Experience in introduction of English terminology in engineering lessons: methodology and evaluation

This communication explains a experience for the introduction of English terminology in a technical degree of higher education. We present the methodology and assessment procedures used to evaluate the way the students perceived the introduction of terminology in English in two different subjects from 3rd and 5th year courses of a Computer Science degree in which English was not the vehicular language. We propose a strategy based on two main pillars, namely: 1) The design of materials, explanations, and exams, paying particular attention to the way in which the specific terminology was exposed to the students, and 2) The assessment of the impact in the students by means of the analysis of the feedback trough a set of enquiries. Our experience showed that the students responded very positively to the introduction of English terminology, and presented an affirmative feedback about the impact that an improvement of their linguistic abilities would have in their future work. Further, we present statistics regarding the use of English as the vehicular language for technical reports, which is envisaged as very useful by the students. Finally, we propose a set of questions for further debate which are centered in the role that English terminology should pay in technical degrees, and about the way in which universities should deploy resources in English languages within the different Syllabus

Intersubject Units for the English Class. 'Unidades interdisciplinares para el aula de Inglés'.

Material para el alumnado de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria en el que se proponen cuatro unidades didácticas interdisciplinares en las que se trabaja un amplio abanico de temas transversales utilizando la lengua inglesa como vehículo de comunicación. La cuatro unidades propuestas son las siguientes: 1. The Same But Different, donde se trata el papel de la mujer en algunas civilizaciones contemporáneas, con un proyecto de trabajo final al que van dirigidas todas las actividades de la unidad; 2. Let's Talk About Sex, donde se tratan la pubertad, el sexo y la contracepción, informando al alumnado, que deberá hacer una elección libre y responsable entre las diferentes alternativas; 3. AIDS First Aid, donde se presenta una aproximación médica y social a la enfermedad; 4. Who Cares?, donde se trata el funcionamiento de un centro de salud británico y local, lo que supone que el alumnado deberá modificar y reelaborar sus esquemas de conocimiento, construyendo su propio aprendizaje. El diseño de las unidades didácticas incluye los objetivos, contenidos de las áreas curriculares implicadas así como los propios de la materia de Lengua Extranjera. Se incluyen multitud de actividades didácticas y unas hojas de autoevaluación diseñadas para que los alumnos tomen conciencia de su evolución, y en las que se evalúan los contenidos, el interés mostrado, el método de trabajo, la actitud hacia el tema, la dinámica de la clase y la labor del profesorado.

Effect of amplification bandwidth on intelligibility of several different speech samples for a listener with sensorineural hearing loss

This paper examines the effect of amplification bandwidth on speech intelligibility using multiple speech samples.

Auditory, visual, and auditory-visual recognition of vowels by hearing-impaired children

This paper studies the auditory, visual and combined audio-visual recognition of vowels by severely and profoundly hearing impaired children.

The intelligibility of different kinds of test material used in speech audiometry

This paper discusses several tests used to measure speech intelligibility and speech discrimination.

Reaction-times of hearing-impaired children to acoustic stimuli of different sensation levels

This paper discusses a study to determine the relation between sensation level and response time to acoustic stimuli.

The perception of vowels in hearing and hearing-impaired subjects

This paper examines the relationship between speech discrimination ability and vowel map accuracy and vowel map size.

Difference limens for first formant frequencies of synthesized vowels in hearing-impaired listeners

This paper studies auditory-vowel perception abilities of the hearing impaired. The study investigated the relationship among the difference limen for first formant frequencies of synthesized vowels in severe and profoundly hearing-impaired listeners, degree of hearing low, and general auditory speech perception.

Correlation of the articulation index to the MTS test under different listening conditions

This paper reviews a study to determine the relation between the aided articulation index and the aided speech recognition scores obtained with the Monosyllable, Trochee and Spondee (MTS) Test, when administered to hearing-impaired children.

The construction of a thyratron inflection indicator, its behaviour with certain vowels, and its use in instructing deaf children

This paper discusses the construction of an apparatus, Thyratron Inflection Indicator, to help hearing impaired children learn speech.

The relation between intelligibility and the acoustic characteristics of deaf speech: An acoustic analysis of the vowels /i/ and /aw/, and nasals

This paper discusses a study that examined acoustic measures and the relationship to speech intelligibility of children with cochlear implants.

Predicting for the hearing impaired the intelligibility of different kinds of speech materials

This paper discusses a study to define the function relating the scores for hearing impaired listeners on four different speech materials.

Velocity discrimination of angular motion at different frequencies in individuals with normal vestibular function

The purpose of this study was to evaluate discrimination of angular velocity in individuals with normal vestibular function using a newly developed adaptive psychophysical measure. Vestibular psychophysical testing may complement existing clinical measures in diagnosing and treating patients with imbalance.

Isolating the 'farmer' effect as a component of the advantage of growing genetically modified varieties in developing countries: a Bt cotton case study from Jalgaon, India

The present paper explores the 'farmer' effect in economic advantages often claimed for Bt cotton varieties (those with the endotoxin gene from Bacillus thuringiensis conferring resistance to some insect pests) compared to non-Bt varieties. Critics claim that much of the yield advantage of Bt cotton could be due to the fact that farmers adopting the technology are in a better position to provide inputs and management and so much of any claimed Bt advantage is an artefact rather than reflecting a real advantage of the variety per se. The present paper provides an in-depth analysis of 63 non-adopting and 94 adopting households of Bt cotton in Jalgaon, Maharashtra State, India, spanning the seasons 2002 and 2003. Results suggest that Bt adopters are indeed different from non-adopters in a number of ways. Adopters appear to specialize more on cotton (at least in terms of the land area they devote to the crop), spend more money on irrigation and grow well-performing non-Bt varieties of cotton (Bunny). Taking gross margin as the basis for comparison, Bt plots had 2.5 times the gross margin of non-Bt plots in both seasons. If only adopters are considered then the gross margin advantage of Bt plots reduces to 1.6 times that of non-Bt plots. This is still a significant advantage and could well explain the popularity of Bt in Maharashtra. However, it is clear that great care needs to be taken with such comparative studies.

Isolating the 'farmer' effect as a component of the advantage of growing genetically modified varieties in developing countries: a Bt cotton case study from Jalgaon, India

The present paper explores the 'farmer' effect in economic advantages often claimed for Bt cotton varieties (those with the endotoxin gene from Bacillus thuringiensis conferring resistance to some insect pests) compared to non-Bt varieties. Critics claim that much of the yield advantage of Bt cotton could be due to the fact that farmers adopting the technology are in a better position to provide inputs and management and so much of any claimed Bt advantage is an artefact rather than reflecting a real advantage of the variety per se. The present paper provides an in-depth analysis of 63 non-adopting and 94 adopting households of Bt cotton in Jalgaon, Maharashtra State, India, spanning the seasons 2002 and 2003. Results suggest that Bt adopters are indeed different from non-adopters in a number of ways. Adopters appear to specialize more on cotton (at least in terms of the land area they devote to the crop), spend more money on irrigation and grow well-performing non-Bt varieties of cotton (Bunny). Taking gross margin as the basis for comparison, Bt plots had 2.5 times the gross margin of non-Bt plots in both seasons. If only adopters are considered then the gross margin advantage of Bt plots reduces to 1.6 times that of non-Bt plots. This is still a significant advantage and could well explain the popularity of Bt in Maharashtra. However, it is clear that great care needs to be taken with such comparative studies.