Mode of Operation of Dialogue Approach

You have learnt about the 'dialogue'  approach in Unit 14. A dialogue is an intense communication to involve people, to influence people and to convince people on certain issues.  It is not easy  to conduct a dialogue for a planned purpose.  However, it can be fried and perfection can be obtained with repeated attempts. 

Read the following example carefully to understand its importance in the context of changing the behaviour of the community. 

Enter into the  house of a lady whom you met earliet and lead a dialogue with her imagining yourself as a change agent. "What are you feeding bo your child. Sitamma?". asked the change agent "Pongal!" said Sitamma "Good - you are doing a good thing" said the change agent. 

"Pongal is very  nice for the child. Do you know why? It contains both rice and dal which  makes up a good food for the child to grow" explained the change agent. "Is it that  good? I do not know" said Sitamma. "I will also tell you something more about good  food i.e., right food. To eat right means  not only to eat enough, but also to eat good quality  food"  said the  change agent. "But how do you identify a good qllslity food?" asked the lady. "To be healthy a person  needs to eat enough foods from each of the three food groups of which you are already aware. Many people eat large amounts of starchylenergy-rich foods like rice. ragi etc.. but  not  enough of body-building foods like dals and flesh foods as well as protective  foods like fresh fruits and vegetables and dark  green  leafy vegetables. Such people may suffer from malnutrition. To remember easily. try and eat atleast " one food  from every  group in each meal". explained the change agent. "Is it that simple to take right  food? I did not know this earlier. But I still have a doubt." said the  lady. "What is it Sitamma? Ask me without any hesitation". said the  change agent "You said something about malnutrition. What is it?" the lady questioned. "Good question. Malnutrition is prevalent among children who's weight is very much less than the normal. They  need lots of nutritious food to grow well  and stay healthy  compared to normal children. A good way to find the nutritional status of the child is to check the weight regularly. If the child is  poorly nourished the child will not  show steady improvement in his weight. In this way  you can check your child's nutritional status" explained the change agent. "Thank you very  much. I came to know so many things today" said the lady. 

Thus a model dialogue like this can be conducted to develop skill in using  the dialogue approach. Of course; as you practice more, you will  become more sensitive and more effective in talking to people.