Educational guide
IDENTIFYING DATA 2023_24
Subject ENGLISH Code 00712309
Study programme
0712 - GRADO EN INGENIERÍA ELÉCTRICA
Descriptors Credit. Type Year Period
6 Compulsory First Second
Language
Castellano
Prerequisites
Department FILOLOGIA MODERNA
Coordinador
PEREZ SANCHEZ , ELENA INES
E-mail epers@unileon.es
ammar@unileon.es
Lecturers
MARKEY -, ALFRED MICHAEL
PEREZ SANCHEZ , ELENA INES
Web http://
General description This course provides students with the necessary knowledge to handle scientific and technical English fluently.
Tribunales de Revisión
Tribunal titular
Cargo Departamento Profesor
Presidente FILOLOGIA MODERNA LANERO FERNANDEZ , JUAN JOSE JACINTO
Secretario FILOLOGIA MODERNA GOMEZ CASTRO , CRISTINA
Vocal FILOLOGIA MODERNA MARTIN JUNQUERA , IMELDA
Tribunal suplente
Cargo Departamento Profesor
Presidente FILOLOGIA MODERNA DIAZ MARTINEZ , MARIO
Secretario FILOLOGIA MODERNA DIEZ FERNANDEZ , MARIA DE LOS ANGELES
Vocal FILOLOGIA MODERNA LABRADOR DE LA CRUZ , MARIA BELEN

Competencias
Code  
A17537
A17538
A17539
B5422
B5428
C4 CMECES4 That students can transmit information, ideas, problems and solutions to both a specialised and non-specialised audience

Learning aims
Competences
Students are able to apply structural, grammatical, and terminological knowledge and strategies that enable the understanding of English texts, both oral and written, related to Electrical Engineering. A17537
A17539
 C4
Students are able to write and understand specifications, technical reports, process descriptions, etc. in the English language. A17538
Students are able to communicate ideas, problems, and solutions in English through different means of communication, adapting their language to the purpose, audience, and medium used. B5422
B5428
 C4

Contents
Topic Sub-topic
BLOCK I: TECHNICAL VOCABULARY FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS Unit 1: WORD FORMATION
Prefixes and suffixes. Acronyms and abbreviations.
Unit 2: STRESS PATTERNS
Stress patterns in multi-syllable words. Stress patterns in noun phrases and compounds.
Unit 3: WORD SETS: SYNONYMS, ANTONYMS
Unit 4: WORDS FOR QUANTITIES
How to express quantity and amounts in English. Countable and uncountable nouns.
Unit 5: FIXED PHRASES FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
Fixed phrases and common collocations.
BLOCK II: GRAMMAR AND USE OF LANGUAGE IN TECHNICAL DISCOURSE Unit 1: COMPARISONS WITH ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS
Grammar explanations and practice exercises.
Unit 2: PRESENT SIMPLE VS PRESENT CONTINUOUS
Grammar explanations and practice exercises.
Unit 3: PAST TENSES
Grammar explanations and practice exercises.
Unit 4: FUTURE FORMS
Grammar explanations and practice exercises.
Unit 5: CONDITIONALS
Grammar explanations and practice exercises.
Unit 6: OBLIGATION AND REQUIREMENT
Modals and expressions of obligation. Grammar rules and practice.
Unit 7: ABILITY AND INABILITY
Modals of ability. Grammar rules and practice.
Unit 8: SCALE OF LIKELIHOOD
Modals of probability, deduction, speculation and certainty.
Unit 9: ACTIVE VS PASSIVE
Forms and uses. Practice.
Unit 10: RELATIVE CLAUSES
Types: defining and non-defining. Relative pronouns.
BLOCK III: THE STRUCTURE OF THE TECHNICAL PARAGRAPH Unit 1: THE STRUCTURE OF THE TECHNICAL PARAGRAPH (1)
Adverbial types and their positions. Logical connectives.
Unit 2: THE STRUCTURE OF THE TECHNICAL PARAGRAPH (2)
Expressing comparison and contrast; analogy and exemplification and causality and result.
BLOCK IV: RETHORICAL FUNCTIONS Unit 1: INTRODUCTION TO THE MAIN RHETORICAL FUNCTIONS IN TECHNICAL TEXTS (1)
Definitions. Descriptions. Classifications.
Unit 2: INTRODUCTION TO THE MAIN RHETORICAL FUNCTIONS IN TECHNICAL TEXTS (2)
Instructions. Hypotheses and Conditions.
BLOCK V: PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION IN TECHNICAL ENVIRONMENTS Unit 1: WRITING CVS AND APPLICATIONS LETTERS
Unit 2: SUMMARIZING A TEXT
Unit 3: WRITING A REPORT
Using different information sources. Reporting research findings: paraphrasing.
Unit 4: WRITING AN ESSAY
Situation-problem-solution-evaluation essays.
Unit 5: TAKING PART IN SEMINARS AND FACE TO FACE INTERACTIONS
Asking for clarification. Responding to queries and requests for clarification. Building an argument. Agreeing/disagreeing.

