Tips for Keeping it Simple

Assisting Participants with Limited Literacy

It is important that limited literacy participants who enter WIC clinics be able to follow the written or oral instructions they receive. Materials for limited literacy audiences need to be clear and simple. Many describe this writing as plain language. There are several considerations to keep in mind when you are developing or evaluating materials for your audience. Keep sentences in the active voice, keep the message concise and use bulleted statements

Use language familiar to participants for example, use chicken or turkey instead of poultry

For instance, look at your most commonly used child nutrition pamphlet and circle the information that parents really need to know. How much is left?

Chances are a lot of the information is just "nice to know."

Remember the KISS acronym: Keep it short and simple. Make sure your participants are getting "need to know" information in your literature.

Check out the Tips for Keeping it Simple job aid for guidelines for creating written materials.