Every Day Living in the USA

Schedule a Medical Appointment

Designed for ESL beginners

 It focuses students' attention on language use in  a specific social context, namely scheduling a medical appointment in the USA.

Before you listen

Activity 1: Vocabulary preview
Here are some words that you might find helpful while listening to the podcast. Click on each word below for a link to Encarta Dictionary where you will find the word definition, and  hear the correct pronunciation of the new words. Then test your vocabulary knowledge.

clinic

schedule an appointment

check up

medical

dental

health insurance

copay

Activity 2: Vocabulary test

Test your vocabulary knowledge before you listen to the podcast. Chose the correct definition for each word. Hint: Go back to the prelistening activity and look up the words in the dictionary in case you do not know their meaning. The anser is provided at the end of the activity. Try to do the activity without looking at the correct answer.

clinic

1. a medical center

2. an institution in which children and teenagers are taught

dental

1. relating or belonging to the teeth

2. building where goods are manufactured

schedule an appointment

1. arrangement to meet somebody

2. a published work of literature

check up

1. to carry out detailed examination

2. feeling or showing pleasure

medical

1. used in medicine or treatment given by doctors

2. used in education or by teachers

health insurance

1. an arrangement by which a company gives customers financial protection

2. payment for a medical expense partially covered by insurance

(1 1 2 2 1 2)

Click on the link below to listen to our podcast

Everyday Life in the USA: Scheduling a Medical Appointment

While you listen

Activity 3

Pay attention to the seven target words. How are they used in the dialogue? Are they accompanied by any specific words? Have you heard these seven target words before?

After you listen

Activity 4: Comprehension
Please do the following activity after you have listened to this podcast episode. Organize the sentences in the correct order, according to the sequence of events in the podcast you have heard.
 Hint: You may listen to the podcast as many times as you wish. The correct answer is provided at the end of this activity. Try to do the activity without looking at the correct answer.

A. The clinic appointment scheduler tells Mr. Kuma that they have a Japanese doctor on staff.
B. The clinic appointment scheduler asks Mr. Kuma to wait while she connects him to the medical department where he can schedule his appointment.
C. The clinic receptionist asks Mr. Kuma to state the purpose of his call.
D. The clinic appointment scheduler would like to know if Mr. Kuma has health insurance coverage.
E. The clinic scheduler tells Mr. Kuma when there is an opening in their calendar to schedule a checkup visit.
F. The clinic scheduler reminds Mr. Kuma to bring his UIC ID and his co-pay to his physical checkup.

[ C B E D F A ]

Note to the Instructor
This podcast is specifically designed for ESL students who have recently came to the United States from another country. Scheduling a medical appointment in the USA can be a frustrating experience for newcomers. Not only is a there new language, but customs may be different as well. With this podcast students can practice the language they need for scheduling medical appointment. The podcast we created reflects real-life situations and demands. The prelistening, during listening and postlistening activities are constructed to provide students with opportunities for communication that is using the language to express and interpret real-life messages. Moreover, students are encouraged to engage in activities that adjust their use of the target language to a specific social context. The original dialogue could be found at http://www.literacynet.org/vtd/dialog1.html

Suggested follow up activities

Comprehension
By doing the suggested comprehension activity students are expected to identify the function, not simply recognize the dialogue features. For this purpose the statements are narrated, not taken directly from the dialogue.
Class discussion
Students discuss the dialogue as a whole class. Instructors could use the following questions to facilitate discussion: Did you find any part of the dialogue surprising? Have you ever had a similar conversation with a healthcare professional? Were there any difficulties for you? Would a similar conversation take place in your own country? What would be different?
Pronunciation
Students listen to the dialogue and pay attention to pronunciation of difficult words, rhythm, melody, pausing etc. Students repeat difficult parts from the dialogue as a group and then practice in pairs.
Vocabulary
Students encounter the seven target words not only in the original dialogue, but also throughout the activities that accompany this lesson. Students may click on each vocabulary word from the list for a link to Encarta dictionary and look up the word’s definition and hear the correct pronunciation.
Role play
In groups, students create their own dialogue. Students role play the dialogue for their classmates. In this way, students engage in activities that adjust their use of the target language to a specific social context.
Writing
Students could describe how they schedule an appointment in the USA and their native country. They could outline the differences and similarities between those two cultures.

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