Michele Erikson has been involved with adult literacy for many years. She started as a volunteer literacy tutor and now serves as Executive Director of Wisconsin Literacy, Inc. One of Michele’s many accomplishments is overseeing Wisconsin Literacy’s Health Literacy division that not only hosts national health literacy summits but also works closely with adult learners and healthcare professionals to ensure that health information is communicated in ways everyone can understand.
In this podcast, Michele Erikson talks with Helen Osborne about:
- Literacy, an acquired skill that goes beyond decoding written words.
- Is reading a problem? Why, who, and what to do to improve understanding.
- How literacy and health literacy overlap, intersect, and differ from the other.
More Ways to Learn:
- Wisconsin Literacy, Inc. Includes information about Wisconsin Health Literacy. At http://wisconsinliteracy.org/health-literacy/
- Contact Wisconsin Health Literacy’s director, Steve Sparks at steve@wisconsinliteracy.org or call 608-257-1655
- Hotdogs and Hamburgers: Unlocking Life’s Potential through Literacy at Any Age, by Rob Shindler. This book includes an insider’s view on tutoring adults.
More Ways to Make a Difference:
- Volunteer to be a tutor. Change someone’s life through literacy.
- Advocate to legislators, business leaders and community officials.
- Ask if your doctor’s clinic participates in Reach Out and Read.
- Donate or become a member of your local literacy agency.
- Ask your local service club (Rotary, Kiwanis, Altrusa, Lions, Etc.) to get involved.
- Use plain language in all your health care communications.
Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message, Second Edition (Updated 2018), by Helen Osborne. Relevant chapters include: 1, 6, 13, 21, 27.
Read the written podcast transcript.
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