Author:
Abramova Irina E., ,Shishmolina Elena P.,
Abstract
The article deals with the issues of training a new generation of professional staff with a set of hard and soft skills on the example of foreign language training of lawyers. Special attention is paid to the development of both communicative and universal competencies such as the ability to defend personal position, teamwork, cooperation and interpersonal communication, presentation skills, stress resistance. The aim of this article is to describe the technology of professionally integrated foreign language teaching by preparing law students to participate in international competitions in English, as well as to analyze advantages of this technology. The model of technology of professionally integrated foreign language teaching is described. The method of modeling professional situations by mock trials is presented in detail. The authors describe the components and stages of implementation of the described technology, and justify its effectiveness. The results of a two-year study of the pedagogical potential of the technology in training students of Petrozavodsk State University for international competitions, such as the Amicus Curiae competition for trial lawyers, are given. To prove the statistical significance of the obtained data, Student’s t-test was applied. In the experimental group, after the completion of training, the average arithmetic indicator of the level of competence in reading, writing, speaking and listening in English is 0.84 – 1.33 points, which is a statistically significant result (texpl5>tcrit2.093, with the significance level α = 0.05). The technology proved to be effective for training students’ presentation skills, teamwork, collaboration and interpersonal communication skills, as well as their sense of confidence and self-control. The authors conclude that the inclusion of competitive elements in the learning environment encourages both the development of universal and professional competencies, and the improvement of foreign language proficiency of non-linguistic students.