Mind matters practice English for psychology - Silvia Laura Pascu

This initiative was born from a desire to address the needs of students at the Faculty of Psychology and from the conviction that training a competent psychologist requires not only the accumulation of theoretical knowledge and the development of practical skills, but also the ability to directly access specialized literature and international dialogue. In this regard, English is an indispensable professional tool.

The study materials were designed with the sincere intention of stimulating students' interest and curiosity and, above all, of supporting them in their academic journey and professional development. This approach is aimed at students with an upper-intermediate level (B2-C1) of English, according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, who can understand argumentative and descriptive texts of medium difficulty and follow authentic academic discourse. The aim is not linguistic initiation, but the refinement and consolidation of specialized vocabulary and academic structures.

The work contains six units, built around works representative of contemporary debate in the field: Attached by Amir Levine and Rachel Heller, When the Body Says No by Gabor Mate, When I Say No, I Feel Guilty by Manuel J. Smith, 12 Rules for Life by Jordan Peterson, and How Emotions Are Made by Lisa Feldman Barrett. The selected texts are also of interest to non-specialist readers seeking to understand human relationships and emotional dynamics.

Each unit follows a clear pattern:

I. A text excerpt (usually a summary of an entire chapter from the works mentioned) followed by exercises for in-depth analysis, including general and specific comprehension tasks), 6
II. writing tasks (summary, critical commentary, argumentative essay, case study),
III. vocabulary consolidation activities (synonyms, antonyms, word formation, definition of terms, linguistic pitfalls, false friends),
IV. exercises to consolidate grammar applied to the professional context (verb tenses, rephrasing sentences, error correction)
V. oral production tasks (critical commentary, dialogues, debates, role-playing)
VI. listening exercises (excerpts from authentic interviews and debates with book authors, publicly accessible on online platforms such as YouTube. These are intended to expose students to the natural rhythm, professional register, and nuances of the language).

To give students the opportunity to check their progress, the work includes a section with answers and a glossary of terms for each unit, designed as a practical and quick reference tool for understanding and correctly using specialized vocabulary.
This material is intended not only as a study guide, but also as a reliable partner in the development of students' skills, contributing to increased confidence, clarity, and autonomy in the use of the English language.
 
Silvia Laura Pascu Timisoara, 2026