Planning
Methodologies  ::  Tests
  Class hours Hours outside the classroom Total hours
Problem solving, classroom exercises 10 40 50
 
Personal tuition 1 0 1
Seminars 16 0 16
 
Lecture 24 20 44
 
Mixed tests 9 30 39
 
(*)The information in the planning table is for guidance only and does not take into account the heterogeneity of the students.

Methodologies
Methodologies   ::  
  Description
Problem solving, classroom exercises Practice of communicative skills: speaking, reading, listening, and writing, as well as the resolution of exercises on technical grammar and vocabulary.
Personal tuition Personalized attention to student queries and as an extension of their learning process.
Seminars Use of the English language in field-specific contexts.
Lecture Explanations of text types, the use of English grammar, and specific terminology used in Electrical Engineering with support materials, i.e. PowerPoint presentations, documents available on Moodle, and textbooks.

Personalized attention
 
Personal tuition
Description
One-on-one meetings can be arranged via email with the course leader to clarify academic queries on issues directly related to in-class teaching.

Assessment
  Description Qualification
Lecture 2 written assessment tests, each worth 35% of the final mark. 70%
Problem solving, classroom exercises Continuous assessment tasks including assignments and exercises carried out either in the classroom or as homework. 20%
Others Complementary continuous assessment activities focused on oral production and interaction. 10%
 
Other comments and second call

ON EVALUATION: To pass the course, students must obtain a minimum of 35% of the total 70% corresponding to the 2 written assessment tests and a minimum of 50% for the overall course. The percentage corresponding to the continuous assessment will only be added when students reach that minimum 35% average for the written tests.

ON THE SECOND CALL: Students who do not pass the course on the first call may take a final exam in the second call worth 70%. The remaining 30% will correspond to the grade obtained in the continuous assessment, which will be saved and cannot be repeated.

ON PLAGIARISM: No electronic devices are allowed in the classroom during assessment tests. Any attempts to plagiarize, copy, or any other cases of fraud in exams (e.g. use of electronic devices, exchanging information with classmates, etc.) will result in the strict application of the guidelines approved by the University in this regard.

Sources of information
Access to Recommended Bibliography in the Catalog ULE

Basic Roger H.C. Smith, English for Electrical Engineering in Higher Education, Garnet Education, 2014
  • Brieger, Nick and Alison Pohl. 2002. Technical English Vocabulary and Grammar, Summertown Publishing.
  • Glendinning, Eric H. and Alison Pohl, Oxford English for Careers. 2008. Technology 1 & 2. , Oxford University Press.
  • Glendinning, Eric H.and J. McEwan. 1993/2002. Oxford English for Electronics., Oxford University Press.
  • Ibbotson, M. 2008. Cambridge English for Engineering, Cambridge University Press.
  • Juzgado López, D. 2021. Technical English II. Electricity & Electronics. Marcombo Formación. 
  • Lambert, Valerie.2003. Everyday technical English, Pearson Education.
  • Strambo, A. Linwood.P and G. Dorrity. 2012. New on Charge, Petrini.

Recommended grammar workbook: 

  • Murphy, R. 2014. English Grammar in Use with answers. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Recommended books for technical and academic writing skills: 

  • Fortanet Gómez, I. (coordinadora). 2002. Cómo escribir un artículo de investigación en inglés. Madrid: Alianza Editorial.
  • Norman, G. 1999. Cómo escribir un artículo científico en inglés. Madrid: Editorial Hélice
  • Pickett, N.A. & Laster, A.A. 2000 (8th ed.) Technical English. Writing, Reading & Speaking. New York:Harper Collins.

Electrical engineering dictionaries: 

  • Butterfield, A. and Szymaski, J. 2018. A Dictionary of Electronics and Electrical Engineering (5 ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
  • http://www.electropedia.org
Complementary


Recommendations


 
Other comments
Students should preferably have an intermediate level of English (B2) in order to take this English for Specific Purposes (ESP) course.