Academic Year/course:
2022/23
423 - Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering
28751 - Technical English
Syllabus Information
Academic Year:
2022/23
Subject:
28751 - Technical English
Faculty / School:
175 - Escuela Universitaria Politécnica de La Almunia
Degree:
423 - Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering
ECTS:
5.0
Year:
4
Semester:
Second semester
Subject Type:
Optional
Module:
---
1.1. Aims of the course
The subject and its expected results respond to the following approaches and goals: The subject of Technical English for Civil Engineering lies within the framework of teaching English for Specific Purposes, which integrates the teaching of the English language and the specific contents of the profession with a student-based approach. The course is taught in English and starts from level B1 (European framework). Tasks are practiced in class, most of them in pairs or small groups to encourage collaborative work. The activities are corrected in class or delivered for later correction. The specific goals of the subject are:
● Introducing English through the discursive, rhetorical and linguistic functions of the scientific-technical record.
● Getting Familiar with the genres, techniques and academic conventions used by the Engineering scientific-technical community which reflect the future needs of the profession.
● Developing linguistic competence in written and oral English in contexts of communication linked to the academic environment.
● Improving reading comprehension skills to understand and critically interpret technical texts of medium difficulty.
● Writing different types of text, which respond to various needs and are used in professional communication of the discipline.
● Promoting the expression of ideas, opinions, agreements and disagreements in formal situations, in professional and academic contexts.
● Extending the oral expression of the student to communicate in an academic and professional exchange environment
● Extending the oral expression of the student to communicate in an academic and professional exchange environment
● Promoting self-learning and continuous training.
These approaches and objectives are in line with the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations 2030 Agenda (https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/es/), in such a way that the acquisition of the course learning outcomes provides training and competence to contribute to their achievement to some degree:
1. End Poverty
4. Quality Education
5. Gender Equality
6. Clean water and Sanitation
7. Available, Non-polluting Energy
11. Self-sufficient communities and cities
13. Climate Change
1.2. Context and importance of this course in the degree
Taking into account the role that the English language represents today in the international context, its knowledge and use is essential in the overall formation of the student. Since English is the lingua franca of communication, congresses and publications, the subject offers a tool that will allow students to access academic and technical information about any other subjects of their Degree. This will result in a more complete training that will make them better professionals.
1.3. Recommendations to take this course
In order to take this course, students should have a B1 level of English according to the Common Reference European Framework for languages.
2.1. Competences
OPTIONAL COMPETENCES
O01 Knowledge of the lexical and grammatical basics of English. Knowledge of vocabulary, expressions and linguistic structures commonly used in Technical English in Civil Engineering.
GENERAL COMPETENCES
G01. Ability for organization and planning.
G02. Ability to solve problems.
G03. Ability to make decisions.
G04. Aptitude for oral and written communication in their mother tongue.
G05. Ability for analysis and synthesis.
G06. Ability to manage information.
G07. Ability for teamwork.
G08. Ability for critical thinking.
G09. Ability to work in an interdisciplinary team.
G10. Ability to work in an international context.
G11. Ability to improvise and adapt themselves to face new situations.
G12. Leadership ability.
G13. Positive social attitude towards social and technological innovations.
G14. Reasoning ability, discussion and presentation of ideas.
G15. Communication skills through word and image.
G16. Ability to Search, analyze and select information.
G17. Ability for independent learning.
G18. Acquire knowledge and understanding in a field of study ranging from general secondary education to the forefront.
G19. Apply their knowledge to their work in a professional manner and get competences typically demonstrated through devising and sustaining arguments and solving problems within their field of study.
G20. Ability to gather and interpret relevant data (usually within their field of study) to make informed judgments that include reflection on relevant social, scientific or ethical issues.
G21. Transmit information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialist and non-specialist audiences.
G22. Develop those skills needed to undertake further studies with a high degree of autonomy.
G23. Learn and understand the respect to fundamental rights, equal opportunities between men and women, universal accessibility for people with disabilities, and respect for the values of the culture of peace and democratic values.
G24. Foster entrepreneurship.
G25. Knowledge on information and communication technology.
Upon passing the subject, the student will be more competent to ...
