This lesson plan teaches the vocabulary used to describe position and movement when conducting an examination.
B1-B2 level
● Topic: the body – position and movement
● Timing: about 30 minutes
● Lesson Type/Focus: speaking & vocabulary
● Speaking: discuss language commonly used to describe position and movement during an examination.
● Vocabulary: medical and layman’s terms for the body anterior.
● Speaking: practice using the target vocabulary.
The focus of the lesson is vocabulary used to describe position and movement when conducting an examination. The speaking gives the opportunity for students to share ideas and experiences as well as vocabulary. The vocabulary activity will give the students practice for using medical and layman’s terms and the speaking activity will allow them to practice using the target vocabulary.
Note: This lesson uses material from SLC’s course, ‘English for Doctors: Advanced Communication Skills’.
Put students into small groups and ask them to brainstorm language that may typically be used in an examination when asking a patient to get into a certain position or move a part of their body.
Elicit ideas and discuss as whole group.
Write elicited ideas on board for later analysis.
Can you show me where it hurts? I’d just like to take a look. Could you try and touch your toes please? If you’d just like to pop yourself up on the bed…
Discuss possible answers and correct as appropriate.
Put students in pairs or small groups. Ask them to complete the sentences, so adding either a term or completing the definition.
Elicits answers and correct as necessary.
1. face up 2. prone 3. side 4. sitting 5. abducted 6. toward 7. bent 8. extended 9. facing upwards 10. down
Students then look at the directional phrases used during an examination and complete the sentences with a word from the box.
1.back 2. look 3. open 4. deep 5. over 6. up 7. facing 8. ceiling 9. side 10. towards 11. middle 12. bend 13. straight 14. Straighten 15. palm 16. Rotate 17. pop
Download the complete lesson plan and student worksheet:
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