Guide for Communicating with Adults Learning English

Introduction

steve — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 10:30:03 +0000

[embed]https://youtu.be/AinnZRCJ9Y8[/embed] We would like you to think about working with adults learning English as an opportunity to strengthen your communication skills in all areas of your practice. The initial approach we provide works with a group of adults learning English as well as hospital patients with limited understand of written or spoken words. As you use the initial approach, the adults you engage will be improving their ability to make healthy decisions. The initial approach uses simple words, short sentences, moderate pacing of words, a normal tone of voice, and pauses after you ask and respond to a question. This approach allows you and the adult learners to gauge your understanding of each other. If they respond by words or body language that they understand what you said, you can gradually increase the length of the sentences and your speed of delivery. Alternately, if you observe lack of understanding, reduce, reword, or demonstrate the question. This calm, gentle approach will help people relax and listen to what you are asking. Being calm is especially important in medical situations when you need to obtain required information. Simply put, take time to deliver your message, observe the reaction, and reply according to their reaction. The approach engages people because it demonstrates that you are prepared to listen to them. If you feel that you are not connecting with adults with limited English at some point, sit back, relax, smile, and think about a simpler way of saying or demonstrating what you want. People appreciate you taking the time to connect with them. The initial approach is also discussed later in this guide. This guide builds on the initial approach.

Purpose of the Guide

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[embed]https://youtu.be/B0JKdRBEVM4[/embed] We have developed this guide to provide you:

the perspective of people learning a new language
identification of skills that you already have
conversation starters for your first meeting
concise approaches that work
ways to build your confidence and the confidence of the adult learners
approaches to avoid
links to websites that provide more detailed information, including actual lesson plans and materials

This guide does not provide:

detailed theory and skills required by teachers teaching English to adults in programs such as English as a Second Language (ESL), English as a Foreign Language (EFL), English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), and others.

Adults with limited English skills are unable to access all the health care resources that are available and could be useful to them. These adults are usually under a considerable amount of stress, such as adapting to a new country and often have limited family support and finances, which makes them vulnerable to illness. Assistance with learning about nutritious foods, exercise, recognizing signs of illness, accessing the health care system, and dealing with stress are especially needed. Adults learning English may be from poorer countries that only provide limited medical care. The people from those countries do not know about or expect support in learning about healthy living practices. By being involved in classes for adults learning English, student nurses can assist the adults in learning about health promotion to keep themselves and their families healthy while learning English. In return, student nurses gain experience in engaging the adults in conversations about health and using the nursing process in a community environment. This means that both the adult learners and nursing students gain in their knowledge of healthy living and effective ways of working together to benefit the health of the community. Effective communication is a basic necessity for health promotion. This applies to adults learning English as well as people who have limited understanding of spoken and written language, termed low literacy. The Canadian Public Health Association provides statistics on their Plain Language website that showed that 49% of Canadians had low literacy skills in 2012 (https://www.cpha.ca/plain-language-service). The Association promotes plain language to increase literacy, especially health literacy which is defined as "the ability to access, understand and act on information for health." This guide is consistent with the plain language approach, especially the section titled ‘Building on your Communication Skills’. This guide is organized in three parts to:

Prepare you with sufficient information to feel informed and relaxed when you work in an environment with adults learning English
Initiate a working relationship with the teacher and learners
Engage adult learners in discussions on health promotion using tips on good communication and what to avoid

Authors

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Cover

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About

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Book Information

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Authors

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Elizabeth (Liz) Diem, RN, Phd, Community Health Nurse Educator

Laurie Weber, BA, Certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language, ESL Instructor

Reviewers

Ruth Schofield, McMaster University Kate McCulloch, University of the Fraser Valley Francoise Filion, McGill University

Preparation Prior to Placement in Classroom with Adults Learning English

steve — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 10:49:58 +0000

Early preparation will help you feel more informed and appear more relaxed and comfortable with the adult learners you will be meeting. When you think about it, you have spent your whole life learning how to communicate with others. Now you need to consider the perspective of others, sharpen the skills you have, and learn about the system of instruction for adults learning English.

