Introduction:

The teaching of Human Gross Anatomy provides fundamental knowledge for health care students. For several centuries, it has been oriented mostly under a transmissionist model. In recent years, changes in the ways of teaching and learning have been promoted from the micro-curriculum level, thus leading to a permanent reflection on what and how to do it. Among these changes is the integration of academic literacy strategies to address the reading and writing practices specific to this area of knowledge.

Objetive:

To describe the academic literacy strategies used in the courses of Human Gross Anatomy directed to students of the undergraduate academic programs of the Faculty of Health of the Universidad del Valle, Cali-Colombia.

Methodology:

Case study in which, based on the systematization of a reflective practice of a group of teachers of the subject Human Gross Anatomy, academic literacy strategies were planned, designed and applied; taking into account the previous anatomical knowledge of 74 students from different undergraduate academic programs of the Faculty of Health. Two surveys were used to collect the information, as well as a field diary.

Results:

The academic literacy strategies designed included workshops on the approach to anatomical terms, identification of prior knowledge, as well as guided reading of texts and ways of representing what was read.

Conclusion:

Students reported that the strategies applied facilitated the understanding of the contents and a more active participation during classes, in addition to being accompanied in their immersion into the new academic culture they face when entering the University. It is important that professors include these strategies recognizing their epistemic function to favor learning without focusing only on teaching.