I agree.  I get students from all over the world in my ESL classes, and sharing this kind of information is very important.  I doubt that information they get in their native language is going to include such information.  
 
Mikal Steinbacher
Instructor, ABE/ESL/English
Lake Washington Technical College

________________________________

From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Miriam Burt
Sent: Fri 3/20/2009 6:59 AM
To: The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List
Subject: [EnglishLanguage 4051] Explicit connections to instruction foradult English language learners



Hello, Donna and all:

Thank you, Donna, for your additional email below expanding on the value to the ESL classroom of the information you posted before. It's a good reminder to all of us - including me -- that it's useful for us to be explicit in our email postings and to make direct connections to ESL instruction. What seems obvious to some of us, may not be to others, and it's also a great opportunity to offer suggestions for classroom activities and instructional strategies that employ important topical information.
That's one reason why working with adult English language learners is so interesting and rewarding: That mixture of content and language. (That, and the fascinating, receptive, great learners keep many of us in the field for many years!)
Miriam

*********
Miriam Burt
Moderator, Adult English Language Learners electronic discussion list
mburtm at cal.org (email)


-----Original Message-----
From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Kinerney, Donna
Sent: Friday, March 20, 2009 9:34 AM
To: The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List; EnglishLanguage at nifl.gov
Subject: [EnglishLanguage 4049] Re: (Burmese) Folk Remedies IdentifiedasPotential Sources of Lead and Arsenic Poisoning -- Indiana, 2009

Hi again,

I got an off-line question (from another discussion list) that very emphatically suggested that this email below had nothing to do with ESL instruction.  I beg to differ, but I was in a rush when I posted the first time and could have articulated the connection better. 

While on the surface this message from the CDC seems to relate only to the Burmese, this kind of issue is still a good topic for contextualized ESL and health literacy instruction.  Regardless of which group we are working, there are potentially dangerous "treatments" everywhere in the world, obviously including the U.S, that can lead to any number of unknown consequences, such as the potential lead poisoning issue below.  This kind of topic opens up rich possibilities for discussion, debate, English language instruction, critical thinking skills development, accessing community resources, personal and family advocacy, project-based learning, and the list goes on.  It seems to me that the trick in all of this is to present a wide range of resources and references, so that no one group is on the "hot seat" and to help people understand what kinds of information and choices they have as they are living here in the U.S.

Having a very current piece of information like this seemed to me a natural fit with adult ESL instruction for a wide variety of learners.  That's the vein I posted it in.

Best,
Donna Kinerney

________________________________

From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Kinerney, Donna
Sent: Thu 3/19/2009 5:16 PM
To: EnglishLanguage at nifl.gov
Subject: [EnglishLanguage 4046] (Burmese) Folk Remedies Identified asPotential Sources of Lead and Arsenic Poisoning -- Indiana, 2009



Hi all,

We have Burmese students in our programs here in Maryland and we'll be working with them on the potential health risks of using these products.   Since it's a warning from the CDC, I thought I'd pass it along.

Best,

Donna



________________________________


Subject: Fwd: Folk Remedies Identified as Potential Sources of Lead and Arsenic Poisoning -- Indiana, 2009



Just an FYI as you all will see many of the parents.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Dipti Shah <dshah at dhmh.state.md.us>
Date: Wed, Mar 18, 2009 at 12:41 PM
Subject: Folk Remedies Identified as Potential Sources of Lead and Arsenic Poisoning -- Indiana, 2009

Good Afternoon,

I received this posting from the CDC this morning and thought it would be of interest to you. Please inquire about these folk remedies when working with the Burmese population.  LHDs, please share this information with your Childhood Lead Coordinators and make every effort to ensure that refugee children are being screened for blood lead poisoning.



ISDH has developed a fact sheet detailing these 2 remedies (link provided below).



If you know that these specific products, or anything similar is being used by the Burmese population, please notify the DHMH Refugee Health Program immediately at 410.767.6698.  Please also ask your clients to stop using these folk remedies.


Thank you for your time and attention. If you have any questions about this, please do not hesitate to contact me.


Dipti

******************************************************************

Folk Remedies Identified as Potential Sources of Lead and Arsenic Poisoning -- Indiana, 2009

Brief Summary of Report:
Two remedies, Daw Tway and Daw Kyin, have been found to contain high levels of lead and arsenic. These products are commonly used as digestive aids for children in the Burmese refugee population.


Description:
Two products, Daw Tway and Daw Kyin, commonly used as digestive aids in children of Burmese refugees in Fort Wayne, Indiana, have tested high for lead and arsenic. The public is advised to avoid using these folk medicines. When working with this population, health-care providers are advised to inquire about folk medicine use and to routinely screen for lead and arsenic exposure.

Daw Tway has been found to contain lead as high as 970 ppm, 200 times above acceptable limits. Daw Tway has also been found to contain arsenic as high as 7,100 ppm. Daw Kyin, generically referred to as "wonotsay," has been found to contain arsenic as high as 23,000 ppm. Additional information about the two products is available at the following website: http://www.in.gov/isdh/files/Arsenic_and_Lead_Poisoning.pdf.

The investigation has been a coordinated effort by the Fort Wayne-Allen County Department of Health, St. Joseph Community Health Foundation, Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH), and CDC to identify products, customs, and environmental factors that may be contributing to a higher-than-normal percentage of children with elevated blood lead levels in the Burmese refugee population. Capillary lead screening of 199 Burmese children identified 14 children that had subsequently-confirmed lead poisoning, defined as a blood lead level ?10 µg/dL. Increased anemia rates and arsenic poisoning also appear to be a risk in this community. Data and additional products are being analyzed.

To ask questions, provide information about these products, or convey concerns about similar populations, please call ISDH's Matthew Ritchey, D.P.T., M.P.H., EISO, at (317) 233-7627.

Exposed:
199

Total Ill or Injured:
14

Date First Case Became Ill or Injured:
02/01/2009

Cause/Agent:
Lead poisoning due to folk remedy use

Setting:
Community

Other Setting Information:
Burmese Refugee Population

Location:
Indiana

Other Location Information:
Fort Wayne

Public Health Actions Taken:
Investigation in Progress, Public Education, Screening and Referral

Linked URLs:
Links to additional information.
Product information on the Indiana State Department of Health website

Other Contributors to This Report:
M.S. Sucosky, T. Jefferies, D. McCormick, A. Hesting, S. Kariyanna, J. Duwve, T. Chester, W.R. Daley

****************************************************

Dipti D. Shah, MPH

Epidemiologist/State Refugee & Migrant Health Coordinator

PHASE Program Manager

Division of TB Control, Refugee and Migrant Health

Office of Epidemiology and Disease Control Programs

Maryland Dept. of Health & Mental Hygiene
201 W. Preston St., 3rd Floor

Baltimore, MD 21201

o:410.767.6664
f: 410.669.4215
dshah at dhmh.state.md.us
****************************************************
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--
Jennifer Schiller
Program Coordinator
Refugee and Immigrant Services
Lutheran Social Services
Tele:  301-562-8633 ext. 227
Fax:   301.562.5026

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