The aim of this tutorial is to strengthen your already advanced English by engaging in sustained, thoughtful discussion of difficult questions. These are not questions with straightforward answers, but ones that require clarification, argument, and careful judgment: for example, What is authority in teaching? What is a good education? What is a child? How important are emotions in learning?
The central activity of the course is structured discussion in which you will be asked to formulate positions, give reasons for them, and respond directly to the arguments of others. Particular emphasis will be placed on listening carefully, identifying what is at stake in another person’s claim, and answering it in a clear and appropriate register.
This is not a course in competitive debating. We will not focus on rhetorical strategies aimed at winning an argument or scoring points. Instead, the goal is to make the issue itself clearer. Progress will be measured not by how quickly you respond, but by how well you understand the position you are addressing and how precisely you can formulate your own.
In this sense, the course is “Socratic.” Discussion will proceed through questioning, clarification, and the testing of claims. You will often be asked not only what you think, but why you think it, and whether your reasons are sufficient. You may also be asked to reconsider or refine your position in light of objections.
Working at this level in a second language presents a particular challenge. The aim is not only to improve fluency, but to make English a language in which you can think carefully and respond with precision. By engaging in forms of discussion that require attention, clarity, and intellectual discipline, you will develop both your language skills and your ability to participate in serious academic dialogue.
- Kursleiter*in: Gary Lovan