101234 - ENGLISH

Subject type: Mandatory

Coordinator: Joan Triadó Aymerich

Trimester: Third term

Credits: 6

• English

This subject is taught in English.

Most of the technical literature that engineering students will encounter during their studies and careers will be in English. This course aims to familiarize them with some of the most typical grammatical structures, the most relevant vocabulary and the style of technical English.

Students will learn to interpret technical texts related to their disciplines. They will acquire writing skills to produce well structured technical documents, among which technical descriptions, formal letters, summaries and short reports.

Emphasis will be placed on oral skills, so that students can present their research effectively. They will also practice the speak and listen to prepare for everyday situations in English-speaking professional environments.

Content 1: Grammatical and syntactic aspects of technical English

1. Compound nouns

2. Use of the genitive with 's (possessive)

3. Use of definite and indefinite articles

4. Relative clauses and reduced relative clauses

5. Compound adjectives and use of the hyphen

6. Review of modal verbs

7. Present participle and past participle (-ing and -ed forms)

8. Prepositions of place, time and movement to describe mechanisms and processes

9. Active voice and passive voice

10. Review of past tenses

11. Subordinate participle sentences

Related activities:

• Exercises from points 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, esp. in the context of technical definitions.

• Exercises from point 6, esp. in the context of technical specifications.

• Exercises from points 7, 8 and 9, esp. in the context of technical descriptions of manufacturing processes.

• Exercises from points 10 and 11, esp. in argumentative texts, such as formal letters or reports.

Content 2: Vocabulary of technical English

1. Specific vocabulary on electronic, mechanical and industrial organization engineering.

2. Word formation processes in technical English: some relevant suffixes and prefixes.

Related activities:

• Vocabulary exercises.

• Word formation exercises.

• Vocabulary practice related to speaking skills activities, such as short individual presentations and school practices (Content 4) and reading comprehension activities (Content 3).

Content 3: Reading comprehension of technical texts

1. Reading techniques: searching for information and identifying key words, reading for main ideas and detailed reading.

2. Critical reading of technical literature in the field of electronic, mechanical and industrial organization engineering.

3. Carry out direct technical translations into Catalan or Spanish, to check understanding.

Related activities:

• Reading comprehension exercises based on authentic materials, for example, technical articles and news from the field of electronic engineering, mechanics and industrial organization.

• Direct translation of real technical texts, in Catalan or Spanish, to check understanding.

• Critical analysis of technical articles and news related to writing activities (see Content 4).

Content 4: Writing skills

1. Preparation of documents in accordance with the formal professional register.

2. Strategies for brevity, related to points 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of Content 1.

3. Punctuation and plugins.

4. Textual cohesion strategies.

5. Paraphrasing and transformation techniques, especially for the synthesis of texts.

6. Strategies of persuasion, argumentation, attenuation and comparison in the context of letters and formal reports.

Related activities:

• Exercises comparing informal and formal records.

• Writing of definitions and technical descriptions.

• Conciseness exercises, to make the texts more technical.

• Textual cohesion exercises.

• Drafting of formal letters to place an order, a claim, or to request information.

• Writing a summary of an article.

• Writing a short report on a topic related to Industry 4.0.

Content 5: Oral skills

1. Develop oral skills related to everyday professional situations.

2. Practice vocabulary specific to electronic engineering, mechanics and industrial organization (Content 2), as part of oral presentations and debates.

3. Practice pronunciation focusing on the features of English that are most important to be understood around the world.  

4. Practice understanding real audio-visual material on technical topics, also related to writing skills, such as note-taking.

5. To introduce different local varieties and international accents of English.

6. Prepare and make effective oral presentations, individually and in groups.

Related activities:

• Oral exercises to practice the points included in Content 1, especially in the context of everyday professional situations for electronic, mechanical and industrial organization engineers.

• Listening comprehension exercises based on authentic audiovisual material on technical topics and everyday professional situations.

• Short individual oral presentations on manufacturing processes.

• Group oral presentations on research topics related to Industry 4.0.

• Debates on topics presented in class.

Evaluation criteria

a) Final exam (Contents 1 and 3): 30% of the final mark, including both grammar and reading comprehension exercises, according to the models presented and practiced during the term. For the final exam to be considered for the average final grade, a minimum grade of 4 (out of 10) will be required.

b) Vocabulary (Content 2): 10% of the final mark, assessed through a test scheduled during the term.

c) Writing skills (Content 4): 30% of the final mark, including three writing tasks, done in class.

d) Oral skills (Content 5): 30% of the final mark. This includes two oral skills papers (one individual and one group) prepared at home and presented in class, plus a listening comprehension test. To pass the subject, it is mandatory to pass all the oral skills tasks.

If necessary, a recovery exam of Contents 1, 2 and 3 (see above): 70% of the final grade. The remaining 30% corresponds to Content 4 (oral skills). To pass the subject, a minimum grade of 4 (out of 10) is required in the make-up exam.

Important

Activities, tests or exercises not delivered on time will not be evaluated. Late submissions may be accepted if authorized by the teacher for a valid reason.

Students may not use notes, folders or dictionaries in exams, unless otherwise specified.

No work, exercise or task will be accepted that can be shown to have been copied from a classmate. Anyone who copies risks failing the subject.

Very important

Students are responsible for the originality and authenticity of their texts that they present as their own. They must respect the intellectual property of the authors and always identify the sources they use. 

Plagiarism consists of copying text from unrecognized sources, either part of a sentence or an entire text, which is then presented as one's own text. It usually involves cutting and pasting from Internet sources, presented without modification in the student's text. Plagiarism is a crime against intellectual property.

Total or partial plagiarism in any of the assignments will automatically be graded as a fail (0). If plagiarism is repeated, the student will fail the subject.

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