Literature in Russian Lessons in Austria

A Historical Overview of Educational Policy Guidelines

Abstract

This article aims to show the regulative conditions of the use of literary texts in the Russian language classroom in Austria during the period after World War II (1946–2023). It examines the normative documents that regulate the use of literature at the Austrian academic secondary school (ASS). For this purpose, an analysis of ten curricula for the ASS and of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR, 2001) as well as its companion volume (2018) has been conducted. The analysis explores the following questions: Which goals do the curricula formulate concerning the use of literary texts? Which content requirements do the curricula contain with regard to teaching literature? Which didactic references to literary work do the curricula include? Which instruments does the CEFR offer for the work with literary texts?