esl health communication plan

Health CommunicationEnglish as a Second Language

By Courtney Todd

What Happened?

Click on the pictures below to read the scenario

Discharge: Luis is released

Click on the pictures below for information

Who is Elena Gonzalez?When the picture is clicked, it will give Elena Gonzalez’s background information in a pop-up text box.

•Elena Gonzalez is a legal immigrant from Mexico. She became a citizen of the USA 10 years ago. •Elena Gonzalez is 60 years old. •Elena’s daughter is Sofia, who has a son named Luis. •Elena reads and writes English at an 8th grade level. •Elena babysits Luis everyday while Sofia is working. •Elena does not understand the United State’s medical system.

What’s the problem?There’s a communication gap

How do we fix the gap?

Keep it simple.

Complex Simple

Accomplish Do

Utilize Use

Strategize Plan

Locality Place

Interactive: when the complex word is clicked the simple word will appear in red font.

Keep it short.Cut out the unnecessary words

Instead of: Use:

With regard to About

By means of By

In the event that If

Until such time Until

In respect of for

Interactive: when “instead of” column is clicked the “use” column’s words will appear in red font.

Keep it clear.

Abstract Idea Concrete Example

I want success. I want a private jet and a house on the ocean.

I want freedom. I want a summer vacation with paid time off.

Interactive: when the abstract column is clicked the concrete examples will appear in red font.

Use Phonetics

Word Phonetics

Antibiotic (an-ty-by-ah-tik)

Diagnosis (dy-ag-noh-sis)

Therapy (ther-ah-pee)

Antiseptic (an-tih-sep-tik)

Interactive: when the word column is clicked the Phonetic examples will appear in red font.

Using Phonetic charts will help Elena read words correctly.

Don’t change verbs into nouns!

Instead of: Use:

The requirement of the department is that all

employees work Black Friday.

The department requires all employees to work Black

Friday.

You will work on the establishment of goals for

employees.

You will establish goals for employees.

Interactive: when the “Instead of” column is clicked the “Use” examples will appear in red font.

Choose your words ConsistentlyChoose one word and stick with it!

1. How to care for Luis.

2. How to Luis.

3. How to heal Luis.

treatIf you use treat once, use it throughout the document.

Interactive: once the PowerPoint slide is clicked, each sentence will appear in list order. After everything is on the slide, the word “treat” will be circled and the arrow will appear with text inside.

Use acronyms carefully.But when in doubt, spell it out!

W/O= withoutW F = with food

Interactive:When the acronyms are clicked, the proper term will appear in red font.

Write in the active voice.

Instead of: Use:In the morning, the doctor will examine Luis.

The doctor will examine Luis in the morning.

In two days, Luis should be feeling 100% better.

Luis will feel 100% better in two days.

Interactive: when the “Instead of” column is clicked the “Use” examples will appear in red font.

Emphasize the positive.

Instead of: Use:

If Luis rejects the medicine, he will not get better.

Luis must take the medicine to get better.

If Luis does not pass the discharge test, he will not go home.

Luis will not go home if he fails the discharge test.

Interactive: when the “Instead of” column is clicked the “Use” examples will appear in red font.

Think about it this way:

• Words are symbols for what we perceive with our senses

• They communicate what we think, feel, and do.

• The more complex the idea, the harder it is

to express it in words.

Use Plain Language to communicate with

Elena.

End of Module