Medical English Teaching Difficulties and Improvements医学英语教学中存在的问题及其改进方法

学士学位论文XXXX大学T H E S I S O F B A C H E L O R D E G R E E学士学位论文 医学英语教学中存在的问题及其改进方法Medical English Teaching Difficulties and Improvements学 生 姓 名 学 生 学 号 学 科 专 业 英 语指 导 教 师 研究起止时间 2013年3月至6月 所 在 学 院 语 言 文 化 学 院2013年05月31日iv摘 要医学英语课程旨在培养国际卫生背景下的复合型人才。培养的毕业生是既有较扎实的自然科学、医学基础知识及一定的临床医学专业基础知识，又有坚实的英语语言知识基础、较强的英语语言运用能力和一定的社会人文学科知识，能熟练地用英语和所学医学专业知识在医药、公共卫生、医药信息管理、医学英语教育等领域从事国际交流、教学科研等工作的应用型人才。医学英语成为现在医学院校的新型课程，在多年的发展中有中医英语，药学英语，医用英语等分支。我校自2006年起开设英语专业教学，在与其他高校英语专业课程保持一致的同时，特别增加了符合我校特色的医学英语的教学，这使得我校英语专业既保留了传统英语教学的内容的同时，有增加了适用于新时代特色的专业英语教学内容。我校在医学英语教学已经有了7年的历史，积累了长期宝贵的教学经验。当然，由于医学英语专业属于新兴学科，所以难免在教学过程中出现问题。本文阐释了在医学院校英语专业中开设医学英语课程的必要性。阐明了医学英语的文体特点，以及以在新疆医科大学英语专业中进行问卷调查和访问的形式，分析了我校医学英语教学中存在的不足并相应提出了解决方法。关键词：医学英语;教学难点;改进措施AbstractMedical English course is set up under the background of international health inter-disciplinary and it aims to train some talents who can participate in medical English career. Cultivation of graduates has not only solid basic knowledge of medical, but also some clinical medicine knowledge. They have strong English language skills and certain social humanities knowledge. They can learn general English, public health, medical information management, medical English and so on. They also can engage in international communication, teaching and scientific research.Medical English is a new curriculum in medical universities. Medical English divide into some branches such as TCM English, pharmacy English, medical English. Our school has set up English major since 2006. Comparing with other universities, our university adds medical English courses, which makes English majors not only retain the traditional English teaching courses, but also apply to the characteristics of the new era of professional English teaching courses in our university. With seven years development, medical English teaching in our university has accumulated affluent teaching experience. Of course, since medical English course is a new curriculum, it is inevitably has some problems in the teaching process. This thesis expound the importance for medical universities set up medical English courses, the features of medical English .The thesis also analysis the problems in medical English teaching and put forward some improvements.Key words: Medical English; difficulties; improvementsContentsAbstract (Chinese & English)Introduction1Chapter One: Introduction11.1 The background of the study 11.2 The significance and purpose of the study 21.3 The structure of the thesis 2Chapter Two: Literature Review 32.1 Introduction of ESP32.2 The ESP and GE32.3 Introduction of medical English 32.4 Medical English teaching 3Chapter Three: The importance of medical English teaching43.1 To meet the needs of the social market43.2 To meet the needs of the subject construction43.3 To meet the requirements of colleges and Universities5Chapter Four: Features of medical English74.1 Characteristics of medical English words7 4.1.1 Pronunciation of medical English words7 4.1.2 Constitution of medical English words7 4.1.3 Semantic Characteristics of Medical English words84.2 Characteristics of Medical English sentences8 4.2.1 Widely used in the predicate verb9 4.2.2 Extensive use long sentences and clauses9 4.2.3 Widely used in the passive voice9Chapter Five: Investigation report115.1 Research respondents115.2 Research tools115.3 Presentation and results11Chapter Six: Problems in medical English teaching17 6.1 Schools dont pay enough attention17 6.2 The books are obsolete17 6.3 Lacking of medical English studying environment17 6.4 Teachers are not professional enough18 6.5 Students study medical English passively18Chapter Seven: Improving methods20 7.1 Link Medical English and Basic English gradually in the daily teaching20 7.2 Arrange effective teaching schedule20 7.3 Build a harmonious relationship between teachers and students21 7.4 Cultivate students to form good habits21 7.5 Establish a complete test system21Chapter Eight: Conclusion 23 8.1 Findings of the study 23 8.2 Advantages of the study 23 8.3 Limitations of the study 26Bibliography27AppendixAcknowledgements学位论文独创性声明学位论文知识产权权属声明Chapter OneIntroduction1.1 The background of the studyThe 21st Century is full of knowledge and information, which is featured by the appearance of the technology superhighway. On the other hand, the spread and the education of English in the international context is a research hot spot; on the other hand, the demand for talents is increasingly high, which backs itself in the international market. Therefore, we have to educate the new talents to meet the demands of the new century, in which great importance is attached to the education of international talents. And English teachers play a more important role in todays college teaching. In order to educate international