FACILITATING LEGAL ENGLISH TEACHING AND LEARNING THROUGH SIOP MODEL (SHELTERED INSTRUCTION OBSERVATION PROTOCOL)

Abstract

Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) is an instructional model for lesson planning and delivery for making content in English more comprehensible for non-native English speakers. If applied to teaching Legal English (LE), it might be useful for both teachers and students. The aim of this paper is to propose a model for teaching LE at university level, based on the SIOP principles. The specificity of legal terminology, the differences among legal systems in the countries, students’ lack of knowledge from the legal field and English teachers’ lack of professional knowledge have been pointed out in the literature as some of the main challenges in teaching LE. However, it seems that no systematic approach has been identified to overcome these challenges. With this study we intended to contribute to that gap. It utilized both quantitative and qualitative research methodology. Conclusions were made based on the findings from two instruments: a questionnaire with forty (40) students of LE at the South East European University (SEEU) in North Macedonia and their reflections. For the reflection activity, students were first delivered a LE lesson based on the SIOP principles and then they were asked to reflect on the experience and compare it to the regular language lessons. Findings revealed that students consider the SIOP lesson more comprehensible than the regular lesson with regard to the most challenging areas of the LE courses, identified from the literature review.