IEEE Technical English Program
Moshe Kam
Alina Keschenr
Pramod Abichandani
Christopher Lester
IEEE Educational Activities
St. Petersburg, Russia
Opening Session Part 1
2 October, 2009
ver002
Why Are We Here?

IEEE volunteers have expressed the
desire to have IEEE provide Englishlanguage skill services to its Members

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2
…in countries where English is not a native
language, nor is it widely used
We organized this event to start an effort
in Region 8 toward establishing
Technical English Programs (TEPs) in
multiple venues
Weekend Program
Time
2 Oct
13:4516:30
2 Oct
18:0020:00
8:009:00
3 Oct
9:0017:00
3 Oct
18:00
4 Oct
8:30
3
Location
Corinthia Hotel
Description
Opening Session
Abamelek-Lazarev
Reception
Palace
Corinthia Hotel
Admiralty
Corinthia Hotel
NevskiII
Moderators
Moshe Kam, Alina
Keschner
Douglas Gorham
Breakfast
TEP workshop
Moshe Kam, Pramod
Abichandani,
Christopher Lester
Corinthia Hotel
Admiralty
Participant Dinner
Douglas Gorham
Corinthia Hotel
Admiralty
Debriefing Breakfast
Moshe Kam, Douglas
Gorham
This afternoon…
Speaker
Moshe Kam
Alina Keschner
Moshe Kam
Douglas Gorham
4
Topic
Opening Session
On teaching English to non-native
speakers
Description of the TEP workshop and our
next steps
Logistics
Why Are We Here?

IEEE volunteers have expressed the
desire to have IEEE provide Englishlanguage skill services to its Members


At present IEEE has only two such
programs:
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5
…in countries where English is not a native
language, nor is it widely used
In the Russia Northwest Section (R8)
In the Uruguay Section (R9)
A Few Words About Existing Programs

The Russia NW program is geared toward
Student Members

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The Uruguay program is a pilot study
toward a later effort focused on Members
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6
Started 2005
Not necessarily students; started 2009
The focus of this meeting is Englishlanguage for IEEE Student Members.
Who is involved in this weekend event?

IEEE Russia Northwest Section
IEEE Uruguay Section
IEEE Educational Activities Board
IEEE Region 8

IEEE Volunteers from Regions 2, 8, and 9

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7
The event is sponsored and narrated by
the IEEE Educational Activities Board
IEEE Volunteers have come to this
event from…
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



8

Croatia
France
Hungary
Iraq
Jordan
Lebanon
R. Macedonia
Morocco
Nigeria
Portugal
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Qatar
Romania
Russia
Saudi Arabia
Tunisia
Turkey
United Arab
Emirates
United States
Uruguay
Who is involved in this weekend event?

IEEE Russia Northwest Section
IEEE Uruguay Section
IEEE Educational Activities Board
IEEE Region 8

IEEE Volunteers from Regions 2, 8, and 9


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9
The event is sponsored and narrated by
the IEEE Educational Activities Board
IEEE Members
Standards
Association
Publication
Services and
Products
IEEE
Assembly
IEEE Board of Directors
Educational
Activities
10
Technical
Activities
Divisions and
Societies
IEEE-USA
Member and
Geographical
Activities
Regions and
Sections
Educational Activities Board


One of the six (6) major Boards of IEEE
Responsible for IEEE’s activities in pre-university,
university-level and post-university (continuing)
education


15 Board members

Approximately 100 committee members

Staff support of 22
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11
Including accreditation
Educational Activities Department
EAB: SMALL
BUT POWERFUL
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12
13
IEEE Educational Activities Board 2008
14
IEEE Educational Activities Board 2009
Most recent IEEE Vice Presidents for
Educational Activities
Year
Name
Teofilo Ramos
IEEE Region 9
2009
Evangelia Micheli Tzanakou
IEEE Region 1
2008
Moshe Kam
IEEE Region 2
20052007
15
Educational Activities Board
Sample Activities

Pre-university activities

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University-level activities

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Accreditation, Technical English Program
Continuing education programs
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16
Teacher In-service Program,
TryEngineering.org, Trynano.org
Expert Now, Education Partners programs,
Technical English Program, Certification
Educational Activities Board
Sample Activities

Pre-university activities


University-level activities


Accreditation, Technical English Program
Continuing education programs

17
Teacher In-service Program,
TryEngineering.org, Trynano.org
Expert Now, Education Partners programs,
Technical English Program, Certification
Why are we meeting in St. Petersburg?
Why are we Meeting in St. Petersburg?

The Russia NW Section has organized
and run a Technical English Program
since 2005

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Since 2006, an annual or semi-annual
event was added

18
Led by IEEE volunteers Alexander Mikerov
and Yuriy Sepp
Conducted in St. Petersburg
An all-day seminar to student participants
19
Why are we Meeting in St. Petersburg?

