“No gritting or snow clearance”

Have you ever read a text that feels like a wall, where the words are complicated and hard to understand? You might feel frustrated and like you’re not keeping up. It’s something many of us have experienced, whether it’s a complex article or unclear instructions.

Today, during our morning walk with our dog Leia, my son Logan and I passed a sign. He stopped and stared at it for a long time, then turned to me and asked, annoyed, “What does it say?” He can read, so I replied, “Can’t you read it for me?” He said, “I’ve read it, but I don’t understand it!” “Read it aloud and we’ll figure it out together.” “The sign says ‘No gritting or snow clearance. What does that mean?” he asked. I explained, “It means they don’t sand or remove the snow in winter. It’s a warning that it could be slippery or there might be a lot of snow.” Logan then said, “But why don’t they just write that? “We don’t clear for snow or ice’ Then everyone would understand!”

Yes, why don’t we write in plain langugae? Why do we use old-fashioned, bureaucratic, and hard-to-read language when we communicate? It’s a common issue in society that we exclude people with texts.

Complex texts excludes many

Statistics show that approximately one in five adults in the EU has low literacy skills, making it difficult to fully understand written texts such as those in a newspaper. Around 5-12 percent of the population has dyslexia, depending on the country. Additionally, in many EU countries, about 20 percent of the population speaks a language other than the national language at home. In major cities, this figure can be even higher – up to a third of residents have a mother tongue different from the official language.

Here are some practical tips for creating texts that are inclusive and accessible:

• Use direct “you” language
• Avoid or explain difficult or uncommon words
• One thought = one sentence
• Structure the text with headings and paragraphs
• Use bullet points
• Use images and illustrations to complement the text

Writing inclusive texts shows that we care about everyone who reads. By making small adjustments, we can make our texts easier to understand for more people. The next time you write, think about how it might feel for someone like Logan – who just wants to understand what’s written without having to struggle through complicated sentences. It might be a simple change, but it can make a big difference for someone. ” We don’t clear for snow or ice.”