An analysis of language problems identified in writing by low achieving first-year students, with some suggestions for remediation

Abstract

The new four-year LLB curriculum at the University of Natal, Durban, involves students in a considerable amount of writing in the first year writing of legal opinions and case summaries. Fourth-year students are trained as tutors, and also as markers of this written work. There is some scepticism in the department about whether legal tutors are capable of discerning what needs to be corrected and of giving useful feedback. In order to assist the process of tutor-training, an analysis of some marked first-year scripts was undertaken, and the results were categorised into four prominent types of errors. Then there are some suggestions for appropriate remediation tasks to assist legal students to overcome each type of error.


(S/ern Af Linguistics & Applied Language Stud: 2002 20(4): 233-244)