OS with communities where writing is a challenge

[Lisa Heft]

Hello, Michael, and welcome to the OSLIST and this marvelous community.  I
look forward to meeting you when you come to San Francisco next year.

 

Michael wrote:

... some (maybe even a large part) of the group may not be able to write.
This literacy issue relates to education, not any kind of physical or
intellectual disability.

...what are the options? Do those people tend to self organise for someone
with written language skills to post their topic (and read other people's
topics)? Given that there may (or may

not) be some level of shame around illiteracy, should the matter be
addressed up front at the beginning of the OS? If so, would this be the role
of the Sponsor or the OS Facilitator?

...Has anyone experienced this situation?

 

I have worked with groups of mixed levels of literacy - in this case, to me,
it is similar to groups with mixed languages.

 

If possible, the client (host, sponsor) can identify in advance what are the
language and literacy needs, and we can make some adjustments. 

In a mix where people will be helping each other - I would simply design in
some support for that rich diversity.

 

It might depend on the actual group you are working with.  

For example when I work in prison (doing workshops and dialogue circles, not
quite Open Space) I simply name (when I explain instructions or process)
that 'we don't all read, so feel free to draw instead or ask someone next to
you to help you write'.  Just as a matter of fact, a fact about "we".  If I
know there might be a shame situation (not to assume that, though) I say
'and for any of you who don't have your reading glasses feel free to ask
someone sitting next to you to help'.   Simply create an environment where
people are actively helping each other. Make it perfectly natural for folks
to write text or draw - either or - for their topic signs.  In a group that
really knows each other (like in prison) folks always know who to turn to
(the people who can draw, the people who can write, and so on).

 

It also depends on the overall design of course - but for example - people
who want to post topics on the agenda can come up to a table (I put it in
the aisle so the circle still feels round) to draw/write their signs (text
or symbol or drawing) - there can be a helper sitting at the table who helps
write signs (or adds text) for anyone who wishes that assistance.  And you
can name this as a support at that table.  Realize that a drawing or image
will draw people to a discussion just as well as text, for those people who
decide to post signs in that way.

 

If the majority of the group is of an oral culture, more than just a
subgroup, you may want to shift the design a little bit - as in that case
most folks will need to capture in their audio memory a string of topics -
and the brain simply cannot hold that many topics in memory.  So you could
adjust to have (I don't know how big your group is but) the first 5 topics
named aloud - then go into that discussion session, then reconvene in circle
for the next 5 topics convenors to name their topics, then go into that
discussion session, and so on - in and out so the mind remembers the
selection of discussion topics for that round.

 

And as an assist in either version, you can either label the discussion
areas around the room / post-its as such things as a leaf, a star, a fish
and so on, or combine that with a letter ("A" and a star for example).

 

I know the fabulous John Engle and others will add some good ideas from
their own experiences...

 

Let us know how it goes and what you find out,

 

Lisa

___________________________

L i s a   H e f t

Consultant, Facilitator, Educator

O p e n i n g  S p a c e

 <mailto:lisaheft at openingspace.net> lisaheft at openingspace.net

 <http://www.openingspace.net> www.openingspace.net 

 

 


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