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Expecting the Best is
a program that teaches adults with limited English language skills about
health and well-being through English as a Second Language (ESL) classes.
Because low literacy and English language proficiency are frequently cited
as barriers that prevent individuals from receiving the health care and
information they
need, ESL classes were selected as a natural environment for implementing
the Expecting the Best curriculum. Navigating the health care
system, arranging and participating in health care visits, adhering to
treatment, preventive and self-care are just a sample of issues that depend on the ability to understand
health-related language and culture in the United States and on using
important life skills. ESL classes offer a safe environment to learn
these basic life skills through the context of health - an environment where students
feel comfortable asking questions and practicing new skills, and one
suited to adult learning needs.
Expecting
the Best is North Carolina's first statewide program that addresses health
literacy and health communication issues, and it started its development
with seed funding from the North Carolina
March of Dimes. It grew out of a rapidly growing
foreign-born population and concerns from health care providers who
expressed frustration with the level of counseling and health education
they could give to their patients with limited English proficiency.
English as a Second Language instructors echoed similar concerns about
their students who had limited cultural information about seeking health
care, limited skills to negotiate the health system, and communication
barriers.
Expecting the Best
addresses the need for an innovative approach to serve this growing
multicultural, multilingual population in North Carolina. The
curriculum creates a foundation for positive health outcomes through
improved communication skills, functional literacy, and health
knowledge. ESL instructors and students across
North Carolina participated in extensive field testing of the curriculum
and later participated in our outcome evaluation. Community college classrooms, community-based
organizations, and literacy councils have all used the materials with their
ESL students.
The
project was guided by a multidisciplinary advisory board,
and medical
professionals reviewed materials to ensure their technical accuracy.
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