Lesson # One

UNIT: Introduction to Child and Adolescent Health

TOPIC: Introduction to the Unit and Stages of Cognitive Development
GROUP: 1st year DM Family Medicine Residents
TIME:

2 hours

LEARNING OUTCOMES: By the end of the teaching and learning session students will be able to:
i.
ii.
iii.

Outline the Unit objectives and assessment procedures

Understand how childrens age and cognitive development influence their understanding of health and
wellbeing
Identify and apply Piagets stages of cognitive development to the assessment of the child

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS: PowerPoint presentation, Internet connectivity, YouTube presentation,

Unit manual.
CONTENT SUMMARY: An appreciation of the cognitive stages of development can help family physicians
to better understand how children at different ages process and interpret information about their illness and
health. Effective communication between physicians, parents and children is based on both verbal and nonverbal skills, which will be examined in this Unit which includes lessons on cognitive development of children,
basic communication skills and barriers to effective communication. In the first lesson, details of the stages of
cognitive development are explored. The paediatric and adolescent histories and the elements of child health
monitoring and evaluation will be taught in subsequent lessons.
PROCEDURES
Step 1: The instructor states the overall objectives of the Unit and the various assessments to take place during
each lesson and outline the summative assessment at the end of the Unit.
Step 2: The instructor introduces the lesson and assesses students prior knowledge by asking questions about
their experiences with interviewing children and parents in their prior medical training and practice.
Step 3: The teacher will use the PowerPoint presentation to present major points on the learning outcomes. The
Piaget stages of cognitive development will be outlined for the age groups birth - 2 years, 2-6 years, 6-11 years
and over 11 years. This session will be interactive and students will have the opportunity to ask questions for
clarification.
Step 3: The instructor will use the YouTube video located at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRF27F2bn-A to demonstrate the Piaget stages.
Step 4: Wrap up activity/closure.
CULMINATING ACTIVITIES
a. Minute paper exercise-posted to Twitter group
b. Muddiest point exercise-posted to Twitter group
EVALUATION
1

Students will be given a short 5-point evaluation form to be completed anonymously and handed in at the door.
After the assessment activity, the teacher will reflect on the quality of teaching and use the feedback from the
students to determine if the lesson was taught well and if the objectives have been realized.
Lesson # Two
UNIT: Introduction to Child and Adolescent Health
TOPIC: Basic Communication Skills
GROUP: 1st year DM Family Medicine Residents
TIME:

2 hours

LEARNING OUTCOMES: By the end of the teaching and learning session students will be able to:
1. -Identify verbal communication skills in the interview with parents and children
2. -Identify non-verbal communication skills in the interview with parents and children
3. -Identify barriers to effective communication with parents and children
4. -Identify methods to overcome barriers to communication

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS: PowerPoint presentation, Internet connectivity, YouTube presentation,

Unit manual, email forum.
CONTENT SUMMARY: Communication takes place with both words and actions and requires both skill and
technique. There are basic communication skills essential for working with patients and their families. This
lesson outlines the verbal and non-verbal messages we can send as family physicians. When communicating we
should make eye contact and lean towards the patient. Listening skills are also addressed as well as
communicating empathy, interview techniques and tips for including the child in the interview. Barriers to
effective communication such as appearing impatient or preoccupied, frequent interruptions, appearing
condescending, as well as frequent changes in providers are discussed. A case study will be presented for
discussion via the email forum.
PROCEDURES
Step 1: The instructor states the overall objectives of the lesson and defines verbal and non-verbal
communication
Step 2: The instructor will use the PowerPoint presentation to present major points on the learning outcomes.
This session will be interactive and students will have the opportunity to ask questions for clarification.
Step 3: The instructor will use the YouTube video located at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9i5_xwRE_U to demonstrate verbal and non-verbal communication.
Step 4: The instructor presents a case history in PowerPoint and email andstudents will be asked to email their
responses to questions that follow
Step 5: Wrap up activity/closure.
CULMINATING ACTIVITIES
c. Minute paper exercise-posted to Twitter group
d. Muddiest point exercise-posted to Twitter group
EVALUATION
2

