Course detail
English for Chemists IV W (B1+)
FCH-BC_A4Acad. year: 2024/2025
Extension of vocabulary in the field of chemistry and chemical engineering. Writing technical texts and scientific abstracts.
Listening to profesionally oriented audios (e.g. listening for main ideas, general message or particular information, ...), reading authentic field-oriented articles for particular information and for gist and understanding them.
Speaking (enquiry for and provision of adequate information on the field of their study, arranging meetings, discussions, and interviews)
Electronic aids for writing professional texts.
Selected structural aspects of technical and professional texts (e.g. compound terms, conversion of word classes, SVOMPTII), reading professionally oriented texts
Aids for writing professional texts; writing a semi-scientific text on work in a laboratory (laboratory report).
Complex enhancement of language skills and knowledge, preparation for final examination corresponding to CEFR B2 level.
Language of instruction
Number of ECTS credits
Mode of study
Guarantor
Entry knowledge
Rules for evaluation and completion of the course
To complete the course, the following requirements must be fulfilled: Attendance in lessons (2 absences are allowed), completion of individual tests during the semester, satisfactory performance at seminars, bringing a printed/electronic copy of study materials into seminars, delivery of a chemically oriented presentation (points included in the exam score), and successful completion of the final semester test (75%). Essay on laboratory work. Tested completion of knowledge acquired in English for Chemists I.-III. courses.
Final semester test will be focused on items discussed in English for Chemists IV electronic textbook. Students will show understanding compound terms and terms with converted words and they will also be able to use essential corresponding language supporting aids. Use of relative clauses to describe various subjects in English will be tested, too.
Listening to a profesionally oriented audio (e.g. listening for main ideas, general message or particular information, etc.) and reading a specific text for gist and particular information will be examined, too.
Examination:
Prerequisites: Knowledge from English for Chemists I.-IV. courses.
Examination (Related to English for Chemists I-IV courses) consists of two parts: a complex written test (35% of the mark) focused on grammar, vocabulary, reading, listening and writing skills coresponding to CEFR B2 level and oral examination (15% of the mark) that tests speaking skill corresponding to the CEFR B2 level. Students will speak about various branches of chemistry and branch of chemistry they study and they will be able to show interest in their specialization. They are also required to be able to answer relevant questions in the interview. Evaluation of students´ performance and delivery of a presentation is a part of examination mark (25%) as well as the mark acquired based on Laboratory report text.
Marks: 90-100% - A; 80-90% - B; 70-80% C; 60-70% - D; 50-60% E; less than 50% - not passed.
The attendance at seminars is monitored (2 absences are allowed). The part-time students also participate in face-to-face lessons and they can consult the course issues with teachers and use electronic study materials Angličtina pro chemiky IV (B2) (English for Chemists IV (B2)). Full-time students take tests throughout the semester and they are required to deliver a chemistry oriented presentation once a semester and to produce a chemically oriented shorter text Laboratory report; part-time students are assigned homeworks. Students who did not attend the English for Chemists I.-III. courses sit for a test covering curriculum of these courses.
Examination tests grammar, vocabulary, reading,listening and writing skills in written form (35%) and speaking in oral part (15%). Presentation contributes with 25% to the examination mark and Laboratory report by 25%.
Aims
The students will deliver a presentation focused on a specific topic, write an abstact and a laboratory report. Moreover, students will understand compound terms and terms with converted words and they will also be able to use essential language supporting aids. They will use relative clauses to describe various subjects in English. Students will deliver a presentation on a field-specific topic and write a text on a chemical topic including its abstract. They will also complete their knowledge and develop essential skills to pass the examination in English corresponding to the CEFR B2 level successfully. Their four skills, grammar and vocabulary will be developed at the level corresponding to B2 CEFR.
Study aids
Prerequisites and corequisites
Basic literature
Recommended literature
Type of course unit
Exercise
Teacher / Lecturer
Syllabus
2nd week: Vocabulary - "Chemical Engineering - separation methods".Relative clauses,description of technological procedures based on the use of relative clauses, listening. Expressing similarity and differences.
3rd week: Abstracts - specification of the genre, vocabulary, guided writing, free writing an abstract of a scientific text.
4th week: Word class conversion - reading and understanding terms with words created using conversion of word classes. Compound terms - types and structure, understanding compound terms in special and technical texts. Summary of English for chemists I.-III. vocabulary.
5th week: Reading a chemistry oriented authetic article in English with the focus on meaning of compound terms and structures with converted words I, listening exercise.
6th week: Reading chemistry focused articles in English with the focus on meaning of compound terms and structures with converted words II. Summary writing.
7th week: Reading chemistry focused articles in English with the focus on meaning of compound terms and structures with converted words III. Summary writing.
8th week: Rules for Academic Writing, micro- to macrostructure of specific text and its cohesion. summary of SVOMPT rule, writing support such as PhraseBook. Listening on a specific topic.
9th week: Academic English, useful phrases, guided writing according to a sample text. Writing a text on work in a laboratory. Listening exercise. useful phrases.
10th week: Writing a scientific text on laboratory work I, peer evaluation.
11th week: Peer evaluation, feedback on the above written text.
12th week: Techniques for teacher-independent learning and life-long language learning
13. week: Students´ presentation on a chemically oriented topics, preparation for examination in English for Chemists (corresponding to CEFR B2 level).
All the four skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking are trained during the whole semester in relation to the discussed topics. Preparation for the examination corresponding to the CEFR B2 level is also included into the course curriculum.