1: Read and understand different types of English texts needed in their professional activity, for example, reports and technical documentation, specialized articles, instructions.
2: Write different types of English texts that respond to different needs and that are used in the Professional communication in the career: informative texts, texts describing processes and procedures, evaluative texts, argumentative texts.
3: Use communicative strategies to participate in conversations in work situations.
4: Read and understand specialized literature in English related to the career.
5: Maintain business correspondence in English.
6: Recognize the type of language appropriate for different types of technical communication texts in their career.
7: Understand oral presentations of projects in English.
8: Plan, prepare and deliver oral presentations of projects in English.
9: Develop strategies for finding information and reading online texts.
2.2. Learning goals
The student, to succeed in this subject, must demonstrate the following results...
1: Consolidating the competences at B1 level according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
2: Using the essential vocabulary necessary for the development of professional activities related to the Professional Training and the planning and management of English Language operations and processes.
3: Understanding and interpreting texts in English with specific content related to the field of Building, Engineering and Management.
4: Writing documents relevant to their professional field, both formal and informal, using lexicon, structures and appropriate rhetorical and textual techniques.
5: Making oral presentations on subjects of their degree (With fluency and grammatical and terminological correctness)
6: Communicating orally in the English language, with special emphasis on the use of the lexicon and procedures In multinational settings and participating in other oral interactions in their professional environment, such as negotiations and telephone conversations, understanding their interlocutors, although sometimes with effort, and expressing themselves clearly and with reasonable accuracy.
2.3. Importance of learning goals
The convergence towards a European Higher Education Area and the labor market that future graduates will have to face requires students to be able to use English in various social and professional contexts. They will need access to specialized English material (for example, written information, talks, presentations and conferences); Participate in mobility programs and international projects related to their discipline and participate in academic activities (such as attendance at conferences, publication of articles or preparation of oral presentations) not only during their university studies, but with continuity once completed. On the other hand, being able to use the English language as it is used by the professionals in the discipline leads to a clear competitive advantage for the engineer who must look for his/her first job, and permits his/her integration in the current labor market, In a globalized technological environment, while giving access to labor markets outside Spain.
3. Assessment (1st and 2nd call)
3.1. Assessment tasks (description of tasks, marking system and assessment criteria)
Assessment activities The student must demonstrate that he / she has achieved the expected learning outcomes via the following assessment activities
1: Continuous assessment.
The credits of this subject can be obtained in a double way: on the one hand, via continuous assessment and on the other, via a final exam. To access the continuous assessment, the following points must be taken into account:
* Attendance is required for a minimum of 80% of the lectures. If this percentage is not reached, the right to continuous assessment will be lost.
* Absences will only be excused for medical reasons with presentation of the corresponding official certificate.
* Participation in class is obligatory to access the continuous assessment system.
* It will be necessary to hand in some activities
* Opportunities for extra credits will be offered on a voluntary basis.
* The continuous assessment program will be validated by conducting a series of tests on thbe four basic language skills (reading, listening, writing and speaking) throughout the course. Students must show their proficiency at B1 level in all previous skills.
* Assessment tests will be held every two weeks, during class time.
* The listening and speaking marks will be taken from the activities done during the lessons.
* The assessment tests can be done in different times or dates in case of absence due to illness or other reasonable reasons
* The final grade will be obtained from the marks in the different tests carried out, as well as the activities handed in.
* Students will have the right to take the final exam if they have not passed the tests during the course, as well as at the June or September calls.
2: Final assessment.
Students who do not follow the continuous assessment, or the ones who have not passed, or who wish to improve their grades, may take a final test that will take place in the official calls. There will be a final written exam to assess the student in the four skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Students must demonstrate their proficiency at B1 level in all previous skills.
4. Methodology, learning tasks, syllabus and resources
4.1. Methodological overview
The methodology followed in this course is oriented towards the achievement of the learning objectives. It is based on interactive learning and flipped classroom, which favor the development/acquisition of the intended competences . A wide range of teaching and learning tasks are implemented, such as theory and practice sessions, autonomous work and study, and tutorials.
Students are expected to participate actively in the class throughout the semester.
