Information in English about
Language for all
Language for all is a Dutch method for adjusting or making information in a way it becomes suitable for all.
As many people as possible understand the message and at the same time feel spoken to due to an attractive lay out. Also people with low literacy skills.
Language for all is a method for: writing, choosing images and testing.
There is more to it than just applying plain language.
Plain language is too difficult to understand for many people.
It is kind of in between easy language and plain language.
The Dutch name of the method is: Taal voor allemaal.
Easy writing
Writing according to guidelines for things like: text building, sentence structure, font size and word choice.
There are guidelines for writing in 'language for all' and for 'language for all - custom made'.
The choice for one of the versions depends on the group for whom you are writing.
Choosing images
Choosing or consciously avoiding images in consideration of the guidelines for doing so.
Images need to be functional for the purpose of comprehension. They should not distract attention from the main message.
Testing
Intended recipients help by testing new material. The information is then optimized based on the test results.
Testing in Language for all follows a structure with assignments and questions. Remembrance, comprehension and level of appealing are tested.
Research based
Language for all is based on (inter)national research and examples. Based on new research, experiences and insights this method is constantly optimized.
Professor Xavier Moonen started Language for all in 2016 in The Netherlands.
He works at the University of Amsterdam, Koraal and Zuyd University.
Staff
The staff members of Language for all work as translators and trainers. They also take care of keeping the method up to date.
Language for all is situated at both Koraal and toetsen meten & weten.
Networks
Language for all participates in (inter)national networks, such as: Netzwerk Leichte Sprache, Easy Plain Accessible and PLAIN: Plain Language Association International
Language for all attends and contributes to (inter)national conferences such as: IELD (International Easy Language Day) and KLAARA.
Publications and presentations
Language for all contributes to several (research) publications, meetings and conferences.
All information which is available in English will be presented here.
Dutch materials are to be found elsewhere on our website.
More than just an opinion: choosing an appropriate test approach for all in easy and plain language
Presentation by Enid Reichrath at the KLAARA Conference, 2023.
Read the abstract in the book of abstracts (page 12), written by Reichrath, Moonen and Kooijmans.
Assessing the effects of Language for all
Enid Reichrath and Xavier Moonen wrote this article in the Nordic Journal of Linguistics, 2022.
Neuroscientific Research on the Processing of Easy Language
Xavier Moonen peer-reviewed this article, 2021.
Handbook of Easy Languages in Europe
Xavier Moonen wrote a chapter in the Handbook of Easy Languages in Europe, Berlin, 2021.
Easy Language in the Netherlands. Page 345-370.
International Easy Language Day: IELD
Xavier Moonen and Enid Reichrath contributed to the IELD conference in 2021.
You'll find their contributions here:
Do visualisations helpt to better understand easy read texts?
Language for all provides a win-win situation
All presentations of IELD 2021 are to be found on this website.