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Table 3 Verbatim statements for the theme “Teaching, assessment and feedback”

From: Supporting culturally and linguistically diverse students during clinical placement: strategies from both sides of the table

Sub-theme

CALD Student challenges

Supervisor challenges

Supportive strategies

Difference in approach to learning and teaching styles within placements

[In] our culture … a teacher tells us what to do… and this is right, rather than… the teacher asks you ‘So what do you think you should do? … (Student group 3)

Whether that’s, you know, sort of a learning style, sort of rote learning style, you know learning about a condition…you know learning about diabetes or a certain condition but they’re not really understanding that background to it and therefore being able to apply you know, it in different settings or different situations. (Supervisor group 1)

Early expectation setting and modelling of constructive feedback process:

   

I took her in with my other student and then together we sort of did a like a peer… It enabled her to observe, but also to give constructive feedback to this other student and sort of see what, you know try and learn from that way. (Supervisor group 3)

  

Putting the 2:1 supervision level has probably stressed the supervisors more when you’ve been given a CALD student and non-CALD, if that’s…But you know, when you’ve got two students and one is potentially a lot more demanding, I guess the 2:1 model actually puts even more stress on the supervisor (Supervisor group 1)

Visual aids and tailored student learning environment:

… I had a good supervisor… and I was able to actually ask … a lot of things. And then she drew like pictures for me also,… she took time to explain,… really slowly to me … that was really good. (Student group 3)

   

Understanding their learning style, like because they are quite challenged in the first place you kind of need to know a bit of detail about how they learn, and what they respond to earlier on rather than getting a week or so, because some of them, it takes a while to engage, so knowing that upfront might help in the early stages. (Supervisor group 1)

Double-edged sword of regular assessment and feedback

…sometimes I feel the clinical facilitator is more like an assessing officer rather than helping us. … I just felt that they always assess you with things, … test your knowledge…, rather than stay … and help you with other… [things]. (Student group 2)

They’re very polite—I don’t think like most students they don’t want to challenge a supervisor too much in case…there is repercussions, but they do repeatedly ask until you give feedback on a weekly basis that you want them to be more self directed and eventually it sinks in. You have to give specific examples when they ask this question you expect them to go back and do their own reading in their own time to confirm their knowledge…(Supervisor group 1)

Regular casual supervisor-student conversations:

… I would like a bit more attention because when it comes to… some cultural issue, I would actually like to discuss a bit more with my supervisor… like, asking her certain things, but… because time is so limited on the ward…, she has to split her time between two students and… sometimes it’s just so hard to catch her… and really sit down and talk her, …that’s why I felt like… maybe a bit more time can be spent… talking to us in a way, like just chatting, so that we can bring up certain issues with her … and asking her questions, rather than… I feel that sometimes on the ward… there’s not much time for you to do things. (Student group 3)

   

Adapting student caseloads by supervisors:

I guess I’ve tried to sometimes screen patients so that I’m not setting up a student to go and fail I guess sometimes (Supervisor group 3)

   

Supportive placement delivery modes and structures:

   

Having the tutorials where you try and create an environment that was relaxed and open and they couldbring out their issues was really helpful I think, both for them and certainly for us as supervisors and educators. Just to try and gain a bit of an insight into where they’re coming from and what issues they had. (Supervisor group 3) …have larger blocks at one particular facility rather than chopping and changing every few weeks because that can be really disruptive and again blows the confidence and they feel they are starting back again. (Supervisor group 1)