Kritische Diskursfähigkeit im Fremdsprachenunterricht Ein Beitrag zur Ausdifferenzierung eines Leitkonzepts schulischer Bildung

Abstract

With their definition of the ability to participate in discourses, the German educational standards open venues for a primarily functional understanding of this superordinate goal of language education. However, such a notion of discourse literacies may be seen as anachronistic since discourses are always related to questions of power and values. Consequently, learners need to develop critical discourse literacy in addition to functional communicative skills. This article seeks to identify the critical components of the ability to participate in discourses and suggests a two-fold concept of critical discourse literacies. Against the background of a discussion of existing approaches to discourse literacies in language education, this contribution argues for both the development of an awareness of discursive structures and the consideration of human rights as a value base for critical (self)reflection when it comes to preparing learners for participation in global discourses.