What special approaches are needed to outreach to low-literacy and limited-English-proficiency populations?

An individual who is low literate and/or limited English proficient is more than just a person who has poor reading, writing, and comprehension skills; and/or may not speak English well, or at all. These conditions affect a person's ability to participate in the decisionmaking process at many levels, some obvious and others subtle.

Having poor reading skills and the inability to speak English well, or at all, often relegates a person to low, wage-scale job(s). This affects their access to information online and in newspapers because they cannot afford to own a computer or subscribe to an Internet provider or newspaper.

In addition, being low-income often limits or eliminates having personal transportation. Therefore, they may be dependent on others or public transit for mobility. This can affect their ability to attend a meeting outside of their community. It can mean that transportation may need to be provided, or the meeting location may need to be near transit or in their community.

Often being low-income also means working second- or third-shift jobs or working two jobs. This affects an individual's ability to attend a meeting; it can mean that meetings should be held on a weekend, during the morning, or piggybacked onto another event they already may be attending. Providing food also encourages attendance at a meeting. It eliminates having to fix a meal at home, or making an extra stop for food on the way to a meeting. In some instances, it may provide the best meal the family has that day.

A public-involvement meeting was held in a community church so everyone could walk to it.

Low-literate and limited-English-proficiency populations who cannot read, listen more carefully to what is said, how it is said, and who says it. Asking people "if they have time to talk with you" tells them they will not have to read or write anything, and will not be talked to, but talked with. Since they may not have the option of relying on written materials as an optional source of information, they often rely on radio, television, and word of mouth. Therefore, both the spoken words and the individual speaking those words are important and should be chosen carefully. The trust in which the speaker is held determines the credibility of the words being spoken.

Interviews were conducted orally so that low literacy would not be a barrier to participation.

Look for clues that people cannot read English or another language

People who cannot read and/or write give physical and verbal clues. Because they are embarrassed by their inability to read and/or write, these clues are very subtle and easily can be overlooked. Often one person will sign in for several people. Other times, people will say, "My arthritis is bothering me, can you sign me in," or "I need to take the comment sheet home and think about it, then I will mail it back." Frequently, these comment sheets are never returned. Still other times, people simply avoid looking at a printed page. These and other clues must be recognized and responded to appropriately.

...I left my glasses at home

When asked to sign-in at a public meeting, a resident replied, I left my glasses at home. A short time later, a second person said they too had left their glasses at home. Realizing some people in the community could not write and probably could not read, a staff member put a sign-in sheet on a clipboard and asked a community leader to stand at the entrance to the meeting place. As the community leader greeted everyone by name, the staff member wrote down names and asked for their addresses. It was apparent that if residents could not write their names, they would be unable to provide written comments. To ensure that the residents' remarks were captured, comment sheets and a clipboard were given to each staff member. After residents were signed-in, they were divided into small groups and a staff member was assigned to accompany them into the display area.

A sign-in sheet can be a barrier to participation for those who are low literate.

Residents were asked where they lived and shown the location of their homes on the display map. After explaining each alternative, the staff member stepped back, let the residents talk among themselves, and recorded their comments. When the residents were finished talking, the staff member read back the comments to the residents to make sure their thoughts had been recorded correctly. The staff member also asked for their names, wrote these on the bottom of the comment sheet, thanked them for coming, and placed the comment sheet in the comment box.

...tell me what you are planning to do

If written material is put in front of someone who cannot read, they may only glance at it. Staffers should begin talking about the project with them so they will have enough information to ask questions. Give them a map, locate local landmarks, show them where they live, and tell them about the alternatives. By then, the fact that they cannot read becomes a non-issue. They can be interviewed orally and their remarks recorded.

...I want you to know what I think

The following is an example of the need to be sensitive and observant. At an open house, an older gentleman arrived early and spent a great deal of time looking at the display maps and drawings. He approached three different staff members. Each, in turn, had talked to him and then pointed to the comment table. Instead of going to the comment table, he approached a fourth staffer and voiced his concerns. Again he was asked to go to the comment table and fill out a comment sheet to document his concerns. Slowly, the older gentleman said he did not write very well. The staffer finally picked up a comment sheet, wrote down the man's comments, and read them back to him. The man said thank you and left the meeting. The staffer added the comment sheet to the comment box.

Residents were taken in small groups into the display area and introduced to the project.