Abstract:

One of the crucial skills foreign language teachers need to develop in their students is critical thinking, i.e. making reasoned and well thought out judgments. Those who use it do not simply accept arguments and conclusions, but question them trying to see what evidence is involved to support each one. In this context, critical thinking can be considered an indispensable skill for higher education and a vital life skill.

In Russia, to obtain a Bachelor degree in linguistics at Moscow State Linguistic University, one should study at least two foreign languages. The final year, when the students’ second FL level is not lower than B2 within the CEFR grid, is the most productive one to master critical thinking. As B2 presupposes that one can understand the main ideas of complex text on concrete and abstract topics, and produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects, the 4th year curriculum includes such language aspect as Discourse Analysis where texts of different genres on relevant issues are put under investigation and discussion.

Our research concerns teaching the Discourse Analysis in Spanish, and its topicality is connected with choosing adequate material to fulfil the task of students’ critical thinking development. We have chosen contemporary Spanish authors who create texts on the agenda blending journalism and literature – C.Posadas, M.Rivas, R.Montero and J.José Millás. The latter has invented “articuentos” – a hybrid genre of an opinion column and a short story. Mixing the argument typical of an opinion essay as a key element in mass media with literary narrative that allows not to be restricted in style, Millás zooms in on everyday feelings or settings and invites the reader to look at reality more critically.

Methodologically, we have provided a research according to the following algorithm:
1) to analyze Millas’ book “Articuentos” (more than 200 pieces of writing) based on his opinion column in the “El País” newspaper and to point out the most crucial issues the author draws on;
2) to choose 3-4 pieces that embrace the detected issues for thorough investigation in classroom;
3) to prepare a set of activities for such investigation aimed at the development of critical thinking.

The carried out analysis has resulted in four “global” topics revealed in the author’s extremely short texts (about 350 words each): philosophy and science, national and international affairs, society and everyday life, interrelation between fiction and reality. The set of exercises prepared and worked through with students is based on four “articuentos” (“Dios”, “Escribir”, “Móviles”, “Taxis”) and consists of several stages:
1. Before reading (guessing the theme of the story by its title).
2. Reading, answering questions and focusing on the most important points.
3. After reading:
• vocabulary (explanation of meaning, search for synonyms);
• grammar (review of interesting grammar points found in the text);
• culture (explanation of cultural things);
• project (see or hear interviews with J. José Millás, organize a discussion).

To conclude, we highlight that such exercises encourage students to develop competences necessary for future linguists, and concentrating on the hybrid “articuento” genre, we provide conditions for mastering sociocultural skills in particular and motivating one to think profoundly about the things they perceive and produce in communication, and to make more conscious professional and life decisions.

Keywords:

Spanish, foreign language teaching, critical thinking, discourse analysis, "articuento".