ENGLISH FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

TENTATIVE COURSE OUTLINE

The course is based on Cambridge English for Scientists course book,

which aims to develop the communication skills and specialist English
language knowledge of science students and professionals, enabling them to
communicate more confidently and effectively in their work or study
environment. Uniquely, this course focuses on both spoken and written
communication, with each of the ten units relating to a case study based on
real, published research. This makes the course ideal for scientists from a
wide range of scientific backgrounds. Cambridge English for Scientists also
develops the learners' language skills with practical reading and writing
skills - such as applying for research funding or writing for publications - as
well as with speaking and listening skills including 'Describing and
Reporting Problems With Experiments' and 'Presenting at a Conference'.
 CLASS-BY-CLASS PLAN

Weeks Classes Topic/ Focus Skill Lesson

/Units Plan

Introduction and ice-breaking

activities

Week 1
Course orientation
22-26 Sept.

Talking about your career path

st
1 class: Organizing and adding detail to
Week 2 a rsum or CV
29th Sept. Unit 1:
-3rd of October Getting
started
in research
page 6
Summarizing a research
nd
2 class: proposal
Unit 1: Preparing and practicing the
Getting presentation of a proposal
started
in research
page 6

3rd class: Answering interview questions

Unit 1: (role play)
Week 3 Getting
8th- 10th of started
October in research
page 6

4th class Recognizing different styles of

Unit 2: writing
The scientific Asking for help using an online
community forum
page 14
 5th class: Reading and note-taking for a
Unit 2: critical review
Week 4 The scientific
20th- 24th of community
October page 14
Completing an MTA (Material
6th class: Transfer Agreement)
Unit 2:
The scientific
community
page 14

Linking sentences in
Week 5 7th class: writing (1)
27th- 31st Unit 3:
of October Finding a
direction for
your
research
page 22
Arguing for and against an idea
th
8 class: appropriately
Unit 3:
Finding a
direction for
your
research
page 22

9th class: Supporting ideas with evidence

Week 6 Unit 3: Following a discussion in a
3rd- 7th of Finding a team meeting
November direction for
your
research
page 22

10th class: Prefixes and suffixes (1)

Unit 4: Making suggestions and plans
Designing an for an experiment
experiment
page 30
 Giving advice to a colleague
th
11 class:
Week 7 Unit 4:
10th- 14th of Designing an
November experiment
page 30

Predicting the results of an

th
12 class: experiment
Unit 4:
Designing an
experiment
page 30

13th class: Revising a paper (1)

Week 8 Unit 5:
17th- 21st of Describing
November an
experiment
page 38
Describing expectations and
th
14 class: outcomes of an experiment
Unit 5: Describing and reporting
Describing problems in an experiment
an
experiment
page 38
Linking sentences in writing (2)
Week 9 15th class: Using symbols and
24th- 28th Unit 5: abbreviations in lab notebooks.
|of November Describing Describing lab protocols
an
experiment
page 38

16th class: Revising a paper (2)

Unit 6:
Writing up
research 1:
materials
and
methods
page 46
 17th class Describing procedure in the
Unit 6: materials and method section
Week 10 Writing up Expressing numbers and
1st- 5th research 1: describing data
of December materials
and
methods
page 46

18th class: Prefixes and suffixes (2)

Unit 6: Rewriting lab notes for a paper
Writing up
research 1:
materials
and
methods
page 46

19th class: Describing data for statistical

Week 11 Unit 7: analysis
8th-12th of Writing up Comparing and contrasting
December research 2: experimental results (1)
presenting
data
page 54

20th class: Prefixes and suffixes (3)

Unit 7: Writing a caption for a figure
Writing up or graph
research 2:
presenting
data
page 54
Week 12 21st class: Describing a figure or graph in
15th- 19th Unit 7: a paper
of December Writing up
research 2:
presenting
data
page 54
 22nd class: Summarizing information
Unit 8: efficiently (1)
Writing up
research 3:
results and
discussion
page 62
Week 13 Organizing writing in
22nd- 26th of 23rd class: paragraphs
December Unit 8:
Writing up
research 3:
results and
discussion
page 62
Referring to visual data in a
24th class: paper
Unit 8: Comparing and contrasting
Writing up experimental results (2)
research 3: Describing the limitations of
results and research
discussion Making suggestions for future
page 62 research
Week 14 25th class: Reporting the work of other
29th of Unit 9: researchers in a paper
December- 2nd of Writing up
January research 4:
introduction
and abstract
page 70

26th class: Organizing an abstract

Unit 9: Summarizing information
Writing up efficiently (2)
research 4:
introduction
and abstract
page 70

Week 15 27th class: Writing a cover letter to a

5th- 9th of Unit 9: scientific journal
January Writing up
research 4:
introduction
and abstract
page 70
 Helping an audience
th
28 class: understand the organization of
Unit 10: a presentation
Presenting Socializing at a conference
research at a
conference
page 78

Week 16 Organizing a poster

12th- 16th of th
29 class: Summarizing the content of a
January Unit 10: poster
Presenting
research at a
conference
page 78

Revision
30th class:
Unit 10:
Presenting
research at a
conference
page 78