We take advantage of the 2009 event (3
October 2009) to bring together
volunteers from other parts of Region 8:
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20
To hear about what was done here
To see and take part in the all-day event
To discuss possible new TEPs in other
venues in Region 8
Why are we Meeting in St. Petersburg?

We take advantage of the 2009 event (3
October 2009) to bring together
volunteers from other parts of Region 8:



21
To hear about what was done here
To see and take part in the all-day event
To discuss possible new TEPs in other
venues in Region 8
General Framework (1)

Target Group:
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Entry-level requirements: Above average basic
skills in English
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22
Students of science and engineering, who need to
improve their knowledge of English for technical and
professional purposes
Upper class undergraduates or graduate students
just above Level B1 in the Common European
Framework of Reference for Languages.
Training objective:

Upper Intermediate Level (C.1.1)
Common European Framework of
Reference for Languages
23
Common European Framework of
Reference for Languages
A guideline used to describe achievements
of learners of foreign languages across
Europe.
Put together by the Council of Europe
part of the project "Language Learning for
European Citizenship" (1989-1996).
24
Source: Wikipedia (2009): Common European
Framework of Reference for Languages
Proficient
User
Independent
User
Basic User
25
Proficient
User
End here
Independent
User
Start here
Basic User
26
Level Description
A1
A2
27
Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions
and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs
of a concrete type. Can introduce him/herself and others
and can ask and answer questions about personal details
such as where he/she lives, people he/she knows and
things he/she has. Can interact in a simple way provided
the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to
help.
Can understand sentences and frequently used
expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance
(e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping,
local geography, employment). Can communicate in simple
and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange
of information on familiar and routine matters. Can
describe in simple terms aspects of his/her background,
immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate
need.
Level
B1
B2
28
Description
Can understand the main points of clear standard input on
familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school,
leisure, etc. Can deal with most situations likely to arise
whilst travelling in an area where the language is spoken.
Can produce simple connected text on topics which are
familiar or of personal interest. Can describe experiences
and events, dreams, hopes & ambitions and briefly give
reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.
Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both
concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions
in his/her field of specialisation. Can interact with a degree of
fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with
native speakers quite possible without strain for either party.
Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects
and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the
advantages and disadvantages of various options.
Level
C1
C2
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Description
Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and
recognise implicit meaning. Can express him/herself fluently
and spontaneously without much obvious searching for
expressions. Can use language flexibly and effectively for
social, academic and professional purposes. Can produce clear,
well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing
controlled use of organisational patterns, connectors and
cohesive devices.
Can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read.
Can summarise information from different spoken and written
sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent
presentation. Can express him/herself spontaneously, very
fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning
even in the most complex situations.
General Framework (2)
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Teaching unit period: school term
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Length of the program: 2-3 semesters
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3-5 quarters
Students move gradually to higher level courses
Typically three types of courses will be available
Organizing unit:
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Courses for a semester or quarter

IEEE Section in cooperation with an academic
program
IEEE Student Branch in cooperation with an
academic program
IEEE Section
Basic logistics
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A regular weekly event
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Program is meant to be delivered face-toface in class
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31
2-3 hours in one or two weekly installments
Focusing on student interaction and
conversation skills
Frequent discussions in groups and oral
presentations
Typical tasks that we want a TEP
student to perform (1)
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Read an article in IEEE Spectrum and be
able to translate a few paragraphs to
his/her native language
Prepare and deliver an oral presentation,
using PowerPoint slides about
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32
A technical project the student is engaged in
A technical paper in English that the student
has read
Typical tasks that we want a TEP
student to perform (2)
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33
Engage in a discussion in English about a
technical task that the student is performing as
part of a group
Prepare an article for the IEEE Region 8
newsletter describing activities of an IEEE
student branch
Typical tasks that we want a TEP
student to perform (3)
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Write an English summary of a technical
report or article written originally in the
student’s native language
Perform library and web literature search
and provide a report on findings
Typical Tasks that we want a TEP
student to perform (3)

Participate in an interview as a candidate for a
graduate program
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35
in a graduate program that uses English as
instruction language
Participate in an interview for an entry level job
with a multinational corporation
TEP is a Three-level Program
36

Elementary or Pre-intermediate
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Intermediate

Advanced or Upper-Intermediate
TEP Elements
Listen/Speak/Write/Read/Grammar/Vocabulary
======================================
 Listening and Writing
 Listening and Speaking, Exercises in
Pronunciation
 Vocabulary Presentation and Exercises
 Reading Comprehension and Text Analysis
 Listening Comprehension (Audio/Video)
 Grammar Presentation and Exercises
 Terminology Training
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37
Additional Elements of the Program

