Text it Easy

Clear language in the continuous training of teachers: between necessity, applicability and challenges.

Teacher Trainer Liliana Dana Lung, Cluj Teacher Training Centre

The project Text it Easy responds to an essential need: promoting accessible and inclusive communication through the use of clear language in various professional sectors, with an emphasis on professional training and education.

Through this approach, the project aims to reduce inequalities in access to information, facilitate the active and equal participation of all people, regardless of their level of literacy, digital skills or experience, and transform the practice of written and oral communication into a fundamental professional competence.

The project also provides trainers and professionals with concrete resources: guides, a training program, adapted materials, and practical tools for transposing the principles of clear language into their own work.

In this context, this article aims to reflect and concretize how clear language can be defined, applied and supported in the continuous training of teachers, thus contributing to the central objective of the project, accessibility of communication.

1. Panel discussion-script and results

The article is based on the results of a panel discussion organized by the partner Casa Corpului Didactic Cluj, dedicated to the use of clear language in the continuous training of teachers, in the context of the projectText it Easy.

The panel included trainers, education specialists, and communication experts. Together with them, the moderators conveyed to the audience of teachers and trainers of the Teaching Staff House Cluj how clear language can improve teacher training, how it works in the online environment, and what challenges arise in using it in working with professionals.

The discussion started from four key questions:

  1. How would you define clear language in the context of continuing education for teachers?
  2. Can clear language be used online?
  3. What are the biggest obstacles to formulating clear language when working with an audience of professionals?
  4. What advice would you give to fellow trainers to simplify the language used in communication?

The answers provided by the panel participants are presented, in a succinct manner, below.

2. Defining clear language in the context of continuing education for teachers

In continuous teacher training, clear language can be defined as intentional, structured and accessible communication, oriented towards immediate understanding and practical application. More than a linguistic simplification, it represents a pedagogical strategy through which the trainer clarifies the purpose of each training activity, arranges information in a logical sequence, makes the learning path visible, selects the essential, avoiding redundancy and unnecessary jargon, uses concrete examples and pedagogical situations relevant to the participants, By adopting clear language, training becomes more accessible to all participants, implicitly for a diverse audience (young teachers, experienced teachers or teachers with different specializations). Language becomes a tool of inclusion and facilitation, not a barrier.

Moreover, for teachers, clear language not only facilitates learning, but also models a professional communication practice that they can later replicate with students, parents, colleagues, or within educational institutions. Thus, the impact of clear language goes beyond the moment of training, contributing to a culture of clear communication in education.

3. Using clear language online

In the online space, clarity becomes even more relevant, due to specific challenges: the absence of nonverbal cues, fragmented attention, the diversity of participants’ digital skills, as well as the risk of textual or visual overload.

To respond to these challenges, clear language online is manifested through: short, direct sentences, avoidance of ambiguities, visual structuring (titles, lists, infographics), clear instructions and directions for navigating the platforms and applications used, access to content and practical activities, adaptation of content to a diverse audience with varying skills, compliance with the principles of accessibility and inclusion, as promoted byText it Easy.

Consequently, trainers can ensure a friendly, effective and inclusive digital environment, providing concrete materials and communication that maximizes participation and understanding.

4. Obstacles to using clear language when working with professionals

Even in a dedicated project, such asText it Easy, implementing plain language can face obstacles, especially when the audience is made up of professionals, such as teachers. The panel discussions highlighted some of the most common challenges:

  1. Tendency to use professional jargon: In educational settings, academic language and technical terms are often seen as signs of professionalism. This mindset can inhibit simplification and adaptation of communication.
  2. Diversity of experience levels and contexts: A group of trainees may include new and experienced teachers, teaching different subjects, with varying needs. Finding a common, accessible and relevant register for all can be difficult.
  3. Information overload and time constraints: Training programs are often dense; the aim is to cover a large volume of content in a relatively short time, which can limit the attention paid to the quality of communication and clear structuring.
  4. Resistance to change and perception of “oversimplification”: Some participants or trainers may perceive plain language as a diminution of professional rigor or complexity of knowledge.
  5. Pre-existing materials difficult to adapt: Often, trainers work with old resources, written without attention to clarity or accessibility, which can complicate adaptation and rewriting in clear language.

These obstacles are not insurmountable, but they require recognition, reflection, and institutional or personal will to overcome.

5. Recommendations for fellow trainers: how to simplify language in practice?

Based on the panel discussions and the principles promoted byText it Easy, here are some concrete recommendations:

  • Start the training session by clarifying the objectives: what will participants understand/be able to do at the end;
  • Use direct language, adapted to the real audience, not an idealized one;
  • Structure the information logically, in clear steps, with obvious headings and subdivisions;
  • Avoid jargon, acronyms, ambiguous expressions;
  • Use concrete examples, relevant to the participants;
  • Periodically check understanding through questions, discussions. Get feedback;
  • Adapt written and digital materials for clarity and accessibility;
  • Promote an attitude of inclusion: consider diversity of skills and experiences as a resource, not a problem.

Through these practices, clear language becomes a pedagogical and organizational competency that supports real learning, collaboration, and inclusion in training.

Conclusion

According to the project objectivesText it Easy, clear language is not just a stylistic option, but an imperative for open, accessible and inclusive education. In the context of continuous teacher training, the adoption of clear language opens up the possibility for information to become truly useful, easy to understand and, above all, applicable in practice.

Even if there are cultural, organizational, or pragmatic obstacles, awareness of them and the use of appropriate strategies can transform clear language into a standard of communication and training. Ultimately, this approach reflects an educational vision that promotes equity, inclusion, and efficiency, core values ​​for any modern education system.

References