Health and Literacy Compendium: Introduction: Materials Selection

Health and Literacy Compendium Home Page

Materials Selection

Research for the Compendium involved both quiet reading and reaching out to people and organizations. Input was requested on the NIFL-Health Listserv regarding materials and organizations for inclusion. Letters were written and phone calls were made to the State Literacy Resource Centers (SLRC) and to selected literacy and health programs in the U.S. and Canada. Adult Basic Education (ABE) and English for Speakers Other Languages (ESOL) publishers were phoned, and the World Wide Web and two national databases--the Combined Health Information Database (CHID) and the Educational Resources Information Center Database (ERIC)--were searched for materials. Despite all these efforts, this bibliography does not include all available materials about literacy and health. This Compendium project tries to include a combination of key titles and obscure, little-known publications. The Compendium, as a work in progress, should be a tool for practical use, despite including merely a representative selection of the materials available in the field. The Web version of this Compendium will be updated to include other resources and materials, and will include direct links to materials and Web sites.

A variety of selection criteria were considered when compiling the Compendium. This collection focuses on curricula, readers, books, and Web sites, yet includes bibliographies that provide information about brochures or journal articles. Videos included are either guides for teachers or health videos with accompanying texts for classroom use.

Efforts have been made to ensure that materials included provide up-to-date information, are free from obvious stereotypes or judgmental tones, and are written in clear language. Only materials that are accessible, in print, and considered affordable in the United States are listed. The commercially produced health education curricula included were selected because they allow for student interaction and input into the curricula, promoting critical thinking skills.