1.      Activity focus and purpose:

Through an EMI competition, students from the College of Dental Medicine created tooth models using clay and labeled each dental structure in English, thereby learning tooth anatomy and related professional vocabulary. The hands-on “clay tooth modeling” approach enabled students to understand tooth morphology and structure in a three-dimensional manner, while using professional English (ESP) for expression and communication, thus strengthening their application of professional English and enhancing their clinical confidence.

2.      Activity features and implementation:

The distinctive feature of this activity was guiding students to create tooth models using clay and label all dental anatomical structures in complete English, enabling them to concretize abstract anatomical concepts through hands-on practice while strengthening their understanding and application of professional English terminology.
The activity was conducted according to the planned procedures, including an activity briefing, hands-on competition, submission and evaluation of works, and student self-assessment. Faculty members from the College of Dental Medicine and English instructors jointly served as judges, assessing the works based on model completeness, anatomical accuracy, and English labeling. Overall, the activity proceeded smoothly, with enthusiastic student participation and effective implementation, clearly demonstrating the teaching features and outcomes of integrating professional knowledge with English learning.

3.      Quality indicators of activities

Based on participant feedback, this activity was perceived as innovative and engaging. The hands-on approach effectively helped students understand three-dimensional tooth structures and become familiar with related professional English terminology, leaving a strong and practical learning impression. Although some students reported that the practical tasks (such as clay modeling and interpretation of three-dimensional structures) were challenging, they generally found the activity rewarding. Overall, the results indicate that the activity had a positive impact on enhancing students’ professional understanding and learning outcomes, and that clearer instructions and appropriate adjustments to the level of difficulty could further optimize the overall learning experience in the future.

4.      Activity Highlights

Introduction of the competition rules and objectives

Group photo of the instructors and participants

Students’ hands-on working process

Instructors’ evaluation and scoring