ST JOHN’S COLLEGE OF NURSING, KATTAPPANA

COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH

PLACEMENT: I SEMESTER Time Theory: 2 Credits (40 hours)

Course Description: The course is designed to enable students to enhance their ability to
speak and write the language (and use English) required for effective communication in their
professional work. Students will practice their skills in verbal and written English during
clinical and classroom experience.

Objectives:
At the end of the course the students will be able to,
1. identify the significance of Communicative English for healthcare professionals.
2. apply the concepts and principles of English Language use in professional
development such as pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, paraphrasing, voice
modulation, Spelling, pause and silence.
3. demonstrate attentive listening in different hypothetical situations.
4. converse effectively, appropriately and timely within the given context and the
individual or team they are communicating with either face to face or by other means.
5. read, interpret and comprehend content in text, flow sheet, framework, figures, tables,
reports, anecdotes etc.
6. analyse the situation and apply critical thinking strategies.
7. enhance expressions through writing skills.
8. apply LSRW (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing) Skill in combination to
learn, teach, educate and share information, ideas and results.
Unit Time Learning Content Teaching learning methods Assessment Teacher
(hours) Objectives Methods responsible
I 3 identify the Communication  Definitions with examples, Checking for
significance of  What is communication? illustrations and understanding
communicative  What are communication roles of explanations through tasks
English listeners, speakers, readers and writers as  Identifying competencies/
healthcare professionals? communicative strategies in
LSRW
 Reading excerpts on the
above and interpreting them
through tasks
II 5 describe concepts Introduction to LSRGW  Exercises on listening to  Through = check
and principles of  L – Listening: Different types of listening news, announcements, your
Language  S – Speaking: Understanding Consonants, telephone conversations and understanding
(English) use in Vowels, Word and Sentence Stress, instructions from others exercises
professional Intonation  Information on fundamentals
development such  R – Reading: Medical vocabulary, of Speech – Consonant,
as pronunciation,  Gr – Grammar: Understanding tenses, Vowel, Stress and Intonation
vocabulary, linkers with tasks based on these
grammar,  W – Writing simple sentences and short through audio/video and texts
paraphrasing, paragraphs – emphasis on correct  Reading a medical dictionary/
voice modulation, glossary of medical terms with
 spelling, pause grammar matching exercises
and silence  Information on tenses and
basic concepts of correct
grammar through fill in the
blanks, true/false questions
III 5 demonstrate Attentive Listening  Listening to announcements,  Checking
attentive listening  Focusing on listening in different situations news, documentaries with tasks individually
in different – announcements, descriptions, narratives, based on listening against correct
hypothetical instructions, discussions, demonstrations  With multiple choice, Yes/No answers
situations  Reproducing Verbatim and fill in the blank activities  Listening for
 Listening to academic talks/ lectures specific
 Listening to presentation information
 Listening for
overall meaning
and instructions
 Listening to
attitudes and
opinions
 Listening to
audio, video and
identify key
 points
IV 9 Converse Speaking – Effective Conversation  Different types of speaking  Individual and
effectively,  Conversation situations – informal, formal activities related to the group/peer
appropriately and and neutral content assessment
timely within the  Factors influencing way of speaking –  Guided with prompts and through live
given context and setting, topic, social relationship, attitude free discussions speaking tests
the individual or and language  Presentation techniques  Presentation of
team they are  Greetings, introductions, requesting,  Talking to peers and other situation in
communicating asking for and giving permission, speaking adults. emergency and
with either face to personally and casual conversations  Talking to patients and Patient routine
face or other  Asking for information, giving attenders  Handoff
means instructions and directions  Talking to other healthcare  Reporting in
 Agreeing and disagreeing, giving opinions professionals doctors/nurses‘
 Describing people, places, events and  Classroom conversation rounds
things, narrating, reporting & reaching  Scenario based learning  Case presentation
conclusions tasks  Face to face oral
 Evaluating and comparing communication
 Complaints and suggestions  Speaking
 Telephone conversations individually
 Delivering presentations (Nurse to
nurse/patient/
doctor) and to
 others in the
group
 Telephonic
talking
V 5 Read, interpret Reading  Detailed tasks and exercises  Reading/
and comprehend  Reading strategies, reading notes and on reading for information, summarizing/
content in text, messages inference and evaluation justifying answers
flow sheet,  Reading relevant articles and news items  Vocabulary games and orally
framework,  Vocabulary for everyday activities, puzzles for medical lexis  Patient document
figures, tables, abbreviations and medical vocabulary  Grammar activities  Doctor‘s
reports, anecdotes  Understanding visuals, graphs, figures and prescription of
notes on instructions care
 Reading reports and interpreting them  Journal/news
 Using idioms and phrases, spotting errors, reading and
vocabulary for presentations interpretation
 Remedial Grammar  Notes/Reports
VI 5 Enhance Writing Skills  Writing tasks with focus on  Paper based
expressions  Writing patient history task fulfilment, coherence and assessment by the
through writing  Note taking cohesion, appropriate teacher/ trainer
skills  Summarising vocabulary and correct against set band
 Anecdotal records grammar descriptors
 Presentation of
  Letter writing  Guided and free tasks situation
 Diary/Journal writing  Different kinds of letter  Documentation
 Report writing writing tasks  Report writing
 Paper writing skills  Paper writing
 Abstract writing skills
 Verbatim
reproducing
 Letter writing
 Resume/CV
VI 8 Apply LSRW LSRW Skills  Valuating different  Consolidated
I Skill in  Critical thinking strategies for listening options/multiple answers and assessment orally
combination to and reading interpreting decisions through and through
learn, teach,  Oral reports, presentations situational activities written
educate and share  Writing instructions, letters and reports  Demonstration – individually tasks/exercises
information, ideas  Error analysis regarding LSRW and in groups
and results  Group Discussion
 Presentation
 Role Play
 Writing reports
Internal assessment plan
1. Test paper
Term Exam Unit Marks Date
1
2
3
4

2. Assignments
a.
b.
c.
Internal assessment plan
Assignment average :
Exam average :
Total :

References