Understanding the perspective of adults learning English

Chances are you have some personal experience in learning another language and struggling to understand and to be understood. Use it for all it’s worth! Remember how you felt, what helped, and what made you feel worse. Empathy goes a long way. If adult learners realize that you understand how they feel, they’ll be more willing to trust you. In addition to learning a new language, adult learners are also dealing with cultural shock: the many challenges of adapting to our culture. Generally, people start with a honeymoon phase, followed in a few months or year by frustration. The frustration resolves over a few years into recovery and acceptance. For more information see https://www.princeton.edu/oip/practical-matters/Cultural-Adjustment.pdf So, when you meet newcomers, don’t be surprised if some of them are not as enthusiastic about their new life as you might expect. They are simply trying to cope with conflicting, confusing, and often painful emotions. They need time and understanding. In addition, the endless grind of learning another language for months and years takes a toll. Imagine being “wrong” day after day and having to continuously “fix” your grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation when you know you are perfectly competent in your own language! You would likely feel depressed, “stupid,” diminished, no longer yourself. The resulting frustration or anger is often hidden, but if it bubbles up, it probably isn’t directed at you as a person trying to help: it’s just “there!” Immigrants and refugees may also have different perspectives on their new life in Canada. Immigrants chose to come, for a variety of reasons. Refugees, by definition, had no choice but to leave their home country and may dream of going back some day when conditions improve; they may have mixed feelings about Canada: they are here because they can’t be where they really want to be. In any case, they (like immigrants) already have a culture they know and love, with its language, history, traditions, way of thinking, cuisine, art and natural beauty, and now they have to adapt to Canadian culture, which, at first glance, may seem poor in comparison. It takes years to get to know and truly appreciate another culture. So, they may find it hard to be very enthusiastic about their new life. For a perspective on how refugees feel about our expectations of gratitude from them, you might listen to a CBC radio edition of The Current from May 3, 2017 at: http://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/the-current-for-may-3-2017-1.4095703/expecting-gratitude-from-refugees-can-be-toxic-says-author-1.4095737 When dealing with adults learning English, never forget that they probably are very experienced adults. Behind the uncomprehending stares, the stumbling pronunciation and the lousy grammar are hidden professionals, respectable citizens, wise parents, and creative and knowledgeable people. The language barrier is preventing them from expressing themselves fully, so they appear temporarily diminished.

Key Takeaways

Imagine having been a butterfly in your first language and culture, and being shoved back into a chrysalis to develop your English-speaking self! Don’t be fooled by the current limitations of adults learning English: their full-fledged selves are trapped in there and with help and hard work; they’ll unfold their wings again, this time in English. Recognizing their implicit achievements and abilities will go a long way towards making them feel like themselves again.

Observe Body Language of Instructors and Adults Learning English

When you are working with the public, especially children and youth and those from another culture, what you do and how you interact becomes magnified. Non-verbal communication or body language is especially important in these situations. Body language can be an effective aid in communicating but it can also inhibit the formation of a trusting and respectful relationship if it is inappropriate or unprofessional. To start, observe the body language of instructors in the classroom so you can identify what seems to work well and attempt to follow that behaviour. To get a clearer idea of what body language involves, think of situations where you have met a new person and quickly realize that the person is confused, angry, or needs help even when they haven’t said anything. Also think of how a person has responded to you when you have tried to explain something. They may have verbally agreed with you, but you can tell that they don’t or don’t yet understand. Your observations, of course, come from your knowledge of body language displayed by the people around you and that you likely take for granted. However, body language varies by culture and areas and families within a culture. You still need to use your observation skills but could need to ask for assistance in interpreting reactions, if the reactions are unexpected. [embed]https://youtu.be/Xc2w9gia-4Q[/embed] A search on the Internet using 'body language' will provide a list of tips or rules to follow. However, often these rules are relevant only for Western cultures and can be considered racist or ethnocentric. For example, the rules state that you are to maintain eye contact, while eye contact is avoided in some Asian and aboriginal cultures. As well, different situations call for different body language. The most responsible advice is to observe how people interact including the distance they maintain from each other, amount of eye contact, and body posture and compare it to what you do. Then you can adjust your posture to try to mirror that of others. In a classroom, the teacher will be your first role model. The following 2009 tutorial 'Hidden Aspects of Communication' by Dr. Dennis O'Neil from the Behavioural Sciences Department, Palomar College, San Marcos, California explains how to consider non-verbal factors in western and some international situations: http://anthro.palomar.edu/language/language_6.htm

