engleski

Needs Assessment in English for Legal Purposes

Today it is commonly accepted that foreign language curricula have to adapt and improve due to numerous changes in language and society. Needs assessment is considered to be one of the most important tools for determining the ways in which curricula should be changed. Considering the fact that English for Legal Purposes is constantly changing, modern course design should necessarily include needs analysis as an important factor for the assessment of the successfulness of ELP teaching. In order to determine the actual needs of the students who are currently attending English for Legal Purposes classes at the Faculty of Law in Zagreb, a survey was conducted on the sample of 196 first and second year students by means of questionnaires created for that purpose. The aim was to assess what are their needs for specific ELP related knowledge and skills by determining which language knowledge and skills they lack, which skills they consider to be the most useful ones, and what are their attitudes towards class organisation, curriculum and prescribed textbook. The paper presents the research results, which have pointed out which are good aspects of the current teaching method, and which are the problem areas that require more attention. The results suggest that the most problematic area is the adjustment of the curriculum with the curricula of other subjects within the study of law, which underlines the need for changes of the present curricula, including the prescribed textbook, as well as the need to develop a better co-operation with other departments within the Faculty.

curriculum; English for Legal Purposes (ELP); language skills; needs assessment

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