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June 2006
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Tips for Communicating Agricultural Safety to ChildrenCharles V. Schwab Laura L. Miller Lynn M. Graham Abstract: 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. Safety is not an engaging topic, but it's a prerequisite for agriculture, still one of the nation's most dangerous industries based on deaths per 100,000 workers (National Safety Council, 2002). Farm safety for children is very important because many youth live and sometimes work in this hazard-filled environment, which is linked to an estimated 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 children were created in a response to an identified need from providers of farm safety day camps, in-school programming, and other activities. The production process for these resources has resulted in developing communication strategies for targeting children with agricultural safety messages. This article shares those strategies and characteristics that can be used to shape how others can communicate agricultural safety messages to children. Characteristics of Younger AudiencesChildren are not "little adults." It is not that children have less information than adults, or lack the vocabulary to understand adult information, but that they perceive and react to the world in entirely different ways. Their thinking processes are very different than an adult's because children are not fully developed physically, their eyesight is not as keen, and reasoning/logic skills have not been learned. Therefore, communicating effectively with children is not a matter of "dumbing down" adult information, but creating entirely new messages based on their 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 because many children in this age group cannot read. The messages also need to educate parents on how to present the information and to have realistic expectations for their child. A distinguishing characteristic for this age group is that perception is a child's reality; they do not separate fantasy, imagination, and reality. Other characteristics are the following.
8 - 12 Age GroupContent is the most important aspect of communication with this age group. Information needs to be offered in short articles to attract and holds their interest in a variety of ways. A distinguishing characteristic for ages 8 through 12 years is that their peers are very important, sometimes causing them to ignore warnings from adults. Other characteristics are the following.
Other Communication IssuesInformation needs to be relevant to the age of the audience. Information that is very important to an adult audience may not be appropriate for a younger audience. For example, adult safety messages often focus on the use of protective gear for chemical applications--activities that should be off-limits for children. Another example would 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 to communicate problems, then the safety message must help the child overcome his or her fear of "tattling." The message 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 animals that 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 decisions that develops throughout one's entire life. Safety messages communicated effectively to children start the foundation 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 Council Rivara, 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.html Schwab, C. V., Miller, L., J., & Graham, L. (2000). What would you do: Helping children understand farm hazards. Ames, IA: Iowa State University Extension. This article is online at http://www.joe.org/joe/2006june/tt3.shtml. Copyright © by Extension Journal, Inc. ISSN 1077-5315. Articles appearing in the Journal become the property of the Journal. Single copies of articles may be reproduced in electronic or print form for use in educational or training activities. Inclusion of articles in other publications, electronic sources, or systematic large-scale distribution may be done only with prior electronic or written permission of the Journal Editorial Office, joe-ed@joe.org. If you have difficulties viewing or printing this page, please contact JOE Technical Support. |