• "Disasters" - by Mirosława Podgórska and Grażyna Paszkowska
• "English for Law" - by Agnieszka Gawlik

Inspired by: Enterprise 3, unit 13 ‘Nature’s Fury’

Subject: Disasters

Level: Pre-intermediate and above

Time: 45 minutes

Aims:

1. To practise vocabulary related to disasters

2. To use the Internet as a source of materials to talk about natural disasters.

Technical requirements: One computer per a group of 2-3 students, with an Internet connection and a Web browser.

Knowledge: Students should be skilled at searching for information on the Internet.

Procedure:

I.Pre-stage (5 minutes)

1.The teacher asks: "How do you understand the word ‘disaster’?" Students give answers.

2. The teacher asks: "Do you know any natural disasters?" Suggested answers: flood, earthquake, fire. The teacher adds some more to the list: volcano, avalanche, hurricane, drought.

II. While-stage

1.The teacher divides students into three groups: "an earthquake group," "a hurricane group," and "a volcano group." Students are given sheets of paper with a table to be filled with some information about earthquakes, hurricanes and volcanoes respectively. The address of a website they are to go to is printed on students’ copies, too. (10 minutes)

2. Having done the task, students are asked to report back to the class, others take notes to complete the table. (5 minutes)

They choose a source to read about an earthquake in India (10 minutes)

III. Post-stage (5 minutes)

The teacher asks: "What problems that people in India face do you consider most important?"

"What can we do to help?"

"What disasters can we experience in Poland?"

Introduction: Students undertaking legal studies usually have a good command of English (FCE level), but lack legal vocabulary and knowledge of the English or American system of law. The situation causes even more problems once they realise they are supposed not only to function in a different language reality demanding specific vocabulary, but also varying legal environment (continental law vs. English law). They soon discover that a direct translation is far from being possible and may lead to confusion and serious legal consequences. Thus, students are encouraged to use authentic materials and legal vocabulary that is applied internationally. Unfortunately, legal dictionaries are scarce and difficult to get hold of for a Polish student. The Internet appears to be some remedy due to its availability.

Type of course: ESP (English for Law)

Level of English: intermediate, upper-intermediate, advanced (general English)

Level of ESP: basic (the first semester of a two-year course of English for Law)

• familiarising students with the terminology referring to various branches of law used internationally (some translations may be misleading)
• defining various branches of law
• describing a course of law at their local university
• familiarising students with Oxford University Press, one of many publishing houses they may want to purchase books on law from in the future
• studying a new law site created by Oxford University Press
• providing information on online dictionaries of law

Students may find it interesting to study this page for a while. Apart from email news, inspection copies, review copies, and sample journals, they may find information on conferences and events, law contacts, links, news and Smith Bernal Casetrack. The latter is particularly important as this may be the first contact of a Polish student with case law.

Students click on "Search Law Books by Subject" and get acquainted with the terminology and general categories used when studying law.

Students search the web to find any other online dictionary of law and fill in the chart below.