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Professional English I

Course developer

Course abstract

The course aims to improve students' knowledge and skills in the foreign language (English), with a focus on terminology related to information technologies, which are necessary for reading, interpreting, and evaluating professional and scientific literature, explaining and comparing processes, presenting information, participating in a discussion in an international professional and academic environment, as well as for communicating with foreign students, professionals, and lecturers.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

Knowledge: students have acquired computer science terminology and use of abbreviations. Students have acquired terms in the following fields:
 university studies, study levels and programmes, cross-cultural communication, ICT education and careers, e-learning, email, and instant messaging (Test I);
 types of computers, personal computer, computer hardware, input devices, output devices, data storage - (Test II).
Skills: 1) able to use the foreign language to search for information and present results of independent work; 2) able to translate and analyse technical and professional text
- practical work, oral presentations, independent work.
Competence – informative, communicative, professional.
Students are able to use professional terminology and communicative skills: in writing (translation, academic writing) and orally (participating in discussions, creating dialogues, giving a presentation) - practical work, independent work, oral presentations, teamwork.
Assessment takes place in each lesson, regularly checking the completed tasks.

Course Content(Calendar)

1. Course requirements. University studies, study levels, and programmes. Text analysis, dialogue production. 2h
2. Cross-cultural communication. Culture differences. Politeness. Role play. 2h
3. Cross-cultural communication skills. Presentations in groups. 2h
4. CV and motivation letter. Elements of business communication. 2h
5. ICT education and careers. ICT professions. Creating a glossary of terms for each topic. 2h
6. E-learning. Interactive learning opportunities. Presentations, teamwork. 2h
7. Communication. Email and instant messaging. Text analysis and practical work. 2h
8. Advantages of computer use. Limitations of computer use. Expressing opinions, discussion. 2h
9. First terminology test. 2h
10. Types of computers. Personal computer. Terminology. Group discussion. 2h
11. Hardware. Terminology. Text analysis, practical work. 2h
12. Input devices. Terminology. Text analysis, practical work. 2h
13. Output devices. Terminology. Text analysis, practical work. 2h
14. Memory. Data storage. Word formation: grammar. Reading aloud: pronunciation, intonation. 2h
15. Second terminology test. 2h
16. Review of the course material, student self-assessment, discussion. 2h

Requirements for awarding credit points

Assessment. Students are required to complete one terminology test during the semester successfully, give a presentation, and submit homework on business correspondence on time. The number of absences is limited to 20%.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

Independent work and tasks:
- Independent work includes translating professional texts, analysing them, and completing practical tasks. The independent work aims to develop students' skills in using the foreign language for information search and analysis of professional texts, as well as to assess their knowledge of terminology and abbreviations used in computer science, translation of technical and professional texts, and academic plagiarism.
- The presentation is the result of teamwork. The presentation aims to develop skills in the use of the foreign language for information search, oral presentations, teamwork; information, communicative, and professional competence, as well as to assess knowledge of terminology and presentation in computer science.

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

Pass/fail. This is a cumulative assessment that includes active work in class, successful completion of the terminology test, and homework. The number of absences does not exceed 20% of the total number of classes.

Compulsory reading

1. Ellederova E. English for Information Technologies. Masaryk university press, 2020. 198 p. ISBN: 9788021458369
2. Olejniczak M. English for Information Technology. Pearson Longman, 2011. 79 p. ISBN: 9781408269961
3. Hill D. English for Information Technology: Level 2. Pearson Education ESL, 2013. 80 p. ISBN: 9781408269909
4. Glendinning E., McEwan J. Oxford English for Information Technologies. Second Edition. Oxford University Press, 2014. 222 p. ISBN: 9780194574921

Further reading

1. Esteras S.R. Infotech: English for computer users. 4th Edition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008. 168 p. ISBN: 9780521702997
2. 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. English for Information Technology [Tiešsaiste] [Skatīts 13.02.2024.] Pieejams: http://www.english4it.com/
3. Butterfield A., Ngondi, G. A Dictionary of Computer Science 7th edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2016. 326 p. ISBN: 9780199688975

Notes

The course is included in the compulsory part of the study program "Computer Control and Computer Science", Information Technologies for Sustainable Development”