Conceptual Metaphor as a Means for Teaching Critical Thinking Skills
Svetlana A. Tsirkunova

Abstract
The article addresses the issue of using media discourse as a fertile source for teaching critical thinking skills through discovering information imbedded within linguistic units and evaluating their conceptual meaning. The study focuses on the role of conceptual metaphor with the target domain “others” in constructing a “l(fā)inguistic worldview” suggested or imposed by language in the American, British and Russian media discourse of the online press. The research reveals that the conceptual metaphor is an effective means for decoding the pattern of thought or the linguistic worldview of bearers of the language. A useful technique that can be employed to facilitate critical thinking skills development is mind mapping as it allows to analyze fragments of linguistic worldview represented by conceptual metaphor.

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