Hearing and Hearing Loss

Hello, students!

Huarong reminded me that I had agreed to bring in a speaker to talk to you all about hearing aids. I'm sorry to say that my audiologist has never responded to my many messages. So I contacted the Canadian Hearing Society and was put in touch with Bonnie in their education and outreach department. She is happy to come out and give us a presentation on hearing, types of hearing loss, and hearing devices. She can even do a sort of screening, but it's not a hearing test. She is not permitted to administer an actual hearing test.

Meanwhile, let's begin learning about the ear and hearing, shall we?


And here is an instructional video on fingerspelling in American Sign Language.


And here is a little lesson on 25 basic ASL signs for beginners.

Our Urban Foraging Expedition

Hello, students of the seniors' class.

We had a very successful urban foraging expedition, didn't we?

We learned a new word: ubiquitous. Plantain is ubiquitous.

Finally! Purslane!

Champion forager Saiying

Eyes to the ground

Back to class with our bounties

What we found

Catcher of big fish and big purslane

Here are some recipes for Burdock:


A Japanese Recipe for Burdock (video)

How to eat the stems and stalks (video)

More Burdock recipes (text)

Here you can learn about the benefits of dandelion tea.

Around a Hospital

Take this tour of London Health Sciences Centre's North Tower. Can you turn on closed captions? Can you slow down the speed of the narrator's speech? Let me teach you how!


Practice medical vocabulary with British and American pronunciation.

This "doctors and hospitals" vocabulary list is in English and Arabic, I think.

Watch and listen as a boy gives other children a tour of a hospital in the U.S.

================= WEATHER FORECASTS ===========

For those wishing to improve your ability to understand the weather forecast, try some of these practice activities below.

Weather vocabulary with quiz

Or watch the weather and turn on closed captioning to see if you can catch some words. It gets easier the more you practice listening!

Preparing for an MRI, X-Ray, or CT Scan

Hello, students.

Strengthen your listening skills with relation to the diagnostic tests we have been studying by watching one or more of these videos.

English in Vancouver - X-ray

Getting an MRI

Getting an MRI (children's version)

Getting a CT Scan

Preparing for a CT Scan

Don't forget to turn on subtitles if you need them.

Also, if you would like to apply for travel medical insurance, click HERE.

Excellent Listening Resource - Diagnostic Tests and Imaging

Hello, class!

As we talked about last week, I have discovered a series of short shows on YouTube called "Mystery Diagnosis." These are fascinating cases in which doctors were not able to diagnose the patient's problem for many months or even years.

While you watch the episodes, you get to follow the patient through a series of tests such as MRI, CT Scan, blood work, allergy testing, ultrasound, and even genetic testing. Watching these videos could help you boost your listening skills when it comes to medical vocabulary.

I hope you find them useful and as interesting as I do.

Go to YouTube and search on the words "mystery diagnosis." For me the most fascinating story was that of Brooke Greenberg, the baby who did not age.

Tests and Screenings - Routine

Hello!

Before we get into special tests and screenings, let's spend some time on routine tests and screenings that every patient needs. We also want to learn about the tests and screenings recommended just for men or just for women, just for young people, or just for older people.

For example, a yearly physical exam may include giving a urine sample.

The nurse will check your blood pressure.

The doctor will order blood work, so you will have to go to a lab.

Here is a short news video about the annual physical exam or "check-up."

At the Pharmacy

Hello, students of the seniors class!

This week we honed in on the topic of talking to the pharmacist, reading the label, and asking questions. We want to be active participants in our own care.

We had our listening assessment based on these four recordings of patients being advised by the pharmacist regarding their new prescriptions. These audios are from Queens University "English for your Health" series, which we use a lot in this class even though we find the odd typo or factual error.

After the listening test, you assessed your own ability to understand this level of audio text without being able to see the speakers using a self-assessment multiple choice list.

Here are the audios again.

Patient 1
Patient 2
Patient 3
Patient 4

Enjoy!

Our Medical Journey

Hello, students of the seniors' class!

We are working our way through a long journey that has seven steps:

1 - Make an appointment

2 - Talk to the receptionist on arrival; you may get a form to fill out.

3 - Talk to the nurse. You may have to answer health history questions.

4 - Describe your symptoms (page 24 of this booklet). You will receive a requisition for blood work.

5 - Go to the lab. Hand over your requisition. Interact with the lab technician.

6 - Go back for a follow-up appointment. You will get some advice regarding lifestyle changes.

