| Phase of Parenthood
and Schooling
|
Effects of Higher Levels
Of Mother's Education |
Important Topics for
Parenting Program |
| Before pregnancy |
Higher economic productivity;
better personal health care;
lower fertility rates;
smaller families. |
Teenage pregnancy and
the importance of education;
family planning. |
| During pregnancy
and at birth. |
Better prenatal health care;
more full-term births; higher
birthweight babies; fewer
learning disabilities. |
Prenatal care; drug, alcohol,
and tobacco use effects on
fetus; intrauterine learning
and cognitive development. |
| Before going to
school |
Better health care; better development of language, cognitive, and
literacy skills; better preparation
for schoolwork. |
Health; nutrition; safety;
mother and infant
interaction; learning from visits
to community locations (zoos,
stores; churches;parks;office
buildings; mother's education
and training programs; worksites; shopping malls; theaters;
schools;etc.); language and
literacy development; playing
school and other socialization
activities. |
| During the school
years |
Greater success in the primary
grades; fewer placements in
special education; better management of homework; better
advocacy for children's education
and negotiation of school and
children's conflicts; higher
academic achievement by children;
more participation in schooling
and better high school completion
rates. |
The nature of schooling;
importance of taking part in
school activities; talking with
teachers; talking with child
about school, looking at
children's schoolwork; reading
school notes, schedules, and
report cards; communicating
with school personnel; managing
homework and extracurricular
activities; motivating children to
achieve well, stay in, complete
school; sexual development and
behavior of adolescents; peer
influences on children. |
| Reference: Van Fossen, S. and Sticht, T. (1991, July). Teach
the Mother and Reach the Child: Results of the Intergenerational Literacy
Action Research Project of Wider Opportunities for Women. Washington, DC:
Wider Opportunities for Women. |
Case Study #5. Two Resources on the Internet for Health Literacy
Resource #1: Virginia Adult Education Health Literacy Toolkit
Compiled by Kate Singleton, July 2003 (http://www.aelweb.vcu.edu)
[Editor’s note: the following information is taken directly without editing
from the report cited above.]
About the Toolkit
The Virginia Adult Education Health Literacy Toolkit grew from many teachers’ observations
of adult literacy learners whose education paused or ended because a small
health problem became bigger and brought on a host of other difficulties. Many
adult
learners, particularly those with the lowest literacy skills, are unaware of
accessible health care options for the un- and underinsured and have a limited
understanding of prevention of those conditions for which they are at increased
risk. Those who are able to access care often do not know how to advocate for
themselves in the complex, changing U.S. health care system. The spoken and
written language of the U.S. health care culture seems to them beyond their
reach. |