medical talents, medical English teachers have been trying their best to find the most suitable teaching methods to improve the medical English teaching. On September 14th 2012, the 2nd International Symposium of Modern Medicine, the Traditional Chinese Medicine and Uyger Medicine and the 12th National Symposium of Integrative Medicine in Prevention and Treatment of Respiratory Diseases was held in the capital of Xinjiang, Urumqi. The theme of this meeting is to build a large system of medicine. This is a high-stakes conference which gathers numbers of medical experts, exchange abundant medical information and full of opportunities and innovations. More than 30 medical experts presented their academic reports. This conference has chosen 305 highest quality medical papers which devoted a great of efforts by medical exports. The report presentations follow no set form .The conference was focused by medical experts and scholars all over the world. English majors in this conference act as volunteers. Their warm service for foreign guests in the conference has received a good comment by foreign medical experts from all around the world. As we all know, medical communication increasingly frequent nowadays. In this process, we should not only introduce and absorb advanced foreign medical knowledge, but also disseminate and promote traditional Chinese medicine knowledge all over the world. Medical English courses are designed to develop inter-disciplinary talents who own a solid English language foundation, have proficient English language skills, have the knowledge of medical science, and have strong communication ability. They can engage in the medical and health care and other related areas for international communication, translation, research, teaching and management work. Medical English major courses include introduction of basic medical, introduction of clinical medicine, preventive medicine, traditional Chinese medicine and pharmacy, basic English, advanced English, medical English terminology , and English reading, oral English, English writing, English listening, English and American literature, British and American culture, linguistics, translation theory, the second foreign language, hospital management, health economics, health statistics, basic computer knowledge . There are many famous medical universities set up medical English courses in our country. Like Beijing University even opened medical English major. 1.2The significance and purpose of the studyWith the extraordinary development of the globalized economy and China entering WHO, talents are demanded to communicate with the outside world well, so making they understand is more and more critical. However, the society is in a need of the talents who are perfect for both the major and English or the other foreign languages. Its quite urgent for English majors to learn how to get access to materials and resources they need in their specific fields.WTO provides both opportunities and challenges for those students who majoring in English. And one of them will have a strong influence on the education of the English majors. After China joining in WTO, the public health system in China and scientific development should be globalized, and that may be showed in the area of medical English talents education. This great change may also demand the English majors combine their studies with medical knowledge in medical universities, which may lead to great reform in medical English teaching.Through questionnaires from 100 English majors and interviews of 24 English majors in Xinjiang Medical University, this paper will probe into the problems on medical English teaching. It discusses some problems in teaching medical English, including teaching materials, teachers and teaching methods. And then put forward some improvements on medical English teaching.1.3 The structure of the thesisThe thesis is composed of eight chapters. In Chapter One, the author introduces the background and significance of the study, the purpose and the framework of the thesis. In Chapter Two, the literature review is told from ESP and GE. And the following chapter shows the importance to learn medical English. In Chapter Four the author analyzes some features of medical English. In Chapter Five, the author analyzes the data which are got in the research, and make some explanations. In the following two chapters, the author present some problems in medical English teaching and put forward some improvements. And in the last chapter, Chapter Eight, the author draw a conclusion about the whole thesis. There are some limitations in this study, but the author hope it can help improving medical English teaching in our university to some degree. Chapter TwoLiterature Review2.1 Introduction of ESPEnglish for Specific Purposes (ESP, also called SBE) is