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Anwendung und Vertiefung der Englischkenntnisse für Technikerschüler für Maschinenbautechnik
Start date: Jun 1, 2015, End date: May 31, 2017 PROJECT  FINISHED 

There were 26 students of the College of Technical Engineering who took part in the project. They had had five years in English language education, a graduated vocational education in metal engineering and at least one year work experience. As English is the international language for job related communication the objective of this project was to improve the students’ English language skills. The focus of that course was to improve the students’ English communication skills. The project partner Norwich Institute for Language Education (NILE) in Norwich, Great Britain offered the opportunity to our students to improve their English language skills, especially concerning the demands of a technical engineer. That included technical outings to local factories and staying with local families. Having given those students that extraordinary opportunity to immerse themselves in English language and culture in that way meant that they could improve their language skills and gathered job relevant experience in a member country of the European Union which enabled them to gain knowledge and also the opportunity to share it using a common language. Furthermore the students not only learned more about the way of life in a foreign country but also more about the different conditions and processes at workplaces. The students learned how to cope with standard situation in daily life by communicating in a foreign language. That experience and the ability to exchange knowledge in English will improve their chance of getting a better job in their home region and also sharpens the view for the necessity of being mobile within the borders of the European Union and beyond. The focus of that project was on the following subject specific main topics: The development of a mechanical engineering product during the whole two weeks course including business meetings which enabled the students to take part in discussions, write and answer business letters as well as giving subject related presentations in English. During all of those activities skilled Tutors from NILE observed the student’s progress to make sure that they would be well prepared to work in an English speaking work environment. The basis for the activity was a Memerandum of Understanding and a learning agreement between the partner organisation (NILE), the students and the Technical College of Engineering in Memmingen. To adjust and fine tune the content of the course programme according to the student’s demands, a permanent contact between the involved organizations was essential. The content of this learning agreement was furthermore the basis for the evaluation process of the activity to find out whether the previous made arrangement were achieved. Before the actual stay abroad the students were prepared in pre-courses aside from regular English lessons to provide them with the necessary language skills as well as to help them to organise the trip. Even at that early stage of the whole activity there was a steady correspondence per email between NILE in Norwich and our school to make sure the course links to the language demands of the students successfully at any time of the project. The courses, the excursions and the social programme in Norwich was organised by Nile itself as well as the homestay. The language course took two weeks and consisted of ten days with five hour lessons per day. At the beginning of the course the tutors checked out the special needs of the student and divided them into two groups according to their English knowledge. At all-time two German teachers were at hand if there would have occurred any problem, like students becoming ill, etc. After the first five days of the course an interim evaluation was made by filling out a questionnaire to ensure the quality of the activity and to enable the tutors at Nile to take action whether special needs were demanded. To practice the achieved language skills in real situations visits to factories like the Lotus Car Factory in Hethel or the IWM Aircraft museum in Duxford were made as well as trips to places and sights of cultural importance about which the students had to report and gave presentations. At the end of the course the students obtained a course specified certification as well as the Europass Mobility which was signed by the two partners (NILE and the College of Technical Engineering). Being back to their home country the students had to fill out a questionnaire to tell about the improvements and experiences they had made and to critically evaluate the outcome of the activity. The impressions of the whole trip, the experiences and improvements the students had made were told to the local media, narrated and described in the annual schoolbook and on the school’s homepage. Furthermore the Language Passport of the European Union was filled out by the students themselves during English classes. Finally the Europass Mobility was handed out to the students at a special ceremony at school
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