One of my YouTube students got in touch with a great question. Here's what they said:
"What do you think about watching some channels like A&E in the UK or Australia? because when you are also watching something it feels easier to remember and I want to diversify my learning support. I would appreciate it if you have other suggestions for TV shows or something like that! Thank you for your channel. It's very useful :)"
Watching TV to Diversify OET Learning
It's a great question and a great way to approach your studies for your Occupational English Test, so thank you for asking it! Thank you for your kind words about my channel too, I'm so glad you are finding the videos useful!
Why is it a Good Idea to Watch TV to Help your OET Scores?
Exactly as this candidate suggests, many of us have a strong visual element to our learning styles and can therefore find it easier to learn as they watch. Hearing something on a podcast is great to train your ear, but maybe it doesn't stick in your mind as much. Perhaps you (like me!) need to see a word or phrase written down in the subtitles, or watch the procedure taking place in order to remember it.
TV programmes will give you the key to doing just this and that's why watching medical related programmes can be a fantastic way to boost your vocabulary ahead of your OET, enrich your language, and generally do something which is not direct test practice, but that will still help you perform better overall.
What Should I Watch?
Being a UK-based Premium Preparation Provider of the OET, I can certainly direct you to some amazing TV documentaries, that are not only fascinating, but really useful to you for building your OET skills and vocabulary.
Please be aware that you will need to hold a UK TV licence to watch many of these, but perhaps there are equivalents in your own countries and you can do a search to find something similar. Just type in "What can you recommend that is similar to XYZ" in an AI bot or search engine and see what it comes up with.
Here's what I recommend in the UK
TV Documentaries to Help you with your OET Studies
GPs Behind Closed Doors - my all time favourite!
GPs Behind Closed Doors is an observational documentary series that welcomes viewers into an exclusive look at the every day lives of doctors at different medical practices where we are given exclusive access to the staff and patients who pass through the surgery every day.
This is absolutely perfect for practising the OET Listening Part A and of course, your OET Speaking Role-plays. You see real life practitioners with real life patients. Follow what they say and how they say it. How do they ask for history? How do they establish rapport? What do they do when they have a difficult situation to deal with? It's all great practice. You can make notes and write your own case file for each patient, so it's a great way to build your skills for the OET listening as well.
The only slight warning I have, is that the accents are very regional! This means that they may be tricky to follow at times. You'll never get anything so hard in the OET, so watch with subtitles if you do get stuck. It's also great practice for when you do come to work in the UK.
24 Hours in A&E
This is another documentary where cameras are taken inside a real working Accident and Emergency Ward. You'll be able to see how emergency care is handled in the UK and it again provides fabulous practice for you.
Here's an example of what you may see in an episode: After suffering a severe asthma attack while walking her kids from school, Nichole is rushed to Nottingham's A&E. And Josh has a serious neck injury from an accident playing American football.
This time, we're taken to the maternity ward. Not only do we hear from the amazing practitioners, but we also hear from the parents
It's a few years old now, but at the time, it was a ground-breaking look at the drama and emotion of a maternity unit, from the perspective of the parents-to-be and the maternity ward staff
The Supervet - makes me cry every time!
Don't forget, in the OET, you could get a listening that covers any of the healthcare professions covered in the exam, and this includes veterinary practice. This is a great way to tick that box and get your fix of cute puppy dog eyes.
Surgeons - At the Edge of Life
In this show, we meet the healthcare professionals transforming patients' lives, at the cutting edge of medicine. Meet the world-leading surgeons pushing science - and the human body - to its limits.
This documentary is not just fascinating, but it can provide you with great ideas for your own personal CPD and research.
Ambulance - Another tear-jerker!
This is very patient-led and shows you how emergency first responders take care of their patients. It's a great one for training your ear to listen to issues presented in the hardest of circumstances.
Australia's Health Revolution with Michael Mosely
The late, great, Michael Mosely had a raft of documentaries that took you into the world of health in a really accessible way. His other shows include. Trust Me, I'm a Doctor" and his podcast "Just one Thing" all made for interesting and entertaining OET practice.
You don't have to watch serious things all the time. Here's a children's TV show presented by identical twin doctors, Xand and Chris. It's aimed at helping children explore the ins and outs of the human body, with lots of (gross!) experiments.
The Royal Institution Christmas Lectures
Again, aimed at children, these lectures explore a science theme, many of which are connected to the body, mind, and health.
Medical Dramas
And the TV shows you watch don't just have to be based on real life! There are plenty of fictional dramas available too. With a healthy dose of romance on the side, we also get fast paced dialogue between healthcare professionals, played by actors of course. Okay, so there may be a few more explosions and love triangles than in real life, but if you just want something a little more light hearted, but still vaguely health-related, then why not relax with one of these?
This is Going to Hurt (based on real life events)
All Creatures Great and Small - period drama (based on real life events)
Call the Midwife - period drama (based on real life events)
Green Wing - Noughties comedy show
I'm sorry if you are not able to watch these in your home country, but perhaps you can let me know what you do watch? I'd be happy to compile a list to help OET candidates from around the world support their learning.
Please feel free to get in touch and if you want to know about the OET services we offer at Bose Learning, please click here.
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