Healthcare Literacy

This lesson included vocabulary that should be taught to students before completing the lesson. We have provided a vocabulary list that will be used in corporation with the activity. Additional vocabulary can be incorporated as need. The grammar that is included in this lesson is completely optional, although it does tie-in well with the way the activity is constructed. 

Refer to Teacher Toolkit: A collection of resources that can be used as aids can be found in the Teacher Toolkit. 

Activity: Vocabulary Practice

Materials: 

• Appendix A

Time: This will vary as it will depend on the level of the students and how long the teacher desires the lesson to be as this is completely optional. 

Students will need to learn the vocabulary (Appendix A) that accompanies this lesson. It is up to the teacher how he/she/they want to approach this vocabulary, depending on their class structure, prior student knowledge, etc. The teacher can also add different vocabulary words that might be more relevant to his/her/their own students. 

Ideas include:

• Give students the list and let them learn the vocabulary with whatever method suits them.

• As homework, have students create sentences based on the vocabulary.

• Create a fill in the blank narrative with a word bank.

• An exercise sheet where each exercise requires students to create a single sentence with two given vocabulary words.

Activity: Presentation of Adobe Spark Videos

Materials: 

• Appendix D

• Teacher requires access to a computer

• Teacher requires  access to internet connection

• Writing Utensils for Teacher and Student Use

Time: Time for this activity will depend on the number of projects as well as the time available in class. Depending on student computer/internet access, this is also an activity that can be completed outside of the classroom. 

1. The students will be viewing the Adobe Spark projects of their classmates during this class. Depending on how much time is available and how many projects there are to share, the teacher can either: 

• Ask for volunteers

• Select projects to share

• Share all the videos. 

• Alternatively, if the students have individual computer access, selected projects can be viewed in their own devices. 

2. Students will watch more than one video project, but each student will be responsible for completing a written assignment for one of the videos they view. The teacher should assign each student to a video so that each viewed project gets at least one written review. 

3. For the written review, students will write: 

   1. One positive statement 

   2. One constructive feedback statement

   3. One new thing they learned 

   4. One question they have about the topic 

Note to Teacher: Refer to Appendix D in the attached document below for an editable and printable version of this form.

4. Students should turn in this review form to the teacher so that it can be given to the group that made the video. 

5. As an alternative, students could discuss their statements and feedback out loud after viewing the videos instead of writing them on a form and turning them in. 

Activity: Pre-Speaking Discussion

Materials: 

Time: 7 - 10 Minutes

1. Inform students that we’ll begin a lesson on healthcare. These activities will focus on how to convey important medical information in the case of an emergency, or when visiting a new doctor/clinic for the first time.

2. Think, Pair, Share: Display the discussion questions and give the students a minute to think about their responses. Instruct students to pair up and discuss their answers.  This should take about 3 - 4 minutes. 

   1. Afterwards, invite students to share their answers with the class. This should take 2-3 minutes. 

Discussion Questions:

1. Why is it important for medical professionals to know our medical history? 

2. What medical information should doctors know about us? (Allergies, pre-existing conditions, past surgeries, etc.)

Activity: Scheduling an Appointment with a New Doctor

Materials: 

• Appendix B

Time: 30 Minutes

1. Inform students that today we’re going to learn how to answer common medical questions using the vocabulary we covered earlier today. Today’s activity will involve working with a partner to practice answering questions commonly heard while at the hospital, a doctor’s office, a clinic or when talking to other medical professionals. 

2. During the activity, students will take turns roleplaying as a medical professional and a patient who is scheduling an appointment with a new doctor and has to answer questions about their medical history. 

   • Students will not be disclosing their actual medical history to their classmates (unless they want to). It’s just important that they are using the vocabulary to answer the questions. 

3. Students role-playing as “Patients” will answer questions using the vocabulary (either known, or from list). Be as creative or as simple  as you want to be when answering. If you get stuck, remember to look at the handout for words relating to common health issues, major health issues and symptoms. Students role-playing as the “Medical Professionals” will transcribe the answers given to them by the “Patients”.

4. Inform students that on their sheets there is information missing, and while you’re conversing with your partner, it’s your responsibility to use vocabulary that you know or pull from the new vocabulary to answer the questions that your partner will be asking you.

Comprehension Check Questions: 

1. Who/What are you roleplaying?

2. What job does the “Medical Professional” have?

3. What job does the “Patient” have?

4. Who should be writing? 

1. Allow students 3 - 5 minutes to read through both Appendices and ask questions about the content or directions if needed. Alternatively, this can be completed as a class if that would work better, depending on an individual class’s needs. 

   • Allow students to find a partner after going over the worksheets. Monitor that they are completing the activity as intended and that there is no confusion. 

   • Give students 15-20 minutes to complete the activity. The activity is complete when both students have had the opportunity to be the “Patient” and record information as the “Medical Professional” 

Activity: Presentation 

Materials: 

• Writing Utensils for Teacher and Student Use

• Appendix C

Time: 15 - 30 Minutes

A few of the student pairs (or anyone that wants to present) can come to the front of the class and "perform” their dialogue for the class as a whole. Alternatively, the teacher can chose the pairs that she wishes to have present to the class as a whole. 

Take-Home Form

1. Students will be given time in class to fill out a form of their own medical information to take home with them. They will not share this information in class, but it will be helpful for them to have this information on hand for real-life interactions with medical professionals. By giving the students time in class to complete this form, they will have the opportunity to ask the instructor questions.