Identifying Data 2023/24
Subject (*) Technical English Code 670G01037
Study programme
Grao en Arquitectura Técnica
Descriptors Cycle Period Year Type Credits
Graduate 2nd four-month period
Fourth Optional 6
Language
Galician
English
Teaching method Face-to-face
Prerequisites
Department Letras
Coordinador
Amenedo Costa, Mónica María
E-mail
monica.amenedo@udc.es
Lecturers
Amenedo Costa, Mónica María
E-mail
monica.amenedo@udc.es
Web
General description Estudo dos textos técnicos en inglés relacionados coa edificación

Study programme competencies
Code Study programme competences
A17 Dominar de forma oral e escrita un idioma estranxeiro no nivel técnico propio do ámbito da edificación.
B1 Capacidade de análise e síntese.
B3 Capacidade para a procura, análise, selección, utilización e xestión da información.
B8 Capacidade para traballar nun equipo de carácter interdisciplinario.
B9 Capacidade para traballar nun contexto internacional.
B11 Recoñecemento e apreciación da diversidade e a multiculturalidade.
B13 Compromiso ético.
B17 Creatividade e innovación.
B20 Coñecemento de outras culturas e costumes.
C2 Mastering oral and written expression in a foreign language.
C3 Using ICT in working contexts and lifelong learning.
C4 Acting as a respectful citizen according to democratic cultures and human rights and with a gender perspective.
C6 Acquiring skills for healthy lifestyles, and healthy habits and routines.
C7 Developing the ability to work in interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary teams in order to offer proposals that can contribute to a sustainable environmental, economic, political and social development.
C8 Valuing the importance of research, innovation and technological development for the socioeconomic and cultural progress of society.

Learning aims
Learning outcomes Study programme competences
A17, B1, B9, B20, C2, C4, C8 Ability to analyze and summarize B1
B3
B20
C2
Advanced oral and written knowledge of English in building construction A17
B1
C2
To know different cultures B9
B17
To be a critical, open minded, democratic citizen who is able to solve problems B8
B9
B11
B13
C4
C7
To have an advanced knowledge of English B20
C2
To recognize the value of technical innovations in our society C3
C6
C8

Contents
Topic Sub-topic
1. Position and location of buildings. Verbs of position.
2. Word formation. Plurals.Greek and Latin endings. Formulae and dates.
3. Complex noun phrases.The article.
4. The Passive voice. Impersonal Passive in Technical English
5. Present perfect/ Simple Past. Order of paragraphs in technical English.
6. Conditional clauses. Experiments.
7. Relative clauses. Ing- construction.
8. Modal verbs. Writing letters.
9. Anglosaxon Genitive / Of- construction.
10. Idioms. Phrasal Verbs.
1. Foundations. Concrete technology. Constructing a building.
2. Friction. Gravity. Surface area ratio in building construction.
3. Refrigeration. Evaporation. Convection.
4. Dead loads/live loads. Solid walling.
5. Cohesion and permeability. Elasticity.
6. Corrosion. Acoustics in architecture..
7. Skyscrapers. Detached, semidetached houses.
8. Climates in building construction. Air conditioning. Heating. Insulation.
9. Roofs. Slates.
11. Stress. Thrust/drag. Flight. Factor of safety. Levers.
12. Architects/technical architects. Description of Pirelli Buildingh/farnswotrh house by Mies van der Rohe.

Planning
Methodologies / tests Competencies Ordinary class hours Student’s personal work hours Total hours
Workbook B1 B3 B11 C3 8 23 31
Directed discussion B8 B11 B20 C6 5 3 8
Guest lecture / keynote speech B17 C4 C7 C8 15 5 20
Practical test: A17 B1 C2 8 20 28
Mixed objective/subjective test A17 B1 C2 2 27 29
Supervised projects B9 B13 2 30 32
 
Personalized attention 2 0 2
 
(*)The information in the planning table is for guidance only and does not take into account the heterogeneity of the students.

Methodologies
Methodologies Description
Workbook Reading and Comprehension of Building construction texts
Directed discussion Analysis of technical texts following different methods to solve a problema. Advantages disadvantages of materials, methods...
Guest lecture / keynote speech Study of the structure of Technical English. Projects. Technical reports
Practical test: Practical tasks set by the lecturer during the semester.
Mixed objective/subjective test It consists of different types of questions: multiple choice, short answer, association, gap-fill and other activities.
Supervised projects Project on a topic related to the discipline.

