Study of linguistic manipulations in European mass media in foreign language classes at a university for the formation of critical literacy as a component of communicative competence

the use of the concept of critical literacy enables the author to raise the question of including a number of aspects into the notion of communicative competence and, on this theoretical basis, to suggest supplementing foreign language classes at the university with the study of hidden influence techniques used in media communication, in particular, language manipulation, based on the material of European mass media. The aim of this paper is to develop a model for incorporating basic foundations of the methods of hidden influence, misinformation and provocation into a foreign language course at a university. According to the author's hypothesis, such an innovation in the practice of teaching a foreign language at a university would be an effective solution to the problem of disorientation of many modern Russian citizens in the toxic information flow. At the moment the topic of language manipulation is in the focus of attention of scientists of various profiles all over the world, however, the author adheres to the position that until this knowledge becomes a subject of study for a broad student audience, it cannot contribute to the normalization of the information agenda and the quality of media communications, on the contrary, frequently the techniques and patterns described by linguists become a tool for biased political technologists, PR specialists, journalists, media personalities and politicians who with their help are only refining their skills of covert manipulation of the public opinion. The author's proposed supplement to the foreign language course, on the one hand, is a continuation of the Soviet practice of studying European media materials as part of the university foreign language program, and on the other hand, it corresponds to the burning problems of the modern society engaged in information wars. The results of the research at this stage are theoretical in nature; however, the author's recommendations can become the base for revision of the practical foreign language course at the university for Bachelor and Specialist programs.

language manipulation, critical literacy, communicative competence, European media, foreign languages, higher education, misinformation, media ecology