Constructing a Foreign Language Standard for Technically-Oriented Universities

conference paper

English

The work reports on a research process of constructing a flexible standard of English language based on the application of European criteria and requirements, as formulated in a "Common European Framework of Reference for Languages" to language for academic and technical purposes.The international compatibility of a standard can bee seen in using reference levels of Language proficiency B1 and B2 on the European Framework scale, and in coherency of European criteria for language education and all the components of the standard: learning and teaching objectives, expected outcomes, and corresponding communicative language competence in language for electrical engineering and information technology. The sources of data were undergraduate and postgraduate students, language teachers, technical specialists, and potential future employers. The instruments used were semi-structured questionnaires and interviews. The author presents her work as a contribution to a deep-felt need for standardising various levels of language proficiency at European universities in order to provide a basis for the mutual recognition of language qualifications.

English language standard; specificity of technically-oriented language; European criteria and requirements; international compatibility

NEUWIRTHOVÁ, L.

2007

3. 9. 2007

Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal

978-972-8055-14-1

Proceedings of the International Conference on Engineering Education 2007

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