Objectives: Successful anatomy learning requires understanding an extensive discipline-specific vocabulary, derived from many languages, including Latin and Greek. Thus, students with English as an additional language (EAL) experience greater challenges. Staff in a large first-year undergraduate anatomy course with, >30% EAL students, observed them using home languages for note-taking and collegiate support during laboratories. This project identified better support for EAL students’ acquisition of anatomy content, using translanguaging pedagogy, which employs students’ full linguistic repertoire in the classroom.
Methods: Teaching team and past EAL student focus groups identified translanguaging strategies which were implemented through sequential cycles of action research. Course resource documents were translated and translanguaging information sessions for all students and staff, implemented. Effectiveness of translanguaging was evaluated using a mixed methods approach, including student access of course resources and focus groups.
Results: Almost 25% of the target EAL students routinely accessed translated resources throughout the trimester, long after establishment of their anatomy study practices. Students reported resources were beneficial, and they felt included. Course staff reported increased awareness of students’ linguistic repertoires and recognition of cognitive and cultural differences among learners.
Conclusion: Application of translanguaging pedagogies, through a progressive, sequential series of action research cycles informed reflective adaptation and improved understanding of the EAL learner and educator perspectives during anatomy learning. This translanguaging approach reinforced a strength-based, rather than a deficit view of EAL student approaches to learning discipline-specific anatomical terminology. This inclusive approach valued and highlighted the challenges and strengths of multilingual students learning anatomy in English.
Keywords: EAL students; anatomy; student learning; translanguaging
Ethical statement: This project was approved by Griffith University’s Human Research Ethics Committee (protocol number 2022/799). All focus group participants volunteered to contribute to the study, after receiving and reading a project information sheet. Each focus group participant completed and signed an informed consent form and was explicitly advised that their involvement with the project would not impact their grades or university standing. Focus groups involving sessional tutors (past and present) were scheduled prior to resource development, and after course grades were finalised (2023 course offering).
Funding statement: The authors gratefully acknowledge the Griffith University Health Group Strategic Fund grant that supported this project.