Return-Path: <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.9.0.Beta5/8.9.0.Beta5/980425bjb) with SMTP id LAA03827; Wed, 2 Dec 1998 11:01:23 -0500 (EST) Date: Wed, 2 Dec 1998 11:01:23 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <s66500b1.043@nmail.epcc.edu> Errors-To: lmann@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: Andres Muro <AndresM@nmail.epcc.edu> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-ESL:2685] $ 7 million X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Type: text/plain X-Mailer: Novell GroupWise 4.1 Fran, et al: An area that I am very interested in seeing further developed has to do with ESL instruction in the context of health education. Many ESL students do not access adequate health care, and in many cases they don't make adequate health prevention decisions for themselves and their families. Part of the reason for this, is that they are in an alien environment with a different culture, a different health care system, different foods, different environmental concerns, etc. It has been demonstrated again and again that lack of adequate knowledge regarding a healthy lifestyle in the US is not only detrimental for a family, but also more costly to the overall population. People leading unhealthy lifestyles often end up getting more serious illness, and many times, begin to address health issues when it is too late. Ultimately the cost of treating health problems at this point is way more costly to hospitals,insurance companies, and ultimately to tax payers. Therefore, it is important to try to promote health education to prevent this problem, particularly among immigrants. An excellent area to address health education are native language and ESL literacy programs. Programs that use health literacy models appear to be very successful in teaching ESL students to read, write, and think critically. Unfortunately, this type of programs have only been implemented on a small scale. I think that it would be very productive to investigate and determine weather or not, students attending ESL/health literacy programs, significantly improve their language skills while learning to navigate the health care system and learning to make adequate health care decisions. My two cents, Andres
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