Although Hispanics have a documented high risk of limited health literacy, there is a scarcity of research with this population group, and particularly with Hispanic immigrants who generally confront language barriers that have been related to low health literacy. The National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy identified community-based English-language instruction as a strategy that can facilitate a health literate society. However, the literature lacks discussion on this type of intervention. This randomized control trial aimed to test the feasibility of using conventional English-as-a-second-language (ESL) instruction for improving health literacy among Spanish-speaking adults. Objectives included the development, implementation, and evaluation of a health literacy/ESL curriculum. The Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (TOFHLA) in English was used to assess health literacy levels. Analyses included independent sample t test, chi-square, and multiple linear regression. A total of 155 people participated. Results showed a significantly higher increase in the TOFHLA posttest score in the intervention group (p = .01), and noticeable differences in health literacy levels between groups. Results indicate that ESL constitutes a promising venue for improving health literacy among Spanish-speaking adults. Incorporating health literacy-related content may provide additional benefits.

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The large lecture format found in most introductory mathematics and science courses is generally not conducive to a teaching-learning process that would allow for the development of professional skills such as team work, oral and written communication, and time management. Motivated by a successful experience in a general chemistry course, we have implemented workshops based on the Peer Led Team Learning (PLTL) model that engages every engineering student enrolled in the introductory chemistry, mathematics, and physics courses through a guided-process and inquiry-based strategy utilizing small group settings. For this purpose we replaced one hour of lecture with a two-hour small-group workshop. Workshops are guided by an advanced undergraduate peer leader who has successfully completed the course with a grade of A or B. The courses included in this project are pre-calculus, general chemistry 1 and 2, mechanics, and fields and waves. We anticipate that the implementation of PLTL will result in improvements in learning that will positively impact second year retention and success in subsequent engineering courses. One of the key factors in this approach will be the performance of peer leaders as facilitators and role models for engineering students. Peer leaders are trained following a schedule that includes a pre-semester induction session, weekly preview sessions, and an end of semester debriefing session. The induction generally lasts three days and involves faculty engaging peer leaders in cooperative-style learning and knowledge constructivism activities that they can subsequently apply in the workshops. In this session peer leaders also learn tips for small classroom management. Weekly preview sessions with faculty cover course content and pedagogical approaches. Lessons learned and ongoing challenges are discussed during the end of semester debriefing sessions. The formative assessment of PLTL workshops includes a survey to obtain opinions of the peer leader experience, determine the actual time spent preparing for workshops, gauge amount of interaction between peer leaders and instructors, and identify additional training needs. On average, peer leaders agree or strongly agree that the workshops significantly aid students in developing problem solving skills and better preparing for examinations. The amount of time that peer leaders dedicate to preparing for workshop varies significantly even within discipline but they all felt that the amount of time dedicated to the endeavor was just right. Peer leaders also identified a number of valuable outcomes including improvements in teamwork, organization, communication, and goal setting. Nearly all of them indicated that the time spent coordinating with faculty was used efficiently and expressed an interest in continuing as workshop leaders in the immediate future. Although this effort is work in progress, the results from the peer leaders' perspective indicate that the workshops indeed add value to the education of engineering majors.

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