 Keep up. Sign up for courses. Join our mailing list plainlanguageacademy.com. September 2024 I love autumn. Changing landscapes. Changing weather. Changing seasons. With all this comes motivation to catch up on what is going on around you. What is happening in plain language? The answer: a lot. The new ISO Plain Language Standard is spreading its reach. AI is moving quickly into all our technology, organizations, and communications. Organizations, particularly government related, are being challenged to meet public demands for transparency. We want to help you. We have courses, videos, and an AI Summit to help you strengthen skills to connect with clients. Get help integrating the new ISO Plain Language Standard For Organizations: The ISO Plain Language Standard: How to make new guidelines work for organizations Online course starts September 26 - December 5, 2024. With Academy instructors Sarah Slabbert and Nadja Green from Plain Language Institute. Certificate for successful completion. Limited enrolment. Register now. Get help writing and editing using Plain Language Standard For writers, editors, content creators (coming this fall) Apply plain language standard guidelines for stronger client connections. Instructors Romina Marazzato Sparano and Kate Harrison Whiteside lead this online course. We'll send you registration details when available. Interested? Email your contact details to [email protected]. New! AI in Writing Virtual Summit: Plain Language Edition Free, invigorating, actionable. Virtual. Nov 14-16. "Embrace AI for life-changing automations, creativity, and insights. Amazing speakers will share tips, tools, and strategies," says host Romina Marazzato Sparano, PLAINLii, PLA, educlaro. An amazing lineup of speakers will share tips, tools, and strategies to help you establish yourself as an indispensable resource for your clients, teams, and readers. Interested? Go to aiinwriting.com/ to save a seat. Calling all public communicators Connecting with Citizens and other Stakeholders Enhance your public communication skills with Nicole Watkins Campbell, starting September 19. Sharing years for experience as an employee and a consultant, Nicole with help energize and focus your communication to really connect using plain language. Find out more on plainlanguageacademy.com blog or by watching our PLAinView Youtube interview. Register now at PlainLanguageAcademy.com Coming soon Getting Started with Accessibility Let’s stay connected. Thanks, Kate Kate Harrison Whiteside Plain Language Academies Director and Instructor [email protected] 1-250-521-0454 plainlanguageacademies.org ISO Supporters
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by Nicole Watkins Campbell
Citizens’ trust in their governments is disappearing. Plain language can help bring it back. A researcher has called the gap between Spain’s citizens and their government “an abyss.” A similar problem is happening around the world for many reasons. One reason, however, is that governments don’t communicate well with citizens. In Canada, half of adults cannot read the information their governments write. Half. Governments can rebuild the trust. They must: democracy and peace depend upon it. Plain language can help. By communicating clearly, government show they know who their readers are and that they care about their needs. Readers tend to trust what they can understand. This why marketing writing is so easy to read. It’s also why you should consider learning about plain language: it’s good for your career. Some governments have laws or regulations or policy to require or guide employees to use plain language. The ISO standard 24995 for plain language gives them another tool to build their capacity and improve their communication with citizens and other stakeholders. This course will help municipal, provincial, and federal workers improve their writing or editing for the public, your boss, elected officials, worked in other governments or other departments. It will also be useful to writers or editors who offer services to government clients. Learning goals You will learn to: 1. identify your purpose in writing 2. understand your audiences’ motivations and needs 3. use 10 writing tactics to make your writing more engaging 4. test whether your documents are working for readers I will be available by email any time and by phone or zoom if you get stuck. The self-directed course includes some videos, six marked exercises to test your learning, extra readings if you would like to go deeper, and a final assignment. A certificate is awarded for successful completion. Watch interview on PLA Youtube. Nicole Watkins Campbell Instructor [email protected]
We are excited about the ISO Plain Language Standard launch. This step towards a global, supported, standard is important for all of us in the profession—learners, teachers, practitioners, and advocates.