Personalized attention
Methodologies
Supervised projects
Guest lecture / keynote speech
Directed discussion
Description
The aim is to acquire advanced knowledge ,oral and written, of the English used in building construction. Comprehension and translations of texts are of utmost importance. Theory and practice will be combined and the final exam will assess the comprehension and translation of technical texts.

Assessment
Methodologies Competencies Description Qualification
Supervised projects B9 B13 Students will undertake a project on a topic related to the discipline and prepare and give an oral presentation of their work. 20
Mixed objective/subjective test A17 B1 C2 Students are required to sit the mixed test in May/June on the date announced in the official exam timetable. 60
Practical test: A17 B1 C2 Students will do different practical tasks set by the lecturer during the semester. 20
 
Assessment comments

In order to pass this subject, a mark of 5 out of 10 is the minimum required in each section of the assesment (mixed test, project and practical test). Late submissions will not be accepted unless duly justified. Students who do not attend the official exam will be given an absent mark if they have not handed in 50% of the continuous assessment activities.  

Any plagiarized exercise or test will result in a failing grade (0) in this subject in accordance with article 11, section 4b, of the "Regulamento disciplinar do estudantado da UDC":

Cualificación de suspenso na convocatoria en que se cometa a falta e respecto da materia en que se cometese: o/a estudante será cualificado con "suspenso" (nota numérica 0) na convocatoria correspondente do curso académico, tanto se a comisión da falta se produce na primeira oportunidade como na segunda. Para isto, procederase a modificar a súa cualificación na acta de primeira oportunidade, se fose necesario.

July Exam Period: 

Students will not need to re-sit the parts they have previously passed. They can retake the parts they have failed according to the following distribution of percentages: project and oral presentation (20%), mixed test (60%), and an assignment equivalent to the practical tasks (20%). 

Students who are officially registered as part time and have been granted permission not to attend classes, as stipulated in the regulations of this University (approved by the Consello Social on 4 May 2017), will notify the instructor in the first week of classes and, if that proves impossible, within seven days from the date of acknowledgement. They will carry out the required practical work individually and hand it in before the deadline. Late submissions will not be accepted unless duly justified. The final mark will be the weighted average grade of the assessed work carried out during the course. In order to pass this subject, a minimum of 5 out of 10 in the final mark is required. Students will be required to take the second opportunity in July if they fail to pass the first opportunity. 

Gender equality: 

A gender perspective will be incorporated into this subject. This will include, among other measures, the use of non-sexist language, the selection of books and articles written by men and by women, as well as encouraging participation from all students in class, regardless of their gender. In addition, sexist prejudices and attitudes will be addressed and efforts will be directed towards the modification of this environment and the promotion of values of respect and equality. In the event of gender discrimination, appropriate actions will be implemented to rectify such cases.


Sources of information
Basic www.english-online.org.uk (). .
www. learning english.net (). .
www.bellenglish.com (). .
www.usingenglish.com (). .
Thomson, A.J.; Martinet, A.V. (1993). A Practical English Grammar. Oxford: OUP
Franco Ibeas, F. (1988). Diccionario tecnológico InglésEspañol. Alhambra: Madrid
Bates,M.; Dudley Evans, T. (1982). English for Science and Technology.. Essex: Longman
Cummings, J. (1982). English for Science and Technology: Architecture and Building Construction. Essex: Longman
Waterhouse, G. (1988). English for the Construction Industry. McMillan: London
Hashemi, L. (2000). English Grammar in Use. Cambridgr: CUP
Glendenning; E.H. (1994). English in Mechanical Engineering. Oxford: OUP
Beigbeder Atienza, F. (1986). Nuevo diccionario politécnico de las lenguas española e inglesa. Castilla: Madrid

Complementary


Recommendations
Subjects that it is recommended to have taken before

Subjects that are recommended to be taken simultaneously

Subjects that continue the syllabus

Other comments


(*)The teaching guide is the document in which the URV publishes the information about all its courses. It is a public document and cannot be modified. Only in exceptional cases can it be revised by the competent agent or duly revised so that it is in line with current legislation.