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]

​

​PlainLanguageAcademies.com Newsletter 23-01

 More languages, more accessibility
English courses with Kate and the Plain Language Academy team continue to expand at plainlanguageacademy.moodlecloud.com/.
 
Want to study in French? Chantale Audet and Amélie Bourret, from Autrement dit, are soon opening the doors to our French Academy, Clair et Simple.
 
Wish to study plain language in Spanish? Romina Marazzato Sparano, from Language Compass, has set up our Spanish Academy at educlaro.moodlecloud.com. 
 
Join in the learning, choose the language you prefer, and enjoy.
 
Learn to be a strategic plain language planner
The first Plain Language as a Strategic Priority Advanced course was a huge success. One student wrote: “Thank you for a fantastic course. This perspective on Plain Language is quite unique. I’ve learnt a lot.’’ Now the course is back for a second offering of advice and practice on how to integrate plain language into your organization through strategic planning.

Sarah Slabbert and Nadja Green, Plain Language Institute, SA, bring a wealth of experience and will share it in the course materials, activities and discussions. The course equips you with a portfolio of planning documents and skills to implement plain language in your organizations. You can still join in. Register now.
 
Three easy steps to enrol on Moodle
All three academies are running on Moodle. You first need your own Moodle account to register and gain access to courses. 

1. Go to the academy of your choice:
2.  plainlanguageacademy.moodlecloud.com
   Spanish: educlaro.moodlecloud.com
   French: coming soon
   and create your Moodle account. Once it’s set up, just log in.
3. Select the course/s you are interested in and choose the P for PayPal link to register.
4. Once you’ve paid, you will have access when the course starts.

 
Email [email protected] or your Academy’s contact if you need help.

Welcome/Bienvenue
Des nouvelles de l’Académie du langage clair et simple
Vos documents sont-ils en langage clair et simple ? Autrement dit vous offre la possibilité de participer à un atelier pratique pour le découvrir. Rien de mieux que de vous pratiquer sur vos propres documents pour poser vous-même un diagnostic. Qui est le public visé par votre communication ? Votre objectif est-il clair ? Comment pouvez-vous améliorer la structure de votre document, la façon de l’écrire et sa présentation visuelle ? Assistez à cet atelier pratique pour savoir comment répondre à toutes ces questions !
Titre : Vos documents sont-ils en langage clair et simple ? Atelier pratique pour faire votre propre diagnostic
Animation : Amélie Bourret et Chantale Audet, Autrement dit.
Coût : Gratuit
Quand :  Surveillez les fils PlainLanguageAcademies.com, LinkedIn, et Facebook pour connaître la date exacte.
Pour plus d’information : [email protected]
Gracieuseté de Plain Language Academies
 
News from Académie du langage clair et simple
Are your documents in plain language? Autrement dit gives you the opportunity to participate in a workshop to find out. Nothing better than practicing on your own documents to make an assessment yourself. Who is the target audience for your documents? Is your purpose clear? How can you improve the structure of your document, the way you write it and its visual presentation? Attend this hands-on workshop to find out how to answer all these questions!
Title: Are your documents in plain language? Workshop to make your own assessment
Workshop facilitators: Amélie Bourret and Chantale Audet, Autrement dit.
Cost: Free
When: During the International Plain Language Week in October 10-16, 2021
Watch the Plain Language Academies website, LinkedIn and Facebook for the date.
For more information: [email protected]
An academy within the Plain Language Academies
 
 
Welcome/Bienvenidos
Noticias sobre la Academia de Lenguaje Claro
El programa en español de las Academia de Lenguaje Claro abre este otoño con un curso sobre alfabetización en salud. Como se evidencia ante esta nueva realidad de Covid-19, la alfabetización en salud es ahora más importante que nunca. La falta de comprensión y conocimientos sobre la salud lleva a sufrir consecuencias reales. 
 
Nuestra Academia de Lenguaje Claro, EduClaro, se ve fortalecida por la diversidad de perspectivas que aportan estudiantes e instructores provenientes de todo Estados Unidos, América Latina y España. ¡Te invitamos a unirte a nuestros cursos!
Mantente actualizado en el sitio web de Plain Language Academies, LinkedIn y Facebook.
Romina Marazzato Sparano, [email protected]
An academy within the Plain Language Academies
 
News from Academia de Lenguaje Claro
The Spanish program at Plain Language Academies is launching this Fall with its Health Literacy course. As we continue to navigate the new Covid-19 reality, health literacy skills are now more important than ever! Without health literacy, people can suffer real consequences.
Our Academia de Lenguaje Claro, EduClaro, is strengthened by the diversity of backgrounds and perspectives represented in students and instructors who come from across the United States, Latin America, and Spain. We invite you to join our courses!
Watch the Plain Language Academies website, LinkedIn, and Facebook for upcoming info.
An academy within the Plain Language Academies
 
Academies team wins PLAIN Innovation Award
“The best part of winning the Plain Language Association International Cheryl Stephens Innovation Award was sharing it with the whole Academies team,” said Kate Harrison Whiteside, Academies director. “With the Spanish and French academies coming this fall, more courses offered through Plain Language Institute, SA, and new options, our confidence in having a long-term, positive impact on plain language learning is growing, along with our students.”
 