Activities on recognizing body language

Observe your family, friends and people you know. Identify how they display happiness, uncertainty, and tension or other emotions. Check with them to see if your interpretation of their body language is correct. Ask them for feedback on your body language. For example, ask them about your facial expression or how you hold your body when you are happy, sad, or tense.
Another simple activity to try with adults learning English, especially in a group representing a wide range of cultures, is to ask people to count to ten on their fingers. Do they all do it the same way? Or ask them how they signal to a waiter in their culture? How do they show that something is really good? Going beyond body language, ask them what sound various animals make (dogs, cats, chickens, etc.). Since, presumably, animals make exactly the same sounds the world over, the differences in our human interpretation of them demonstrate how we filter reality through our respective cultures.

Culture and Religion

As we grow up, we absorb ways to think and behave from the people around us. If we stayed in the same location all our lives, usually that would mean that we have a limited perspective of how people in different towns, areas, or countries might think or act or what religious beliefs they might have. However, the Internet now provides the means to at least understand that the world includes many different ways of thinking, acting and believing. Although we might have that knowledge, we won’t have an understanding of how those differences would change how we would need to think and act when working with people from different countries and belief systems. However, those who have been fortunate enough to have lived in a different culture or learn a new language to survive will definitely have more understanding of the stresses of adults learning English. The sources at the end of this guide will provide you links to explore different world religions and cultures. Once you know the background of your community group, you will be able to learn about their general characteristics. This information could help you in determining if they are comfortable with direct eye contact or not and possibly other physical aspects such as gestures. However, do not assume that a person from a specific culture or religion follows the general characteristics. You will find out how best to approach people by first observing them and the teacher. Once you have approached them, you can ask them simple questions about their culture. Questions about where people are from, their families, and what family events they like are usual questions that we ask when we meet people for the first time no matter what background they have.

Programs for Adults learning English

Adults learning English includes adults in programs such as English as a Second Language (ESL), English as a Foreign Language (EFL), English as an Additional Language (EAL), or English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). They may also be called English Language Learners (ELL) if they already speak more than one language. English as a Second Language (ESL) classes teach English to individuals who have a native language other than English and reside in a country where the dominant language is English. English literacy development (ELD) programs provide classes for people who speak a language other than English and do not read or write very well in any language. Literacy classes help to improve reading, writing and basic math skills in English (http://settlement.org/ontario/education/english-as-a-second-language-esl/esl-for-adults/what-different-kinds-of-esl-programs-are-available/ ) Most ESL classes have structured curriculum that subdivide levels within the categories of basic, intermediate and advanced. The Canadian program is called ‘Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada’ (LINC) and is a Settlement program, funded by Citizenship and Immigration Canada. LINC provides basic language instruction to eligible adult newcomers - immigrants and those to whom Canada intends to grant permanent resident status - to facilitate their social, cultural and economic integration into society. Prior to registration in a LINC program all students must take a Canadian Language Benchmarks-based test in order to place them in a class at the appropriate LINC level for them. LINC programs are run in collaboration with local school boards, community agencies and private providers. The Settlement website is: http://settlement.org/ Canadian Language Benchmarks: LINC levels are based on Canadian Language Benchmarks, which are the national standard for English as a second language proficiency. They rate each individual’s ability to use the English language in four ability areas: speaking, reading, writing and listening using a 12-level descriptive scale.

