Maricel G. Santos|Margaret A. Handley|Karin Omark|Dean Schillinger
ESL Participation as a Mechanism for Advancing Health Literacy in Immigrant Communities
San Francisco State University
reliance conceptualization health literacy functional skill limited researchers views adult englishasasecondlanguage esl context site health literacy interventions explore contributions alternative views literacy social practice health literacy research authors examined teacher survey data learner outcomes data collected part multiyear collaboration involving california diabetes program university researchers adult esl teachers survey results n144 teachers indicated esl teachers frequently model effective pedagogical practices mediate social interaction around health content basis acquiring new literacy skills practices classroom pilot n116 learners majority learners reported learned diabetes risk factors prevention strategies affirmed existing healthy behaviors prompted revision unhealthy ones two thirds learners reported sharing preventive health content members outofschool social networks study represents first step research efforts account fully mechanisms social interaction social support facilitate health literacy outcomes esl contexts complement already known development health literacy functional skill