Martin Beck

Developing Online Tests for Technical Englishfor Technical English

Needs and Provisions

Martin BeckGeoff Tranter ALTE 2011, Kraków

Agenda:

1. What do we understand by Technical English

2. Special Features of Technical English

3. Consequences and Examples

4. Possile Test Formats

5. Initial Experience


Wikipedia:

The page "Technical English" does not exist. You can ask for it to be created, but consider checking the search results below to see whether the topic is already covered.


Wikipedia:

English for Specific Purposes (ESP) is a sphere of

teaching English language including Business English,

Technical English, Scientific English, English for medical

professionals, English for waiters, English for tourism,

English for Art Purposes, etc. Aviation English as ESP is

taught to pilots, air traffic controllers and civil aviation

cadets who are going to use it in radio communications.


Technical English is the language used by professionals and artisans working in technical and scientific fields at various levels to get things done and achieve practical goals.levels to get things done and achieve practical goals.

Technical English is built on a common core of grammar and vocabulary that can be found in everyday English. However technical English also encompasses some highly specialized and specific terms that would not be part of a lay person’s vocabulary and it is this crucial feature that characterizes and distinguishes Technical English.

Technical English is essentially lexical in its distinct nature. But this is not its only defining feature. Technical English typically relies significantly on pictorial and graphic representation.


Definition of ESP

Absolute characteristics

ESP is defined to meet specific needs of the learners.

ESP makes use of underlying methodology and activities of the discipline it serves.

ESP is centered on the language appropriate to these activities in terms of grammar, lexis, register, study skills, discourse and genre.


Variable characteristics

ESP may be related to or designed for specific disciplines.

ESP may use, in specific teaching situations, a different methodology from that of General English.

ESP is likely to be designed for adult learners, either at a tertiary level institution or in a professional work situation. It could, however, be for learners at secondary schoollevel.

ESP is generally designed for intermediate or advanced students.

Questions:

# What is the relationship between Technical English


# What is the relationship between Technical English and Business English?

# Do they have the same status?

# Is TE a branch of BE? Or is BE a branch of TE?

# Is Legal English or Medical English a type of TE?

a) The wide range of Content Areas

# Is there a common core of TE?


# Is there a common core of TE?

# Would a common core simply dilute TE and make it

less relevant for everybody?

# Are the differences compared to General English

simply lexical?

a) The wide range of Content Areas

Technical English for Physics


Any other

suggestions?

Technical English for Physics

Technical English for Architecture

Technical English for Biology

Technical English for Biotechnology and Food Science

Technical English for Chemical Engineering and Chemistry

Technical English for Civil Engineering

Technical English for Mathematics

Technical English for Mechanical Engineering

b) The Language Skills Required

# Do all professionals need all the communicative skills


# Do all professionals need all the communicative skills

of speaking, writing, listening and reading?

# Do the various workplace environments have major or

minor differences in terms of language skills?

# Does every workplace profile need all the skills?

c) The Proficiency Level Required

# What levels of language proficiency are required at the


# What levels of language proficiency are required at the various workplaces?

# To what extent is the language proficiency level connected with the workplace profile?

# What is the minimum level/maximum level required?

A2? B1? B2? C1? C2?

# Is the same level required for all skills?

d) Work Experience

# What is the target group for TE? Professionals in


# What is the target group for TE? Professionals in

employment? Professionals not in employment?

Students entering the employment market?

# To what extent are their needs different?

# To what extent could the various degrees of work

experience affect their language performance?

>>>>> Flexibility

# in terms of content area


# in terms of content area

# in terms of skills

# in terms of level

# in terms of the type of task that is given in the test

I. TALXX – Language Competence for Train Staff


II. Aviation English for Pilots


The ICAO language proficiency requirements focus on The ICAO language proficiency requirements focus on

speaking and understanding. Therefore, testing for

compliance with ICAO Annex 1 licensing requirements

should focus on speaking and listening proficiency.

a. communicate effectively in voice-only (telephone/radiotelephone) and in face-to-face situations;

II. Aviation English for Pilots


in face-to-face situations;b. communicate on common, concrete and work-related topics with accuracy and clarity;c. use appropriate communicative strategies to exchange messages and to recognize and resolve misunderstandings (e.g. to check, confirm, or clarify information) in a general or work-related context;d. handle successfully and with relative ease the linguistic challenges presented by a complication or unexpected turn of events that occurs within the context of a routine work situation or communicative task with which they are otherwise familiar; ande. use a dialect or accent which is intelligible to the aeronautical community.