Activities on recognizing different literacy levels

On the Benchmarks and assessing language website http: www.language.ca/, scroll down to the section “For Volunteers working with Refugees or other newcomers to Canada” and click on it. Then scroll down and click on the link for the CLB Support Kit. When you click on the link, you will see a bookshelf with one of the options titled “Exemplars”. The exemplars are video clips of an actual adult ESL demonstrating that level of ability in listening, speaking, reading and writing for a beginning stage, levels 1-4, intermediate 5-8, and advanced, 8-12. Listen to the recordings for ‘Speaking’ for different levels, such as level 1, 4, 8, and 12; to gain some idea how the ability to speak increases as the adult learner moves from a beginning stage to an advanced level. When you learn the level for the adults you will be working with, you can return to the link to check out ability levels for listening, reading and writing.
The document titled “Can do Statements” on the website will provide you written explanations of what you have heard in the CLB Support Kit bookshelf Exemplars. These Statements will also be helpful later when you prepare your teaching materials.
To reinforce your understanding of literacy levels, pick a topic from the website of Ottawa Local Immigration Partnership (OLIP) titled ‘Language Learning for Health’ http://olip-plio.ca/knowledge-base/toolkit/ and compare how the topic is delivered to learners with different literacy levels.

Initiating Working Relationships in the Classroom

steve — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 11:11:58 +0000

Before meeting with your group of adults learning English, you will likely be provided with some information about their ability in English. Review the resources in section A to give you some idea of what to expect in the classroom. The following process is provided in five steps covering the first few weeks in the classroom. The steps often blend into each other and may be discussed in more depth later as you gain more experience. [embed]https://youtu.be/gCISM2Op02Y[/embed]

1. Initiate relationship with classroom teacher or instructor

To initiate your relationship with the teacher, ask about his or her teaching experiences and what brought them to teaching adults learning English. These thoughts and experiences will help you get to know the person better and understand the appeal of working with adult learners. You also want to learn how the teacher organizes the class schedule and promotes teamwork among the learners. As well, ask the teacher what benefits your team can provide in the classroom. You need this information so you are working with the teacher to promote a supportive learning environment.

The Teacher’s Perspective

The teacher recognizes that every class with adults learning English presents its own unique blend of cultures, personalities and age groups. The teacher’s challenge is to help the students “gel” and function well together to provide a supportive learning environment in the classroom. It can be rather like trying to make a tasty, healthy stew from a basket of randomly selected ingredients! Both skill and luck play a part. In a well functioning classroom, students help each other and learn a lot from each other. They teach each other language skills, language learning skills, coping skills, and cross-cultural skills. An experienced language teacher makes the most out of the available resources from the students themselves and encourages teamwork and sharing. When problems arise among students, the teacher has to figure out whether they are caused by personality, cultural differences, age (18-year-olds and mature adults thrown together into the same class may drive each other crazy!), or something else.

2. Planning how to initially spend your time in the classroom

The teacher is your best source for deciding how to organize your time in the first few sessions. Classroom activities involving the nursing students include a) observing how the teacher teaches and organizes the class, b) discussing with the teacher what has been learned from nursing student observations and discussions, and c) interactions with class members. Your understanding from observations on how the teacher brings the class members together is necessary for you to complement those actions. You will learn best by identifying the actions that you find helpful and discussing those with the teacher and your team. In the first few sessions, the time spent observing will usually be longer than the time spent interacting with the class, especially if the class is at a basic level of ability in English. The teacher can often provide some ideas for health promotion that seem to concern the students. Discuss with the teacher how you could fit these into informal discussions as you are developing your confidence in communicating.

3. Organizing the first meeting with the class

When the teacher introduces your team to the class, ask if she or he would explain that you are nursing students who are learning to work with people in the community to help them keep healthy. The introduction should also include that you will be asking them questions that you will use to determine what health interests they have. You will only be keeping track of what they say. You will not be taking down their names. (Note: this is a required component of ethical practice)

4. Initiating contact with adults learning English

Start by having each nursing student introduce him or herself to at least two people in the class. If the class is at a basic level, plan on two simple questions, such as “What is your name?”, and “What country are you from?”. After those two simple questions, ask a more complicated one such as “How cold is your country in the winter?” Pause for them to respond and for you to assess their response. In your assessment, consider their words, facial expression, and body language to gauge whether or not they understood what you asked them. If they didn’t seem to understand, you could demonstrate being cold. If they understood, ask another slightly longer or more complicated question (see above for video on initial approach). Discuss the responses you receive with the teacher and adjust your questions according. The questions may need to be simplified or expanded to fit best with the knowledge and ability of the class. This adjustment will be an ongoing process as your team learns what the class understands and the class learns how to follow what you are saying. After your team has determined the type of questions to ask and how to deliver them, you will be able to move onto your assessment.

