The Role of Study Circles in Promoting Health Literacy

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The Role of Study Circles in Promoting Health
Literacy

• A Presentation to
• NIFL Health Literacy Summit
• Regional Resource Center I
• Indianapolis, Indiana
• March 25-26, 2008
• Winston Lawrence Ed. D

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OVERVIEW OF SESSION

• The LAC and context
• Need for health literacy
• Why study circle ?
• A different approach to instruction
• Study circles in action
• Other Initiatives

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Literacy Assistance Center (LAC)

• Professional Staff Development
• (ESOL, ABE, GED, Family literacy, Health
  literacy)
• New York City Regional Adult Education Network
  (RAEN)
• ASSITS Database

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Demographics

• New York City Population 7M
• Estimated 1.5M need adult literacy services
• Literacy students served 60,000
• Adult ESOL 60
• Languages served in K-12 178

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Need for Health Literacy

• LAC brought to issue through Mayors Office
• Large number of low income citizens not accessing
  free/low cost health insurance
• How could LAC assist in addressing the issue?

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Why Study Circle?

• Need to train teachers in new approach
• Traditional approach - teachers teach some health
  content e.g. asthma
• Teachers teach topics they are comfortable with
• The teacher attempts to be the expert
• Health literacy instruction depends on the
  teachers interest

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A DIFFERENT CONCEPTUAL DESIGN Health Literacy
Model

• Developed by Dr Rima Rudd and team from National
  Center for the Study of Adult Learning and
  Literacy (NCSALL) and Harvard School of Public
  Health
• Instructional focus is on health tasks and
  underlying skills
• Teachers literacy instructional strength is
  maximized

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What is the new model?

• Three (3) critical areas of health related
  tasks
• HEALTHCARE ACCESS AND NAVIGATION
• CHRONIC DISEASE MANAGEMENT
• DISEASE PREVENTION AND SCREENING

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Why were these three areas chosen?

• Chosen because they have been highlighted as
  areas of the greatest health disparities in the
  US affecting literacy students.

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Examples of health tasks

• Using an automated telephone
• Offering informed consent
• Making appointments with the doctor
• Reading prescription labels
• Advocating for self and others
• Engaging in disease screening

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Examples of underlying skills

• Language - oral, listening
• Literacy - reading, writing
• Numeracy (math)
• Problem solving,
• Communication,
• Advocacy

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Health-related tasks and underlying
skills

• Using automated telephone (oral)
• Reading prescription labels (reading)
• Taking tests (reading, writing, math)

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How do teachers learn the new approach?
Professional Development Model

• NCSALL has identified the Study Circle as an
  effective professional development tool for
  teachers.
• SC provides an opportunity for teachers to
  translate theories and research into practice

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What is a study circle?

• Participants reflect and discuss
• Their contexts and experiences in relation to the
  topic
• Theories and concepts from the research or
  readings about the topic.
• Their ideas about implications of these theories
  and concepts for practice, policy and further
  research.

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The Health Literacy Study Circle PLUS

• TEACHERS
• Explore students needs and interests in relation
  to the topic
• Try out sample lessons and develop their own
  lessons
• Develop plans for implementing skills- based
  teaching.

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Study Circle Sessions

• Duration 3 5 sessions
• Typical session
• Introductory activities
• Discussion and analysis bulk of time
• Planning activities
• Closure activities

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Partnerships A complement

• Students learn first hand about US health
  system
• Literacy programs have opportunity to enhance
  instructional capability of health personnel
• Collaboration increases community capacity
• Health agencies have opportunity to reach wider
  community with health message.

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Study circles activities - Summary

• Trained more than 200 teachers
• Established more than 20 partnerships
• Teachers have had opportunities to experience
  professional growth
• Impacted at least 6,000 students (and their
  families)
• Given program managers confidence in PD (evidence
  based)

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Evaluation Comments from Teachers

• I became so interested in this subject that I
  found it hard to leave the material and go on
  with my other curriculum
• This approach opened up a lot for me. It made me
  think about what it means to do skills-based
  teaching for health or anything else

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Evaluation Comments from Students

• I feel comfortable. Im not afraid
• I dont need to visit doctor because I can ask
  questions on phone. Feel confident

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Other Initiatives

• NY State Education Department
• WIA Title II RFP
• Mayors Office of Adult Education
• Health Literacy Fellowship Program
• Health Literacy Campaign

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MORE INFORMATION

• Winston Lawrence Ed. D
• Literacy Assistance Center
• New York, New York 10004
• Winstonl_at_lacnyc.org
• Tel [phone]
• Website www.lacnyc.org