Classroom materials will be available via Moodle. These include a repository of the lecture notes used in class, the course syllabus, as well as other course-specific learning materials, including a discussion forum.
Further information regarding the course will be provided on the first day of class.
The approach, methodology and assessment of this guide are intended to be the same for any teaching scenarios. They will be adapted to the social-health situation at any particular time, as well as to the instructions given by the authorities concerned.
4.2. Learning tasks
This is a 5 ECTS course organized as follows:
- Theory and practice sessions (3 ECTS: 30 hours)Theoretical concepts of the course will be explained and practical examples to support the theory developed. Conversation Practice: Students will be divided into pairs or small groups and will be supervised by the teacher.
- Autonomous work and study (1.5 ECTS: 15 hours)Study and assimilation of the theory presented in the lectures.
- Organization of seminars, solving suggested problems, etc.
- Studying written continuous assessment tests and final exams.
- Support activities: Mainly, through a virtual learning portal (Moodle) different activities that reinforce the basic contents of the course will be made. These activities can be customized or not, being monitored through the above mentioned virtual portal.
- Assessment tasks (0.5 ECTS: 5 hours)
4.3. Syllabus
This course will address the following topics:
1. Civil Engineering Degrees: Vocabulary: Branches in engineering. The timetable. Course descriptions. Theory: Present simple v Present continuous. Definite and indefinite article. Writing: Describing university courses and their contents. Writing an application letter. Webquest: Civil Engineering degrees worldwide. Oral Practice: The university interview.
2. Building materials: Vocabulary: Materials. Properties of Materials. Theory: Comparative and superlative adjectives. Active v Passive. Writing: Writing a recommendation text. Explaining the laws of nature. Oral Practice: Explaining the difference between materials. Comparing and contrasting.
3. Building tools and machinery: Vocabulary: Construction Tools. Theory: Expressing purpose: used for -ing, used to, can, enable, in order to, so that. Writing: Writing a description of construction tools. Oral Practice: Defining new words. Explaining how something works. Classifying.
4. The working site: Vocabulary: Measurements, quantities, and numbers (dates, fractions, dimensions). Forces. Theory: Quantifiers, Countable/Uncountable nouns. Prepositions of time. Perfect tenses. Writing: Writing emails to arrange a visit. Oral Practice: Welcoming visitors and showing them around the site.
5. Rules and Regulations: Vocabulary: Hazards and safety precautions. Security threats. Theory: Modal verbs used to express rules: can/can’t, should/shouldn’t, must/mustn’t, ought. Noun phrases. Writing: Writing safety signs. Warning expressions. Oral Practice: Giving instructions. Giving directions. Explaining rules. Making suggestions. Making recommendations.
6. Aging Bridges: Vocabulary: Bridge types and structure. Identifying faults. Troubleshooting and repairs. Theory: Time clauses. Cause and effect. Prefixes. Past simple/Past continuous. Writing: Writing a report. Reporting defects and accidents. Using the problem-solution pattern. Oral Practice: Explaining what happened.
7. Company Communication: Vocabulary: Charts, reports, memos, schedules. Theory: Modal verbs to express degrees of certainty: may, could, might, will, won’t. Prepositions of place and movement. Writing: Writing reports on projects. Oral Practice: Holding a meeting. Explaining a diagram. Interpreting charts, graphs, diagrams, and tables.
8. The future of engineering: Vocabulary: Future developments. Theory: Tenses used to express future time. Multi-part verbs (phrasal verbs). Writing: Making predictions. Presenting a schedule. Oral Practice: Presenting a Project.
9. Green Engineering: Vocabulary: Green building technologies. Waste management. Recycling. Theory: Review of tense. Stative verbs. Relative clauses. Writing: Expressing professional opinion about environmental issues. Oral Practice:
10. Civil engineering jobs and careers: Vocabulary: Job and work. Careers in Civil Engineering. Internet resources for job search. Theory: Conditional sentences. Writing: Writing a cv. Writing a cover letter. Oral Practice: Talking about jobs and the labour market. Talking about requirements. The job interview.
4.4. Course planning and calendar
Further information concerning the timetable, classroom, office hours, assessment dates and other details regarding this course will be provided on the first day of class or please refer to the EUPLA website