5. Conducting the assessment

Start your assessment in the second classroom session if the students are at an advanced level, or in the third session if they are at an intermediate or basic level. See Diem and Moyer (2015) chapters 3 to 8 for the process of working on your project. The teacher will continue to be your main resource as you work on your community health nursing clinical assignment or project. To begin the assessment, your team needs to first decide on one or two health questions. Each team member then asks the question(s) to as many people in class as possible. You need to remember and record responses as soon as you can after the interaction. Following the questions, meet together to discuss how each team member felt about the exchange, how the learners responded to the questions, and what they might do differently when they interact the next time. This is a short description of the assessment method called ‘progressive inquiry’ (Diem & Moyer, 116-119). From the beginning, plan on a using the following cycle when working with the teacher and adults learning English:

draft questions that you could use with the adults in the classroom
check your draft questions with the teacher
revise based on teacher’s feedback
use the revised questions with the adults
report back to the teacher on the responses you received
use the feedback to prepare the next set of questions.

The feedback from the teacher and each other before and after your interactions will greatly improve your ability to engage the adults learning English. This feedback loop will build trust and provide opportunities to expand your knowledge and skills in working with other professionals and people from other countries. When learning to work with people learning a new language, you can feel anxious and a bit frustrated until you start to understand what works and what doesn’t. At the same time, think about how the adults learning English must feel. When you view the video on Canadian Literacy Benchmarks bookshelf of the woman with level 1 ability in speaking English, you can sense the effort it takes her to try to understand a question and find the right words to respond. When they struggle all the time, they are likely to feel stupid and blame themselves rather than realizing that they have to be patient. Other nursing students or people you know probably expressed similar feelings when they moved to a new country and had to learn a new language. Struggling with new words all day is exhausting. When the words start coming easier, be sure and reward the accomplishment in some way, at least with a smile.

Reference

Diem, E. & Moyer, A. (2015) Community and Public Health Nursing: Learning to Make a Difference through Teamwork (2nd ed). Toronto: Canadian Scholars’ Press Available from: https://www.canadianscholars.ca/books/community-and-public-health-nursing

Building on your Communication Skills

steve — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 11:25:12 +0000

Once you start feeling more comfortable speaking to adults learning English, you are ready to learn more about different aspects in language learning that will help you and those to avoid. These aspects will assist you in having more casual conversations with the adults and prepare them for communicating with the general population:

Relax Our brains work better when we are not too stressed, so do your best to create a relaxed atmosphere when dealing with adults learning English (or anyone else for that matter!). They’ll be able to do their best, and it will be easier for you to understand what they’re telling you if you’re relaxed as well. Check out different options with friends or the Internet to help you relax if you have not already found what works for you.
Speak more slowly and carefully As a general rule, speak a bit more slowly than normal, break sentences into small chunks, and articulate a little more carefully. When you want to say:‘I want to go to Kanata this weekend because there’s a store I really like and they have a sale on.’Here’s what we may sound like to an adult learning English:Iwannagot’kanatathisweekendcuzthere’sastoreireallylike’n’theyhaveasaleonAll the words run into each other, making it harder to analyze the structure of the sentence. Chunking and articulating more carefully helps: I wanna go to kanata this weekend cuz there’s a store I really like an’ they have a sale on Please note that you don’t want to speak each word separately, like a talking dictionary. It would be completely unnatural and not helpful (nobody says: ‘I wanT To Go’ in normal, everyday speech!).
Explain things in a simple way [embed]https://youtu.be/Q0WpF5d5PF0[/embed] This means avoiding long words and complicated sentences. It does not mean talking the same way as you would to a child raised in Canada. Adults learning English have a more developed intellect than children and would feel that you are talking down to them. As well, Canadian children know Canadian culture from the inside; adult learners don’t, so cultural or colloquial references may not be understood (such as ‘Newfie’, hockey, Thanksgiving, tummy, yucky, ouch, PJs, and many phrasal verbs (see section below).
Adjust your speaking to their understandingBy listening to the response of the learners in normal conversation, you will become skilled at attuning what you say to their level. You don’t want to overwhelm beginners by speaking too fast and using difficult words, but on the other hand, you don’t want to insult advanced learners by oversimplifying what you say. It’s tricky, but experience will improve your ability to find the right level and rhythm quickly.

