Alan M L Jones - English teaching for lawyers

	NEEDS ANALYSIS APPENDIX 1 Example of a “Programme for Week 1” APPENDIX 2 Example of a Report at end of Course APPENDIX 1 Example of a “Programme for Week 1” TO : xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx F R OM : Alan SUBJECT : Lessons for week commencing xxxxxxxx. I've read through our exchange of emails and put together a draft plan for our lessons this week. I say “draft” for 2 reasons. First, these are your lessons – you're driving the car. If you don't like what we're doing or planning to do, tell me and we'll change the direction in which the car is moving. Secondly, experience shows me that whatever I plan, we also do other things and we don't do everything planned! This is natural because as we get to know each other, you'll see how I operate and what I can do and I'll see how you like to work and the sort of things which interest you. 1. The legal profession in Italy and the UK (is this the correct term? Possibly not – I'll explain) . I'll tell you about qualifying as a lawyer in the UK , the different types of lawyer and the sort of work they do. I'll then ask you to cover the same ground with regards to Italy . (I‘ve said “first me and then you” – in fact, it may turn out to be more “interactive”. We'll see). I have prepared a short paper on the position in the UK and will give you this afterwards by way of revision / consolidation. 2. Your job You've told me a bit in your email. Please tell me more. To give you some help, I'll start this discussion by telling you what I used to do when I was a lawyer. 3. Review of email. I liked what you wrote. I've written some comments and corrections. After you've studied them, let's discuss them. They show some areas of grammar on which you can usefully work. I'll suggest some things for you to do . 4. How law is made in our respective countries (this will show the difference between civil law and common law systems), the court systems (this will lead us into the distinction between civil and criminal law) and the basics of litigation. I know you do some litigation. The language of litigation will be useful because of this and also because it is the basis of much legal language. We'll look at some real documents (Claim and Defence / Counterclaim). Again, afterwards I'll give you a short paper. 5. Setting up a Company. We'll go through the relevant papers – forms to Companies House, Memorandum and Articles of Association, minutes of first meeting of the Board of Directors. Again, I‘ll give you a short paper. Even though you are not a corporate lawyer, a lot of your bank's business is with companies and the language will be useful for you. 6. A visit to court. We'll discuss this. My original plan was to go to see the TH R EE R IVE R S case. This is a case brought by the liquidators of BCCI against The Bank of England claiming damages for the alleged failure by the Bank to supervise BCCI. However this case has just settled! It's still worth discussing and there may be one final hearing. A friend is acting for the Bank and I'll find out from him. If we can't go to this case, there are plenty of others. Depending on the weather and the time available, we might be able to combine this with a walk around one of the Inns of Court, a visit to The Law Society and a look at one of the specialist legal bookshops. 7. Succession. I see that you do succession work. I have some materials (a newspaper article on “intestacy”, a Will and a Grant of Probate) which will give you an insight to the English procedure and introduce you to / revise the vocabulary. In addition, it will give us a chance to discuss the concept of a “trust”. 8. Contract Law. An effective way of having a brief look at the language of contract law is to have a look at a contract law tex tb ook. Sometimes just the Table of Contents provides enough material! If you want to take things further, we can look at some contracts. 9. The law of cheques You specialise in this and may be able to teach me some new words! I know the basics and have some material. We'll work through these materials and I'll ask you to explain the differences between Italian and English law in this area. 10. “Italian errors” I'll give you some material which highlights the errors which Italians often make as a result of “native tongue interference”. We can see whether these ring any bells / strike any chords which leads conveniently to …… 11. Idioms (musical and otherwise) You'll learn some of these as we go along! 12. Other a) I'll bring you a copy of my CV so you can see the areas of law which I've practised. Feel free to ask me questions about the work I did. b) I have materials (some of which are “gap fill” exercises) with which I'll introduce you to some of the above and these will give you reading practice. We'll read some of them together and this will give us a chance to work on your pronunciation. Our discussion of the topics will give you practice speaking and listening. (You will of course be listening to me!) That leaves writing. I know that this isn't your top priority and we will start by looking at your email. However, if you want, I can set you exercises to do by way of homework. c) I'll discuss with you how you use and learn English and will try to give you some tips on how to become your own teacher. For example, I'll show the books I use and recommend. d) I have recordings of some discussions I had with leading lawyers a couple of months ago. They are therefore good examples of contemporary usage. I can give you these to listen to between lessons and then I can ask questions to check your comprehension. We can then listen to a tape together. You can tell me if you don't understand anything. I'll point out particular uses of language. e) Note taking and Feedback. I recommend that you take Notes. I will give oral Feedback / error correction as necessary. I will also give written FB both in the form of some papers I have already prepared and language points which arise. This FB may be in manuscript, it may be typed or it may be a combination. I'll see how we get on. f) and……………… You tell me. It's your car. g) Last but not least. If at any time you don't understand anything / if you want further explanation or practice, TELL ME! Looking forward to meeting you and teaching you! See you on Monday.

