Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
English for Dentistry 2
Teaching staff
By appointment
Course coordinator: Natalie Gommon
ngommon@uic.es
Introduction
The aim of the language courses in the UIC Dentistry program is primarily to provide students with the necessary academic language required to understand and present dental research in English; English for Dentistry 2 is specifically related to research in Orthodontics, and it, therefore, parallels content presented in the students’ orthodontic courses. While critical reading and listening skills will continue to be emphasized in this course, a greater attention to speaking skills will be given compared to the previous course. Writing skills will mainly be reinforced to consolidate knowledge and to promote academic communication.
The programme contains 3 elements that include class-based lessons, tutorials and self-study.
The reading and listening activities carried out in the teacher-led lessons focus on related to topics in the field of scientific research and Orthodontics. Such activities are designed to develop comprehension within an academic setting. Speaking and writing activities aim at enhancing communication common to university and conference environments as well as to facilitate a solid linguistic base for the elements introduced throughout the term.
Tutorials will focus on student development and interpersonal skills and will include an evaluated group project.
The final part is the self-study, which primarily focuses on developing reading, writing and listening skills, consolidating grammar, specific lexis and increasing the autonomy of the learner when learning a foreign language.
Pre-course requirements
Preferred minimum global level is that of a B1 before the start of the course.
Objectives
Classroom:
To prepare and equip students with the language-related knowledge necessary to understand, synthesize and present basic aspects of orthodontic research in English.
To reinforce the receptive skills of reading and listening through practice using a variety of stimuli, and to facilitate the development of the productive skills of speaking and writing.
Tutorial:
To develop students’ interpersonal skills and ability to work with others in both native and an additional language.
Self Study:
To increase reading comprehension skills through tasks requiring students to analyze language on a lexical and structural basis, main and supporting ideas, and organizational patterns common in English literature related to Dentistry; to reinforce listening comprehension skills; to review high-frequency grammatical structures and vocabulary encountered in orthodontic research.
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- 08 - Knowing how to share information with other healthcare professionals and how to work as part of a team.
- 18 - Being aware of, critically evaluating and knowing how to use sources of clinical and biomedical infomation in order to obtain, organise, interpret and communicate scientific and healthcare-related information.
- 20 - Obtaining and creating a medical record containing all the relevant information.
Learning outcomes of the subject
Students will be able:
- To read and understand literature related to the field of orthodontics.
- To skillfully use English terminology and linguistic structures related to the field of orthodontics.
- To understand and participate in talks or lectures in an academic context.
- To communicate orally/in writing in an academic context.
- To analyze and synthesize oral/written information.
- To manage information from different written sources and information systems.
- To work in a team.
Syllabus
Topics:
Students will cover topics related to the evidence-based approach to orthodontics, as well as areas of most immediate relevance to current orthodontic research, such as oral health-related quality of life.
Discipline-specific Language Skills:
Students will learn to read, understand and discuss academic literature related to Orthodontics and dental research. Furthermore, they will study concepts and issues related to carrying out research in the field of Orthodontics. They will practice synthesis skills using material covered in this class as well as in their Orthodontics class. Students will learn to describe orthodontic conditions and their common treatments.
Language Knowledge:
Students will revise/consolidate knowledge about pronunciation, spelling patterns, punctuation, citing sources, clinical terminology and high-frequency vocabulary related to orthodontic terms and research.
Teaching and learning activities
In person
Students will become actively engaged in the process of reading, analyzing and synthesizing information from a variety of academic genres specific to Orthodontics, such as extracts from textbooks and dental journals. Students will discuss course contents in collaborative tasks. They will give presentations as well as produce some writing assignments. Listening activities will comprise listening for general and specific information given in lectures by teachers and presentations by other students and online speakers.
Internet-based language tools and material will be used and applied throughout students’ overall learning process. These materials will further form an integral part of the students’ group work as well as self-study, thus equipping and motivating students for the life-long learning of English related to their field.