Key Takeaways

Think of adults learning English as accomplished people who are separated from you by a barrier, such as a brick wall. The brick wall is preventing the two of you from understanding each other. As you keep adjusting your speech to accommodate the other person’s comprehension, gradually the brick wall will get smaller, and the communication will flow.
Ways to avoid confusing terms [embed]https://youtu.be/4Qyp754WmTk[/embed] English uses many so-called “phrasal verbs” (also called “two-part verbs” because they come in two pieces, such as put up, and put out, which are both different from just put). These are difficult and confusing for adult learners. In a lot of your work in English language classrooms, you will be using short questions that you try out with each other and the teacher. The checking will help you avoid using phrasal verbs in assessment questions, written material, or classroom presentations. However, adult learners need to learn about phrasal verbs because native English speakers use them all the time. Phrasal verbs feel easier to use for us than more formal equivalents. Raise your hand or put it up? Extinguish your cigarette or put it out? Tolerate your roommate’s music, or put up with it? To an adult learning English, on the other hand, the more formal verb is often clearer. Look at these examples:
- How often do you eat out? (eat outside in the park? eat until everything is out of your plate?)
- He showed up at 10. (showed what?)
- Have you tried to cut down on coffee? (with a knife?)
- Do you ever run out of energy? (go running outside energetically?)
You can’t avoid using phrasal verbs, because they’re at the very heart of English. But be aware that they may cause difficulty. To be more helpful in the classroom, learn to use phrasal verbs followed by a re-phrasing to indicate what was meant. Your team might want to make a game of identifying your use of phrasal verbs and how to re-phrase them. For example:
- eat out: eat at a restaurant;
- show up: finally arrive, arrive late, come without an appointment or invitation
- cut down on coffee: drink less coffee;
- run out of energy: become very tired.
Be aware of cultural differences that can cause difficulties [embed]https://youtu.be/JiqcAk9KpAo[/embed] Cultural differences definitely affect how well people understand what you are saying. For example, aspects such as the level of formality that you use and how you give advice can cause confusion.
- Formality levels When meeting adults learning English, be aware that formality levels may be different in their first cultures. They may not be used to being addressed by their first names, or to calling a teacher or other professional by their first name. In the classroom, take your cue from the teacher, who will have explained to his or her class how the Canadian “system” works. To raise your own awareness, you might ask yourself whom you feel comfortable addressing by first name: a cashier at the supermarket? A university professor? Your grand-father? A colleague? Your boss? Your MP? The Prime Minister of Canada? A clerk at the Registrar’s Office? How do you decide, and what does your choice mean?
- Giving advice and feedback The Canadian way of giving advice and feedback tends to be “soft” and indirect. Generally, we recommend actions rather than tell people what to do. You may want to try… You could do this… How about trying… It would be a good idea to… We know from the situation whether to take the advice seriously or not. For example, if your supervisor says it might be a good idea to do something, you hop to it!Foreigners (and not just adults learning English) may be confused by this and expect professional advice to be much more directive: Do this. Take 2 Aspirin. Stop giving your children pop at every meal. They may perceive suggestions as betraying a lack of confidence on your part (instead of the politeness and respect you intended). You may need to clarify your meaning (without becoming overbearing): Please drink a full glass of water with this pill. It’s very important. As always, observe their body language to ensure that they understood what you said and are not offended. You will likely find that they seem to appreciate receiving specific directions.

