Our Foundation Program is built on six courses. Begin your plain language learning journey with by understanding the real meaning of and the process of plain language. Then enhance your awareness of your audience and improve your writing and editing skills. Find out how to apply important clear design guidelines. Build a tool kit of testing and evaluating methods that suit your needs. And, apply it all in the project course. You can take them all, or just the ones that interest you. Certificates are presented for successful course completion. Letter of Achievement whensix are completed successfully. Special thanks to Cheryl Stephens for her assistance.
Course 1: Plain Language Basics
|
Goals
After completing this course, you will be able to identify and locate existing information on:
|
Outline
Module 1: What is Plain Language? Module 2: Use Plain Language to Solve Problems Module 3: Making the Message Clearer Module 4: Review and Wrap-up Module 5: Quiz Module 6: Assignment |
Course 1: Register now.
|
Course 2 : Audience Awareness
|
Goals
You will gain skills in:
|
Outline
Module 1: Knowing your audience Module 2: Understanding your audience Module 3: Design, accessibility, audience needs Module 4: Review and resources Module 5: Quiz Module 6: Assignment |
Course 3: Plain Language Writing and Editing
|
Goals
After completing this course you will be able to:
|
Outline
Module 1: Planning for Clarity Module 2: Plain Language Writing Module 3: Plain Language Editing Module 4: Quiz Module 5: Assignment |
Course 3: Register now.
|
Course 4: Clear Design Guidelines
|
Goals
When you complete this course, you will be:
|
Outline
Module 1: Introduction and Overview Module 2: Layout Module 3: Typography Module 4: Other Graphic Elements Module 5: Quiz Module 6: Assignment |
Facilitator
Flora Gordon, Flora Gordon Design + Imagery, is a professionally certified as a graphic designer (CGD) by the Graphic Designers of Canada national association, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Design from Emily Carr University of Art + Design. I have over ten years of professional experience as a designer. I Here is my PLAinVIEW video interview. Course 4: Register now.
|
Course 5: Testing and Evaluating
|
Goals
After completing this course, you will:
|
Outline
Module 1: The role testing plays Module 2: How to plan for testing Module 3: Choosing a testing method Module 4: Quiz Module 5: Assignment |
Course 5: Register now.
|
Course 6: Plain Language Project
|
Put all your skills together on one project. We'll take you step-by-step. Available in three choices:
|
Options
Course 6+Coaching+Consulting: $1299 Course 6+Coaching: $609 Course 6: $209.00 |
Course 6 Open: Register now.
|
Advanced Courses
|
Creating Clear E-content
Online content, whether for websites, social media or electronic communications (emails, texts) is now part of our daily communications. We need to adapt our style of writing to these platforms. Plain language puts readers first and online readers have specific characteristics. Knowing how to write clear, concise, effective online content for readers and platforms will help you connect. Integrating plain language practices into your online content development is important to succeed. Editing for Plainer Legal Writing
for writers with no legal training This course is for anyone who has to edit legal materials to be clear and user-friendly, whether or not you have a legal background. We will not deal with the creation of new legal documents. You will learn how to edit an existing document. Visit the course preface page for more details. |
Outline
1. Why we need clear e-content. 1.1 What is the key difference between print and online? 2. Planning online content 2.1 Follow a style guide 3. Building audience awareness 3.1 Creating your audience persona 4. Writing online conversations 4.1 Editing online content 5. Content and visual design 5.1 Basic design guidelines 6. Testing and evaluating Assignment Outline
Looking at legal editing through four lenses:
|
Register after Sept 1.
Next course date to be announced.
|
Course Policy, Registration Cancellation or Withdrawal
We know circumstances change. If you register and pay for a course, you can withdraw prior to the start of course for an 80% rebate.
If you withdraw in the first week (7 days) of the course, you receive a 25% refund. After one week, we will credit your fees to the same course in the future.
Courses are generally available for 8 weeks. After that, unless special permission has been granted, you will be removed from the course. If you wish to complete it at a future date, you will have to pay again.
We know circumstances change. If you register and pay for a course, you can withdraw prior to the start of course for an 80% rebate.
If you withdraw in the first week (7 days) of the course, you receive a 25% refund. After one week, we will credit your fees to the same course in the future.
Courses are generally available for 8 weeks. After that, unless special permission has been granted, you will be removed from the course. If you wish to complete it at a future date, you will have to pay again.