MODULE 4: Communicating in a variety of ways
Interpretation: Interpretation/language mediation plays an important role in international meetings: it enables communication between participants during formal and informal parts of the pro- ject. It can be used for the transfer of content in spoken and written language as well as in sign languages. Through interpretation, no participant will be excluded from communica- tion due to a possible lack of language skills. Everybody can take part in discussions and get involved in the tasks and activities. 27 Foreign languages National singn language or international sign Captioning/Palantyping Other important aspects of accessible infor- mation include: Preparing Word documents for screen readers Preparing and running accessible presentations Making virtual meetings accessible Making websites and social media accessible Making videos and podcasts accessible
Plain language is clear and precise language that is easily understood by a broad audience. It avoids wordy, convoluted sentences as well as jargon. Plain language does not follow strict rules and is therefore more consistent with verbal communication. By contrast, Easy-to-Read (ETR) 23 follows very clear rules as it is specifically designed to meet the needs of people with cognitive and learn- ing impairments. 24 25 Good practices for both plain and Easy-to- Read language that can be used in inclusive activities include: Avoid difficult, overly technical or foreign terms. Give examples to help people understand the information. Avoid abbreviations, or at least explain what they stand for. Use consistent wording throughout. Avoid idioms, metaphors, jokes or types of humour specific to a particular language. Keep your sentences short and provide one message per sentence. Use the active voice rather than the passive voice. Use positive language. 26
Language animation methods support gradual language learning. Depending on the time available and how intensive the classes are, language animation methods can be extended based on previously studied material by gradually introducing new words and thus improving commu- nication skills. The gradual extension of language animation methods is particular- ly recommended for inclusive groups, e.g. by using only images at first, then gestures, and finally words, or by combining images, gestures and words from the start.
varying communication skills, helps them find their feet in the group as well as in the new situation and, most importantly, supports communication. Depending on the communi- cation skills of group members, glossaries can be transformed into communication books by adding pictograms, photos and other graphic elements. Non-speaking participants tend to use their own aids. If some meeting partici- pants do, it is recommended to include these images and symbols in the communication books. The communication books − whether notebooks used by individual participants or posters displayed in the workshop room − can be constantly updated by participants. Allo- cate some time in the meeting programme to do this. If posters are used, take photos of them, and give participants printouts of the photos at the end of the project. Activity: Choose one of the two language animation exercises ( è Activity 4.1. ) and try it out with your colleagues, friends or with your group. Reflect on your experiences.
Idea: Glossaries/Communication books
Before or during the meeting, leaders can cre- ate small glossaries/communication books with phrases that are important and useful for participants and the programme itself. These can be handy, self-made notebooks or large posters, placed in a prominent place in the seminar room. Using such glossaries at international inclusive meetings where partic- ipants speak multiple languages and/or have
5. Support systems, services and technologies for accessible communication and information Input:
is spoken is less complex. It is also helpful for people who do not speak the language of the event as well as other participants, for hard- of-hearing or deaf participants who may have difficulties learning a foreign language and for sign language users because of the different grammar rules of sign language.
To be an effective communicator in the field of youth work, you need to make sure that your messages are clear, accurate and understand- able in different situations. There are various ways to support an accessible communication by using specific services and technologies. Plain and easy-to-read languag For easier communication and information, you can use plain or easy-to-read language. They are designed to reduce language complexity to make it easier for everyone to understand it. For example, for people with hearing impairments, lip reading is much more effective when what
Have a look at our factsheet with plenty of guidelines and useful links to ensure accessi- bility in all these areas. è Factsheet 4.2.
23 Inclusion Europe Inclusion Europe. (2011): Make Your Information Accessible. European Standards for Making Information Easy to Read and Understand. 24 Vollenwyder, B., Schneider, A., Krueger, E., Br hlmann, F., Opwis, K., Mekler, D.E. (2018): How to Use Plain and Easy-to-Read Language for a Positive User Experience on Websites. 25 c.f.www.dare-project.de (2020): DARE Practical Guide for Inclusion, p.38 26 c.f. www.dare-project.de (2020): DARE Practical Guide for Inclusion, p.38-39 27 Adapted from: Kreisau-Initiative e.V. (Ed.)(2017). Perspective Inclusion. Language and communication in international inclu- sive education - Methods, guidelines, impulses, p. 59.
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