Daphne,

Thanks for bringing this topic to a very public realm.  It is sorely missing
both in the K-12 realm and the adult realm.  Often, I think it is our own
discomfort (and politics) that keep(s) us from teaching about our bodies and
appropriate language, thereby continuing to make the topic a bit illicit.  I
think it is a brilliant idea to incorporate the vocabulary of "sex" as an
aspect of the rest of our bodies.  I had not thought about how sexual
reproduction and genitalia are set apart from other processes (e.g. respiratory
system, circulatory system).  I have worked primarily with ESL students and
never taught health components but in having conversation with many women their
approach to body parts was often more matter-of-fact than mine (I was often
surprised by the direct nature the conversations took and at my level of inner
discomfort).  It should be noted that these conversations were strictly among
women.  I am curious to hear other responses to how different cultural outlooks
might affect this topic and how it can be addressed in class.

Blaire

On Fri, Jul 25, 2008 10:05 PM, "Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt"
<katherine.gotthardt at gmail.com> wrote:

>>

>Daphne, was there much giggling?  : )

> 

>Seriously, what a brave thing to do!  Good for you.

>

>



>On Fri, Jul 25, 2008 at 9:26 PM, Daphne Greenberg <<#>> wrote:

>A number of people have emailed me off line about my previous posting

regarding the importance of teaching words such as vulva, labia, clitoris,
testicles, etc. in a health literacy classroom. They thanked me for posting
these words so publicly, and told me that they found it difficult to read those
words. Some add that it was too uncomfortable for them to even think about
writing about them in a public arena such as an electronic list. I wrote back
stating that I understood. Even though the above words are parts of our body,
like our pupils, our nostrils, our toe nails, we are taught to feel
uncomfortable labeling certain parts of our body.

>

>What is the solution? Do we ignore teaching our learners these words? Aren't

they entitled to learn these words, just like the other parts of the body?

>

>However, what do we do about the lack of comfort that many feel-both teachers

and learners?

>

>I think that one way to do it is not to call attention to it, but to infuse

the words into other lists of words. So for example, instead of planning to
devote a unit to female sex organs, instead have a list of a few words that are
taught on different days. So for example, on Monday teach "v" words: vagina,
vulva, vein, vagus nerve, valve in the heart, etc. Have pencil drawings of
each, and run through them as you would teach any word. At first this will be
difficult, but if it becomes a routine, people will start noticing it less
intensely.

>

>Many years ago, when I worked with the developmentally disabled, I insisted

that a group of adults with mental retardation could learn how to use a condom
to prevent AIDS when they were having sex. People didn't believe that they
could learn this. So after I taught them (using a model penis), we decided to
show the staff what they had learned. I was concerned that once the skit began,
and the clients pulled out the model penis from the shelf to put on the condom,
people would be shocked by the model and not focus on what the clients wanted
to show them. So I decided to have it in the middle of the table so that it was
the first thing that everyone noticed when they first walked into the room.
Yes, there were many loud reactions of shock when people walked in. But, most
importantly, by the time it was appropriate for the clients to show the staff
how to put the condom on the model, everyone was used to it. I think that this
type of approach could be helpful for our adult learn

>

 ers who deserve to know how read, spell, pronounce, and understand the names
of the male and female sex organs.

>Daphne

>----------------------------------------------------

>National Institute for Literacy

>Diversity and Literacy mailing list

><#>

>To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to

<http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/diversity>

>





>

>

>-- 

>Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt

><http://www.LuxuriousChoices.net>

>

>



***********************************************
Blaire W Toso
bwt121 at psu.edu
PhD Candidate, Adult Education
Pennsylvania State University


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/diversity/attachments/20080726/7932843b/attachment.html