Beyond Describing Signs and Symptoms - Promoting Health Literacy to the Adult English Language Learner

Oct 15, 2026

Upload by Patrick

Article on adult personal health literacy for adult English language learners (ELLs), highlighting how health literacy extends beyond reading health concepts to enabling informed, autonomous decisions. Uses CDC’s distinction between personal and organizational health literacy to frame responsibility and provider roles. Discusses barriers created by medical terminology, varying cultural beliefs, and mixed proficiency levels in adult ESL classes. Presents classroom-focused instructional activities, including structured personal storytelling, to introduce health literacy and support accurate health-service communication.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages5

Reading Time13 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Health literacy concepts and responsibilities

Barriers for adult English language learners

Class Overview

Learner profile and context

Activities Incorporating Health Literacy in the Adult ESL Classroom

Writing personal stories when seeking health services

ADULT LITERACY EDUCATION WINTER 2026 | [http://doi.org/10.35847/JAdversario.8.1.12](http://doi.org/10.35847/JAdversario.8.1.12) | | | --- | --- | | | Field Report | Beyond Describing Signs and Symptoms: Promoting Health Literacy to the Adult English Language Learner Jan Adversario, Austin Community College The scope and definition of health literacy continues to expand and evolve. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identifies two types of health literacy: personal and organizational. Personal health literacy is defined as “the degree to which individuals have the ability to find, understand, and use information and services to inform health-related decisions and actions for themselves and others”(CDC, 2024) . This definition places responsibility on the individual to acquire health literacy. Thus, it is different from organizational health literacy where the obligation falls on health providers and health systems to provide information to patients in ways that they can be understood. This article focuses on helping develop personal health literacy for adult English language learners (ELLs) and how adult educators can weave health literacy into their curriculum. Health literacy is not just being able to read and understand health-related concepts. This understanding suggests that individuals who have appropriate levels of health literacy can make autonomous and sound decisionson their health and well-being. Low health literacy among patients may result in limited participation in diseaseprevention and health-promoting activities (Rudd, 2017) . Health literacy is a challenge for many individuals because of the medical terminology and technical jargon used. In other words, it is like learning a new language. Even native-born English speakers may have low levels of health literacy for this reason. Thus, minority and immigrant groups who are more at risk due to limited English proficiency (Rudd, 2007; Sepassi et al., 2023) may face greater health disparities and poorer health outcomes (Diehl, 2011; Sarkar et al., 2019; Ugas et al., 2023) . Like me, many English language teachers face challenges adopting health literacy curricula into lesson plans due to lack of medical understanding. To teach health literacy effectively, instructors must acquire new knowledge to be confident in their instruction (Diehl, 2011) and to convey health information accurately. I also struggle with the unfamiliarity of my learners’ cultural beliefs on health. Cultural perceptions of health and medical practices vary widely, influencing how learners interpret and accept health information. Therefore, I must navigate these differences carefully to be mindful of my students’various backgrounds. It is also inevitable that there will be multiple levels in adult English as a Second Language (ESL) classrooms, and this exacerbates the intricacies of teaching health literacy. In the classes I have taught, there are high school graduates, but there are also students who have advanced degrees and medical practitioners from their countries of origin. Those who may lack prior knowledge about certain health concepts may have a harder time building a new understanding. Therefore, it is a challenge for instructors to level some of these topics. My purpose in writing this article is to share effective instructional activities that incorporate and promote health literacy in the adult ESL classroom. This by no means is an exhaustive list of activities to teach this topic. Rather, it is what I find to be some of the most effective and meaningful to adult ELLs. Class Overview The class that I teach is an intermediate, non-credit ESL class offered through the adult education program at a [Correspondence: jan.adversario@austincc.edu](Correspondence: jan.adversario@austincc.edu) 12 community college. It is provided cost free to students. Enrollment in the class is ongoing throughout the year, so the students vary per term, but the

FAQs

What is personal health literacy, and how does it differ from organizational health literacy?

Personal health literacy is the ability to find, understand, and use health information and services to make health-related decisions and actions. Organizational health literacy places the obligation on health providers and health systems to communicate information in understandable ways.

Why does teaching health literacy present challenges for adult English language teachers?

Challenges include limited medical understanding, the need to convey health information accurately, and unfamiliarity with learners’ cultural beliefs about health. Mixed proficiency levels in adult ESL classrooms further increase teaching complexity.

How does the article propose teaching health literacy through storytelling in adult ESL classes?

Learners write and share personal stories about times they had difficulty speaking, reading, or understanding English for healthcare services. The activity uses prompts about situation, people involved, location, timing, reasons, and feelings while emphasizing privacy and comfort regarding personal health information.

Oct 15, 2026

Upload by Patrick