Literate and semi-literate audiences: Tips for effective teaching

Abstract

General tips • Assess the needs of your target audience before designing your program. Focus groups, personal interviews, central location intercept interviews, self-administered questionnaires, and interviews of agency personnel can help you assess the needs of your clientele (1-3). • Pretest your message with your target audience to determine whether your message conveys your intended meaning (1-3). People perceive messages (verbal, written, and visual) based on their own experiences (1). • Teach the smallest amount of information possible to do the job. Three or four items of instruction are enough at anyone time for most people (1). Teach only the need-to-know rather than the nice-to-know information. • Present information in a variety of ways to enhance learning. Combinations of lectures, slide shows, demonstrations, pamphlets, visuals , or audiocassettes generally reinforce learning (1). • Help people relate to information by including familiar examples. For example, references to a familiar lifestyle help establish credibility while references to an overly sophisticated lifestyle may tum some people away from the message entirely (1). Include examples of foods eaten by the target audience (2). • Involve both the learner and the teacher in the teachingllearning process (4). Generate feedback periodically and allow time for people to rehearse how they will explain what they learn to others (1). Encourage people to ask questions and to share information and experiences. Allow time for people to commit themselves to doing something for the next week. At tlie following session, allow time for them to report how they did with their commitment. • Treat people with respect and dignity regardless of socioeconomic status, race, religion, or ethnicity. Disadvantaged subgroups often mistrust authority figures; teachers must be willing to initiate trusting relationships (4). This is a sample of 10-point type or lettering.