Selecting the Right Units for your Learner

What health topics are your learners interested in?

Your learners’ interest in health topics is an important factor in choosing lessons. As you review the units, you will see that the variety of topics is quite wide. Topics range from the development of simple conversational skills and vocabulary to more complicated subjects such as risk factors for common illnesses.

As a tutor you should remember that these materials are designed for educational purposes only and are not a substitute for professional medical advice and care. The information provided throughout the lessons should not be used for diagnosing or treating health problems. If your learners suspect that they have a health problem, they should consult a healthcare provider. If they do find something in the materials that is particularly relevant to their own health issues, encourage them to discuss this with their doctor.

Teachers who used the units in their ESL classes found that it was difficult to predict learner interest in and comfort level with the various topics. For example, in the first unit, The Doctor’s Office, some learners were uncomfortable sharing their personal health histories or experiences with their classmates and teachers, while for others this activity was “a wonderful opportunity to learn new vocabulary”. In another case, an instructor working with the lesson on stress from Unit Three: Healthy Aging, told us that her seniors, “became very uncomfortable and embarrassed talking about depression. They were okay talking about everyday stress but when we got to this part they clammed up!”

Because it is a very complicated task to pre-determine what topics might be culturally or personally taboo for your learners, we suggest that you get their input when selecting the health topics you plan to cover. As mentioned earlier, each lesson is a stand-alone instructional component, so you do not need to worry about picking and choosing from the materials. Ask your learners what they are interested in personally and what topics they might find uncomfortable or boring – perhaps they are most excited about simply learning how to describe their symptoms to their health care providers, or they may want to learn more about a particular illness that they or a loved one is coping with. Whatever their motivation, involving your learner(s) in planning their instructional experience will make for a more relaxed and productive study experience.

To determine your learners’ interests and goals, you may want to interview them either one-on-one or in small groups (either in English or in their native language). Here is a simple questionnaire to help you determine your learners’ interests. Print the questionnaire and bring it with you to your tutoring session.

1. Here is a list of situations where you may need to use English for medical or health reasons. Which ones can you already do

 Make appointments
 Use voicemail
 Describe pain/symptoms
 Talk with your doctor
 Describe your personal and family health history
 Call 911
 Take care of yourself before and after surgery
 Prevent and/or manage diabetes
 Prevent and/or manage high blood pressure
 Prevent and/or manage heart attack and stroke
 Eat a healthy diet
 Start a healthy exercise plan
 Manage stress in your life
 Read prescription and over-the-counter medication labels
 Talk to your pharmacist about drug side effects and interactions
 Make your home safe to help prevent accidents such as falls
 Talk to your doctor about different types of alternative medicines and practices.

2. Which of the following topics would you like to learn more about?

 Making appointments (Unit 1 – lesson 1)
 Using voicemail (Unit 1 – lesson 1)
 Describing pain/symptoms (Unit 1 – lesson 2)
 Talking with your doctor (Unit 1 – lesson 2)
 Describing your personal and family health history (Unit 1 – lesson 3)
 Calling 911 (Unit 2 – lesson 1)
 Taking care of yourself before and after surgery (Unit 2 – lesson 2/3)
 Preventing and/or manage diabetes (Unit 3 – lesson 1)
 Preventing and/or manage high blood pressure (Unit 3 – lesson 2)
 Preventing and/or manage heart attack and stroke (Unit 3 – lesson 3)
 Eating a healthy diet (Unit 4 – lesson 1)
 Starting a healthy exercise plan (Unit 4 – lesson 2)
 Managing stress in your life (Unit 4 – lesson 3)
 Reading prescription and over-the-counter medication labels (Unit 5 – lesson 1)
 Talking to your pharmacist about drug side effects and interactions (Unit 5 – lesson 1)
 Making your home safe to help prevent accidents like falls (Unit 5 – lesson 2)
 Talking to your doctor about types of alternative medicines and practices (Unit 5 – lesson 3)

For a complete description of the health topics and language goals presented in each of the units, click here.