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Health and safety education for workers with low‐literacy or limited‐english skills
Author(s) -
Wallerstein Nina
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
american journal of industrial medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.7
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1097-0274
pISSN - 0271-3586
DOI - 10.1002/ajim.4700220513
Subject(s) - medicine , health literacy , workforce , literacy , empowerment , reading (process) , medical education , occupational safety and health , limited english proficiency , english language , nursing , pedagogy , psychology , health care , economic growth , mathematics education , pathology , political science , law , economics
Low literacy and limited English proficiency have become a growing concern for health and safety educators. With one‐fifth of the workforce reading below an eighth‐grade level and possibly another tenth having limited English skills, health and safety educators and unions have increasingly become aware that current training programs often surpass the language and literacy abilities of workers being trained. This article describes the dilemmas facing health and safety professionals in incorporating knowledge about language and literacy skill levels. It documents creative strategies and new programs, largely based on participatory and popular education approaches, to provide training that simultaneously matches worker needs and leads to worker empowerment.