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Professional English I

Course developer

Course abstract

The study course is aimed at the development of students’ foreign language (English) knowledge and skills necessary for comprehending, interpreting and evaluating professional information, explaining and comparing processes, participating in discussions, giving presentations in professional and academic environments as well as for communication with foreign students, specialists and academic staff. The focus is on the terminology related to heat energy, electric energy and alternative energy. The English language proficiency level corresponds at least to level B2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for foreign languages.
The assessment according to the 10 point scale.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

Knowledge and understanding of terminology in the following fields:
- university education, studies at the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technologies; energy, force, power and their units of measurement; kinetic energy, potential energy, light energy, nuclear energy, chemical energy, useful energy, waste energy, heat energy, sources of heat, types of heat transfer (Test No 1);
- heat engines; types, main parts and operation principles of an internal combustion engine; electric motor, its structure and operation principles (Test No 2).
- electric current, voltage, resistance, alternating current, direct current, electric circuit, components and types of electric circuits, short-circuit, circuit breakers, fuses and their types (Test No 3).
Skills: students are able to define terms, select professional information, think critically, participate in discussions applying professional terminology and communication skills: in written form - writing descriptions, summaries, business letters; orally - in discussions, dialogues, giving a presentation.
Competence of professional and academic English language in order to apply it creatively in spoken and written communication for student mobility, professional and academic activities in international environment.

Course Content(Calendar)

Full-time studies:
1. Study course requirements. The Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies. The Faculty of Engineering and Information Technologies. Terminology pertaining to academic environment. 3h
2. Introduction to the speciality. English dictionaries and glossaries related to power engineering. 2h
3. Energy, force, power. Energy conservation law. Energy transformation. Terms and their explanation. 2h
4. Forms of energy. Kinetic energy. Potential energy. Light energy. Nuclear energy. Chemical energy. 2h
5. Heat energy. Sources of heat. Importance and usage of heat. 2h
6. Test 1. Heat engines. Steam engine. 3h
7. Types of internal combustion engine. Diesel engine. Petrol engine. Comparison. 3h
8. Structure and operation principles of an internal combustion engine. Ignition system. Battery. 3h
9. Electric motor. Structure, operation principles. Describing a process. 3h
10. Test 2. Electric current. Voltage. Resistance. Alternating current. Direct current. 3h
11. Electric circuit. Components and types of electric circuits. Circuit breaker. Summarising. 4h
12. Electric wires and cables. Types of electric wires. Materials used in production of wires and their properties. Comparison. 4h
13. Wall sockets. Plugs. Construction and types. 2h
14. Main branches of agriculture. Farmstead. Research and training farm Vecauce. Renewable energy in agriculture. 3h
15. Test 3. Basic principles of making presentations. 2h
16. Students` presentation of independent work. 3h

Part-time studies:
1. Study course requirements. The Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies. The Faculty of Engineering and Information Technologies. Terminology pertaining to academic environment. 2h
2. Introduction to the speciality. English dictionaries and glossaries related to power engineering. 1h
3. Energy, force, power. Energy conservation law. Energy transformation. Terms and their explanation. 2h
4. Forms of energy. Kinetic energy. Potential energy. Light energy. Nuclear energy. Chemical energy. 2h
5. Heat energy. Sources of heat. Importance and usage of heat. 2h
6. Electric current. Voltage. Resistance. Alternating current. Direct current. 2h
7. Electric circuit. Components and types of electric circuits. Circuit breaker. Summarising. 3h
8. Electric wires and cables. Types of electric wires. Materials used in production of wires and their properties. Comparison. 3h
9. Basic principles of making presentations. 2h
10. Students` presentation of independent work. 3h

Requirements for awarding credit points

Assessment: Test (pass / fail).
It is made up of cumulative assessment.

Successfully written 3 tests, timely completed homework, completed individual work (reading of professional texts, presentation on a selected topic, and the glossary of terms). Tests and homework are with a positive evaluation. The number of the missed classes shall not exceed 20%.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

Individual work:
1. reading of the independently chosen professional texts (the amount: 20 000 characters);
2. a prepared PowerPoint presentation and oral presentation (8-10 minutes) in front of the class;
3. a written summary;
4. a submitted glossary of terms (30 translations of terms, 20 definitions).

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

The cumulative assessment (pass / fail) is composed of the grades in tests, home assignments, assessment during classes and a presentation of the individual work. The grade in tests is successful if at least 70% of the answers are correct.

Compulsory reading

1. Astley P., Lansford P. Oxford English for Careers: Engineering 1: Student`s Book 1. OUP, 2013, 135 p. ISBN 978-0-19-457949-0
2. Evans V., Dooley J., O`Dell T. Career Paths: Electrician. Express Publishing, 2012. ISBN 978-1-4715-0524-9
3. Ibbotson M. Professional English in Use: Engineering. Technical English for Professionals. CUP, 2009, 144 p. ISBN 978-0-521-73488-2

Further reading

1. Energy efficiency- targets, directive and rules. [tiešsaiste] [Skatīts 15.11.2023.] Pieejams:https://ec.europa.eu/energy/topics/energy-efficiency/targets-directive-and-rules_en
2. Grussendorf M. English for Presentations. OUP, 2007, 80 p. ISBN 0194579360
3. Wires [tiešsaiste] [Skatīts 31.10.2020.] Pieejams: https://edisontechcenter.org/wires.html

Periodicals and other sources

1. Latvijas Nacionālais terminoloģijas portāls. [tiešsaiste] [skatīts 15.11.2023.] Pieejams: https://termini.gov.lv/
2. American Journal of Electrical Power and Energy Systems. [tiešsaiste] ISSN Online: 2326-9200 [Skatīts 15.11.2023.] Pieejams: https://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/journal/165/home
International Journal of Energy and Power Engineering. [tiešsaiste] ISSN Online: 2326-960X [Skatīts 15.11.2023.] Pieejams: https://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/journal/164/home

Notes

The study course is included in the compulsory part of the professional Bachelor’s degree programme Applied Energetics