Print version Recommend this page Press release
44/ 2004
Bonn, 9.12. 2004
Learning occupation-related English with "techgo!"
Being able to speak English is pretty important nowadays - and absolutely vital in the working world: International business, conversations with customers or periods spent working abroad make daily demands on skilled German workers' English language competence. A general knowledge of English is not enough to ensure its correct use in one's day-to-day professional life. Proficiency in technical English is also indispensable. Trainees and skilled workers in the metal technology, electrical engineering and information technology fields who want to acquire the language skills necessary for meeting this occupational challenge can now practise the ins and outs of technical English with the help of the "techgo!" interactive learning programme. Developed by the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training together with the Christiani-Verlag publishing house, techgo! is the first interactive learning programme that is not aimed at teaching the language skills needed simply for communicating during holidays in a foreign country. Instead, it offers technical English on a broad thematic basis for use in initial and continuing vocational training activities.
The techgo! package is organized in 27 units and is suited for use by individuals preparing on their own for the examination for the "Foreign Languages" additional qualification module or as preparation for working abroad. The units include:
- Basic learning units that cover subjects such as job application training, drafting business letters, telephoning and the like
- Technical field-specific units in the areas
- IT
- Metal technology
- Electrical engineering
- Technical drawing
Each unit consists of five to seven chapters which include (among other things):
- A list of learning goals
- Dialogue texts
- A section on geography and culture
- Exercises for the respective field-specific unit. These are fill-in-the-blank, match-the-answers and translation exercises.
- Selected exercises on the most important points of English grammar
- Review exercises for the previous unit ("Do you remember?") and
- An alphabetical vocabulary list.
techgo! students learn English not only in written form. In order to practise speaking in a foreign language and to learn correct pronunciation, the lessons also give them the opportunity to hear it as well: Native speakers with the most common accents read aloud dialogues, texts and the individual words that can be called up from the vocabulary list. In the process, students acquire the English language proficiency they need in order to deal with day-to-day situations, work in a foreign country, or communicate with English-speaking colleagues. The package is suited for learning on one's own or for use in vocational schools or continuing vocational training seminars.
techgo! comes in two different versions:
-
The techgo! full version with all 27 units on one CD-ROM (€ 199)
-
Five individual CD-ROMs (€ 75 each) with selected units for the following themes:
- techgo! - Unit 1: Basics
- techgo! - Unit 2: IT package
- techgo! - Unit 3: Electrical engineering package
- techgo! - Unit 4: Metal technology package
- techgo! - Unit 5: Technical drawing package (a compilation from unit sets 2 - 4).
The techgo! CD-ROMs can be ordered from Dr.-Ing. Paul Christiani GmbH & Co. KG, Hermann-Hesse-Weg 2, 78464 Konstanz, Germany. Tel. +49 7531 - 580 116, Fax: +49 7531 - 580 185; E-mail: info@christiani.de
