Subject

Scientific English II

  • code 13506
  • course 3
  • term Semester 2
  • type OB
  • credits 3

Main language of instruction: English

Other languages of instruction: Catalan, Spanish

Teaching staff

Head instructor

Dr. Noelia NAVARRO - nnavarrog@uic.es

Office hours

By appointment

Dr Noelia Navarro

nnavarrog@uic.es

Introduction

In the event that the health authorities announce a new period of confinement due to the evolution of the health crisis caused by COVID-19, the teaching staff will promptly communicate how this may effect the teaching methodologies and activities as well as the assessment.

The aim of this program is primarily to provide students with the necessary language required to interact in various situations of the biomedical profession and with a multicultural and international scope.  All language skills, speaking, listening, writing and reading, are equally important for this purpose, although oral skills will be particularly emphasized. 

The programme contains three elements consisting of class-based lessons, tutorials and individual study. The teacher-led lessons focus on the necessary communication skills for future biomedicine professionals.  Such activities are designed to develop oral communication and comprehension within an academic and professional setting.  Tutorials will focus on student development and interpersonal skills and will include an evaluated group project.  The final part is the individual study or ‘distance learning’ element which primarily focuses on developing speaking skills, consolidating grammar, specific lexis and increasing the autonomy of the learner when learning a foreign language.

Pre-course requirements

The preferred minimum global level before the start of the course is B1.

Objectives

Classroom: 

To prepare and equip students with the lexical and grammatical knowledge necessary to understand, synthesize and interact in various contexts of the biomedical profession in English. To reinforce speaking skills through practice using a variety of stimuli, and to facilitate the development of the (productive skill, speaking)?.

Tutorial:

To develop students’ interpersonal skills and ability to work with others in both their native and an additional language.

 

Individual Study:

To increase reading and oral comprehension skills through tasks requiring students to analyze language on a lexical and structural basis, the main and supporting ideas and organizational patterns common in English literature related to Biomedicine; to strengthen speaking skills; to review high-frequency grammatical structures and vocabulary encountered in the Biomedicine profession.

Competencies

08 - Knowing how to share information with other healthcare professionals and how to work as part of a team

11- To communicate in English in an international scientific environment.

18 - Being aware of, critically evaluating and knowing how to use sources of biomedical information in order to obtain, organise, interpret and communicate scientific and healthcare-related information.

Learning outcomes

Students will be able to:

  1. Manage terminology and language (in English) related to their area of interest in biomedicine
  2. Understand and participate in conferences in an academic setting.
  3. Give oral and written presentations in an academic environment.
  4. Analyze and synthesize oral and written information.
  5. Work in a team.

Syllabus

Topics:

Students will cover topics related to post-graduate work and continuing education in the biomedical profession. They will learn to perform in the following areas: recruitment and job search, different types of presentation situations both individually and in groups, communication and collaboration through use of the Internet, and the application process for post-graduate coursework. 

Discipline-specific Language Skills:

Students will learn to search for, understand and discuss literature related to the biomedical profession and their own particular fields of interest.  They will practice public speaking and synthesis skills using material covered throughout the course and from their training. They will learn to communicate in professional contexts both orally and in written form.

Language Knowledge:

Students will revise/consolidate their knowledge about the pronunciation of general biomedicine terms, high-frequency vocabulary related to professional and academic contexts of the biomedical profession.

Teaching and learning activities

In person

Students will become actively engaged in the process of preparing for the professional world by writing their curriculum vitae and cover letters for post-graduate course work, presenting their ideas, proposals and studies. Students will also prepare for a professional interview and participate in poster presentations. They will also work on team projects, sharing ideas with their colleagues and collaborating through on-line communication.

Internet-based language tools and material will be used and applied throughout their overall learning process. These materials will further form an integral part of the students’ individual study, thus equipping and motivating students for the life-long learning of English related to their field.

Evaluation systems and criteria

In person

Students will be evaluated in three general areas: interaction / participation, a final group project and a variety of tasks related to professional / personal development. The weighting of each area of evaluation as well as corresponding course activities and / or topics is listed in the table below:

Area of evaluation

%

Activities / Topics

 

 

 

Classroom interaction / participation

10

Cooperative learning activities (daily)

 

Professional interaction

30

Poster Session

Professional / personal development

60

  • Speaking

        Elevator pitch

        Interview

  • Writing

        Cover letters

        CVs / Summary

  • Email Correspondence                            
  • Cultural Competence
  • Accessing & Searching for info on websites
  • Analyzing Language Needs

 

If you don't pass the course, you must make an appointment with your teacher so he/she can inform you about the activities/ projects that are required for a second sitting. 

Bibliography and resources

Class-based materials have been developed from a wide range of professional and educational resources from current online professional journals and textbooks.

Lang T: How to Write, Publish, and Present in the Health Sciences: A Guide for Physicians and Laboratory Researchers, 2009, American College of Physicians

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