Integrating Plain Language Panel Kate Harrison Whiteside, Key Advice, Panel Chair Cindy Messaros, AWES Diana Twiss, Decoda Literacy Solutions Terri Peters, tlp training

1. Successfully
Integrating Plain Language
Kate Harrison Whiteside, KEY ADVICE
Cindy Messaros, AWES
Terri Peters, tlp training
Diana Twiss, DECODA

2. Integrating with…
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Kate - Communications
Cindy – Essential Skills
Terri – Training
Diana – Literacy

3. Meet Kate
• Key Advice and Services
owner
• Co-founder of Int‟l PLC
Network (now PLAIN), Cofounder of Int‟l PL Day
• Co-author PL Wizardry

4. Inspiration to integrate
• Amanda Lang
• Richard Branson
• Social Media

5. Amanda Lang
• „Innovation is about making
small, but important
changes…‟
• Pro: common sense
CBC Correspondent, TV Host, Author ‘The Power of Why:
Simple Questions that Lead to Success’

6. Sir Richard Branson
Mission Statement:
“ Be different by
being better”
Pro: brevity
Sir Richard Branson, Virgin Entrepreneur ( 56
companies, 55k employees, 34 countries)

7. Social connections
• Plugged in
• Plain speak
• Powerful

8. 3 Keys to Success
1. Always work with a cross-organizational
team – strength in numbers
2. Include a training component – share the
wealth
3. Encourage investment in user-testing –
user feedback speaks volumes

9. Meet the panel

10. Meet Cindy
• AWES Executive
Director
• Enthusiastic Trainer
• ESL Teacher at
Heart

12. Plain Language
Skilling up the workforce with plain language and
essential skills –
higher productivity, retention and career growth
International Plain Language Conference
Cindy Messaros, panelist

13. WES and Plain Language
Workplace Essential Skills (WES)
WES Needs Assessment
Typical Scenario

14. Common Objections
•We want it to sound scary! Legalese
•We don’t want to patronize! Waivers
•But it is simple! Forms

15. Legalese
Student Behaviour, Responsibilities and Rights
Examples of inappropriate or unacceptable student
behaviour:
 Intentionally defacing, damaging, destroying or moving
without authority or permitting to be defaced, damaged,
destroyed or moved without authority the property of XXX
institute
 or of any student or staff member.

16. Waivers
… for myself and on behalf of my heirs, assigns, personal
representatives and next-of-kin, HEREBY RELEASE,
ABSOLVE, AND HOLD HARMLESS XXX, its Directors,
officers, employees, volunteers and agents (the “Releasees”)
and agree to INDEMNIFY the Releasees from and against any
and all liabilities incidental to my involvement or participation
in the programs stated above, including without limitation, any
and all claims for damages or loss, WITH RESPECT TO ANY
AND ALL INJURY, DISABILITY, DEATH, or loss or damage to
person or property.

17. Waivers
I take responsibility for all risks. If I get hurt
during participation in any XXX activity, I
understand and agree that XXX is not
responsible.
I have read this form and I understand it.
______________________________
Signature

18. Forms
Date: April 27, 2012
Dear Company ABC:
Re: Charity Bed Program
This is a referral letter for ________________________
Number and size of beds needed:
Twin/Single __Double/Full __Queen __King __
Pick Up Times:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 10:00am only. Client is
also aware that it‟s their own responsibility to arrange for transportation. Max 2
beds per visit. You are not guaranteed a bed the first time you go. Expiry date:
6 months from date of letter.

19. Why Plain Language in WES?
It allows management to strengthen
bottom up training, to give it a hook.
It gives management a concrete
starting point.
It accelerates training results.

20. Waivers
I have read this release of liability and
assumption of risk agreement, fully understand
its terms, without understand that I have given
up substantial rights by signing it, and sign it
freely and voluntarily inducement.
_______________________________

22. Meet Terri
•
Owner of tlp training
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Consultant with Alberta
Workforce Essential
Skills (AWES)
•
In plain language since
2001 doing training,
audits, editing/writing
and consulting

23. Thank you…..
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Tweet about this @plain2013
#plain2013 #plainlanguage
LinkedIn PL Advocates
Facebook
YouTube channel

24. 2 audiences for my PL work
Non-profits:
Business & municipal gov’t:
• Small to medium
organizations
• Usually few, if any,
professional writers on
staff
• Understand quickly how
PL serves their various
audiences
• Rarely invested in legal
and technical jargon
• Large organizations of
500 plus
• Many professional
writers on staff
• Slower recognition of
how PL serves their
various audiences
• Often invested in legal
and technical jargon

25. Calgary Police Services IT Policy
Original:
• 12 pages
• Formal tone written in legal
style
• Large chunks of text with
embedded lists
• Warnings and prohibitions
on first page
Reworked document:
• 6 pages
• Mix of third person and
second person,
authoritative but no more
legal gobbledegook
• Shorter text with more
bulleted lists
• Purpose and scope of policy
at front; warnings and
prohibitions at end

26. Meet Diana
• Director of Adult and Workplace Learning
• Adult literacy practitioner in BC since 1995
• Have worked with a variety of organizations
on clear language and design initiatives
• Taught over a dozen reading strategies classes
at Capilano University

27. Why does Plain Language work?
1. It works because it models the reading habits
of effective readers
2. It works because those developing clear
language and design communications see
immediate and tangible results.

28. Meet Diana
Director of Adult and Workplace
Learning
Adult literacy practitioner in BC
since 1995
Have worked with a variety of
organizations on clear language and
design initiatives
Taught over a dozen reading
strategies classes at Capilano
University

29. Successfully Integrating
Plain Language
October 11, 2013

30. Why does Plain Language work?
1. It works because it models the reading habits
of effective readers
2. It works because those developing clear
language and design communications see
immediate and tangible results.

31. Effective readers
• Are strategic readers.
• Set goals for their reading – they read with a
purpose.
• Have background knowledge.
• Monitor their comprehension and correct it in a
variety of ways.
• Make inferences.
• Are selective as they read.
• Reread.
• Summarize and reflect on what they’ve read.

32. Poor readers often
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Read from the start to the finish.
Lack decoding skills.
Have a limited vocabulary.
Read slowly and labour over every word.
Have trouble connecting the ideas.
Lack background knowledge to figure out
meaning or make predictions.
• Don’t reflect on what they have read.
• Don’t read as often or as widely as skilled readers
– they don’t practice reading.

33. Model the habits of effective readers
• Make clear what reader will learn from
reading
• Headings to establish reason for reading
• Provide text boxes to explain specialized
language
• Provide background information if needed
• Summarize in key points.

34. Immediate and tangible results
• [provide examples from projects and draw
upon those from Terri’s and Cindy’s
presentations.]

35. Thank you…..
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•
•
•
•
•
Tweet about this @plain2013
#plain2013 #plainlanguage
LinkedIn PL Advocates
Facebook
YouTube channel
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