Reaching Teen Farm Workers with Health and Safety Information: An Evaluation of a High School ESL Curriculum
Authors:
Diane Bush, James Meyers, Robin Baker, Ron Strochlic, Susan Teran
Tags:
adolescent worker, agriculture, California, ESL curriculum, farm worker, Latino, occupational health
Journal:
Agriculture Safety and Health
Year Published:
2008
Policy Summary
Researchers tested whether integrating knowledge and tools to prevent agricultural injury into English as a second language (ESL) curriculum in schools helped prevent childhood agricultural injury while teens worked in the fields during the summer break. Previously, intervention efforts to prevent childhood agricultural injuries had occured at farms sites through organizations such as 4-H, Future Farmers of America, and farm safety camps – venues that teen immigrant workers do not have access to. The study found that providing the intervention group six, 50 minute, ESL classes that incorporated agricultural safety knowledge resulted in statistically significant changes in student knowledge and awareness about their role and ability to avoid accidents in the fields. Future evaluations of the Teens Working in Agriculture ESL curriculum, particularly on larger sample sizes will provide power to the results and allow for further confirmation of the benefits of this type of program intervention.