 
“Brilliant, Kate! We’re very proud to be part of your team.” Sarah Slabbert and Nadja Green, Plain Language Institute, SA.

Find out more on  plainlanguageacademies.com or email [email protected]
 



 
 

​The Academy strives to be like plain language itself. 

• Efficient to navigate to find what you need
• Easy to understand what you find
• Effective to apply
• Exactly what can make messages clear

To register, simply follow these three steps:
1. go to plainlanguageacademy.moodlecloud.com, 
2. create your account
3. choose and register for your courses.
You will have access the day the course starts.
If you have any questions or issues, contact [email protected]
 
Choose from our three Core courses on Basics, Audiences, and Writing and Editing.
Or, select an Advanced course suited to your current or upcoming needs. Topics include creating e-content, legal editing, health literacy, design, testing, science, and strategic planning. More are coming.

We are so excited about our new platform, we just want everyone else to share the experience.

Plain language knows no boundaries: so we are expanding ours to offer plain language courses in French, Spanish, and in South Africa. We want plain language to be everywhere because we know it is for everyone.

'New' is a key word for today's personal and work lives. The Plain Language Academies' team is creating more ways to share our skills and meet your growing needs for clear communication. Take advantage of current Core and Advanced courses at last year's fees. We encourage you to explore Advanced courses that tackle specific topics like clear health, legal, science, strategic planning, and online communication. New courses are coming. keep visiting us PlainLanguageAcademy.com for details and sign up for our newsletter.

We are looking forward to meeting you online, sharing skills, and learning about your interests.

Courses to take you forward
Our courses are designed to keep your clear communication skill development focused on the future. New fees are planned for future courses. Here are brief profiles of a few courses you can consider.
Clear Design Practices with Flora Gordon, (you can still sign up), explores the important role design plays in our communications and ways you can make design enhance your messages.
Plain Language 2.0 and Health Literacy, never been more important. Romina Marazzato Sparano shares her expertise. Available in English (now) and Spanish (soon). 
Everyone is online and we need to be clear and meet their needs. Kate Harrison Whiteside brings her years of plain language use online experience to you in Creating Clear E-content.
New: Implementing Plain Language as a Strategic Priority with Sarah Slabbert and Nadja Green, Plain Language Institute, South Africa. The focus of plain language is often on specific documents or pieces of communication. Implementing plain language in a systematic manner in an organization is a different challenge for executives, compliance officers, communication managers, or customer relations. This course will empower you to make your organization truly customer- or citizen-centred.

See Courses for current course registration links

Plain language still evokes many questions. What is it all about? How does it work? What benefits are there? You can simply answer the questions. Or, you can ask for some time to do a training exercise to bridge the knowledge gap. This can be anything from a short team training exercise, a learning-at-lunch program, presentation to key leaders or an event keynote presentation. Of course, you can run a workshop. So, what are some of your options?

Draw Personas

​Audience awareness plays a huge part in plain language. You need a detailed picture of your audience for your team to create, commit to and use throughout the project. Personas involve drawing pictures or creating profiles of your audience using research on their lifestyle, cultural, social, professional and personal activities and values. ​Usability.gov has an excellent description of how to do personas. I find it a fun activity to open a training activity or for team building.

​Apply for an award

​Awards offer several opportunities for learning and committing to plain language. It helps others see what the standards are in the profession. If you are recognized, you have motivation to move forward with your plans. PLAIN ( Plain Language Association InterNational) offers members opportunities to be recognized at its conferences. Other organizations offer annual awards. Just participating can be rewarding.

As I holidayed this summer, in Canada and in the US, I found myself comparing levels of and styles of customer service. Experiencing a lack of clarity in instructions, directions and information, it reminded me that plain language truly is a form of customer service excellence.
 
Any business can gain an advantage by using plain language. In preparing for my presentation The Solution to Persuading Plain Language Sceptics—Training for the PLAIN 2017 Conference: Improving Client Relationships, I became even more convinced we need to really persuade clients—internal and external—to integrate plain language with customer relations initiatives.
 

What benefits does plain language provide?

