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9 - A Developmental Framework for Professional Communication Competence

Language Awareness in Context

from Part III - Language Awareness in Education and Training

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 July 2022

By
Dale Cyphert
Edited by
Erika Darics
Erika Darics
Affiliation:
Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, The Netherlands
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Summary

Even when recognizing that language practice instantiates and perpetuates power structures within a discourse community, language teachers necessarily teach their students to conform to those same language practices. Rather than seeing a moral dilemma between teaching conformity to language practices or exposing and resisting the discursive practices that perpetuate power structures, a fully rhetorical education allows students to leverage normative conformity toward increasing power within the discourse community and thereby reaching a platform from which to lead change. This chapter examines the typical North American curriculum in professional communication to conclude that while a university education addresses both rhetorical conformity and critical reflection, the pedagogy does not align with the actual development of rhetorical competence within a professional community.

Keywords

rhetorical competenceprofessional communicationpedagogy
Type
Chapter
Information
Language Awareness in Business and the Professions , pp. 160 - 182
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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