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1st EULETA Workshop 2009: Abstracts and Presenter Biographies
- Session 1: Connie Hacke, Christa Köbsch & Lutz
Helge
- Title: Testing Legal English at Unicert II and III
- Abstract: Offering Legal English at both UNIcert® II and
UNIcert® III level has required a differentiation of
expected learning outcomes. We started with developing parameters for
the degree of difficulty at the two levels with regard to all four
language skills, then allocated text and task types to each of them
and, finally, devised exams tasks at leach level according to the
general UNIcert® regulations. In our presentation we will
present and discuss some of the tests and exams that we have set for
each of the language skills demonstrating the differences between the
two levels.
- Presenter biography
Cornelia Hacke, Lecturer in Legal English and English Law, Humboldt
University,
Berlin; Lutz Helge, Lecturer in Legal English and English Law, Humboldt
University,
Berlin; Christa Köbsch, Lecturer in Legal English (American legal
system), Humboldt University, Berlin
- Session 2: Andrew Frost
- Title: English for Legal Professionals
- Abstract: The aim of the presentation is to introduce the Cornelsen
Short Course Series title “English for Legal Professionals” and
consider some of the criteria ELP material must meet. In general,
highly complex areas of law must be shaped into scenarios which are
accessible to the reader, for pedagogical reasons simplified without
being simplistic and provide opportunities for performing realistic
legal tasks in English. The talk will look in greater depth at the unit
dealing with mergers and acquisitions.
- Presenter biography: Andrew Frost worked as a teacher of EFL for
the British Council in Berlin for a number of years before becoming a
freelance teacher and translator in 2005. He has taught legal English
to lawyers in a number of law firms. The material in the book is an
attempt to respond to their ESP training needs.
- Session 3: Mariusz Beclawski
- Title: Teaching and testing prepositions in Legal English
- Abstract: This paper aims to describe certain theoretical and
practical applications in the process of teaching and testing
prepositions in Legal English. Firstly, some thought is given to the
general use of prepositions in English with their technical background
information. Secondly, the application of prepositions in Legal English
is discussed with regard to the syntax of legalese, e.g. an abundance
of nominalization. Finally, some practical exercises for teaching and
testing prepositions in Legal English are presented to support the
theory.
- Presenter biography: Mariusz Beclawski, a Warsaw University M.A.
graduate in English Studies; a college lecturer in linguistics and
syntax; a Warsaw University PhD guest student at the Department of the
History of English; prepares for the TOLES Advanced and ILEC
examinations at an LLB course; an aspiring legalese specialist and
paralegal.
- Session 4: James Arnold
- Title: Tests of Reading in English for Legal Purposes – Gauging the
Accessibility of Texts
- Abstract: The writer of a test in English for Legal Purposes has to
locate reading texts which are at an appropriate level of difficulty,
and which do not place certain candidates at a disadvantage. This talk
will discuss issues relating to the selection of suitable texts.
Reference will be made to a number of short texts taken from a variety
of legal sources.
- Presenter biography: James Arnold has a law degree, but has spent
most of his working life in the field of English language teaching and
testing. He is currently a tutor at the University of Surrey. He has
for a number of years been an item writer for the Cambridge ILEC
examination.
- Session 5: Mary Redmond
- Title: Case heard: the place of listening comprehension in the EFL
classroom
- Abstract: Listening comprehension has long been recognized as one
of the four basic skills in second language acquisition; however, it
has yet to receive the attention it deserves from ESL theorists and
practitioners. Based on teaching experience in the ELP classroom, this
paper adduces fresh support for the view that listening is not a
passive activity. The strategies deployed in listening exercises are
analyzed and the learning benefits which accrue from training aural
skills are evaluated. A final section is devoted to assessment of
student performance with reference to certificate examination
requirements.
- Presenter biography: Mary Redmond studied linguistics at University
College Dublin, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg and Freie
Universität Berlin. She teaches at the Department of Applied
Linguistics at Dublin City University, the Department of Languages and
Translation at the University of Leipzig and the Language Centre at the
University of Bayreuth.
- Session 6: Matt Firth
- Title: Short activities for International Legal English Certificate
(ILEC) classes
- Abstract: During this practical workshop participants will try out
a series of tried-and-tested warmers, energisers, fillers and other
short activities for legal English courses. The activities modeled
require minimum preparation and provide excellent opportunities for
both skills development and awareress raising as to how the ILEC exam
tests the four skills. While these activities were designed with the
needs of ILEC students in mind, they are also suitable for non-ILEC
classes.
- Presenter biography: Matt Firth is secretary of EULETA and teaches
Legal English at the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland and the
Hochschule Vaduz, Liechtenstein. He is Production Manager with
TransLegal, with whom he developed the PLEAD Legal English blended
learning course. Matt is the ILEC Regional Manager for Austria and
Germany, and organises regular workshops on teaching Legal English. His
recent publications include Introduction to International Legal English
(with Amy Krois-Lindner), the International Legal English online
research tasks (with John Kokko) and a regular Legal English column for
Business Spotlight.
