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The self-study workbook and accompanying video and audio documents present a variety of scenarios based on typical situations involving psychosocial service providers and clients. Language learners who view the videos, listen to the audio exercises and complete the workbook exercises will learn to use appropriate English terms in order to do the following:
- make the initial contact and then create an atmosphere of trust;
- ask questions to identify the client’s needs;
- ask questions to identify symptoms;
- show empathy regarding the client’s concerns;
- make suggestions and create a plan with the client;
- help the client develop coping strategies;
- deal with uncommunicative clients;
- monitor situations and negotiate solutions.
Workbook Overview
Unit I - Helping Elderly Clients
Functions |
- Establishing an initial contact - Asking questions to assess the client's needs - Responding to the client's concerns - Creating a plan with the client - Reassuring an elderly client - Practising, listening to, reading and asking questions using vocabulary related to convalescent care and senior citizen's emotional and physical needs |
Listening |
- To a dialogue for general comprehension and details - To a dialogue for expressions of empathy - To and pronouncing words beginning with "ps" and "pn" - To and pronouncing titles - To and pronouncing words ending in "s" and "es" |
Vocabulary |
- Two-part verbs |
Grammar |
-"Wh" questions using "do", "does: - Present tenses - Using "s" - Possessives - "Ever" and "never" - Comparative and superlative adjectives |
Cultural Notes |
- Using titles and polite forms of address |
Communication Strategies and Effective Communication Techniques |
- Eliciting information |
Unit II - Dealing with Family Issues
Functions |
- Counselling a distraught client - Soliciting information about the family background - Putting the client at ease - Listening actively - Making suggestions - Finding resources - Practising, listening to, reading and asking questions using vocabulary related to psychological distress, problem behaviour and aggression |
Listening |
- To a dialogue for general comprehensino and details - To a dialogue for specific expressions to put a client at ease, to show active listening or make suggestions - To and pronouncing health professional terms - To and pronouncing problem behaviour vocabulary |
Vocabulary |
- Psychological distress |
Grammar |
- "Wh" questions using "did" - Simple past and past continuous tenses - Conditional sentences - Imperatives |
Cultural Notes |
- Using imperatives - Dealing with an uncooperative parent |
Communication Strategies and Effective Communication Techniques |
- Repeating and reflecting - Making suggestions - Asking for clarification |
Unit III - Youth Protection
Functions |
- Establishing an open atmosphere |
Listening |
- To a dialogue for general comprehension and details - To and pronouncing words ending in "ed" - To and pronouncing good and bad behaviour terms |
Vocabulary |
- Positive and negative emotions - Resentment - Pain and aggression - Teen speak - Vocabulary for clarification - Vocabulary for ending conversations |
Grammar |
- Simple past and past perfect tenses - Negative forms - Modal auxiliaries - Future forms |
Cultural Notes |
- Understanding teen speak |
Communication Strategies and Effective Communication Techniques |
- Insisting - Offering encouragement - Repeating words to elicit information |
Unit IV - Continuing Therapy
Functions |
- Encouraging positive self-talk - Eliciting specific information - Helping the client develop coping strategies - Bringing the session to a close/an end - Practising, listening to, reading and asking questions using vocabulary related to anxiety, self-assessment, coping strategies, grief, positive and negative feelings |
Listening |
- To a dialogue for general comprehension and details - To and pronouncing words related to grief, anxiety and negative or positive feelings - To and pronouncing "ch" words |
Vocabulary |
- Anxiety - Psychosocial and physical self-assessment - Two-part verbs - Emotional states - Negative and positive self-talk - Sleep - Grief - Words related to death - Time expressions |
Grammar |
- Present perfect and present perfect continuous tenses - Sequencing of time expressions |
Cultural Notes |
- Being sensitive about grief |
Communication Strategies and Effective Communication Techniques |
- Communicating respect - Reviewing effective communication - Repeating to show active listening - Offering encouragement - Eliciting specific information |
Unit V - Substance Abuse
Functions |
- Establishing an initial contact with a non-cooperative client - Creating an atmosphere of trust - Establishing boundaries for acceptable behaviour and language - Discussing steps in the recovery process - Creating a plan with the client - Helping the client develop coping strategies - Practising, listening to, reading and asking questions using vocabulary related to difficult behaviour, idioms, drug-related words, slang and vulgar terms |
Listening |
- To a dialogue for general comprehension and details - To and pronouncing reduced forms - To and pronouncing "th" and minimal pairs - To swear words, bad words, sarcasm and speech styles of youth and drug culture |
Vocabulary |
- Slang terminology |
Grammar |
- The verb "wish" - Two-part verbs - Gerunds - Verbs followed by infinitives |
Cultural Notes |
- Explaining swear words, vulgar terms and slang |
Communication Strategies and Effective Communication Techniques |
- Being persuasive - Making closing statements |
Examples of exercises available in the workbook
Unit I - Helping Elderly Clients
3_getting_to_know_the_client.m4v
Video - Getting to Know the Client
Unit II - Dealing with Family Issues
unit_2_h_dealing_with_an_aggressive_partner.mp3
Audio - Dealing with an Agressive Partner
Unit IV - Continuing Therapy
3_the_effects_of_grief.m4v
Video - The Effects of Grief
Coming soon: Complementary exercises related to each unit.