A Plot for "Critical Historical Instruction" : on the theory of Annette Kuhn's methodology of history teaching (Didaktik der Geschichte)

Abstract

Considering that a teaching theory of subject instruction should be dealt with as a theory of building up, we must make clear its theoretical basis which confirms a possibility of building up, aims of instruction, necessary conditions of lesson and the process of teaching. The purpose of this article is to approach these problems, referring to Annette Kuhn's theory of "Critical historical instruction (Kritische Geschichtsunterricht)". She has been greatly inspired by the social theory of the Frankfurt School of philosophy ("Kritische Theorie") of which the key concept is "Emanzipation" that enables the process of children's understanding to function as a process of building up for them. She considers the theory to be a foundation and also a condition of teaching. Following the key concept, she constructs her theory on the process of critical historical instruction. We can learn from her idea that it is necessary in the theory of building up to establish a theory of instruction such as Kritische Theory which links the social theory with the theory of science.