Doctor-Paciente

In my Spanish 8 class, we have been working with the topic of health and sickness for some time.  This topic provides endless possibilities for activities, conversations, and projects. Heading into the Winter Recess, I was looking to wrap up the unit.  Students created silly first aid videos based off of a booklet on primeros auxilios.

First aid videos

The basic assignment was for students to select an actual emergency described in the packet and create a 1 - 2 minute video about it.  They needed to include a dramatic reenactment of the emergency and provide the necessary steps for helping the victim.  Students did everything from electrocución to a mordida de perro.  All the videos were all creative and entertaining.  The project was a success, but one downside was that they spent a lot of time speaking in English in order to collaborate, film, and edit their videos.  

This is the cover of the first aid booklet the students used as a resource.

When we came back from vacation in January, I didn't feel we were ready to move on from the health topic.  I wanted students to spend more time ​speaking about health and wellness in Spanish.  I decided to try a doctor-patient scenario that would give students the perfect opportunity to practice tried and true vocabulary (¿Cómo te llamas?  ¿Cuántos años tienes?), while at the same time allowing them to tie together the ideas we had been working with (describing symptoms, asking how someone is feeling, etc.).

DOCTOR-PACIENTE TIMELINE

1.  Students took a look at a real patient intake form in English.  They worked in groups to figure out what questions needed to be asked to fill out the form, and how those questions would be worded in Spanish.

2.  We worked on compiling an accurate master list of Spanish questions and answers.

3.  We began practicing the questions and answers through a variety of classroom activities.

4.  We practiced a doctor-patient scenario in class for two days.

5.  Students spent a class period taking on the roles of doctors and patients while I observed them and evaluated them according to a rubric.

6.  Students completed a self-evaluation and then prepared for a minor written quiz covering the same material, but focusing on accent marks and spelling.

PATIENT INTAKE FORM

During the spoken assessment, students had access to the document below, which I based off of the English-language, patient intake form.  The "doctors" filled out this document and could show it to the "patients" during the interviews.

SAMPLE video

Here is a clip of two students in the middle of a doctor-patient scenario on the day of their assessment.  All my students were having conversations at the same time, so there is a lot of background noise, but here is the transcript of the clip:

Doctor: ¿Dónde te duele?
Paciente:  Está aquí (points to head).
Doctor: Describe tu dolor...0 a 10.
Paciente: 6.
Doctor:  Describe tu dolor.  ¿Es agudo, ardiente, doloroso, punzante?
Paciente: Doloroso.

STUDENT FEEDBACK

"It was cool to do this project because when I get older I want to be a doctor."

"I learned how difficult it can be if a doctor speaks a different language than the patient."

This assignment helped me learn how to say the vocab out loud, and I think that it helped me learn the vocab quicker and I will remember it longer than I would have if it was just a written quiz."

Next up

The next unit will be deal with daily routines and reflexive verbs...