Administered in a university atmosphere
as an extracurricular activity
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Conducted weekly during the school term
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Requires attendance
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38
Discussion group element is central
Requires homework, midterm and final
examinations
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Possibly oral exams
Additional Elements of the Program
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Material studied by students is adapted
to their areas of technical interest
IEEE Section would run an annual
conference and competition
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39
Written reports; oral presentations
Possible participation of winners in regional
competitions
Requires tuition payment by students
Why require tuition?
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To cover some of the expenses
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To communicate the value of the program
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To enhance attendance
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40
Students tend to drop activities that they do
not pay for when pressed for time
Exams and Certificates

Entrance exam is held to determine participant
level
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Assessment of level and attainment continue
throughout the duration of the program
IEEE certificates are given
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41
Program is likely to be run at three levels
simultaneously
indicating level of achievement
Provided by Section and Region, possibly EAB
TEP is an IEEE Member Benefit
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Participants should be bona fide Student
or Graduate Student Members of IEEE
Non-participants should be encouraged
to join
Attempts to undermine bona fide
membership should be discouraged
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42
Students should not be encouraged to join
just for the duration of the program
Students should not be encouraged to take
advantage of 6-month memberships
Entrance exams
(Russia NW program)
Exams take place once a year
and classify candidates into
one of the following categories
43
Elementary (Pre Intermediate) Level
Language Index
Level
Speaking
Listening
Reading
Writing
44
Indicator Value
Ability to communicate in a number of commonly
encountered situations.
Understanding of spoken language, the ability to
capture the general sense when viewing
movies, television programs, etc.
The ability to extract information from original
texts.
The ability to provide a written statement of
everyday events.
Intermediate Level
Language Index
Level
45
Indicator Value
Speaking
Ability to communicate in most commonly
encountered situations.
Listening
Understanding of spoken language in context .
Reading
The ability to read books in English,
understanding of different types of written
messages.
Writing
Generation of correct business and private letters;
the ability to express and convey ideas.
Advanced (upper-Intermediate) Level
Language Index
Level
Speaking
Listening
46
Indicator Value
•Ability to express ideas and opinions with relative ease
(fluency) and using a variety of linguistic forms.
•Ability to communicate easily any commonly occurring
theme in the linguistic environment.
Recognition of different accents. Complete
understanding of spoken language in a single audition.
Reading
•Complete understanding of original texts.
•Understanding the various styles of written messages
and genres.
Writing
Ability to clearly and correctly express views and ideas,
using a variety of linguistic forms.
Participation of other
organizations and sponsors

Local industry
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Private Donors
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IEEE Section and
Region
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47
IEEE Educational
Activities Board
IEEE New Initiatives
Committee
IEEE Life Member
Committee
IEEE Foundation
Suggestions for Class Content
(accompanied by appropriate homework and oral
presentations)
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Participants describe their background
and technical interests
A session on a fundamental technical
area is provided to enhance terminology
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48
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Power systems
Circuits
Communications – antennas and transmission
Communications – wireless and networks
Fundamentals of computing
Class Content
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49
Students perform web and library search of a
technical subject and provide a literature
survey
Students write on and present a project or a
subject of their technical interest/focus
Students translate paragraphs from technical
articles in their fields of interest to and from
English
Student present short PowerPoint aided
reviews of history of a sub-discipline
Class Content