The International Plain Language Federation uses this definition for their upcoming ISO standard document. "A communication is in plain language if its wording, structure, and design are so clear that:
It's at the heart of PLA training. If you have questions, please get in touch with us for coaching, consulting or training support. Find out more about ISO 24495-1:2023 Plain language — Part 1: Governing principles and guidelines and how to purchase it.  Learning. Just do it. PlainLanguageAcademies.com Newsletter 23-01 Ready for 2023 The Plain Language Academies team is looking to the future with excitement and energy. Our French Academy, clairetsimple, is offering its first course; the much-anticipated ISO standard is coming; and, the PLAIN 2023 Conference, Connecting Cultures – building bridges with clear communication in Buenos Aries, Argentina, in September. We are constantly identifying new training needs and creating courses to address them. Let us guide you on your 2023 plain language journey. Welcome to l'Académie du langage clair et simple We welcome the first course from our French Academy, with the award-winning plain language advocates and trainers Chantale Audet and Amélie Bourret, autrementdit.ca. The Plain Language Academies are pleased to announce the new clair et simple’s online training course in French on Zoom. The training is entitled Writing Clearly to be Understood on First Reading. Students will learn what health literacy is and how to address and reinforce it with plain language. · For more information and to register on Eventbrite: https://bit.ly/3xyOfHc. · To email the L’Académie du langage clair et simple: [email protected]. · Visit their page on PLA: Académie du langage clair et simple . ********************************************************** Bienvenue à l'Académie du langage clair et simple L’Académie du langage clair et simple est heureuse d’annoncer la tenue d’une formation en ligne en français sur Zoom. La formation est intitulée Rédiger clairement pour être compris à la première lecture. Dans cette formation, vous apprendrez ce qu’est la littératie en santé et verrez comment la prendre en compte et la renforcer avec le langage clair et simple. Cette formation est divisée en quatre parties : · Le contexte d’information d’aujourd’hui · Qu’est-ce que la littératie et la littératie en santé ? · Le langage clair et simple · Les 6 étapes pour écrire en langage clair et simple: volet pratique composé d’exercices La formation est répartie sur 2 journées : · Mardi 25 avril 2023, de 9 h à 11 h 30 · Jeudi 27 avril 2023, de 9 h à 11 h Pour obtenir plus d’information et pour vous y inscrire sur Eventbrite :https://bit.ly/3xyOfHc. Pour contacter l’équipe de l’Académie du langage clair et simple: [email protected] Details are on the PLA website New help creating clear design online Our new course, Clear Digital Design is available now. It’s for non-designers who find themselves needing to make design-related decisions. Annie and Liezl, heyplainjane.com, will help strengthen your clear design skills to prepare you for working on your next project. Find our more from them or email PLA. Register here. Pick the PLA courses that will get you to your destination We are expanding our base of Core and Advanced courses to meet increasing knowledge and skill demands. Check PLA 2023 Calendar to find courses just for you. We are here to help. Get in touch if you have questions. Looking forward to connecting, PLA Team PS Our newsletters will now be posted as blogs. PLA.com Newsletter Blog 23-01 [email protected] Email to unsubscribe  The Plain Language Academy team interview on PLAIN Matters live on LinkedIn. Plain Language Association InterNational (PLAIN) surveyed members and took action on their request for more digital content. During International Plain Language Month (October), PLAIN Matters live host Romina Marazzato Sparano interviewed fellow Plain Language Academy team members to find out where the profession is headed. Here are some #PlainLanguageAcademy team insights. Global expansion Chantale Audet, Autrementdit.Ca: Global expansion of plain language comes with the fact we are stronger together. Sarah Slabbert, Plain-Language.Co.Za: Plain Language has evolved over the past number of years from narrowly focusing on language to include design, user needs assessment, and usability testing. This broadening of the scope of Plain Language is an exciting development that makes it essential for the communication platforms of the digital age. Romina Marazzato Sparano, LanguageCompass.Com and Lenguajeclaro: We are growing and we are stronger together. We are moving forward and looking at guidelines for many languages. The better the start, the better results. Promoting plain language Kate Harrison Whiteside, PlainLanguageAcademies.Com: We are moving into the human age of plain language, we’re involving audiences. We just can’t afford to be unclear. Chantale Audet, Autrementdit.Ca: We have to keep up our advocacy work: plain language is a very important tool to improve human lives. It helps achieve UN sustainability goals and empowers people to have their rights respected, make better choices for their lives. Sarah Slabbert, Plain-Language.Co.Za: Ask clients what they are spending and what are they are gaining. How much money are you wasting producing communications that aren’t read or understood and are thrown away? Learning Nicole Watkins Campbell, Plain Words: It’s just crucial that we have governments, organizations and companies who have those skills to communicate clearly, simply, effectively and efficiently because there’s almost always going