defined as a comprehensive course which closely integrates language learning with professional knowledge, which is different from English for General Purpose. ESP involves both linguistic knowledge and professional knowledge that the students have learned. The ESP teaching in China has been increasingly significant with the globalization of economy in the 21st century. (A.Nicolescu,The Theory and Practice of ESP,1982,p58)ESP has several characteristics which are variable. The following is three of them. Firstly, ESP may design for or have close relation with the specific disciplines. Secondly, in the real teaching situations, ESP may make use of a methodology which is distinguished from the General English. Thirdly, the use of ESP is usually designed for advanced or intermediate learners, but not for all. 2.2 The ESP and GEIt has been accepted that in the area of second language acquisition, the relation between ESP and GE is broken up, ESP can not be said to have a separate identity from GE, that is to say, ESP is not fundamentally distinctive from GE, and they have the common core. In fact, people may ask that “What is the real difference between the ESP and GE approach?”Hutchinson (1987) gives a very simple answer, “in theory nothing, in practice a great deal”. (Hutchison.T.And A.Waters, English for special purposes,1984,p64) Compared with General English, the need of which is to attention in the sense of its practical use, ESP originates in an analysis of the learners needs. The main drive of ESP is clearly defined reasons such as reading academic textbooks or transacting business.(Hutchinson and Waters,1982)2.3 Introduction of medical English As one of the most modern subjects, medicine is developing with an astonishing speed. And no one can deny the importance of medical English in the field of medicine. For example, in the year of 2010,78.2%of the medical magazines and journals all over the world were English.3As a result, its a real demand for the students, who major in English, to understand the lectures given by the foreign professors, to communicate with the foreign teachers on the academic questions, to read the English paper and thesis, to join the international conferences in English, to write their own medical theses in English, and to translate the latest medical papers to some extent.Compared with General English, the need of which is to attention in the sense of its practical use, ESP originates in an analysis of the learners needs. The main drive of ESP is clearly defined reasons such as reading academic textbooks or transacting business.2.4 Medical English teaching Nowadays, people in China have not paid adequate attention to medical English teaching in most of the medical colleges and universities, which can be see from the tine spent on it and energy devoted to it. As one part of ESP in China, medical English is often taught in the second or the third year in English Major, and usually it has only 40 to 60 hours altogether. Moreover, the traditional English teaching methods and materials are out of date, which cannot catch up with the pace of the present period of time.Chapter ThreeThe importance of medical English teachingWith the further development of reform policy, foreign language learners who have no pragmatic ability couldnt satisfy the needs of the development in our country any more. So it is necessary for medical colleges and universities in China to set up medical English courses in order to be adapted themselves to the world education market.(高云,培养英语专业复合型人才教育模式的思考,2004)3.1To meet the needs of the social market After China accessed to the WTO, in order to promote our country medicine career development, coordinate with the international medical standard, adapt to the trend of economic globalization, our society urgently needs a lot of graduates who have proficient English skills with professional medical knowledge. In the future for a period of time the pharmaceutical industry is the fundamental for reforming other traditional medicines and has been one of the key developing industries in our nation, and the pharmaceutical industry reform is a gradual process; Chinas pharmaceutical industry must be sustained and healthy developed of expanding international exchange and operation, thus pharmaceutical industry need a lot of medical English talents. According to the survey, medical English translation, pharmaceutical marketing, drug safety, medical administration, medical English media, medical scientific research, foreign affairs, medical universities, medical related field concerning foreign affairs management need medical English graduated students imperative. Medical field needs those graduates pressing because most English graduates choose to go to the big enterprise after graduation or choose the financial careers. Medical field