Students listen to clips from IEEE.tv and
youtube and answer questions
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50
Listening comprehension
Students undergo mock job interviews
and entrance interviews to graduate
programs
Students prepare and present technical
papers for Section paper contest
Class Content
Example: Describe the function and
operation of the following circuit
51
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bandpass_Filter.svg
Class Content
Translate into your native language
An ideal bandpass filter would have a completely flat passband
(e.g. with no gain/attenuation throughout) and would completely
attenuate all frequencies outside the passband. Additionally, the
transition out of the passband would be instantaneous in
frequency. In practice, no bandpass filter is ideal. The filter does
not attenuate all frequencies outside the desired frequency range
completely; in particular, there is a region just outside the
intended passband where frequencies are attenuated, but not
rejected. This is known as the filter roll-off, and it is usually
expressed in dB of attenuation per octave or decade of frequency.
Generally, the design of a filter seeks to make the roll-off as
narrow as possible, thus allowing the filter to perform as close as
possible to its intended design. Often, this is achieved at the
expense of pass-band or stop-band ripple.
52
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Band-pass_filter
Translate into English: Filtr pasmowy
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53
Filtr pasmowy to układ elektroniczny, bądź algorytm
przepuszczający składowe widmowe sygnału w
określonym przedziale częstotliwości, nazywanym
pasmem przepustowym. Pasmo przepustowe filtru
definiuje się jako przedział pomiędzy dolną i górną
częstotliwością graniczną lub jako przedział leżący
wokół określonej częstotliwości środkowej tego filtru.
Pojęcie filtru pasmowego najczęściej jest utożsamiane
z filtrem środkowoprzepustowym. Filtry pasmowe o
szczególnie szerokim paśmie mogą być zbudowane
także z szeregowego połączenia dwóch filtrów: filtru
górnoprzepustowego obcinającego sygnały poniżej
dolnej częstotliwości granicznej pasma i filtru
dolnoprzepustowego tłumiącego sygnały powyżej
górnej częstotliwości granicznej.
http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filtr_pasmowy
Translate into English: Filtr pasmowy
Przykład charakterystyki przenoszenia filtru pasmowego z
zaznaczonymi częstotliwościami granicznymi: dolną (fL) i górną (fH),
oraz częstotliwością środkową (f0). Na osi rzędnych zaznaczono
amplitudę sygnału na wyjściu filtru odniesioną do amplitudy na jego
wejściu (w decybelach). Umowne granice pasm przyjęto dla spadku
przenoszenia o 3dB. Oś częstotliwości f może być wyskalowana
liniowo lub logarytmicznie.
54
http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filtr_pasmowy
Class Content
Explain the following
telecommunications terms
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55
Adaptive antenna
systems
Delay spread
Doppler spread
Fading in wireless
communications
Frequency reuse
Handoff protocols
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Intercell and intracell
handover
ISM bands
OFDM
Paging system
Simplex, half-duplex
and full-duplex
Listen and Report: Bluetooth devices
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiV2LxHYHOk&feat
ure=PlayList&p=B435E415374ECDD9&playnext=1&pl
aynext_from=PL&index=15
56
Listen and report:
A Bluetooth presentation
Students view a video presentation on
Bluetooth devices
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57
Summarize the message provided by the
presentation
What are some of the advantages of the
technology presented by the video, and
how were they demonstrated?
[Discussion] Can you think of limitations
and disadvantages of the technology that
were not presented in the video?
Class Content
Listen and report: Voting Machines
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNYA5ggwG84
58
Class Content
Listen and report: Voting Machines
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNYA5ggwG84
Students view a presentation about possible
security flaws in Diebold voting machines
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Summarize the message provided by the
presentation
What are the dangers against which this
presentation warns?
What are the public implications of the
demonstration provided by the Princeton
researchers?
Class Content
Conduct a Literature Search
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60
Conduct a literature search on the Ozone
Hole
Provide a 400-word summary and a 10
slide PowerPoint presentation on the
phenomenon
Provide a separate report on the 5-10
major authoritative sources on the
phenomenon, and a provide a
bibliography
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:160658main2_OZONE_large_350.png
References


Wikipedia (2009): Common European
Framework of Reference for Languages
HTWK (Leipzig): E-Xplore Technical English
https://learn.sz.htwk-leipzig.de/wc/main.php?tool=About

61
Yiuri Sepp: IEEE Russia NW Section Technical
English Program Manual (Russian, 2007)
Questions and Comments ?
62
IEEE Technical English Program
Moshe Kam
IEEE Educational Activities
St. Petersburg, Russia
Opening Session Part 2
2 October, 2009
63
Technical English Program:
1. Next Steps
2. The 3 October Workshop
St. Petersburg, Russia
2 October 2009
64
What participants need to do next…



Determine if the program is suitable for their
section/locale
Get in touch with the Section and determine
whether the Section is interested in launching a
TEP effort
Create a 4-7 volunteer committee to develop
the plan
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65

Should include ECE/CS educators, senior volunteers
and possibly English educators
The key to success of the effort
Tasks of the Committee (1)

Determine structure, scope, size and
desired timetable

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
Identify needs in volunteers and
professionals
Communicate with schools and programs
that will participate in the program
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66
Including a small-scale pilot project
Identify program to launch the pilot project
Tasks of the Committee (2)

Identify costs, existing resources and funding
needs


Launch a “curriculum subcommittee”

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67
Consult with Section, Region, EAB about potential
sources of funding
Create course content and plan
Create entrance exams
Establish Pilot timetable, venue and recruiting
strategy
Conduct recruiting and testing for pilot
Launch pilot
Possible Sources of Funding


The local Section and Region
Local sponsors from Industry

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68
[Provide proper name recognition]
Private donors and foundations
IEEE Foundation
IEEE Life Fellow Committee
IEEE Educational Activities Board
The IEEE New Initiatives Committee
Questions and Comments ?
69