Schools

Health literacy skills start early in life and are part of the process of caring for and educating children, adolescents and young adults. All children should graduate with health literacy skills that will help them lead healthier lives. The resources on this page can help care providers and educators recognize and respond to children’s (and family members’) health information and communication needs. The resources may also help other individuals and organizations identify common interests and opportunities to work with care providers and educators.

Early Childhood

• Curriculum
  • Health literacy training for Head Start agencies and parents (Source: UCLA/Johnson & Johnson Health Care Institute 2006)
• Early Literacy and Head Start Research
  • Early Head Start Research (HHS Administration for Children & Families – Historical Document)
  • Head Start Research (HHS Administration for Children & Families – Historical Document)
  • Reach Out and Read (Reach Out and Read National Center 2011)
• Research supported by the NIH Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), Child Development and Behavior Branch
  • Early Learning and School Readiness Program (NIH National Institute of Child Health & Human Development 2010)
  • Language, Bilingualism and Biliteracy (NIH National Institute of Child Health & Human Development 2010)
  • Reading, Writing and Related Learning Disabilities Program (NIH National Institute of Child Health & Human Development 2010)

For more information, please review the complete text of Goal 3 [666 KB, 73 Pages] in the National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy. See: Section 3, Goal 3.

K-12 and University

• Curriculum
  • Health Information Literacy Outreach: A Curriculum for Improving Health Information Literacy of 6th Grade Children (Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 2013)
• Educational Standards and Assessment
  • National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) (National Center for Education Statistics 2010)
  • National Health Education Standards (American Cancer Society 2007)
• Health and Science Education
  • Characteristics of an Effective Health Education Curriculum (CDC Division of Adolescent and School Health 2008)
  • Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (HECAT) (CDC Division of Adolescent and School Health 2009)
  • National Library of Medicine History of Medicine Resources for Teachers and Students (NIH National Library of Medicine 2010)
  • National Institutes of Health Office of Science Education, including curriculum (NIH Office of Science Policy 2011)
  • School Health Index (CDC Division of Adolescent and School Health 2010)

For more information, please review the complete text of Goal 3 [666 KB, 73 Pages] in the National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy. See: Section 3, Goal 3.