Students will be given a short 5-point evaluation form to be completed anonymously and handed in at the door.
After the assessment activity, the teacher will reflect on the quality of teaching and use the feedback from the
students to determine if the lesson was taught well and if the objectives have been realized

Lesson # Three
UNIT: Introduction to Child and Adolescent Health
TOPIC: The Paediatric History
GROUP: 1st year DM Family Medicine Residents
TIME:

2 hours

LEARNING OUTCOMES: By the end of the teaching and learning session students will be able to:
1. -List and explain the elements of the paediatric history
2. -Identify the differences between the adult and paediatric history
3. -Take an effective paediatric history
INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS: PowerPoint presentation, Internet connectivity, YouTube presentation,
Unit manual.
CONTENT SUMMARY: Children are not just small adults. There are content differences in obtaining a
medical history from a pediatric patient compared to an adult. The age of the child has an impact on obtaining
an appropriate medical history. The parent is important as historian in obtaining a medical history in a pediatric
patient. The appropriate wording of open-ended and directed questions will be explored, including appropriate
use of each type of question. Awareness of each clinical settings is important in obtaining a complete medical
history compared to a more limited, focused history. Content differences between the paediatric and adilt
histories will be outlined, specifically the prenatal and birth history; developmental history; social history of
family and the immunization history of the child.
PROCEDURES:
Step 1: The instructor states the overall objectives of the lesson.
Step 2: The teacher will use the PowerPoint presentation located at the following Google slide share link:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1aTu_nF4T0HY1BkTDlGc21ERlU/view?usp=sharing
to present major points on the learning outcomes. This session will be interactive and students will have the
opportunity to ask questions for clarification.
Step 3: The instructor will send the pdf Google slide share link to students via the email forum located at:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1aTu_nF4T0HV2JXYlFaclp1elE/view?usp=sharing
Step 4: Students will be asked to form pairs for role playing in taking a paediatric history
Step 4: Wrap up activity/closure. Feedback on the history taking activity is shared.
CULMINATING ACTIVITIES
3

e. Minute paper exercise-posted to Twitter group

f. Muddiest point exercise-posted to Twitter group
EVALUATION
Students will be given a short 5-point evaluation form to be completed anonymously and handed in at the door.
After the assessment activity, the teacher will reflect on the quality of teaching and use the feedback from the
students to determine if the lesson was taught well and if the objectives have been realized

Lesson # Four
UNIT: Introduction to Child and Adolescent Health
TOPIC: The Adolescent History
GROUP: 1st year DM Family Medicine Residents
TIME:

2 hours

LEARNING OUTCOMES: By the end of the teaching and learning session students will be able to:
1. -Explain the principles of adolescent health care delivery
2. -Communicate with adolescents and their parents
3.-Take a comprehensive history from an adolescent
INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS: PowerPoint presentation, Internet connectivity, YouTube presentation,
Unit manual.
CONTENT SUMMARY: Adolescence is a time of change, emotional turmoil and potential social isolation.
There is a tendency for the adolescent to act up and lean towards the peer groups while parents may feel
unprepared to cope with a wide range of issues and responses. Family practitioners need to understand how to
create a practice environment that encourages an environment of trust for the adolescent. The essentials of a
youth friendly session will be discussed as well as the adolescent history and the six principles of adolescent
health care delivery (availability, accessibility, approachability, acceptability, appropriateness and
affordability).
PROCEDURES
Step 1: The instructor will distribute the link to the YouTube video located at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dg2j5rERTwk in preparation for the lesson

Step 2: The instructor introduces the lesson and assesses students prior knowledge by asking questions about
their experiences with interviewing adolescents in their prior medical training and practice.
Step 3: The teacher will use a PowerPoint presentation to present major points on the learning outcomes. This
session will be interactive and students will have the opportunity to ask questions for clarification.
Step 4: Role play activity in pairs to practice adolescent history taking.
Step 5: Wrap up activity/closure.
CULMINATING ACTIVITIES
4

g. Minute paper exercise-posted to Twitter group

h. Muddiest point exercise-posted to Twitter group
EVALUATION
Students will be given a short 5-point evaluation form to be completed anonymously and handed in at the door.
After the assessment activity, the teacher will reflect on the quality of teaching and use the feedback from the
students to determine if the lesson was taught well and if the objectives have been realized