Promoting education and achievement of adults learning English
Services - Professional Development Workshops
Creating Print and Web Material for Low-Literacy Readers
This workshop is designed for service providers and other professionals who use print and web media to convey essential life skills information to adults with limited reading proficiency in English. The workshop enables these professionals to produce material that effectively conveys key information in areas such as financial literacy, consumer awareness, health and nutrition, and immigration/citizenship. The focus is on making information accessible and approachable so that readers can use it to improve their quality of life and protect themselves from fraud.
The workshop begins with an overview of the numbers and characteristics of populations in the United States that are considered to have low or limited literacy in English, including both native and non-native speakers. It then reviews the nature of reading itself, using hands-on activities that enable participants to understand the reading experience from the perspective of a reader with limited skills. Next, the workshop presents two sets of guidelines, one for writing and the other for design and layout, with practice exercises that allow participants to explore ways of applying each guideline in their own work.
The workshop can be augmented with ongoing individualized mentoring on specific writing projects if desired.
Expected Outcomes
Participants are able to
- Describe the characteristics of readers with limited literacy and understand their reading experience
- Apply guidelines for writing in an accessible style and for editing the writing of others
- Apply guidelines for using visuals and other design elements to support the reader and enhance comprehension
- Differentiate between the perspective of the writer and the perspective of the reader, and maintain focus on the reader’s perspective when writing
Related CAL Resources
How Should Adult ESL Reading Instruction Differ from ABE Reading Instruction?
Reading and Adult English Language Learners: The Role of the First Language
Contact Us
CAL staff will work with you to customize our services to meet your special requirements and budget.
For more information:
Email: adultesl@cal.org
Call: 202-362-0700