Elizabeth (Liz) Diem, RN, Phd

steve — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 12:38:32 +0000

Laurie Weber, BA

steve — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 17:31:33 +0000

Resources

steve — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 12:54:43 +0000

Religions

Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance provides descriptions and statistics of the major religions and includes news related to religion http://www.religioustolerance.org/index.htm#new

Culture and Countries

The World Culture Encyclopedia website provides the pertinent characteristics of each country http://www.everyculture.com/
UNICEF provides up to date country statistics with a focus on children: https://www.unicef.org/statistics/index_countrystats.html
NationMaster.com is a massive central data source, compiling statistics from many sources [such as the CIA World Factbook, UN, and OECD ] providing a handy way to graphically compare nations http://www.nationmaster.com/

ESL websites

ESLflow- Prepared resources for class work on health care education http://www.eslflow.com/humanbodylessonplans.html
Ottawa Local Immigration Partnership (OLIP) (2015). Language Learning for Health. Retrieved from http://olip-plio.ca/knowledge-base/toolkit The resource was designed and reviewed by a team of Ottawa Public Health and Ottawa-Carleton District School Board staff. The toolkit includes four priority health topics: physical activity, dental health, mental health, and healthy eating. Every topic includes lessons plans, each covering different language levels.

Literacy and Health

Best Start: http://www.beststart.org/resources/other_languages/index.html Provides support to the service providers who implement health promotion programs for maternal, newborn and early child development. Many resource pamphlets and posters have been translated into several languages incl. Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Cree etc. Note: A fee is charged to order resources.

Canadian Public Health Association: Examples of Health Literacy in Practice: https://www.cpha.ca/resources?topic=29 This resource provides information on some of the approaches that can inform health literacy activities, programs and policies.
CDC Health Literacy: http://www.cdc.gov/healthliteracy This CDC website provides information and tools to improve health literacy and public health. These resources are for all organizations that interact and communicate with people about health, including public health departments, healthcare providers and facilities, health plans, government agencies, non-profit/community and advocacy organizations, childcare and schools, the media, and health-related industries. Other CDC resources:
- Health Literacy, Health Communication and e-Health: http://health.gov/communication/literacy/ Provides an overview of health literacy, tools, reports/research and related resources.
- Simply Put, A Guide for Creating Easy-to-Understand Materials: http://www.cdc.gov/healthliteracy/pdf/Simply_Put.pdf This Simply Put Guide teaches how to create easy-to-read materials using effective communication and design.
Harvard School of Public Health, Health Literacy Website (2013) http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/healthliteracy/ The left side of the website provides links to an overview of health literacy with videos and presentations, research, policy reports, and detailed information and examples of preparing written material so it can be understood

Public Health Agency of Canada: Health Literacy Resources: http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/cd-mc/hl-ls/index-eng.php#tabs-2 Provides links to supporting documents, websites, and video

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ChangeLog

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1.1 Fixed text layout in Resources

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Cover

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Guide for Communicating with Adults Learning English

Introduction

Purpose of the Guide

Authors

Cover

Table of Contents

About

Book Information

Authors

Reviewers

Preparation Prior to Placement in Classroom with Adults Learning English

Understanding the perspective of adults learning English

Observe Body Language of Instructors and Adults Learning English

Culture and Religion

Programs for Adults learning English

Initiating Working Relationships in the Classroom

1. Initiate relationship with classroom teacher or instructor

2. Planning how to initially spend your time in the classroom

3. Organizing the first meeting with the class

4. Initiating contact with adults learning English

5. Conducting the assessment

Reference

Building on your Communication Skills

Elizabeth (Liz) Diem, RN, Phd

Laurie Weber, BA

Resources

Religions

Culture and Countries

ESL websites

Literacy and Health

Cover Image

Site Statistics

Audience

Pageviews

Number of unique human visitors this month

Recent search terms

ChangeLog

Credits

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