunderstanding (as I
will be showing later).
Definitions, Goals, Activities
How did we structure the syllabus in view of achieving these operative ob-
jectives? Let us start with the first functional objective: “Pupils learn what
rhetoric is.”
First, we set up the definition of what needs to be learned/mastered
and then set up the activities to achieve this goal. Like this (ibid., p. 3):
Definition: “Pupils learn that rhetoric is not an art or a science, but
a skill (or technique)”.
Activities: “Based on concrete school subjects, pupils look at the dif-
ference between arts (e.g. music and painting), sciences (e.g. mathemat-
ics and physics), and skills (e.g. physical education: skiing and skating).”
Why did we think this (definition) was important? Because we
wanted to make it very clear from the very beginning that rhetoric is
something that everybody can learn (with sufficient exercise and motiva-
tion, of course). Not everybody can be a nuclear physicists or concert pia-
nist, but everybody can learn to speak coherently and persuasively in pub-
lic. It was meant as an encouragement with the main motto: repetitio est
mater studiorum.
Or if we look at the second definition (under the same heading
(ibid.)):
Definition: “Pupils understand the social dependency of successful
persuasion: its dependency on speech situation, target audience and the
valid system of values.”
Activities: “Pupils prepare two speeches on the same subject: one
which they think will be a success, and another which they think will fail;
they explain the reasons for their decision in the classroom.”
And why is it important that pupils at this stage of their develop-
ment and maturity learn that there are different speech situations, differ-
ent target audiences, different systems of values? Because it de-naturaliz-
es their everyday personal experiences, those that are obvious, usual and
homely for them, these activities serve as a kind of Verfremdung effect, as
Bertolt Brecht would call it, an alienation effect, a kind of defamiliariza-
tion, a distancing from what they are used to in their everyday life, show-
147
