English Diploma Course 4 (Engineering in Developing Countries)

Course Schedule

Class Weekly Topics Online Assignments Proposal/Presentation OEL Agenda
1 Orientation and Course Overview  
2 Becoming a Developed Nation GapMinder Intro Quiz   19th Century
New York I
 
3 Becoming a Developed Nation GapMinder Data Links   19th Century
New York II
 
4 Becoming a Developed Nation New York City worksheet   19th Century
New York III
 
5 Impacts on Developing Nations Worksheets GGS Preview      
6 Impacts on Developing Nations Worksheets GGS 1      
7 Impacts on Developing Nations Worksheets GGS 2   4+ OEL  
8 Impacts on Developing Nations Worksheets GGS 3   5+ OEL  
9 Engineers contributing to Developing Nations Problems   6+ OEL  
10 Engineers contributing to Developing Nations Technology Types   7+ OEL  
11 Engineering Project Workshop Project Proposal Draft   8+ OEL  
12 Engineering Project Workshop   Project Proposal Final 9+ OEL  
13 Engineering Project Workshop   Engineering Project 
Presentations Draft I 
   
14 Engineering Project Workshop   Engineering Project 
Presentations Draft II 
10+ OEL  
15 Audience Participation   Engineering Project 
Presentations Final 
   

Course Can-do Goals

Speaking Skills

  1. I can participate in a small group discussion and express my opinions, feelings and reservations about a topic.
  2. I can give clear instructions and directions related to moderately complex, familiar, technical and non-technical tasks.
  3. I can comfortably speak formally or informally, on topics involving problem-solving or decision-making. I can make a detailed comparison.
  4. I can use a variety of sentence structures and idioms.
  5. I can correct myself or rephrase what I said when I know that people do not understand me.
  6. I can use a variety of strategies to keep the conversation or discussion going.

Listening Skills

  1. I can understand the main points and important details of a discussion, presentation, or news clip.
  2. I can identify the situation, relationship, mood and attitude of the people I listen to.
  3. I can understand formal discussions, informal discussions, and presentations on familiar topics if I am involved in the discussions and presentations.
  4. I can understand more complex vocabulary and less-common idioms.
  5. I can predict consequences and outcomes.
  6. I can understand most of the content of videos lasting one hour or more.
  7. I can understand native speakers when they speak quickly to one another, although I might still have trouble.

Reading Skills

  1. I can read authentic text that is 1–2 pages long and moderately complex. I can locate and integrate, or compare and contrast information from a variety of visually complex sources.
  2. I can follow everyday instructional texts containing 10 – 15 steps.
  3. I can use an English-English dictionary, but mostly for confirmation and precision.
  4. I can read and understand both concrete and abstract language, dealing with facts, opinions and feelings.
  5. I can sometimes infer the meaning of a new word by the context or by the use of prefixes and suffixes in the word.
  6. I can paraphrase and summarize the main points of a reading section.

Writing Skills

  1. I can identify the structure of a research presentation proposal.
  2. I can summarize longer texts without losing essential information.
  3. I can use complex structures, spelling and sentence mechanics with fairly good control, although my sentences may sound ‘foreign’ to English readers.
  4. I can write down several points from a clear news video clip.
  5. I can write a report or presentation describing a process.
  6. I can quote short sections of text for academic use.
  7. I can quote longer sections of text for academic use.
  8. I can use a thesaurus to find synonyms and antonyms.

IT Skills: Google Docs

  1. I can contribute to a shared document using GoogleDocs.
  2. I can create a document and share it with others using GoogleDocs.
  3. I can make a presentation using Google presentation software.
  4. I can use a spreadsheet to track trends.
  5. I can use a spreadsheet to create a graph about trends.

Academic Skills

  1. I can research, develop and deliver a longer presentation.
  2. I can create and deliver a poster presentation.
  3. I can identify key words in a video.
  4. I can paraphrase or reword short sections of a video.
  5. I can use web based resources like GapMinder to test my own ideas about the world using real life statistics.
  6. I can distinguish the differences between developing and developed countries.
  7. I can understand historical theories that attempt to answer the questions of social inequities throughout the world.
  8. I can suggest practical ways to help developing countries solve small scale problems.