Effectively communicating agricultural safety messages to children requires an understanding of this audience\u27s unique characteristics, which are dependent upon their developmental stages. This article identifies important characteristics for the 4-7 and 8-12 age groups that were used in developing educational resources for children who participate in farm safety day camps and in-school programs. Each age group has specific characteristics that can inhibit communication when they are not considered in designing content and approach of educational materials. In addition, there are three comprehensive communication issues that affect the effectiveness of transferring safety messages to children

Graham, Lynn

Miller, Laura

Schwab, Charles

Schwab, Charles V

Miller, Laura L

Graham, Lynn M

Clemson University: TigerPrints

Tips for Communicating Agricultural Safety to Children

Effectively communicating agricultural safety messages to children requires an understanding of this audience's unique characteristics, which are dependent upon their developmental stages. This article identifies important characteristics for the 4-7 and 8-12 age groups that were used in developing educational resources for children who participate in farm safety day camps and in-school programs. Each age group has specific characteristics that can inhibit communication when they are not considered in designing content and approach of educational materials. In addition, there are three comprehensive communication issues that affect the effectiveness of transferring safety messages to children.This article is from Journal of Extension 44 (2006): 3TOT3. Posted with permission.</p

Digital Repository @ Iowa State University (ISU)

 JOEHOME JOURNAL GUIDELINES ABOUT JOE CONTACT NATIONAL JOB BANKCurrent Issue Back Issues Search Subscribe2June 2006 // Volume 44 // Number 3 // Tools of the Trade // 3TOT3Tips for Communicating Agricultural Safety to ChildrenAbstractEffectively communicating agricultural safety messages to children requires an understanding of thisaudience's unique characteristics, which are dependent upon their developmental stages. This article identifiesimportant characteristics for the 4-7 and 8-12 age groups that were used in developing educational resourcesfor children who participate in farm safety day camps and in-school programs. Each age group has specificcharacteristics that can inhibit communication when they are not considered in designing content andapproach of educational materials. In addition, there are three comprehensive communication issues thataffect the effectiveness of transferring safety messages to children. Safety is not an engaging topic, but it's a prerequisite for agriculture, still one of the nation's most dangerousindustries based on deaths per 100,000 workers (National Safety Council, 2002). Farm safety for children is veryimportant because many youth live and sometimes work in this hazard-filled environment, which is linked to anestimated 32,800 injuries and 104 deaths of rural children every year (Myers & Hendricks, 2001; Rivara, 1997).Several educational resources (Schwab, Miller, & Graham, 2000; Schwab, Miller, & Graham, 2002) for childrenwere created in a response to an identified need from providers of farm safety day camps, in-schoolprogramming, and other activities. The production process for these resources has resulted in developingMoreShareShareShareShareShareCharles V. SchwabProfessorDepartment of Agricultural & Biosystems EngineeringIowa State UniversityAmes, Iowacvschwab@iastate.eduLaura L. MillerCommunications SpecialistLeopold Center for Sustainable AgricultureIowa State UniversityAmes, Iowalwmiller@iastate.eduLynn M. Graham Assistant Professor EmeritusDepartment of Human Development & Family Studies Wichita Falls, Texaslg4isu@sbcglobal.netcommunication strategies for targeting children with agricultural safety messages. This article shares thosestrategies and characteristics that can be used to shape how others can communicate agricultural safetymessages to children.Characteristics of Younger AudiencesChildren are not "little adults." It is not that children have less information than adults, or lack the vocabulary tounderstand adult information, but that they perceive and react to the world in entirely different ways. Theirthinking processes are very different than an adult's because children are not fully developed physically, theireyesight is not as keen, and reasoning/logic skills have not been learned. Therefore, communicating effectivelywith children is not a matter of "dumbing down" adult information, but creating entirely new messages based ontheir developmental stages. Because of developmental variations, a different approach is necessary for the 4-7age groups and 8-12 age group.4 - 7 Age GroupThe approach used for this age group is just as important as content. Materials must involve parents becausemany children in this age group cannot read. The messages also need to educate parents on how to present theinformation and to have realistic expectations for their child. A distinguishing characteristic for this age group isthat perception is a child's reality; they do not separate fantasy, imagination, and reality. Other characteristics arethe following.1. Language: Children have a very literal understanding of language.Children do not understand passive voice. A young child understands "The truck was hit by the car"to mean that the truck hit the car (not that the car hit the truck).Avoid prepositions such as near/far, above/beneath, and under/over that are confusing to children. Achild told not to go near a Power-Take-Off (PTO) may think he/she is being safe by looking at it fromabove (from the tractor seat) or even by stepping over it. Avoid words with double meanings, metaphors, hyperbole, sarcasm, and contractions. The phrase"take shelter" can cause a 7-year-old to wonder what shelter and why you should take it.2. Relativity: Children lack skills to judge size, speed, and distance.Children's eyesight is not yet developed so they cannot judge the proximity of objects by their relativesize. Children have not learned perspective and do not relate size to distance. They do not associateseeing a large truck as closer and the same truck that is smaller when it is far away.3. Thinking processes: Children have a limited attention span and difficulty thinking of more than one thing ata time.Children may not be able to follow complicated directions. Messages and family rules need to be fewand simple to remember and follow. Children do not perceive secondary hazards. Their immediate action, such as getting a ball from theother side of a fence that happens to confine a bull, is not perceived as dangerous. After all, they seethemselves as retrieving a ball, which is not against a family rule.8 - 12 Age GroupContent is the most important aspect of communication with this age group. Information needs to be offered inshort articles to attract and holds their interest in a variety of ways. A distinguishing characteristic for ages 8through 12 years is that their peers are very important, sometimes causing them to ignore warnings from adults.Other characteristics are the following.1. Sense of belongingOlder children are exploring their independence and developing a sense of identity. They are lookingfor information to use on their own.They are exploring how they fit and their place in society. Age appropriate idioms and slang is veryappealing to them.2. Capturing their interestOlder children enjoy reading for pleasure, especially mysteries and adventures. Presentinginformation as stories for them to read and solve is effective. Materials should not resemble those foryounger children.Older children want to learn new things and find explanations of why things work. They want tosolve problems and do things on their own, even see themselves as a hero. They like to bechallenged with new vocabulary and technical terms in ways they can understand and use.3. Multiple learning styles and interestsOlder children need a range of materials to accommodate different learning styles and interests. Thisincludes puzzles, eye-catching visuals, and humor with a message.Other Communication IssuesInformation needs to be relevant to the age of the audience. Information that is very important to an adultaudience may not be appropriate for a younger audience. For example, adult safety messages often focus on theuse of protective gear for chemical applications--activities that should be off-limits for children. Another examplewould be messages about replacing and maintaining shields and guards on equipment. These tasks, decisions,and messages are adult issues and have no place in safety materials for children.Children may be afraid to tell an adult when they get in a dangerous situation. If situations require them tocommunicate problems, then the safety message must help the child overcome his or her fear of "tattling." Themessage is that it's OK to tell an adult when something happens because it is the right thing to do.Children understand communication from their own frame of reference. If the topic is about avoiding animalsthat can carry rabies, be specific and avoid the term "wild animals." To children, wild animals are giraffes,elephants, and more exotic creatures, not raccoons and rabbits that live outdoors.Lessons LearnedSafety is not something you learn only as an adult. It is a positive attitude and the ability to make good decisionsthat develops throughout one's entire life. Safety messages communicated effectively to children start thefoundation for them to make good decisions that can be used throughout a lifetime.ReferencesMyers, J.R., & Hendricks, K. (2001). Injuries among youth on farms in the United States, 1998. DHHS (NIOSH)Publication No. 2001-154. Washington, DC: U.D. Department of Health and Human Services.National Safety Council. (2002). Injury facts. Chicago, IL: National Safety CouncilRivara, F. (1997). Fatal and non-fatal farm injuries to children and adolescents in the United States 1990-1993.Injury Prevention, 3:190-194.Schwab, C.V., Miller, L.J., & Graham, L. (2002). The mystery club series. (Available from Iowa State University,Extension Publication Distribution, 119 Printing and Publications Building, Ames, IA 50011-3080. Available at:http://www.extension.iastate.edu/pubs/Order.htmlSchwab, C. V., Miller, L., J., & Graham, L. (2000). What would you do: Helping children understand farmhazards. Ames, IA: Iowa State University Extension.Copyright © by Extension Journal, Inc. ISSN 1077-5315. Articles appearing in the Journal become the property of the Journal. Singlecopies of articles may be reproduced in electronic or print form for use in educational or training activities. Inclusion of articles inother publications, electronic sources, or systematic large-scale distribution may be done only with prior electronic or writtenpermission of the Journal Editorial Office, joe-ed@joe.org.If you have difficulties viewing or printing this page, please contact JOE Technical Support© Copyright by Extension Journal, Inc. ISSN 1077-5315. Copyright Policy

https://dr.lib.iastate.edu/bitstreams/d6055300-ac7f-43d2-800c-c16359643843/download

Tips for Communicating Agricultural Safety to Children

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Clemson University: TigerPrints

Digital Repository @ Iowa State University (ISU)