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Professional English I

Course developer

Course abstract

The course is aimed at the acquisition of knowledge and skills in professional foreign language studies with the purpose of extending the students professional qualifications and improving the student’s communication skills with foreign students and specialists. The programme envisages the mastering of language skills in various forms and levels of communication.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

Students have acquired terms in the following fields: computer components, history of computer science development, computer types (Test); word processing, e-commerce, cyber security (Final Test). Students are able to apply professional terminology and communicative skills: in writing essays, translations, academic writing, orally in participating in discussions, creating dialogues, giving a presentation. The assessment according to the 10 point scale.

Course Content(Calendar)

1. Introductory Class: explaining course requirements, testing students' level.
2. Academic Writing: the main principles of academic writing, formal vs. informal style. Computer Pioneers: reading.
3. Computer Parts: terminology, group discussion, expressing opinions.
4. Living in a Digital Age: terminology, text analysis. Creating a comic: expressing ideas; spelling and punctuation rules.
5. Academic Writing: structure of academic papers, analysis of examples. Comics' analysis and discussion.
6. Mainframes, Personal Computers, Servers and Workstations: terminology, text analysis, discussing the main differences.
7. Laptops, Notebooks, Palmtop Computers, Handheld Devices: terminology, text analysis, discussing the main differences.
8. Analysis of different types of computers: expressing opinions, comparison, group discussion.
9. Test (reading, terminology, listening).
10. How to Write an Academic Essay: types of essays, structure, practical exercises. Academic Essay (Computer Geniuses).
11. Word Processing: terminology, text analysis, discussion, word sudoku.
12. Text translation, analysis of mistakes.
13. E-commerce: terminology, reading aloud, descriptive game.
14. Individual Work results' presentation and discussion.
15. Individual Work results' presentation and discussion.
16. Final Test (reading, listening, terminology, speaking).

Requirements for awarding credit points

Evaluation type: Formal test with a mark. It is made up of cumulative assessment.

Requirements - successfully written tests, semester group work and individual tasks (home reading 10 A4 pages). The number of the missed classes shall not exceed 20% of the total number of auditorium classes.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

Independent work and tasks:
• Individual independent tasks are an essay, translation and analysis of professional texts. The aim of the individual independent assignments is to develop students' skills in using a foreign language to search for information and to analyze professional texts, as well as to evaluate knowledge of terminology and abbreviations used in computer science, translation of technical and professional texts and academic plagiarism.
• Group work presentations are the result of team work. Depending on the task, presentations can be prepared in an auditorium or at home. The aim of group work presentations is to develop skills in using a foreign language for searching information, oral presentations, teamwork; to develop informative, communicative and professional competences, as well as to evaluate the knowledge of terminology used in computer science and of presentations making.
• Home reading (10 A4 pages) is an independently selected professional text on a topic related to the field of study. Home reading analysis includes a brief presentation of the content, text analysis and answers to questions. The aim of home reading is to develop skills in using a foreign language for information search, professional text analysis and oral presentations as well as informational, communicative and professional competence; to evaluate knowledge of terminology used in computer science,
presentation making, academic plagiarism.

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

Cumulative evaluation: tests (45%) + group work presentations (20%) + individual tasks (20%) + home reading analysis (15%)

Compulsory reading

1.Olejniczak M. English for Information Technology. Pearson Longman, 2011. 79 p. ISBN: 9781408269961
2.Hill D. English for Information Technology: Level 2. Pearson Education ESL, 2013. 80 p. ISBN: 9781408269909
3.Ricca-McCarthy T., Duckworth, M. English for Telecoms and Information Technology. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009. 95 p. ISBN: 9780194569590
4.Davies P.A. Oxford Bookworms Library Factfiles Stage 3: Information Technology. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008. 72 p. ISBN: 9780194233927

Further reading

1.Esteras S.R. Infotech: English for computer users. 4th Edition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008. 168 p. ISBN: 9780521702997
2.Esteras S.R., Fabre E.M. Professional English in Use: intermediate to advanced: ICT. For Computers and the Internet. Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press, 2007. 118 p. ISBN: 9780521685436
3.McNair A., Smallwood F.G.I. Language for Study: Level 3. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2013. 186 p. ISBN 9781107681101

Periodicals and other sources

1.Downing D. et al. Dictionary of Computer and Internet Terms. Barron's Educational Series, Inc., 2012. 592 p. ISBN: 9780764147555
2.How Stuff Works [Tiešsaiste] [Skatīts 14.01.2016.] Pieejams: http://www.howstuffworks.com/
3.English for Information Technology [Tiešsaiste] [Skatīts 14.01.2016.] Pieejams: http://www.english4it.com/

Notes

The course is included in the compulsory part of the study programme "Computer Control and Computer Science".