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
|
Activity |
% final grade |
Learning outcome |
|
Final exam
|
25%
|
To read and understand literature related to the field of dentistry. (Comp. 18) To skillfully use English terminology and linguistic structures related to the field of dentistry. (Comp. 18) To analyze and synthesize oral/written information. (Comp. 18) |
|
Midterm exam |
15% |
To read and understand literature related to the field of dentistry. (Comp. 18) To skillfully use English terminology and linguistic structures related to the field of dentistry. (Comp. 18) To analyze and synthesize oral/written information. (Comp. 18) |
|
Course work: -Progress tests -Collaborative learning activites -Written work
|
15%
|
To skillfully use English terminology and linguistic structures related to the field of dentistry. (Comp. 18) To analyze and synthesize oral/written information. (Comp. 18) To work in a team (Comp. 8) To manage information from different written sources and information systems. (Comp. 18) To read and understand literature related to the field of dentistry. (Comp. 18) |
|
|
||
|
Group project I: Oral presentation: Lecture Highlight |
15%
|
To understand and participate in talks or lectures in an academic context. (Comp. 8) To analyze and synthesize oral/written information. (Comp. 18) To manage information from different written sources and information systems. (Comp. 18) To work in a team. (Comp. 8) |
|
Group project II: Presentation of Experimental Research |
30% |
To communicate orally/in writing in an academic context. (Comp. 8) To analyze and synthesize oral/written information. (Comp. 18) To manage information from different written sources and information systems. (Comp. 18) To work in a team. (Comp. 8) |
Important information regarding evaluation
- Attendance and participation: Students are reminded that participation, and consequently, attendance, in class and continuous evaluation are fundamental to passing the course. Furthermore, group work outside of class will also form a major part of the evaluation. Homework assignments and some quizzes will be posted on Moodle for students to consult.
- It will not be possible to pass the course by only taking the final exam in any sitting.
Make up exams
Second sitting exam: Depending on the case, a student who must take a resit exam may be required to complete a writing component and/ or an oral presentation assignment in addition to the exam. Students who must present for the second sitting exam are required to make an appointment with their teacher at least one month prior to the date of this exam in order to receive information regarding what the exam session will consist of.
Other tests: Students who miss a midterm exam, and who have a valid justification (i.e. medical certificate) must present it to their teacher the following day of class. At the end of the term, if the student has attended at least 80% of the classes, he or she will be able to make up the midterm on the day of the final exam.
Several small progress tests, or quizzes, will be given throughout the course. No make-up quizzes will be given, so students who miss a quiz will receive a 0 for that quiz. However, because each quiz bears little weight individually in the course evaluation, missing one will have little effect on the total grade.
Bibliography and resources
Resources:
Class-based materials:
Class-based materials have been developed from a wide range of professional and educational resources from current online professional journals and textbooks.
Intranet and Internet materials for self-study.
Bibliography:
- TULLOCH, J.F.C., PHILLIPS, C., and PROFFIT, W.R. 1998. Benefit of early Class II treatment: progress report of a two-phase randomized clinical trial. Am J Orthod Dentofac Orthop 113:104-10.
- FIELDS, H.W. and PROFFIT, W.R. (eds.). 2000. Orthodontic treatment planning: limitations, controversies, and special problems. Chapter 8. Contemporary Orthodontics, 4th edition, St Louis: Mosby.
- O’Brien K. et al. 2009. Early treatment for Class II Division 1 malocclusion with the Twin-block appliance: a multi-center, randomized, controlled trial. Am J Orthod Dentofac Orthop 135(5):573-9.
In addition, students will read other clinically-relevant articles from a selection suggested by dentistry instructors.
Evaluation period
- E1 18/12/2024 A02 16:00h
- E1 18/12/2024 A26 16:00h
- E1 18/12/2024 A20 16:00h
- E1 18/12/2024 A13 16:00h
- E1 18/12/2024 A04 16:00h
- E1 18/12/2024 A19 16:00h
- E1 18/12/2024 A25 16:00h
- R1 22/01/2025 A13 15:30h