The subject matter of Stage III is organising and running an English course for groups of PhD candidates participating online in the industrial doctoral programme at KGHM Cuprum at Wrocław University of Science and Technology, University of Wrocław, AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow, Gdańsk University of Technology and the University of Economics in Wrocław.

Ordering party: KGHM Cuprum

Project coordinator for KGHM Cuprum: Magdalena Król, PhD Eng.

Contractor: Foreign Language Department  of Wrocław University of Science and Technology

Project coordinator for Foreign Language Department WUST: Marta Hamryszak-Sierpowska, M.A.

The project is financed by KGHM Cuprum as part of a ministerial programme.

Stage III objective:

The students who complete the course with a positive assessment is identical with completing a 90-hour modern language course, which is a compulsory part of the Doctoral Studies Programme at the Doctoral School.

The objective pursued by:

acquiring and improving language skills necessary for future general foreign language development,
acquiring and improving communication competences necessary in the academic and professional environment,
scientific and technical language relevant for students’ fields of study and technical issues pertaining to their research area, building professional vocabulary,
improving presentation skills in English on subjects related to the PhD candidates’ research area,
supporting PhD candidates’ own work.

Stage III duration: 06.03.2021- 17.07.2021

Teachers: Foreign Language Department WUST teachers selected by the ordering party:

• Monika Szela, PhD – 45 hours of English, level B2
• Aleksander Brzózka, M.A. - 45 hours of English, level B2

The courses are taught online on Zoom

Stage III – scope of activities:

The course is taught online on Zoom, 60 hours are conducted in the synchronous mode, while the remaining 30 hours are also taught online in the non-synchronous mode, as per the course syllabus.

The classes taught online in the synchronous mode (60 classes, 45 minutes each) are on Saturdays in the spring term of the academic year 2020/2021, one meeting encompasses 4 classes (1 meeting = 180 minutes), in accordance with the timetable.

The classes taught in the non-synchronous mode consist of various tasks sent by the teachers during the course in accordance with course syllabus. They are later discussed and assessed by the teacher.

Course participants have the right to use the Virtual Learning Environment of the Foreign Language Department of WUST free of charge.

PhD candidates who complete the course receive a certificate.

Course syllabus

Structures:

1. Direct and indirect questions.
2. Subject verb agreement.
3. Quantifiers.
4. Gradation and order of adjectives.
5. Gradation and order of adverbs.
6. Paste and present tenses.
7. Future tenses.
8. Passive voice.
9. Verb patterns.
10. Modal verbs.
11. Reported speech.
12. Conditional clauses type 1 and 2.
13. Conditional clauses type 3 and mixed.

Lexical resource:

1. University life related vocabulary, studies, scientific interests.
2. Trends in science and technology
3. Safety at work.
4. Industry sectors.
5. Technological innovations.
6. Civilisational threats.
7. Natural resources and environmental issues.
8. Contemporary society issues.
9. Transport and communication.
10. Professional achievements.

Academic component

1. Self-presentation
2. Future plans: research work.
3. Academic register – Formal and informal language. Synonyms and antonyms, internationalisms. Collocations. Hedging.
4. Punctuation.
5. Paraphrasing.
6. Description and opinion phrases.
7. Process description. Tables and charts – vocabulary.
8. Summary writing.
9. Abstract.
10. Referencing and bibliography.
11. Verbal and non-verbal communication.
12. Language of disputes.
13. Expressing opinion.
14. Presentations.
15. Preparation for multimedia presentations.

Didactic resources:

1. Academic English coursebooks: Academic Vocabulary in Use, Michael McCarthy, Felicity O’Dell, CUP, 2; John Hughes & Andrew Mallet, Successful Presentations, OUP; Bottomley J. 2015: Academic Writing for International Students of Science. London and New York: Routledge.
2. Virtual Learning Environment of the Foreign Language Department of WUST materials.
3. Authentic materials.
4. Teachers’ own materials.