Rhetorische Kompetenz bei polnischen Studierenden in der Fremdsprache Deutsch im universitären Kontext

Abstract

Rhetorical competence among Polish university students of German as a foreign language

According to the Bologna Process reforms, the orientation of university teaching and learning towards competence is the key to the ‘future employability’ of graduates. One such skill is rhetorical competence in oral communication, which is crucial to both lifelong learning and to the workplace. The teaching of this key competence would certainly ease the transition between university and working life. However, particularly in German Studies programs at Polish universities, the transmission of rhetorical competence is often of peripheral importance – if it is taught at all. Often, this skillset is simply expected of students, for example when they are required to give an oral presentation. This contribution examines the competence of Polish-speaking students of German as a foreign language in an intercultural learning context. It will focus in particular on the capturing of possibilities for improvement, particularly on the communicative effect on German native speakers of non-native speakers making oral presentations.