to be a reader or listener who is trying to translate while they take in your message. Kate Harrison Whiteside, PlainLanguageAcademies.Com: Two students with disabilities are studying about plain language at the Academy so they can tell people to consider audience accessibility when they’re communicating and understand the role plain language plays. Sarah Slabbert, Plain-Language.Co.Za: Our experience as instructors of students from different types of organizations from different sectors and our experience in working with corporate clients has taught us that there is not a one-size-fits-all strategy to implement plain language. You have to tailor it for specific needs. Cheryl Stephens, CherylStephens.Com: We need to get our clients to stop for a moment and consider the situation and background of their readers. Practitioners need to get up to date on recent science in communication, modernize what clear communication means. Involving readers and end-users Chantale Audet, Autrementdit.Ca: There’s so much to be gained by involving readers from the beginning of the process. Ask them about what they already know, what they need to know, and their ideas how we can best convey the information. When we have readers on our team they can help us see if we are on the right track, if there’s an information gap, or if we need to clarify something. Sarah Slabbert, Plain-Language.Co.Za: Often the communication process only includes the plain language practitioners right at the end. And then, if you have the budget you test with end-users. That’s hopelessly too late. You will have a much more effective process if you bring practitioners and end-users in at the beginning. ISO (Plain language standard coming in 2023) Chantale Audet, Autrementdit.Ca: The issues around and standards. I think having standards helps us explain to French-speaking communities what plain language means. We always see a reaction when we say ISO standards are coming. It really convinces. Nicole Watkins Campbell, Plain Words: There are so many people who don’t understand what plain language is. The more people who are describing it in the same way, the easier to hear exactly what it is. It will give us something to go back to when we are teaching. Romina Marazzato Sparano, LanguageCompass.Com and Lenguajeclaro: Plain language ISO standard will need people’s alignment not hesitation around regulations. In reality, the idea of ISO is the opposite: it is about guidelines for clarity of the process behind the communication. One of the aspects of standards being embraced is the human intervention, especially for tasks, like translation, which are becoming increasingly automated. We need to have that human intervention. Cheryl Stephens, CherylStephens.Com: I see the ISO standard as a means of quality control. When Kate and I founded Plain Language International, over 30 years ago, this was one of our main concerns. We were having to repeat our pitch on what plain language is and why it would be beneficial. Kate Harrison Whiteside, PlainLanguageAcademies.Com: For the first time we will have a unified or a set of guidelines that we can all use. The guidelines will be set, and they will make what we offer to others even stronger. Celebrating IPLDay Nicole Watkins Campbell, Plain Words: So much worth celebrating. We have online training. People can study when they want, and many opportunities to learn. There are so many people in so many languages who understand the importance of plain language and want to learn, especially about health. Romina Marazzato Sparano, LanguageCompass.Com and Lenguajeclaro: We are growing and we are stronger together. We are moving forward and looking at guidelines for many languages, the better the start, the better the results. Cheryl Stephens, CherylStephens.Com: When Kate and I founded #IPLDay in 2011 we wanted to celebrate progress. For 30 years we’ve been making slow progress. Look at all the work our organizations have accomplished. It’s time to celebrate. We encourage you to celebrate your #PlainLanguage achievements all year long. #PlainLanguage #LearningExperience #GlobalEducation #ISO #IPLFederation #PLISO #IPLDay Whether you work with internal or external clients, staff or freelancers, a successful plain language project requires open-minded, committed, knowledgeable clients and practitioners.
Earlier this year, I was so lucky to have a client who: 1. was open-minded to plain language for internal, external, print, and online information; and sharing project developments along the way. 2. committed to having training and updating their style guide. 3. knew the importance of testing during the whole plain language process. They had already done testing before we started. All this resulted in a satisfying and successful project, certainly from my side. Successful plain language projects involve learning and leading from both sides. Steps to success 1. Do your research. 2. Develop a strong plan that is also flexible. 3. Be prepared to educate and learn along the way. Successful plain language projects involve learning and leading from both sides. And, don’t forget to put the audience, readers, users at the front. They have the answers, or at least the questions that need answering and form your project plan. Best of luck with all your plain language initiatives. If you need help or advice, take a course, book some coaching, hire an Academy consultant (services in English, French, and Spanish). We’re here to chat. Plain language is about using everyday words and simple sentence structures. But the information must also be CORRECT. It isn’t plain if the information is wrong.