7 - Go to the pharmacy. Get your new prescription filled. Be able to read the label (page 18). Listen and read.

The Systems of the Body - Overview

Can you believe it's been two years since we last studied the systems of the body?

Here are your links again.

This is a great interactive website for learning the various systems. Move your mouse over the labels to see the system.

This is a silly little game for learning a few main parts of each system.

Take a quiz about the circulatory system.

Enjoy!

A Visit to the Doctor

Here is a good vocabulary building activity.

Our talking picture dictionary comes in very handy.

Diagnostic Imaging

Hello, students of the seniors' class!

This week we continue our exploration of the nervous system by learning about a few diagnostic imaging tools available to our doctors.

We learned about nuclear medicine and about the type and amount of radioactive material used in diagnosing and in treating diseases such as cancer. Here is the very interesting document we looked at in order to better understand the safety and use of radiation in nuclear medicine.

Here are some charts and tables to inform you about radiation exposure in various Canadian cities compared with other parts of the world. It also tells you how much exposure you get from some common sources such as dental x-rays.

This is a fantastic interactive tour of the brain. It is also available in Chinese and Arabic.

The Nervous System - Tests and Screenings

We continue our very long journey through the systems of the body. This week we learned the main parts of the nervous system. We also learned a bit about CT scans, ultrasound and MRIs.

Here is a nice video about what it's like getting an MRI.

This video is for children.  It's easy to understand.

Review the nervous system.

This is one of my favourite TED Talks. You can see subtitles in English or in your language while you listen.

This is another really fascinating TED Talk related to our topic, but there are no subtitles in Chinese Simplified, only Chinese Traditional.

Enjoy!

The Urinary System

Hello, students of the seniors' class!

Here is a good video (in fact it is a series of four videos) in which a doctor explains the urinary system.

Renal System, part 1/4

Explore science games on urinary system for kids at NeoK12  

Around the Hospital

Hello, students of the seniors' class!

This week we have learned a lot about various medical specialists and the departments in which they work. We also practiced giving and receiving directions in a hospital.

Ellis Software - Health Videos

Would you like to use Ellis software again this week? You are welcome to do so.


Or would you like to listen to some of our HEALTH CARE vocabulary pronounced? Medical words are here.

The Skeletal System

This is a nice overview of the skeletal system, part by part.

This is a bit simpler. Hover over the parts to hear them pronounced.

Listen to this conversation between a patient and receptionist.

Here is a listening lesson about a medical appointment.

Orthoconnect is a great resource for Canadians who need information about orthopaedic care.

Here are informational publications from Osteoporosis Canada. One pamphlet is available in Chinese Simplified and Traditional, but not in Arabic, I'm afraid.

Take this "Calculate My Calcium" quiz to see if you got enough calcium for your age and sex yesterday.

Staying Safer in Hospital

Hello, seniors!

Welcome back. I hope your winter break was pleasant. Mine was!

Continuing with our very in-depth health unit (part II), this week we will talk about staying safer in hospital. Specifically, we will talk about avoiding hospital-acquired infections.

Together we will explore these steps for avoiding hospital-acquired infections.

For level 6/7 students, here is a fascinating story on America's National Public Radio about the human microbiome.

You could also watch this TED Talk about the human microbiome with subtitles in your first language.

AHRQ Guide to Patient Safety

Read what other patients have to say about your family doctor or specialist on Rate MDs.

I found public reports for our local hospitals, but the PDFs are opening as blank for me. How about you?

There is no class next Friday due to the teachers' meeting.

Lab Tests

Hello, seniors!

This week we learned about requisitions for blood work. I enjoyed watching your role plays with real cotton balls, gloves, and band-aids. Weimiao made a syringe from a pen.

Listen to these conversations between a patient and the laboratory staff.

If you enjoyed that one, take a look at the whole list. There is one about giving a urine sample, as well.

Happy learning!

K

Lots of Listening - Doctor

Hello, seniors!

Teacher Stephanie has a lot of listening activities on her blog. Her class is studying health now, too. Take a look!

Also: Maritza Goes to the Doctor

See you Monday.

Kelly

More Practice with Medical Language and the Body

Hello, seniors' class!

This week we are learning dialogues used during an eye exam.

First we will watch this video.

Listen to parts of the face and eye.

But don't forget to study the whole body. Listen and pronounce body parts HERE.

Pronounce more body parts.

Pronounce parts of the digestive system.

This British site has useful phrases that you can hear AND see translated. Click for Chinese or Arabic.