Course detail

English for Electrotechnical Engineering

FEKT-BPC-AEIAcad. year: 2024/2025

The course is aimed at the development of language competencies required by the students’ future professional environment. The students will study the means, functions and style of professional language. Special attention will be devoted to technical terminology. Seminars are focused on the product development and production process, the description and presentation of technologies, devices and their parts and components, the description of technical problems, possible risks (including safety risks and safety regulations in the production process) and their solutions. The tuition includes realistic listening activities focused on technical discussions; situation-based speaking activities in which students can practise the language they have learned; relevant vocabulary presented and practised in professional contexts; engaging topics and articles. The course corresponds to the Bachelor’s degree requirements. At the same time, it will help students to find a job thus supporting their competitiveness in the labour market.

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

Mgr. Magdalena Šedrlová

Department

Department of Foreign Languages (UJAZ)

Entry knowledge

Before the electronic registration of the subject BPC-AEI, the required level of knowledge of English language corresponds to the level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. A student at this level:
Reading
- Can understand texts that contain everyday language as well as texts that contain basic specific vocabulary oriented to language of electrical engineering and information technology.
Listening
- Can understand the main points of clear standard speech on familiar matters connected with school, leisure, current affairs etc. He can understand the main points of topics connected with his personal or professional interest provided the speech is relatively slow and clear.
Spoken interaction
- Can exploit a wide range of simple language to deal with most situations likely to arise while travelling. He can enter unprepared into conversation on topics that are familiar, of personal interest or related to his professional field.
Oral production
- Can reasonably fluently sustain a straightforward description of one of the variety of subjects within his field of interest, presenting it as a linear sequence of points. He can give a prepared presentation on a topic within his field of study.
Writing
- Can write simple texts on topics which are familiar or of personal interest. He knows the basic rules of formal and informal correspondence and can write simple letters.

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

Semester test and exam.
A semester test has a written form and it includes two parts:
• terminology multiple choice test assessed by max. 20 marks,
• filling in missing words into a semi-technical text assessed by max. 20 marks.
The semester test is assessed by max. 40 marks. To be able to register for an exam, a student has to obtain 60% at least, i.e. 24 marks. The semester test can be repeated only once.

An exam has a written form. It is assessed by max. 60 marks. It consists of two parts:
• reading comprehension assessed by max. 30 marks and
• listening comprehension assessed by max. 30 marks.
A student has to obtain 50% at least out of each exam part in order to pass successfully the exam.

In case of university lockdown due to Covid-19 pandemic, both the semester and exam may be taken remotely (online in Moodle).

The course corresponds to B1–B2 levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. It is aimed at the professional language and communication. No general language exam, including the secondary school exam “Maturita”, can be recognized as an equivalent.
Active participation in seminars and a minimum of 75% attendance (or corresponding online activity in Moodle) are required according to the regulations issued by the Head of the Department of Languages and presented on the Department website http://www.ujaz.feec.vutbr.cz/.

Aims

The aim of the course is to present the language functions and to develop language skills necessary for professional communication with colleagues, business partners and institutions in the international competitive environment.
Objectives:
• Understanding specific technical information in spoken and written forms.
• The ability to communicate in specific situations related to the development, production and presentation of devices and their parts and components. The ability to express one´s ideas and discuss the issues and current trends in technology. The ability to communicate in different situations according to the production process requirements.
• The knowledge of specific terminology.

The final exam verifies that a course graduate is able:
1.On the basis of the acquired professional vocabulary, to take part in discussions on basic subjects of electrical engineering (electric circuits, electric current, electrical conductors) and on subjects in his field of study.
2.To describe technical functions and applications and explain how technology works using texts “GPS applications” and “Space elevators”. Useful vocabulary includes verbs use, allow, enable, permit, ensure, prevent and verbs describing movement.
3.To describe common materials and alloys (aluminium, bronze, copper, glass, lead, iron, ore, plastic, rubber, steel, stainless steel, timber, hardwood, softwood, zinc) and to describe their properties.
4.To describe component shapes and features of the electrical plugs and sockets used in different countries. A course graduate is also able to use nouns and verbs to describe joints and fixings.
5.To describe various types of technical problems and causes of faults. When describing the causes of faults, a course graduate uses adjectives commonly used (inadequate, incorrect, etc.) as well as the language used for linking causes and effects: because of..., consequently, owing to..., as a result of ... .
6.To use basic vocabulary connected with health and safety precautions. On the basis of this vocabulary, a course graduate is able to describe personal protective equipment related to common industrial hazards and identify a safe system of work.
7.To describe automated systems and to verbalize graphs, charts and trends, e.g. in the context of electricity consumption trends.
8.To understand the main points of listening activities focused on technically-oriented discussions.
9.To scan longer texts in order to locate desired information, and to gather information from different parts of a text, or from different texts in order to fulfil a specific task.

Study aids

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

compulsory prerequisite
English for Bachelors 2
compulsory prerequisite
English for Bachelors 2

Basic literature

Dummet, Paul. Energy English: For the Gas and Electricity Industries. Andover: Heinle Cengage Learning EMEA, 2010. ISBN 978-0-462-09877-7. (EN)
Ibbotson, Mark. Cambridge English for Engineering. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008. ISBN 978-0-521-71518-8. (EN)

Type of course unit

Language exercise

26 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

Mgr. Petra Zmrzlá, Ph.D.
Mgr. Miroslav Kotásek, Ph.D.
Mgr. Magdalena Šedrlová

Syllabus

1. Introduction

2. Electricity generation; The nuclear debate

3. Electricity transmission and distribution

4. The electricity supply chain

5. Renewable energy

6. Plugs and Sockets

7. Monitoring and control; Automation

8. Variations in electricity consumption; Energy in the home

9. GPS; Describing how things work

10. Safety and Precautions

11. Cars; Describing malfunctions

12. Revision

13. Final test

Elearning

eLearning: currently opened course

VUT

Faculties

University Institutes

Parts

English for Electrotechnical Engineering

Type of course unit