Last week, my home heating company emailed me about new pricing. They offered an email address to reach them with questions. But the email address was wrong. And actually, that's the second year in a row this has happened. The tone of their message is perfect, and the information is clear. But they have undermined their work to build a relationship at a time when prices are rising sharply. It takes so little time to ensure information is correct, and mere seconds to test an email address. It takes a lot longer to solve a problem created by unclear communication. After you’ve made time to make your writing plain, quickly double-check any pertinent details. Your communication is plain language only if the information is correct. To learn more about making your communication excellent, sign up for a course at Plain Language Academy. Your customers will thank you! Nicole Watkins Campbell, Instructor A2: Editing for Plainer Legal Writing for writers with no legal training Register now. Starts Oct 3. $275.00.CAD A9: Editing for Plainer Technical Writing For people who prepare technical information for non-technical readers Register now. Starts Oct 17 $275.00.CAD by Kate Harrison Whiteside
If there’s anything we can take into the future with us it’s the absolute need for achieving accessibility in communications. As our virtual communication reality continues to evolve, with it comes special challenges for everyone trying to deliver and receive clear messages. Here are some key links to sites with advice. Opening the door to accessibility online Always start with W3C’s (World Wide Web Consortium) Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI). It is the leading site on all web accessibility guidelines and standards. Their At-a-Glance section is your blueprint for starting an online initiative. It gives you a four-point strategy to follow. It advises providing alternative media, such as audio- or video-only versions, captions, pre-recorded sign language. But, like all great communications, whether virtual or in-person, getting to know your audience’s needs is the starting point. Focus on inclusivity A recent article on David Berman Communications’ website, “Accessible online meetings”, provides insights and tips on how to be inclusive during online meetings. This aspect of clear and accessible communication may create some nervousness and discomfort as we enter unfamiliar territory, on both sides of the table. The basic advice is simple: ask questions to clarify what is needed. Carefully examining the words we use is a great place for meeting hosts to start. Avoid the terms like disabled or handicapped and acknowledge others as our participant who lives with their disability. Or say, we welcome Dr. Smith who uses a wheelchair, rather than is confined to their wheelchair. One word can make a world of difference. This is clarity with a dash of empathy and respect. Introductions are a critical aspect of accessibility in meetings—virtual or face-to-face. Ensure to give participants the option to introduce themselves and be patient. Once the meeting begins, remember you may be interacting with a person:
Plain Language and accessibility The field of plain language is moving quickly towards ISO recognition, further emphasizing the importance of audiences. Helping readers get the information they want, find, understand, and use it are the foundation of plain language. Always start with a clear picture of who you are communicating with and what they need. Each disability community has its own way of communicating. For example, Deaf is spelled with a capital D. It includes people who are culturally deaf (born deaf) and medically deaf (hearing loss coming later in life). Remember also that hearing can be temporary or vary in its affect. Our own cultural experiences may have left us with a narrow view of hearing challenges that needs to be widened. Feel free to ask for and offer help. Be patient, speak clearly, and use familiar (plain) words. Do your research before communicating. Get to know your audience, and what you need to ensure your messages are received and understood. People are the key to communicating and it’s our job as the creators of messages to ensure there is a connection. What can I do? Gaining accessibility skills is more important than ever. Each of us can take steps acquire new ideas: 1.have an expert do a presentation to your team 2.ensure accessibility sessions are on your professional conference agendas 3.identify a person to be the key resource for your organization. As writers and editors we often focus on words for each situation, but we also need to look at the human factor. We are excited to share the Plain Language Academies’ new energy in 2022. Courses in English, Spanish, French and in South Africa are on the menu, along with new courses dealing with timely topics like climate change. We're here for you.
PlainLanguageAcademy.MoodleCloud.com Time for clarity about climate change The Academies welcome new instructor, author Erin Lebacqz, delivering Writing Clearly About Climate Change and the Environment.* Climate is one of the most important global issues and that makes communicating clearly about it so important. “I believe we can make a difference in our society through plain and clear writing,” says Erin Lebacqz, who is passionate about this topic In the course you’ll learn strategies for writing clearly about topics like the environment, energy, and climate change by digging deep into both the meaning and potential implication of words. You’ll learn to manage meaning by presenting information in ways your readers can understand and use. It will also help you empower readers. Find out more about Erin and her new book at High Value Writing. *Course starts March 7. Fee is in USD. Watch for our upcoming live chats on LInkedIn and YouTube. Discounts and discoveries The Academies' three Core courses (Basics, Audiences, and Writing and Editing) are designed to start your skills journey. We have bundled them together for you in a special discount package. Register for all three (individually) and receive a refund discount of 15% ($115.00 CAD). They are also required courses if you are aiming to go for the six-course Letter of Achievement. Moving your skills into the future Video sessions are part of all the Advanced courses. Use this time and the in-course discussions to share, get to know fellow students, and learn from each other. Our Advanced courses are designed to deliver on specialized topics. Here's a quick view of six options: Plain Language 2.0 and Health Literacy: now in Spanish and English Putting Clients First in Legal Writing: new in 2022 Editing for Plainer Legal Writing or Editing for Plainer Technical Writing: take your pick or do both Implementing Plain Language as a Strategic Priority: success through planning Writing Clearly About Climate Change and the Environment: a very timely topic Plain Language Project Leadership: help for content creators Go to Courses page for full list. Register at our online Academy. Check out all 11 Advanced courses to find your choice. If you don't see it, please email Kate at [email protected] How to take PLA courses For courses at the Plain Language Academy:
Once we receive your payment, you will have access to your course when it starts. Courses combine self-directed, student interactive, instructor supported activities and feedback. Advanced courses include a live session. If you have any ideas, questions, or want help, please email [email protected]. |
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