Terminology of European institutions
Week 1
How the EU works
Please read pages 1-10 from the "Introduction to the EU" document below. Some students are farther along in their EU studies course work, and may consequently already be familiar with many aspects of this document. But I ask that you read it anyway, or at least skim the first 10 pages.
MAKE NOTES while you're reading pages 1-10, and considering the answers to the guiding questions written below. Be sure to have your notes with you online in class next week, because I will ask you discuss your thoughts in small groups and with me.
Pay more attention to your thoughts and opinions in your responses. When discussing this in groups next week, don't be afraid to speak directly and freely; grammar mistakes are a natural part of the language learning process - it's called "making developmental errors". Correcting these errors takes time, motivation, and willingness to overcome a lack of confidence to try to participate, to speak, and to put yourself out there and make those errors.
- For whom is this document written, and how do you know?
- How easy is it to find this document on the internet (how available is it to the public)? Give it a try - if you found it, how and where did you find it?
- How easy is it to read this document? What do you think about the type of language it uses (formal, informal, neutral)? What about the font size? Do the pictures add or subtract from what the document is trying to communicate?
- How long is this document? Be honest, did you read all 10 pages? Would you read the remaining 34 pages? What would motivate you to read or...probably not read... this text in its entirety? Would anyone else be motivated (who) to read this document in its entirety?
- Find at least 5 difficult to understand vocabulary words; was this an easy task?