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5.6. Technical and professional English I (Mandatory)

5.6.1. Justification ↑ Back to top

English is the primary language of science, engineering, and technology worldwide. For computing and engineering students, mastering English means gaining direct access to technical documentation, research papers, and professional collaboration without translation barriers. This course builds foundational English skills using contexts drawn from computing systems, hardware, and the everyday work of engineers and scientists.

5.6.2. Generales Goals ↑ Back to top

1. Acquire foundational English grammar structures applied to computing and engineering contexts.
2. Identify and use technical vocabulary related to hardware, software, and scientific concepts.

5.6.3. Contribution to Outcomes ↑ Back to top

AG-C04) Communication: Communicates effectively in complex computing activities. (Usage)

AG-C03) Individual and Team Work: Performs effectively as an individual and as a member or leader in diverse teams. (Familiarity)

5.6.4. Content ↑ Back to top

5.6.4.1. Welcome to Computing (12 hours) [Skills AG-C03,AG-C04] ↑ Back to top

Bibliography: (Soars and John, 2002b; Cambridge, 2006; MacGrew, 1999)

Topics

1. Verb To Be: Affirmative, Negative, and Questions.
2. Personal Pronouns and Possessive Adjectives.
3. Number Expressions (1-100): Ports, addresses, and binary basics.
4. Social Expressions in academic and lab environments.

Learning Outcomes

1. By the end of the unit, students use the verb 'to be' to introduce themselves as computing students and describe basic properties of computing systems (e.g., "The processor is fast. It is a 64-bit CPU.").

5.6.4.2. Parts and Systems (12 hours) [Skills AG-C03,AG-C04] ↑ Back to top

Bibliography: (Soars and John, 2002b; Cambridge, 2006; MacGrew, 1999)

Topics

1. Possessive 's and Plural Nouns applied to components (the CPU's speed, the system's memory).
2. Hardware components and their relationships.
3. Adjective + Noun structures for technical descriptions.
4. Lab interactions: Asking about equipment and tools.

Learning Outcomes

1. Students describe computer hardware components and their relationships using possessives and noun phrases (e.g., "the motherboard's slots", "the server's processors").

5.6.4.3. How It Works (12 hours) [Skills AG-C03,AG-C04] ↑ Back to top

Bibliography: (Soars and John, 2002b; Cambridge, 2006; MacGrew, 1999)

Topics

1. Present Simple I (Third person: He/She/It) to describe processes.
2. Vocabulary: How programs, algorithms, and devices operate.
3. Telling the time and interpreting system clocks and schedules.
4. Verbs of operation: runs, compiles, executes, stores, transmits.

Learning Outcomes

1. Students explain how a program or device works using the present simple in the third person (e.g., "The compiler translates source code. It generates an executable file.").

5.6.4.4. What Engineers Do (12 hours) [Skills AG-C03,AG-C04] ↑ Back to top

Bibliography: (Soars and John, 2002b; Cambridge, 2006; MacGrew, 1999)

Topics

1. Present Simple II (I/You/We/They) for describing professional routines.
2. Questions and negatives with 'Do/Does' in technical contexts.
3. Engineering roles: developer, analyst, researcher, systems engineer.
4. Adverbs of frequency in describing work cycles and testing schedules.

Learning Outcomes

1. Students describe the daily tasks and professional roles of computing engineers and scientists using the present simple with accuracy.

5.6.4.5. Inside a Computer (12 hours) [Skills AG-C03,AG-C04] ↑ Back to top

Bibliography: (Soars and John, 2002b; Cambridge, 2006; MacGrew, 1999)

Topics

1. Existential: There is / There are applied to architecture descriptions.
2. Prepositions of place: components on a motherboard, files in a directory.
3. Vocabulary: memory, storage, buses, slots, ports, layers.
4. Describing network topology and physical infrastructure.

Learning Outcomes

1. Students describe the spatial organization of hardware components and file systems, enabling them to interpret and produce technical architecture descriptions.

5.6.4.6. Can Computers Think? (12 hours) [Skills AG-C03,AG-C04] ↑ Back to top

Bibliography: (Soars and John, 2002b; Cambridge, 2006; MacGrew, 1999)

Topics

1. Modal verb Can/Can't to describe computing capabilities and limitations.
2. Adverbs of manner applied to system performance.
3. Past of verb 'To Be' (Was/Were): early computing systems and pioneers.
4. Basic expressions for technical support and troubleshooting.

Learning Outcomes

1. Students describe what computing systems can and cannot do, and identify basic facts about the early history of computing using simple past structures.

5.6.4.7. Computing History (12 hours) [Skills AG-C03,AG-C04] ↑ Back to top

Bibliography: (Soars and John, 2002b; Cambridge, 2006; MacGrew, 1999)

Topics

1. Past Simple: Regular and Irregular verbs to narrate tech history.
2. Time expressions for the past: invented, developed, published, launched.
3. Key figures: Turing, Babbage, Lovelace, von Neumann.
4. Vocabulary: Generations of computers, milestones, inventions.

Learning Outcomes

1. Students narrate key events in the history of computing and science using the simple past correctly, identifying the contributions of foundational figures.

5.6.4.8. My Professional Goals in Computing (12 hours) [Skills AG-C03,AG-C04] ↑ Back to top

Bibliography: (Soars and John, 2002b; Cambridge, 2006; MacGrew, 1999)

Topics

1. Introduction to Technical English for Computing and Engineering.
2. Reading and understanding simple technical specifications.
3. Working in multicultural engineering teams: communication norms.
4. Oral presentation: "My role in the computing field".

Learning Outcomes

1. Students present their professional goals in computing using basic technical vocabulary and connect them to the roles and responsibilities of software and hardware engineers.

5.6.5. Bibliography ↑ Back to top

Soars, L. and John (2002b). American Headway N 2 Student Book. Editorial Oxford.

Cambridge (2006). Diccionario Inglés-Espanol Cambridge. Editorial Oxford.

MacGrew, J. (1999). Focus on Grammar Basic. Editorial Oxford.