Applying content and language integrated learning in legal English classes: A Vietnamese perspective

Thanh-Huong Nhac
Hanoi Law University, Vietnam

To develop learners' competence for subject-specific terms and language skills, many teaching approaches have been implemented in teaching and learning English for specific purposes (ESP). Content and language integrated learning (CLIL) is one of such methods expected to achieve this goal in tertiary education contexts. However, the correlation between language students' and learners' perspectives on the application of CLIL in teaching and learning legal English. The research used survey questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with 243 students attending legal English courses together with seven instructors of legal English. The results illustrated a general congruence between learners' and teachers' high appreciation of the benefits from CLIL principles implementation in legal English classes. In other aspects, the findings show that two sets of the participants have met obstacles concerning content knowledge for specific law areas. Moreover, English instructors are also struggling in the preparation of teaching materials and activities for their lessons. Such findings set practical pedagogical implications for language educators in ESP teaching and learning.
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Author: Thanh-Huong Nhac is currently an instructor of legal English in the Faculty of Legal Foreign Languages at Hanoi Law University, and a researcher in language learning and teaching. Her research interests include EFL and ESP teaching methodology, learning autonomy, and student motivation and encouragement. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0185-529X Email: nhacthanhhuong@gmail.com Please cite as: Nhac, T.-H. (2023). Applying content and language integrated learning in legal English classes: A Vietnamese perspective. Issues in Educational Research, 33(4), 1513-1531. http://www.iier.org.au/iier33/nhac.pdf