Basic Structures of Medical Words
The best way to remember medical terminology is to make flash cards and learn prefixxes, suffixes and root words based o body parts. The student will learn by drill and remote training.
I agree with your technique. My father was a surgeon, and required all five of his children to take two years of Latin in highschool. I thought he was crazy at the time, but the Latin roots have helped me so much in my Audiology course work, as well as in the classroom by helping my students.
Julia, your father had a larger picture of Latin's usefulness for you. It's good that it has helped you.
Michele Deck
I agree. The best way to learn is by memorization. I do drills in my class to promote memorization. Flash cards, jeopardy, associations. Whatever works and makes it fun!
I agree Memorization is key, but different students respond different ways. I've noticed that flash cards don't always work for mine. Some of my students use music as a tool and create songs. I've also been thinking about introducing pictography. I think it might help form a more familiar association.
Beth, some educators think that lecture only works to teach students, that all students can adapt. By your post, I see you are student focused and I would like to be in your class.
Michele Deck
I encourage the use of flash cards - but also remind students that they might learn by oher methods. Writing and re-writing the words helps some of them. I also do a Terminology BINGO game. I read the definition and you have to find the word on your BINGO card. We laugh and have a good time - but it gives that reinforcement and repetition. We have also done Jeopardy. Each group is different, so I have to see what works best each term. I'm also always on the look out for something new. A co-worker's husband just made us a huge Words With Friends Board - that's been fun too.
Hi Terry,
I have found flash cards to be very helpful. The best way I learned how to spell medical words correctly was to take 10 words at a time and rewrite them over and over for 20 minutes and I would say them out loud while I was writing them. Then I would take a 5 minute break and do another 10 words. This was very helpful for me to learn to spell them correctly. Joan
Hi Kathaleen,
I really like your idea of the BINGO game and Jeopardy. I have played Jeopardy with my anatomy class but not medical terminology. I will have to give it a try. Thanks!
Kathaleen, you are lucky to have friend who could create the words with friends board. This is a nice addition to review activities that is current and memorable.
Michele Deck
I think latin was the most useful language I took in school. I cannot say hello or how are you in latin ,but I can do a thousand other things in the medical field that are helpful. So ,learning prefix and suffix letters on cards would be most useful
richard, studying Latin is a definite advantage when going into a healthcare profession.
Michele Deck
I love the idea of words with friends to help with medical terms. I use a text that comes with a CD packed full of different "arcade games" The students really enjoy using this as a fun way to review.
I too encourage students to use flashcards. However, as a learner myself, rogue memorization has never been a key to long term knowledge retention. In class, I try to offer word associations and ask my students to share how they associate words. For example, I asked my class the other day if they had any ideas for remembering the difference between a tendon and ligament. The class decided that "T' reminded them of a T bone steak and since this type of steak had bones and muscle, tendon was bone to muscle. The other day, I found myself twirling around (periette)like a ballerina to help them make the kinesthetic connection that "peri' means around.
Leigh Ann, it is wonderful that publishers are packaging these types of review a robotics with the texts.
Michele Deck
jessica, I love the twirl around idea! Can I use it and share it with others who have similar content to teach?
Michele Deck
I agree that flash cards and repitition are the best way to learn terminology. Whenever I start a new class I always write a long word on the board and first tell them I didn't make it up and then I explain to them how to break it down into word parts. It is also a fun idea to right the terms on flash cards and the meanings on separate flash cards and have them all get up and mingle to match the term with the meaning.
Rhonda, thank you for sharing your successful teaching strategy. We can all be helped by it.
Michele Deck
I have a tutoring class and I always suggest to the students to use flash cards to help them memorize terminology . In class we also play games to help memorize we have stations set up in labs with laminated flash cards regarding specific subjects that have been very helpful to the students
Bridgette, thanks so much for sharing your application of flash cards to your classes.
Michele Deck
