Staying Healthy for Beginners (Student Workbook)

This is an English learner's guide to health care and healthy living. 

Author(s)
Sabrina Kurtz-Rossi
Claire Valier
Gregory Smith
Author(s) Organizational Affiliation
Florida Literacy Coalition
Publication Year
2014
Resource Type
Informational Material
Number of Pages
168
Abstract

This guide is meant to be used directly with adult learners in adult education classrooms as instructional materials. It can also be used as a conversation starter for adult education professionals in thinking about issues/skills to introduce in classrooms, programs, and materials.

This is ready-to-use in the classroom or a tutoring session. It can also be given to students for their own use. The Guide itself was designed for beginner level ESOL students and can be used with or without guidance. It is written at a 3-4 grade level and is supported by pictures, a glossary and a well-designed plain language format. The Staying Healthy for Beginners Teachers Guide supports teachers and/or tutors in using the Guide as a basis for a variety of particpatory teaching activities.

Benefits and Uses

Staying Healthy is an award-winning curriculum that is used throughout the United States. It is written at a 4th-5th grade reading level and is suitable for low intermediate level ESOL learners and above. The newly-released Staying Healthy for Beginners is written at a lower reading level, making it more accessible to learners at the high beginning level.

What the experts say

This is an important contribution to the adult education field. Staying Healthy for Beginners is a great way to build adult learner skills and to introduce conversations around personal health.

This is a beautiful booklet that students can easily read and use to gain knowledge about taking care of their health and and confidence to interact with the healthcare system. Few resources known have this many colorful pictures and as "friendly" a design for lower level readers of English. Besides the information, the booklet includes things like dialogues, personal stories, simple charts, and interactive activities to engage the learner. There are some places that let them fill out real information that will help them with healthcare activities. The guide is something that students can keep at home and use even after the class is over, and many students have told teachers that they share the information with friends and family. There has been a big need for health literacy resources for beginner level students, and this fills that need.

This is an addition to the earlier resource: Staying Healthy: An English Learner’s Guide to Health Care and Healthy Living. It uses the same principles as that first Guide, which has been used in programs all over the country to rave reviews. The original Guide was pilot tested and found to be effective at improving students' knowledge of health issues and intention to interact more fully with the health care system and their healthcare providers. 

Please see the ongoing discussion about this resource in the LINCS Health Literacy Community of Practice

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