ELEMENTARY APPROACH TO THE MAIN TYPES OF AIRCRAFT AND

THEIR DISTINCTIVE MACRO-STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS

Teachers: Carmen Sancho Guinda (Dpto. Lingüística Aplicada), under the supervision of

Miguel Ángel Astiz Suárez & Jesús López Díez (Dpto. de Vehículos Aeroespaciales),

ETSI Aeronáuticos, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid.

Students´age: 18-21 years old

Student´s language level (CEFR): B1-C1 (average)

Subject: Idioma Técnico Moderno (2nd

year, 2nd quarter)

Module: Elementary approach to types of aircraft and their distinctive macrostructural

elements (20h)

Unit title: “Basic identification of the hangar inventory” (8 hours = 4 x 2-hour sessions)

Comments: Experimental insertion of disciplinary contents in a linguistic subject, with the

aim of reversing gradually the procedure and imparting technical free choice subjects in

English with a similar methodology.

Unit description: Reinforcement of the introduction to aircraft being provided in the 1st-

year subject “Aeronaves y vehículos espaciales” since 1998, but focusing only on

macroanatomical and functional aspects, with special emphasis on a learner-centered

dynamics involving: a) inductive learning, b) peer scaffolding (e.g. mutual instruction,

correction and testing), c) the development of more active study skills (Internet search,

creation of discussion groups, expression of opinion, oral presentations, etc.), d) the

acquisition of technical lexical terms in English, together with the structures and

communicative strategies necessary to convey disciplinary information. Since the

technical syllabus is highly theoretical and subsequent contacts with aircraft are

postponed until the 4th

or 5th

years, such an approach may prove very motivating.

Goals: Partial review of the contents imparted in “Aeronaves y vehículos aeroespaciales”

during the previous school year, but from a historical and more tangible perspective. In

addition, the encouragement of the learning methodology described above.

Objectives:

Disciplinary 1) Identify the aircraft models of the school hangar with the major

aircraft types

2) Identify their main macrostructural components and, according to

them, predict/identify function, behaviour, performance, etc.

3) Learn the history behind the school hangar models. Justify/Explain (if possible)

their past and/or present uses.

Pedagogical 1) Be able to take down relevant oral information.

2) Be able to look for and select information from diverse sources in

the target language (books, journals, the Internet, etc.) practising

scanning and skimming reading skills as well as summarising techniques (in the

form of key words, tables, outlines, flow charts, diagrams, etc.).

3) Be able to interpret graphic information and express the interpretation orally and

in writing

4) Organize and participate efficiently in study, work and discussion groups.

Linguistic 1) Review and practice the language (lexis, grammatical & rhetorical structures) of

description, argumentation, and narrative.

2) Review and practice the language of subordinate functions like comparison and

contrast, definition, classification, expression of cause and effect, hypothesis,

prediction, and inference.

3) Acquire the L2 technical vocabulary involved.

4) Develop agility in oral presentations

Students workload: They will be requested to a) participate actively in brainstorming and

discussion sessions, as well as in group tasks, b) look for demanded information and

provide it & present it orally and in written form (summarized) to the class, c) do the

exercises provided, c) take a final quiz on the contents studied (?)

Resources & materials:

Common to students & teacher Internet, any technical dictionaries, technical

aeronautical manuals and journals (from the school library & the Linguistics and

Aerospatial Vehicles Dpts.).

Teacher-produced materials Initial quiz, teacher´s dossier, worksheets, final test (?)

Student-processed materials Brief summaries of their information search and handouts

with the outline of their oral presentation.

Learning environments: Initial session at the school hangar, subsequent ones in the

classroom, and at the Calculus Center at the ETSIA/home (for Internet search)

Contents: 1) Guided visit to the school hangar. General overview of the main aircraft

types, 2) parts of the airplane (light and military), structural elements and forces acting

on them, 3) Helicopters (structural elements and forces acting on them), 4) Hovercraft

(structural elements and forces acting on them), 5) History and uses related to each type.

