easy english experts

easy english experts

Strategies for Effective Communication in Easy English: A Guide for Language Experts

1. Introduction to Easy English

There are many reasons why you might be here today. Perhaps you are writing information in Easy English yourself, or maybe you are going to work with a team and support them to write it. Another possibility is that you support people with intellectual disability or cognitive disability and you’re looking to improve your communication in Easy English. You could be a teacher, parent, carer or advocate looking for guidance. No matter what your role is, you have come to the right place. You are here because you know that communicating is important. You want people to understand your message and to feel connected to each other, and to you, when information is shared. The problem is that not everyone communicates in the same way.

When information is too complicated, people get lost and no one really understands what is being shared. Not much is shared at all, and that means learning together is both difficult and frustrating, for everyone. If reading information in English is challenging for you, think about the people you know who might have an even harder job understanding the same confusing text. They might have accommodations like using High Contrast or Braille, but it’s not always the format that’s the issue. There are many different words and writing styles that can either make an idea really easy to understand or completely complicated. If you are struggling to communicate with someone who is not yet using speech or written text to share their ideas, think about what it’s like for them. When text is difficult to understand, whether with spoken language, sign language, or written language, people get locked out of conversations, learning opportunities, jobs, housing supports… anything and everything that can improve their life. Let’s fix that!

2. Key Principles of Easy English Communication

This section identifies the key principles of Easy English communication. This information can guide language experts in developing communication materials using the Easy English format. They should also be the fundamental guide for communication consultants and resource persons using already available Easy English documents as their communication products for their workshops, seminars or any other public educational discussions. While these key principles are saliency aspects of Easy English format, the Synthesis Report identifies elements of an Easy English text that include vocabulary, grammar, certain special features and other considerations.

2.1 Readability Levels

Easy English texts are designed for people with a reading age of 8 or 9. They should also be slightly easier to read for people who have problems understanding information because of learning difficulties, brain injuries, or people who are native speakers of English but cannot read or can read very little English.

3. Tools and Techniques for Simplifying Language

Synthesize words that have similar meanings. Be careful to avoid giving a different meaning to a word. Exchange a verb with a noun that expresses the same or a closer meaning. Similar verbs can also be exchanged with a noun or an adjective describing the property of the noun. Exchange a high-level word with the appropriate low level. Simple words can replace complex idiomatic expressions.

4. Best Practices for Teaching and Using Easy English

In order for people to learn and use easy English, the rules of easy English need to be demonstrated and role-modelled for them. Using print material that is too hard, and not taking the time to get clear on communication intentions, are two of the biggest communication problems faced by people who find comprehension difficult. People need to be instructed in a group, where they hear easy English as well as learn to use it themselves; they must be given the right tools, immediately, in order to begin to use it. They need to see examples of how easy English could be used, along with moral support and encouragement to use it. They need to be allowed to make mistakes without blame, and be corrected gently, and without a lot of fuss. They must also be given the time to figure out what to do differently, the next time a similar situation comes up.

5. Case Studies and Examples of Successful Easy English Communication

Now, let’s move on to looking at some examples of real-life success with meaningful, useful Easy English and learn from them. Also, as a good ally of Easy English, we can also be in a situation where we are supporting somebody who is working on their communication offering, and we will also find some case studies of how you can facilitate this. The advertisements are now being distributed, and feedback for information has already started coming through.

Now, a quick look at some of the case studies and examples of Easy English that are currently being distributed through the community.

1. A Student, his Teacher, and an Australian Idol judge – A three-way conversation that went very well.

2. An Actor’s Passion: He found the courage to put on his first-ever theatre production covering real-life and health issues for people with an Intellectual Disability.

3. When Ian dreams, he dreams of writing a book. Working closely with this man to let him tell his story.

4. Engaging the town of Mansfield: Supporting the Mansfield Shire Council to demonstrate this town’s commitment to inclusion.

5. A Whole Community on Board: Contributing to the Heathcote community Profile, showcases information about the health and wellbeing of the people of Heathcote in the Shire as a whole. With the confidence that targeted and positive communication would assist with many of the identified challenges.