WAYS TO IMPROVE FUTURE LEGAL PROFESSIONALS’ FOREIGN LANGUAGE COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE

Abstract

The article deals with the development of future legal professionals’ foreign language communicative competence in the process of studying English. The aims of our research include providing the definition of the foreign language communicative competence and outlining the ways of its development for future legal specialists. The results suggest that the usage of videos on legal topics (TV shows, films and others) foster grasping new material. Videos and audio recordings can be used to demonstrate how native speakers interact with others in their respective fields while taking into account the context. Instructions, given by educators about oral communication with people from foreign countries may contribute to the future negotiations, meetings and debates. It can be assumed that background knowledge of different countries, culture, other peculiarities are beneficial for communication. The mock trials can be done during English classes to encourage students. Dialogues or monologues on professional themes are productive in developing foreign language communicative competence. Future lawyers’ professional competency is fundamentally based on their ability to cope with compliance between verbal and nonverbal components of communication. Participants in the educational process have to pay attention to the fact that they communicate with one another by employing gestures, facial expressions, and body language. The article discusses lawyers’ speech culture, which is an important quality. Law blogging is a common activity and a convenient way to find information on legal issues. Innovative ways of choosing communicative tasks can better the educational process.