Health Literacy Study Circle Resources
Professional Development Framework
Sample Lesson Plans
Where do I sign up?
Professional Development Framework
Dr. Rima Rudd of the Harvard School of Public Health and the National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy has designed three sets of study circles, called Study Circle +, to help literacy instructors integrate health literacy skills into their curriculum. Study circles of 6 to 10 instructors, facilitated by an LAC professional development associate, work together on one theme over the course of several weeks, meeting several times to review research and pertinent resources, develop lesson plans, and share their experiences of implementing their lessons in the classroom.
The three sets of study circles are:
- Navigating health care systems Complete guide available at the NCSALL website
- Chronic disease management
- Preventative care
Study circle goals
The goals of the study circles, as outlined in Dr. Rudd’s curriculum, are to give participants the opportunity to:
- Learn about and consider the concept of health literacy and the research that supports it
- Discover and learn about specific health literacy skills that adults need as they (1) navigate health care systems, (2) manage a chronic disease, or (3) engage in preventative and screening activities
- Conduct a needs assessment of their own adult students to identify their perception of and experiences with health care
- Review and try out sample lesson plans that address tasks related to the study circle’s topic
- Begin to develop a teaching plan that outlines their goals for sustaining the integration of health literacy skills in their teaching
Unit/project implementation planning
Study circle participants have used a valuable study circle implementation guide to help them plan health literacy units and projects. With its checklist of all the aspects of effective curriculum planning, this guide can be used to guide the design of almost any kind of instruction.
Sample Lesson Plans
Participants in LAC Health Literacy Initiative study circles have developed lesson plans designed to help their students develop the skills needed to navigate the health care system, manage chronic disease, and engage in preventative care. The lesson plans presented below offer examples of the kinds of products exemplary professional development can produce and may help other literacy instructors consider ways to integrate health literacy skills into their own curriculum.
Lesson plan template (PDF, 27K)
Lesson plans on navigating the health care system
Lesson plans on preventative activities
Lesson plans on navigating the health care system
- Identifying Body Parts by Tilla Elahi (PDF, 40K)
- Communicating with Health Professionals by Tilla Elahi (PDF, 48K)
Lesson plans on preventative activities
- Nutrition by Catherine Fletcher, Guadaloupe Marquez, and Teresita Resureccion of Cypress Hills (PDF, 155K)
- Nutrition handout: Food Pyramid and nutrition labels (PDF, 435K)
- Nutrition food-matching cards (PDF, 28K)
Where do I sign up?
Check the LAC professional development calendar for current health literacy offerings. For more information on health literacy study circles, contact Dr. Winston Lawrence, Senior Professional Development Associate, at 212 803 3326.