1. Overall Written Production

2. Overall Written Interaction

5. Overall Oral Production

# Reports and Essays

# Creative Writing

# Notes, Messages and Forms

# Correspondence

# Sustained monologue: putting a case

# Sustained monologue:describing experiences

# Public announcements

Needs Analysis for Aviation English Testing

3. Overall Reading Comprehension 6. Overall Oral Interaction

4. Overall Listening Comprehension

# Correspondence#

# Addressing audiences

# Understanding a native

speaker interlocutor # Interviewing and being

interviewed # Information Exchange

# Informal discussion with friends

# Goal-oriented cooperation

# Formal discussion and meetings

# Conversation

# Transactions

# Listening to Audio Media

# Listening to Announcements

# Listening as a live audience

# Understanding native speakers

# Watching TV / Films

# Reading Instructions

# Reading for Orientation

# Reading for Information

# Reading Correspondence

1. Overall Written Production

2. Overall Written Interaction

5. Overall Oral Production

# Reports and Essays

# Creative Writing

# Notes, Messages and Forms

# Correspondence

# Sustained monologue: putting a case

# Sustained monologue:describing experiences

# Public announcements

Needs Analysis for Aviation English Testing

3. Overall Reading Comprehension 6. Overall Oral Interaction

4. Overall Listening Comprehension

# Correspondence# Public announcements

# Addressing audiences

# Understanding a native

speaker interlocutor # Interviewing and being

interviewed # Information Exchange

# Informal discussion with friends

# Goal-oriented cooperation

# Formal discussion and meetings

# Conversation

# Transactions

# Listening to Audio Media

# Listening to Announcements

# Listening as a live audience

# Understanding native speakers

# Watching TV / Films

# Reading Instructions

# Reading for Orientation

# Reading for Information

# Reading Correspondence

II. Acceuil Tests for the Hospitality/Tourism Industry


Flexibility

Similar solutions are feasible for many other areas of


Similar solutions are feasible for many other areas ofemployment: e.g.

# Research and Development

# HR

# ……….

4. Designing an Online Test for TE

i) Format:

A TE test could consist of the following three parts:

Basic Language

Competence

Writing Test SpeakingTest

4. A Flexible Test Format for TE

i) Format:


Basic Language

Competence

Aim: To assess the candidate‘s general language proficiency in RC, LC and competence in language elements, e.g. vocabulary, structures.


i) Format:


Writing TestAim: To enable the candidate to demonstrate her/his proficiency in writing texts of different genres (= different writing tasks) in English


i) Format:


SpeakingTest

Aim: To enable the candidate to demonstrate her/his proficiency in speaking English to deal with different a variety of tasks.


The BLC is compulsory, the Writing Test and the

Speaking Test are optional.

Basic Language

Competence

Writing Test SpeakingTest


The Speaking Tasks can be done either by phone or Skype.

OnlineBLC

BLC Writing

BLC

BLC Writing Speaking

Speaking

��

��

��

Online

Phone or

Skype


ii) Level:

The TE tasks assess the candidate‘s skills at the threelevels B1 – B2 – C1.levels B1 – B2 – C1.

The online BLC test assesses the candidate‘s general

language competence.

The rating criteria for assessment of the written tasks

allow a differentiated performance rating across the

three levels.

The rating criteria for assessment of the speaking tasks

allow a differentiated rating over the three levels.


ii) Level:

The rating criteria for assessment of the speaking tasksallow a differentiated rating over the three levels.allow a differentiated rating over the three levels.

>>>>>>

The Candidates get a language profile for the skills

they have chosen to take in the test.


iii) Specialist Area:

The candidates can choose the area in which they wishto be test in the Writing and Speaking Tests.to be test in the Writing and Speaking Tests.

= The candidates are given a number of different areasand they indicate on registering which of the specialistareas they wish to be tested in.


iv) In Employment/Not in Employment:

The candidates are given a choice of tasks in theSpeaking and Writing TestsSpeaking and Writing Tests

= The candidates do not need job-based experience toanswer all the tasks.

Modul 2 onlinetwo to be chosen

(one task, criteria-based evaluation)

Modul 1 online (B1/B2/C1)

MC

General Business English in a technical

environment

MONDIALE Technical English Exam

Modul 3 onlineSPL distinction

face to face/telephone

(modular choice)


DescriptionE-Mail

WritingSummarising Instructions

Report Writing

Note TakingPresenting

OpinionArgumentativ

e Text

Oral Exam : a) information-giving task (monologue)b) problem-solving task (dialogue)

Sample




MC


environment




(modular choice)


DescriptionE-Mail


Report Writing


OpinionArgumentativ

e Text


Speaking genres:

a) Monologic

+ Summarising (e.g. a technical article)

+ Describing (e.g. a technical process)

+ Presenting (e.g. a technical product)

+ Explaining (e.g. a technical principle)

b) Dialogic

+ „ +Jigsaw activity (e.g. comparing) different

articles on a technical topic, e.g. environment)+ Problem-solving/Decision-taking (e.g. heating system)+ Negotiating (Boss-HoD air-conditioning)+ Job interview+ Discussion (e.g. statistics, technical editorial)

Modul 2 online

Modul 1 online (A2/B1/B2)

MC General Business

English in a technicalenvironment

Timing




(modular choice)


(modular choice)

Oral Exam - finding a solution

Result Management

Evaluation - Writing

Category Sub-Category <B1 B1 B1+ B2 B2+ C1

Task Completion Task 1 EEx

Task Completion Task 2b EEx

Task Completion Task 2b EE

Discourse Skills Registerx

Cohesion/Coherencex

Development/Precisionx

Language Rangex

Accuracyx

Orthographyx

Evaluation - Speaking

Category Sub-Category <B1 B1 B1+ B2 B2+ C1

Task Completion Oral Production (8)x

Spoken Interaction x

Task Management FluencyxTask Management Fluency

Cohesion/Coherence x

Development/Precisionx

Language Rangex

Accuracy x

Phonologyx

Interaction Turn-Taking x

Compensating; Asking for

Clarification;

Cooperating

x

Registerx

Thank you

[email protected]

[email protected]

Martin Beck

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