as well as finance fields also need a lot of English professional talents who can translate and introduce foreign advanced medical data, exchange of information between Chinese and western medicine , write the strict specification medical English papers ,introduce Chinas traditional medicine information overseas.3.2 To meet the needs of the subject constructionWith the increase of social demand for different talents, professional disciplines become continuous refinement and elaboration. In order to comply with the needs of the market, many colleges and universities set up business English, computer English, legal English, medical English, etc. All those professional English are owned as ESP . Medical colleges and universities set up medical English courses aim to help English majors to master a certain number of medical and pharmaceutical English vocabularies and to improve students ability of reading medicine and pharmacy English literature, to enable them read technical materials efficiently with the help of a dictionary. At the same time, schools should not only pay attention to cultivate and exercise students in such aspects as listening, speaking, and writing abilities, but also a preliminary attempt to professional English translation and writing, and encourage students to use English to write clinical medical records, test data, test reports, disposal of records, and so on. Medical universities should cultivate specially applied talents with high technique who can adapt to the demand of medical trade, medical negotiation and pharmaceutical industry management activities by means of English. (陈冰冰,关于建立ESP教师教育模式的思考,2002)The curriculum of English major in medical colleges and universities mainly involve biomedical professional vocabulary, medical English word formation, translation method, the new English terms, the correct usage of medical English vocabulary word-building, medical English literature reading, all kinds of medical English professional literature forms and special type of medical literature characteristics, gets information quickly by using various types of English literature , use freely of medical English Literature (drug instructions, patent document, the United States Pharmacopoeia, medical research, medical review, medical abstracts, information retrieval papers, management books), basic theory of Chinese and western medical , method of pharmacy, English intensive reading and extensive reading, British and American literature, newspapers abstract, introduction to linguistics, translation theory and practice, , listening and speaking, writing, cross culture knowledge, the second foreign language, computer basis and application, English grammar, advanced interpretation, research design and thesis writing. Medical English is different from ordinary English; a major feature of it is that it involved numerous technical terms, such as anatomy. From the view of etymology, a noteworthy characteristic of medical English vocabulary is that Latin and Greek words occupy a high ratio in medical English etymology. Almost all medical English vocabularies come from the Greek and Roman. The second characteristic is the use of formal vocabulary. Most of formal words are borrowed words, commonly used in science and technology, political and other formal articles. Medical English is a formal language, therefore, often utilize more reserved words. This is a reason why medical English articles are difficult to read. For examples, in medical English expression is ordinarily used the word frequently rather than often; used the word purchase instead of buy; used “approximately rather than about, and so on. Whats more medical vocabularies have various meanings and parts of speech are changeable. Such as, the word “culture” in The cell culture means “培养while in “culture industry” means “文化”.(宁静,医学英语教学面临的挑战与改革设想,2004)3.2 To meet the requirements of colleges and Universities The New Curriculum Standard, sponsored by Chinese Educational Committee, emphasizes the integration of teaching content, students life, the development of modern science and technology. It is said that English teachers should pay more attention to linguistic competence, and the students should be guided to collect and process the information actively. (大学英语教学大纲,2004) Moreover it is critical to cultivate the students communication and cooperation. To be more important, the foreign language should be taught for actual use. Medical English is a kind of course undertook by professional medical English teachers. Because the teachers come from the English Department who lacks of professional medical knowledge, so they need to study medical English knowledge and understand relevant medical knowledge. A lot of English majors students and teachers are basically around TEM - 4, TEM-8 level exam as a test of th