Assessing the clients’ knowledge regarding prose, document, and quantitative data knowledge is an essential step for a human service practitioner. In the case presented, it can be assumed that both Maya’s and her daughter Shelley’s prose literacy will be on a high level, given their extensive background as school teachers. As for document literacy, Shelley’s abilities will be moderate given the large amount of paperwork a school teacher has to work with, but Maya’s capabilities would be lowered due to her age and visual impairment. Finally, quantitative literacy may be decreased for both individuals, as there is no information regarding their financial expertise.
It is imperative to establish the actual document and quantitative literacy levels for both clients, as the complexity of the information should be adjusted accordingly. In order to tailor readable materials for Maya And Shelly, it would be beneficial to implement readings with short and meaningful sentences that directly convey the necessary information (Ames, 2016). After that, I will locate sources that include understandable definitions and contain examples for a clear understanding. Finally, I will use underlined or bold words and phrases to highlight the most crucial information (Ames, 2016). In addition, I will double-check the materials given to Maya on the subject of visual readability, for example, the font size and white spaces between the lines.
Creating instructions and brochures for the clients described will require specific adaptations. When presenting the women with instructions, I will use such plain writing techniques as paragraphing and staying on the topic chosen (The Plain Language Action and Information Network, 2011). For example, when describing in-home care and nutritional support options, I will first outline the major points and state the possibilities available for Maya. As there might be an abundance of information regarding this theme, I will only include the choices suitable for the clients. Besides, I will utilize the everyday words principle, omitting complicated and unnecessary words in favor of common knowledge structures, especially when addressing financial subjects (The Plain Language Action and Information Network, 2011). Even though the individuals might be highly proficient in prose, it would not be appropriate to supply them with sophisticated materials, which are difficult to understand.
References
The Plain Language Action and Information Network. (2011). Federal plain language guidelines. Web.
Ames, N. (2016). Writing clearly for clients: What social workers should know. Social Work, 61(2), 167–169. Web.