Methods and practice of teaching legal studies
2 hours per week * Full-year subject * Clayton * Prerequisites: Law units/subjects equivalent to a quarter of first and second years
Legal studies comprises four units at VCE level. These are normally offered in Years 11 and 12. Unit 1 provides an introduction to the need for, nature of and means of access to law through an examination of the two basic types of law: criminal and civil. Unit 2 involves several investigations of the law in operation. Unit 3 is about the law-making bodies which determine laws in Australia and the process by which laws are changed. Unit 4 focuses on the resolution of civil disputes and adjudication of criminal cases, the process and procedures which operate within the legal system, and evaluation of the legal system as a whole. Many middle school subjects contain law-related units. Instruction in the middle school area will play an important part in this study.
Assessment
Preparation and evaluation of practical teaching materials * VCE component * Middle school component * Seminar attendance and participation * Satisfactory teaching performance
Recommended texts
Aldous J and Newson L The legal maze VCTA, 1994
Short G, Gomularz J and Orlando-Mercuri A Fair Go Heinemann, 1994