Abstract:

In the Chemical Engineering degree at University of Cádiz (Spain) students must reach the B1 level of English before completing their studies. However, there are no subjects in this Title specifically designed to teach English, and the use of activities in English are really scarce nowadays. Since it is really important to progressively show students the importance of the English language in the development of the profession, the main objective of this work is focused on promoting the inclusion of activities in English in the degree in Chemical Engineering at the University of Cadiz.

This work is part of the Actions Supported by the University of Cadiz for the Educational Improvement, Training of the Teaching Staff and Diffusion of Results. The project has started covering the subjects corresponding to the second year of the Chemical Engineering degree, and it will be extended to the third and fourth years in the following courses (2013/14 and 2014/15, respectively). In this way, students will gradually do more English activities and getting more material in English. The desired final result is to teach mainly in Spanish, but increasingly supported on English materials (seminaries, papers, graphics, practicals, videos, etc), where students can also make presentations, tests and exams in that language.

A workgroup constituted by nineteen professors that participate in the subjects of the second year of the Chemical Engineering degree has been formed to fulfill those objectives. As a starting point, all academic activities that are included in the subjects have been reviewed, especially remarking those that punctually have been proposed in English in the latest years, therefore evaluating the potential development of English activities in the degree. A map of English activities have been designed in a coordinated manner for all subjects in the second year, avoiding the repetition of similar activities and assuring the gradual integration of English activities along the course. Besides, several materials in English have been prepared (problems, laboratory instructions, glossaries, graphics, etc) to support all the activities designed. The English level of both students and professors have been measured. The application of the present project will help students to reach the required English level, also fostering their international projection (Erasmus grants, works abroad, etc) and the development of a career that is strongly related to the English language.

Keywords:

Foreign language, English activities, bilingual teaching, Internationalization.