English language
Academic Year 2023/2024 - Teacher: SAMANTHA RUSSOExpected Learning Outcomes
The English course aim is to provide the students with the main language structures and the ability to understand and translate English texts of scientific topic. In particular, the students should become familiar with scientific terminology in English.
Course Structure
Frontal lessons. Should teaching be carried out in mixed mode or remotely, it may be necessary to introduce changes with respect to previous statements, in line with the programme planned and outlined in the syllabus. Learning assessment may also be carried out on line, should the conditions require it.
Required Prerequisites
Attendance of Lessons
Detailed Course Content
The English course provides for the acquisition of medical terminology related to the human eye parts and functions and eye disorders and patologies as well as the knowledge of English grammar and syntax necessary for scientific writing. Furthermore, the students are required to analyze the IMRAD structure characterizing the most reputable research articles.
Textbook Information
1. Eric H. Glendinning, Ron Howard, Professional English in Use, Medicine, Cambridge
2. Roberta Losano, Inglese scientifico, Manuale d’uso, Edizioni Minerva Medica
3. Grammatica: testo a scelta dello studente
Course Planning
| Subjects | Text References | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grammar • definite and indefinite articles (a, the) • Personal subject and object pronouns • Possessive adjectives and pronouns • Question words • Relative pronouns and relative clauses • Plurals: countable and uncountable nouns | 3.Grammar book of the student's choice |
| 2 | • Indefinite articles: some/any; much/many, a lot of • Preposizions (position 1, posizion 2 and time) • Saxon genitive •Comparatives and superlatives • word Order: adjective and adverb position • Connectors/linkers • False friends | 3.Grammar book of the student's choice |
| 3 | •i Auxiliary verbs: to be/to have/have got/to do • Verb tenses: present simple/ present continuous / future: (will/ -ing/ to be going to)/ present perfect/ past simple/ present perfect continuous + duration form (how long? since/ for)/ past perfect | 3. Grammar book of the student's choice |
| 4 | past continuous/ past perfect continuous, condizional present e past: would/ should/ could/ would have/ should have/ could have, “if” clauses, passive voice. • Modal Verbs: can/ could/ be able to/ may/ might/ have to/ must/ should | 3. Grammar book of the student's choice |
| 5 | Medical-scientific terminology • Parts of the body: anatomical terms and words of the common language • Functions of the body • The eye: parts and functions Health professionals (Opticians, orthoptist and ophtalmologist assistants ) | book 1 – Units 1,2,3,4, 8 (B), 16 e 42 (sezione B) |
| 6 | • Research articles, abstracts and data presentation • Appendix 1 (Parts of the body) and Appendix 2 (Verbs used in instructions). | Testo 1 - Units 55,56,57,58, Appendix 1-2 |
| 7 | • Scientific English - stilistic choices: Passive Voice, Noun style, Hedging - sintactic choices: Verb tenses (Present e Past tense) and Modals. - lexical choices: Compounding | Testo 2 – Cap. 3 |
Learning Assessment
Examples of frequently asked questions and / or exercises
Speaking and writing: Introducing yourself; the human eye parts and functions; speaking about eye disorders etc.
Scientific writing: Research article and IMRAD Structure; Informative and Descriptive Abstracts.