NEEDS ANALYSIS
APPENDIX 1 Example of a “Programme for Week 1”
APPENDIX 2 Example of a Report at end of Course

APPENDIX 1 Example of a “Programme for Week 1”

TO : xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx

F R OM : Alan

SUBJECT : Lessons for week commencing xxxxxxxx.

I've read through our exchange of emails and put together a draft plan for our lessons this week.

I say “draft” for 2 reasons. First, these are your lessons – you're driving the car. If you don't like what we're doing or planning to do, tell me and we'll change the direction in which the car is moving. Secondly, experience shows me that whatever I plan, we also do other things and we don't do everything planned! This is natural because as we get to know each other, you'll see how I operate and what I can do and I'll see how you like to work and the sort of things which interest you.

1. The legal profession in Italy and the UK (is this the correct term? Possibly not – I'll explain) .

I'll tell you about qualifying as a lawyer in the UK , the different types of lawyer and the sort of work they do. I'll then ask you to cover the same ground with regards to Italy .

(I‘ve said “first me and then you” – in fact, it may turn out to be more “interactive”. We'll see).

I have prepared a short paper on the position in the UK and will give you this afterwards by way of revision / consolidation.

2. Your job

You've told me a bit in your email. Please tell me more.

To give you some help, I'll start this discussion by telling you what I used to do when I was a lawyer.

3. Review of email.

I liked what you wrote. I've written some comments and corrections. After you've studied them, let's discuss them. They show some areas of grammar on which you can usefully work. I'll suggest some things for you to do .

4. How law is made in our respective countries (this will show the difference between civil law and common law systems), the court systems (this will lead us into the distinction between civil and criminal law) and the basics of litigation.

I know you do some litigation. The language of litigation will be useful because of this and also because it is the basis of much legal language. We'll look at some real documents (Claim and Defence / Counterclaim).

Again, afterwards I'll give you a short paper.

5. Setting up a Company.

We'll go through the relevant papers – forms to Companies House, Memorandum and Articles of Association, minutes of first meeting of the Board of Directors. Again, I‘ll give you a short paper.

Even though you are not a corporate lawyer, a lot of your bank's business is with companies and the language will be useful for you.

6. A visit to court.

We'll discuss this. My original plan was to go to see the TH R EE R IVE R S case. This is a case brought by the liquidators of BCCI against The Bank of England claiming damages for the alleged failure by the Bank to supervise BCCI. However this case has just settled! It's still worth discussing and there may be one final hearing. A friend is acting for the Bank and I'll find out from him.

If we can't go to this case, there are plenty of others.

Depending on the weather and the time available, we might be able to combine this with a walk around one of the Inns of Court, a visit to The Law Society and a look at one of the specialist legal bookshops.

7. Succession.

I see that you do succession work. I have some materials (a newspaper article on “intestacy”, a Will and a Grant of Probate) which will give you an insight to the English procedure and introduce you to / revise the vocabulary. In addition, it will give us a chance to discuss the concept of a “trust”.

8. Contract Law.

An effective way of having a brief look at the language of contract law is to have a look at a contract law tex tb ook. Sometimes just the Table of Contents provides enough material! If you want to take things further, we can look at some contracts.

9. The law of cheques

You specialise in this and may be able to teach me some new words! I know the basics and have some material. We'll work through these materials and I'll ask you to explain the differences between Italian and English law in this area.

10. “Italian errors”

I'll give you some material which highlights the errors which Italians often make as a result of “native tongue interference”. We can see whether these ring any bells / strike any chords which leads conveniently to ……

11. Idioms (musical and otherwise)

You'll learn some of these as we go along!

12. Other

a) I'll bring you a copy of my CV so you can see the areas of law which I've practised. Feel free to ask me questions about the work I did.

b) I have materials (some of which are “gap fill” exercises) with which I'll introduce you to some of the above and these will give you reading practice. We'll read some of them together and this will give us a chance to work on your pronunciation. Our discussion of the topics will give you practice speaking and listening. (You will of course be listening to me!)

That leaves writing. I know that this isn't your top priority and we will start by looking at your email. However, if you want, I can set you exercises to do by way of homework.

c) I'll discuss with you how you use and learn English and will try to give you some tips on how to become your own teacher. For example, I'll show the books I use and recommend.

d) I have recordings of some discussions I had with leading lawyers a couple of months ago. They are therefore good examples of contemporary usage. I can give you these to listen to between lessons and then I can ask questions to check your comprehension. We can then listen to a tape together. You can tell me if you don't understand anything. I'll point out particular uses of language.

e) Note taking and Feedback.

I recommend that you take Notes.

I will give oral Feedback / error correction as necessary. I will also give written FB both in the form of some papers I have already prepared and language points which arise. This FB may be in manuscript, it may be typed or it may be a combination. I'll see how we get on.

f) and……………… You tell me. It's your car.

g) Last but not least. If at any time you don't understand anything / if you want further explanation or practice, TELL ME!

Looking forward to meeting you and teaching you!

See you on Monday.