Teaching Plan Information

5.1. Methodological overview

This course aims at training students to develop and apply the four language skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing across situations they will have to cope with in their future careers as physiotherapists. Students are not familiar with the biomedical vocabulary. They are going to acquire along this course, enabling them to develop and participate in the classroom activities.

The course combines a theoretical background with a practical approach.

In the theoretical approach, the teacher provides students with the tools and resources they need to understand, research and analyze texts of their specialization, search and process information from different sources, develop and write letters of transfer or letters to inform a patient or caregiver, etc. To achieve these goals, the teacher will suggest different activities, including role-plays between physiotherapist and patient, translation of texts, reading comprehension activities, etc.

The practical approach is based on guiding students to discuss situations related to Physiotherapy. Students have the opportunity to put into practice the knowledge they have acquired during the theoretical sessions. The teacher provides students with tools and resources they need to communicate fluently in specific situations, such as online resources to improve pronunciation in English, strategies to facilitate communication with patients, etc., as well as tools for the development of the project they have to present orally at the end of the course.

This course is basically focused on practice and will contribute to broaden the students’ knowledge during their future careers, since the specialized literature is mainly published in English.  

5.2. Learning tasks

The learning process designed for Scientific English for Physiotherapy is structured as follows:

Lectures

The teacher explains the theoretical foundations with the support of photocopies, online resources, videos, etc., and suggests activities so that students know how to apply what they have learned. Classroom activities, which are developed both individually and in groups, include role-plays about situations related to Physiotherapy , listening exercises, translation of texts, research of scientific terminology, creation of mind maps, etc. These activities will be checked in class or given to the teacher for correction.

Practice sessions         

In small groups, students will engage in some debates and carry out different activities on topics related to Physiotherapy. These sessions aims at understanding the role of occupational therapists in several situations: working with children with special needs, people who have suffered an accident, addicted to drugs or alcohol, etc. The students’ participation in practical sessions is very important, since it will count towards the final mark. 

Project                                     

During one of the practice sessions, the teacher will explain the objectives and provide students with guidance about the development of their projects. In groups of four, students will have to prepare an oral presentation about a topic related to Physiotherapy. They will have to explain the most important features of the disease (diagnosis, symptoms, treatments, etc.) or topic they have chosen, followed by a case about a specific patient. The oral presentation is expected to demonstrate that students are competent in grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, intonation, design and originality.

Individual tutoring

The teacher will clear doubts of individual students and guide them to overcome problems during the course. 

5.3. Syllabus

MASTER LESSONS

     Phisiotherapy

 What is physiotherapy?

 Conditions treated in a physical therapy department

 Responsibilities of the physical therapy department

 Allied Health Professionals

    Anatomy                  

Parts of the body: the skeleton, the body, the face, the insides

Bones

Major systems and organs

Types of fractures

Anatomical terms/common words

Functions of the body

Physical examination

Direct and indirect instructions

Verbs used in instructions

Pain

Differences between chronic and acute pain

Types of pain

Describing pain

Physiotherapy and sports injuries

Anesthesia

General anesthesia

Local anesthesia

Arthritis

What is arthritis?

Types of arthritis

Treatment for patients with arthritis

Listening comprehension

Videos and lectures related to health issues

Pronunciation exercises

Writing

Physiotherapy case notes

PRACTICE SESSIONS

In practice sessions, students will develop skills to communicate effectively with their patients:

1.- Communication with patients (greet patients, introduce the physiotherapist's role and setting the agenda)

2.- Patient records (identify the most important components of a medical history)

3.- Presenting complaints

4.- Oral presentation 

5.4. Course planning and calendar

- Lectures: 2 hours per week (first semester- September to February).

- Activities. During the course, students will develop different activities that will be given or sent to the teacher for correction.

- Practice sessions: 7  hours.

- Project. Students will have to prepare a project that will be orally presented during the last practice session.

- The final exam will be held in February.

5.5. Bibliography and recommended resources

• Miller-Keane encyclopedia and dictionary of medicine, nursing and allied health. Editor Marie T. O'Toole. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Saunders, 2003
• Hewings, Martin: Advanced grammar in use : a self-study reference and practice book for advanced learners of English : with answers. 2nd ed., 6th print. Cambridge, Cambrige University Press, 2008
• McCullagh, Marie, Wright, Ros: Good practice : communication skills in English for the medical practitioner. Student's book. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2008
• Glendinning, Eric H., Howard, Ron: Professional English in use. Medicine. 1st ed., repr. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2007
• McArthur, Tom : Lexicon of contemporary English. 1st publ., 4th impr. Harlow (Essex), Longman, 1985