From oximeters to AI, where bias in medical devices may lurk

Level 1: Elementary / Pre-Intermediate – Teacher’s notes

Article summary: The article describes the Key:

way certain medical devices used in the UK 1. bias 6. interpretation
have a racial and gender bias because they 2. gadget 7. priority
were originally designed for Caucasian men. 3. overestimate 8. accurate
4. exhale 9. diverse
Time: 60 minutes 5. assume 10. patient

Skills: Reading, Speaking, Writing 3. Comprehension check

Language focus: Vocabulary a. Ask students to work individually to answer the
questions and then compare their answers in pairs
Materials needed: One copy of the
or small groups. The answers given are not the only
worksheet per student
possible answers. For example, in #2, students may
say ‘blood oxygen’.

1. Warmer Key:
1. racial and gender bias in medical devices
a. The purpose of this activity is to introduce the topic 2. They measure the amount of oxygen in
of healthcare and health equipment, but primarily the blood.
to prepare students for a text which contains all 3. because they may work less well for people with
of these abbreviations. The gaps can be filled by darker skin
adding words related to these topics, although #3 4. They protect against particles that other people
and #5 have a more general application. Explain breathe out.
that a regulatory agency is one that establishes rules 5. They do not fit as well on people from some
and regulations in a particular area of activity. PPE ethnic backgrounds.
in healthcare includes items such as masks, gloves 6. lung capacity
and protective gowns. The NHS is the UK’s health 7. that they have lower lung capacity than
service, which is free at the point of use. white people
8. to diagnose conditions
Key: 9. because there is bias in the data used to
1. health develop AI systems
2. medical 10. the datasets we use in developing AI systems
3. minority
4. protective 4. Key language
5. artificial
a. This exercise focuses on two-word expressions
2. Key words used in the text. Ask students to do the exercise
individually and then compare their answers in pairs
a. Ask students to do the exercise individually and or small groups. Encourage them to check their
then compare their answers in pairs or small groups. answers in the text. Note that medical may also be
Note that gadget and device are similar in meaning used with care and professionals but the answers
but the latter is a more formal term. The opposites given below are the only solution that uses all the
of overestimate and exhale could be of interest to words in the left-hand column.
students – underestimate and inhale.
Key:
1. d 4. b
2. e 5. a
3. f 6. c
D •
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SI AD L
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W N IA

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 From oximeters to AI, where bias in medical devices may lurk
Level 1: Elementary / Pre-Intermediate – Teacher’s notes

5. Discussion

a. Allow students time to note down their ideas and

make sure they say why they have answered ‘yes’ or
‘no’ to the question.

6. In your own words

a. This information should not be difficult to find using

an internet search engine. Apart from answering
the four questions, students could include any other
interesting facts and figures their searches reveal.

D •
TE E E
SI AD L
EB LO B
W N IA

Published by Macmillan Education Ltd. © Macmillan Education Limited, 2022.

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O DO O
FR BE OC

Home >> Adults >> General English >> NEWS LESSONS

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