October is Health Literacy Month!

Adult literacy students want to learn something that is relevant to them.  Health is both an interesting and practical topic for most students. Locally produced teaching and learning resources can connect students to services in their community.

Did you know that there are a number of made-in-BC resources for teaching adult learners about health? Here’s a sample:

Online:

Does your arm hurt?
This video lesson from ISSofBC has you watch a video, learn new words, practice new words, read sentences and practice sentences.

Newcomer Women’s Health Resource – New Strategies for Women Learning English for Better Health
This health literacy curriculum contains 7 lesson plans: 3 lesson plans on women’s overall health, 2 lesson plans on gynecological health needs, and 2 lesson plans on friendships and relationships. Teacher’s Notes before each lesson underline the need for cultural humility and working with a trauma-informed lens.

Plainer Language Series
This series of booklets are written in clear language to help anyone learn more about mental health and mental illness. Each book is recorded. The booklets include: Tips for good mental health, What is anger?, What is anxiety?, What is mental illness?, What is depression?, and What is suicide?

Refugee Men’s Health and Well-being:  A Resource for Language Instructors
Written for CLB 3-5 students, this resource is designed to engage male students in topics around men’s physical, sexual and emotional health and well-being in a safe, supported way. It intended to be used by male instructors teaching all-male classes.

Talking about Pain lesson package
Another resource from ISSofBC, this resource includes 4 lesson packages: Literacy and Level 1, Level 2, Level 3 and Level 4 and 5. There’s a video for each lesson package.

Your Health
This ebook is a selection of articles, activities and tips collected from The Westcoast Reader.

Print:

Doctor for Literacy and Low 1
This ESL adult student workbook is designed for a one month unit on health issues. Includes 3 student readers (Bill is sick, Jerry has the flu, Going for a check-up) and an audio CD.

Walking a Balanced Path: a guide for developing health and wellness skills
This guide is intended as a resource for First Nation Health organizations and families to promote health and wellness. Based on the medicine wheel, it is designed to improve literacy and essential skills while learning more about health and wellness. There is an accompanying facilitator’s guide.

To borrow either of these print resources and more for teaching about health from the Decoda Library, email library@decoda.ca.