rebekah hanley global legal skills iii conference february 29, 2008

You’re Not AloneLetting ESL and EFL Students Know that They Are Not the Only LRW Students Working with a Relatively Unfamiliar Language

Rebekah Hanley

Global Legal Skills III Conference

February 29, 2008

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Today’s Plan

• Challenge

• Approach

• Example

• Results





Challenge• 1-5 of 44• Self-conscious• Anonymous feedback & uniform expectations• Less Time (?)• More Worry• One-on-one meetings

– Can offer instruction and boost confidence– Can become dependence and perpetuate worry– Don’t reach all students

• Led to goal: show non-native speakers they’re not the only students working hard on basics





Approach

• Merge instruction of writing mechanics and legal argument organization in class

• Construct, organize, review, or discuss argument about grammar or punctuation rather than law





Example, Part 1

Students have demonstrated confusion about how to form the plural of Alegro, which is a proper noun and the clients’ surname. To form the plural of most nouns, add the letter s. Bryan A. Garner, The Redbook: A Manual on Legal Style 106 (2d ed., West 2006). Follow the same rule for names, which are proper nouns. Id. at 107. This rule requires the addition of an s — not an apostrophe — to create a plural. See id. Applying these principles to the name Alegro, a writer adds s — and only s — to Alegro to form the plural. Mr. Alegro is one person. Mr. and Mrs. Alegro together are two people: the Alegros. Thus, the rule governing the formation of plurals requires that students delete all apostrophes and write only “the Alegros” when, for instance, Mr. and Mrs. Alegro together are the subject of a sentence.

• Issue

• Rule

• Rule Proof

• Application

• Conclusion





Example, Part 2

While a plural lacks punctuation a possessive requires the use and careful placement of an apostrophe. Add ’s to the end of a noun to form its possessive singular. William Strunk Jr. & E. B. White, The Elements of Style 1 (ill. ed., 2005). To form the possessive of a plural noun that ends with an s, add only an apostrophe to the end of the word. Garner, The Redbook at 111. Based on these rules, the possessive form of the singular Mr. Alegro is Mr. Alegro’s. And the possessive form of the plural noun — the Alegros — is Alegros’. Thus, the apostrophe must be in the correct location to communicate clearly and accurately whether possession is sole or joint.

• Transition• Issue

• Rule

• Rule Proof

• Application

• Conclusion





Results

For unfamiliar & unsure, exposes to rulesFor non-native speakers• Boosts confidence• Generates questions & discussionFor all students• Reinforces organizational paradigm• Increases awareness of style guides

rebekah hanley global legal skills iii conference february 29, 2008

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