Unhappy clients can mean a loss of business and negative publicity. It can affect staff morale, productivity and commitment. No one wants these. Incorporating plain language and supporting it with training offers huge benefits for your staff and clients:

• greater effectiveness
• improved team skills and confidence
• enhanced brand, services and reputation.

There is no one-size-fits-all plain language solution. But with ample guidelines available and consultants offering services such as writing, designing and training, you can really make progress building a plain language commitment that suits your and your clients' needs.
 
What are my plain language training needs?

The best way to plan your plain language training is to begin with a thorough audit of what communication training has been or is being delivered. Identify key customer relations problems—existing or potential.  Then assess who needs which skills or knowledge in clear communication. Once all these are agreed, the plan can take shape. Plain language training can be stand-alone, integrated or connected to a specific project.
 
What should we focus on?

• Audience: who you are targeting—internal and external.
• Purpose: why you are doing it, the problems you are solving, what results you want.
• Key skills needed: identify as part of planning and evaluating.

This basic approach will form a strong foundation, whether you are in-house discovering staff needs or client issues, acting as a consultant, or a trainer providing workshops.
 
What results should we look for?
​
Integrate plain language training or consulting into every customer service initiative. Ensure staff can effectively connect with clients using clear communication for problem solving and promotions. Look for and measure the improvements:

• fewer complaints
• faster services
• happier clients.

Check the PlainLanguageAcademy.com Calendar for courses that can help. We offer three options for Course 6: Plain Language Project, including coaching and consulting combinations.
 
 
 

Give a group of testers a section of your marketing materials, web content or product description. Then ask them to simply read through it and put a plus sign (+) beside info they like and understand and a minus sign (–) if they don't understand, like or get it. Now you know where to focus.
​

Peers share top strategies for selling benefits

Despite the many successes I have experienced and positive stories from my colleagues, we are still challenged by those who don't understand the benefits of plain language. After many years in the field, sketicism is still a topic peers want to talk about and seek a solution to.  A recent PlainLanguageAcademy.com Google Hangout focused on how to successfully sell plain language services to skeptics. Hosted by Cathy McPhalen, thINK Editing Inc., Edmonton, the group of peers shared their experiences and expertise on ways to convert clients to this new (to some) way of connecting with audiences, by simply being clear. The discussion was lively as options were explored.

"What is plain language?" "Isn't that dumbing it down?" "I don't want to lose my professional voice. That's what I'm paid for." "We've always done it this way. If it's not broke, don't fix it." Whether you are new to plain language or have been providing clear writing, editing, design and training services for some time, these protests may sound familiar. So, as a profession, what can we do to persuade skeptics clear communication is worth the investment? Here we share three proven approaches highlighted during the Hangout.
 
1. Educate your clients
It has never been more apparent that lack of education, or understanding, can lead to sad social, political, organizational and cultural situations. Integrating a training or orientation session into your plain language proposal or project is important to get organizational support. You may have to do it to get a project started. Integrate it and get help from a plain language trainer if you need one. But, expect positive results.
 
2. Health check on current practices
We are all somewhat resistant to change. It takes time, resources and commitment. Your client, internal or external, may say making all these changes will meet resistance and cost money. Here is a great way to turn this around.
 
Get permission to ask some questions to help you understand their situation. Here's what our NZ colleagues at ReWrite–How to overcome daily sabotage of your brand and profit have to say about discovering what is really going on.  Find out how long it takes to produce an email, a brochure, web updates or reports. How many people are involved? How many versions? Now, do a calculation: time it took x salaries = cost. Scary? Plain language can be the solution. The upfront investment in training can generate savings at many levels for the long run.
 
3. Words that work
We are plain language professionals all helping our clients use words more effectively. Are we doing our best? What words could we use to better explain—and sell—the benefits of plain language? Do you find yourself using negative terms like 'problems', 'challenges', 'issues'? The Hangout peers put their heads together to come up with words that positively promote plain language. What do you think?

• 'clear' instead of 'plain' language
• increasing simplicity
• improving accessibility and usability
• creating satisfied customers
• standing out from the crowd
• enhancing efficiency
• reducing time

Every organization wants all of these achievements and to enjoy their rewards. We can help them be successful!

For every problem there is a solution. And, the best way to find it is with the power of peers. If you have ideas or stories on success in persuading skeptics, please post a comment or share on social media using #plainlanguage or #plainlanguageacademy.

If you want to join or lead future PlainLanguageAcademy.com Hangouts, send your contact details and ideas to Kate at [email protected].
 
 Check out Academy Course 1: Plain Language Basics, designed to increase your understanding of plain language. It can help increase your options for persuading others. The course is open to registration throughout the year.