Lesson plans (4 2-hour sessions)

Session 1 (2h) (Learning environment = hangar)

1) In situ brainstorming session: Teacher asks students warming-up questions about the

types of aircraft they see & asks them to point at obvious structural differences between

them and predict functions & behavior (5-10´)

2) Teacher elicits information (if any) from the previous year visit about the models at

sight. (5-10´)

3) Teacher passes a quiz on basic concepts concerning aircraft types (10-15´).

3) Peer correction on the spot (10´)

4) Aeronautics or L2 Teacher explains and contrasts the anatomical & functional

features of each displayed aircraft in depth (without mentioning the exact models) (40’).

Students may take notes.

5) Teacher provides students with simple comprehension exercises (matching,

true/false, gapped summary of the aeronautical presentation. Students fill it in in situ

(15-20´) To be turned in for assessment

6) Creation of study/work groups + assignment of searches (10-15´):

North American T-6D Texan

Northrop CASA F5-A

Helicopter Alouette 3 Astazou

Hovercraft.

Collective negotiation of assessment parameters for the oral presentation Desirable

points: content (command of the subject/security, clarity, organization, visuals) +

language (fluency, grammar, phonetics, body language…). Teacher may facilitate tips

for an efficient presentation later on (e.g. overall rhetorical strategies + connectors, etc.).

Tasks assigned:

Oral presentation in sessions 3 and 4 (with obligatory participation of every group

member) (20’ max.) Points to be touched on: anatomical description and distinctive

features (Teacher may provide listeners with diagrams, together with the outline),

functions & history of the model.

Handing in of written summary (1 sheet max.) + talk outline

Session 2 (2h) (Learning environment = Calculus Center + library + classroom)

Optional Internet search (1h) at the Calculus Center (if not at home) and/or at the school

library

Classroom briefing (1h) Here students gather & organize their materials, assign

points to each group member, and start elaborating a glossary—or at least a list—of the

terms they will be using.

Session 3 (2h) (Learning environment = classroom)

Oral presentations (20’each, with 10´ for questions) with simultaneous peer evaluation

(subsequent if students decide to take notes. Teacher facilitates a grading grid with the

parameters negotiated in Session 1.

Session 4 (2h) (Learning environment = classroom)

Completion of the gapped summaries from the presentations + simple extra

recapitulating exercises. (1h)

Class debate on the presentations & on the most interesting aircraft model. Teacher may

facilitate tips for expressing opinion. (1h)

Assessment: Continuous through participation, exercises, presentation feedback sheets

(gapped summaries), and final presentation performance.

Bibliography & Sitography:

Strongly recommended:

Barnard, R.H. & D.R. Philpott (1989/1991). Aircraft Flight. A Description of the

Gunston, B. (1988). A Century of Flight. London: Brian Todd Publishing House.

Kermode, A.C. (1970/1989). Flight Without Formulae. Hong-Kong: Longman, 5th

ed.

Northrop F-5A “Freedom Fighter”

http://www.wmof.com/f5a.htm

Northrop F-5A “Freedom Fighter”

http://www.wpaf.af.mil/museum/research/fighter/f5a.htm

Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter

http://www.zap16.com/mil%20fact/f5/20freedomfighter.htm

North American Harvard / T-6D Texan

http://www.flymuseum.dk/sprog/engelsk/ukfly/T-6D.html

North American T6 Harvard

http://www.zap16.com/mil%/20fact/harvard.htm

T6D Mosquito and TACP Jeep

www.wpafb.af.mil%20fact/harvard.htm

SA-316/SA-39 Alouette III

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/would/europe/alouette3.htm

News:The Alouette 3 celebrates 40 years

http://www.helis.com/news/1999/ae3y40.htm

Hovercraft History & Hovercraft Museum Website Index

http://www.hovercraft-museum.org/contents.html

The history of the Hovercraft-ChristopherCockerell

http://www.inventors.about.com//library/inventors/blhovercraft.htm

Science Experiment-Build a real working hovercraft

http://www.spartechsoftware.com/recko/Experiments/ExpHoverCraft.htm

Science fair project: vacuum cleaner powered, large simple hovercraft

http://www.amasci.com/amateur/hoverctf.html