Methods of teaching foreign languages at police academies: Ukrainian and international experience

Abstract

This article studies different peculiarities of teaching foreign languages, including English, to cadets of foreign police academies. The research was performed in form of the polling considering the aspects of the most interest for the author among police academies being members of the Association of European Police Colleges (АЕРС). In terms of the research conducted the comparative analysis of methods and approaches to teaching foreign languages in foreign police academies and universities of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine system was performed. Besides, the article considers development perspectives in teaching not only foreign languages, but also profile subjects in English in Ukraine in the nearest future due to the intensification of education internationalization as well as law enforcements’ cooperation with their international colleagues in criminal proceedings of international character. A separate part of the article is more detailed description of methods and approaches to teaching foreign languages at the Academy of Police Force in Bratislava (Slovak Republic). The article suggests both teachers of foreign languages and of profile subjects to consider changes in teaching methods in terms of existing disciplines in the nearest future and transformation of approaches to teaching, which will become of interdisciplinary character. Considering this, teachers of profile disciplines should start introducing English language aspect in delivering specialized disciplines, study international practices in terms of their disciplines and widen international ties with the aim of exchanging professional experience. Simultaneously, foreign language teachers shall review their personal approach to delivering “Foreign Language of Professional Direction” discipline to make the content of their classes actual as well as master their theoretic knowledge in police professional activity.