Kate Harrison Whiteside, KEY ADVICE

Cindy Messaros, AWESTerri Peters, tlp training

Diana Twiss, Decoda Literacy Solutions

Successfully Integrating Plain Language

• Kate - Communication• Cindy – Essential Skills• Terri – Training• Diana – Literacy

Integrating with…

• Key Advice and Services owner

• Co-founder of Int’l PLC Network (now PLAIN), Co-founder of Int’l PL Day

• Co-author PL Wizardry

Meet Kate

• Amanda Lang, CBC

• Sir Richard Branson, Virgin

• Social Media, Everyone

Inspiration to integrate

• ‘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’

Amanda Lang

Mission Statement: “

Be different by being better”

Pro: brevity

Sir Richard Branson, Virgin Entrepreneur ( 56 companies, 55k employees, 34 countries)

Sir Richard Branson

• Plugged in• Plain speak• Powerful

Social connections

1. Always work with a cross-organizational team

2. Include a training

3. Encourage investment in user-testing

3 Keys to Success

Meet the panel

• AWES Executive Director

• Enthusiastic Trainer

• ESL Teacher at Heart

Meet Cindy

Plain LanguageSkilling up the workforce with plain language and

essential skills –

higher productivity, retention and career growth

International Plain Language Conference

Cindy Messaros, panelist

WES and Plain Language

Workplace Essential Skills (WES)WES Needs AssessmentTypical Scenario

Common Objections

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

Legalese

Student Behaviour, Responsibilities and RightsExamples 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.

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.

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

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.

_______________________________

FormsDate: 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.

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.

• Owner of tlp training

• Consultant with Alberta Workforce Essential Skills (AWES)

• In plain language since 2001 doing training, audits, editing/writing and consulting

Meet Terri

2 audiences for my PL work

Non-profits:• 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

Business & municipal gov’t:

• 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

Challenges in implementing PL

Non-profits:• Usually only 1 or 2 people on

staff who attend PL training and understand its worth

• Lots of turnover in staff – often lose PL champions

• Because few or no professional writers, can take more coaching to implement better writing principles and PL at the same time

Business & municipal gov’t:• Slower turnaround in

applying plain language principles

• Need levels of approval to implement changes

• Convincing lawyers or other decision-makers on staff that PL is a good idea

Successes in implementing PL

Non-profits:• Quick turnaround in

applying plain language principles

• Usually only 1 level of approval needed to implement PL

• Organization-wide switch to using PL can happen quickly

Business & municipal gov’t:• Once approval for PL is

secured, organization-wide change can happen

• Creates large impact, ex. City of Calgary PL Policy

• Professional writers on staff understand general writing principles well, less coaching required to move them to PL

An example of PL:Calgary Police Services (CPS)

Information Technology (IT) Policy document

An activity not expressly prohibited in this policy must not be interpreted as permissible. Members will consult with the Inspector or refer to the IT Security Procedure Manual when in doubt of any proposed action.

You may need to justify your use of IT resources to ICTS (Information Communication Technology Section).

Another example of PL:Calgary Police Services (CPS)

Information Technology (IT) Policy documentWhile the CPS encourages member involvement in community or service-based activities in their personal time, members may not make use of CPS resources for such activities without the pre-approval of their District or Section Commander/Manager. Community and service-based activities include, but are not limited to, involvement with charitable, political, community service and professional organizations.

You must have your Commander’s approval to use IT resources for community or service-based activities.

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

Director of Adult and Workplace LearningAdult literacy practitioner in BC since 1995Have worked with a variety of organizations on clear language and design initiativesTaught over a dozen reading strategies classes at Capilano University

Meet Diana

October 11, 2013

Successfully Integrating Plain Language

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.

Poor readers often

• 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.

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.

Model the habits of effective readers

• Make clear what reader will learn from reading

• Use headings to establish reason for reading• Provide text boxes to explain specialized

language• Provide background information if needed• Summarize in key points.

Immediate and tangible results

• Tweet about this @plain2013

• #plain2013 #plainlanguage

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Thank you…..