Abstract:

The paper investigates into the educational process at law tertiary institution with a focus on content and language integrated learning (CLIL) or content based learning (CBL) applied in language preparation of future lawyers. In terms of teaching, it is the integration of certain content (law) with the objectives of language teaching (communication in English in legal practice), concurrent teaching of academic subject and language skills.

The author poses various questions, for instance, how to master simultaneous fulfilment of objectives of both the linguistic and professional competence and/or whether the present method of teaching can help developing the necessary academic and language skills. At the same time, the paper tries to find appropriate solutions as compared to similar dealing with the issue world-wide.

Teaching legal English as a foreign language poses two language challenges: one relates to the peculiarities and specificities of vocabulary and syntax (sentence structure), and the other relates to cultural differences between the legal systems of different countries and the learners of English for these purposes coming from different countries. These differences require different approaches and methodology and cannot be ignored. Such teaching aims at promoting study mobility of students and teachers and thus enhances the process of internationalisation of education within the European context.

Keywords:

Teaching, Legal studies, CLIL, university.