Activity 1-3:
Making Messages Meaningful

Purpose: This activity focuses attention on two keys to successful communication: clarity and relevance.

Materials
Chart paper, markers

Process
Tell participants that in this activity they are going to think about what motivates them to read or listen to something or someone. What they learn about themselves may help them in motivating others, including parents.

Divide participants into small groups of four to six. Hand each small group two pieces of chart paper. Each paper should be divided into two columns, that you have headlined, respectively:

1. Like to Listen to or Read/Why
2. Don't Like to Listen to or Read/Why

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Trainer Preparation Notes:
Have sufficient chart paper prepared ahead of time for the number of small groups you will have. 

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Direct the participants to share with each other their opinions on what they like, and don't like, to listen to or read. Participants should explain why they feel as they do. To ensure that the exercise is understood, ask participants to call out a few examples, such as:

· Like to listen to the radio, because it keeps me company
· Like to read cookbooks, to find good recipes
· Don't like to listen to long lectures, because they're boring
· Don't like to read legal forms, because they are in small print and hard to understand

Have each group assign someone to write down their responses, in large type. Provide about 10 minutes for the small groups to do their work.

Debriefing
When the groups finish their lists, tack the sheets up on the walls where everyone will be able to see. Cluster the "like" papers in one area and the "do not like" papers in another area.

Reconvene the large group. Read aloud, or direct a participant with a loud clear voice, to read aloud the items on each list.

Next, ask the group to think about what they like, and dislike, to listen to or read within the Head Start context, for example:

• Like to listen to children greeting each other in the morning, because it shows they are happy to be here
• Like to read parent newsletter, because it keeps me informed
• Don't like to read paperwork from some social service agencies we deal with, because it takes so long to find the information I need
• Don't like to listen to angry voices, because they make me anxious

As participants call out their opinions, write them on separate sheets of chart paper that you have headlined:

1. Like to Listen to or Read at Head Start/Why
2. Don't Like to Listen to or Read at Head Start/Why

Ask participants to reflect on the patterns behind their preferences. Use this discussion to emphasize that, in general, people do not like to listen to or read, and do not try as hard to listen to or read, communications that:

• Are difficult to understand
• Do not appear to be relevant, interesting, or important to them
• Use difficult vocabulary or a lot of jargon
• Are scholarly, bureaucratic, or condescending in language level and tone
• Are disorganized and hard to follow or are designed in such a way that they are hard to hear or read
• Are unpleasant
• Don't match their learning style

Point out the converse: that listeners and readers will be more receptive to communications that:

• Are quickly and easily understood
• Are relevant, interesting, or important to them
• Use clear vocabulary and no jargon
• Use an appropriate language level and tone
• Are well organized, easy to follow, and designed in such a way that they are easy to hear or read
• Are pleasant
• Match their learning style (i.e., are in print for people who prefer reading, on video or "live" for people who learn by watching, through side-by-side demonstration for people who learn by doing, etc.)

Finally, ask participants to consider the implications for their own work with parents. What can staff do, when they are communicating to parents, to help ensure that those parents will want and try hard to pay attention?

Module 1 | Index | Activity 1-2 | Activity 1-4

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