Policy No. OLC-2003-08
Approved: August 2003

Policy

The Ontario Literacy Coalition (OLC) believes in including all people who want to improve literacy in Ontario. All our members, including those who have literacy challenges, have much to give.

To help everyone take part, our operating guidelines state: "We will make our written material as easy to read as possible." In all of our communications, we will take into account:

• the purpose of the communication and
• the reading needs of the target audience.

When written words are a barrier to inclusion and participation, we will do our best to find other ways to share information. When we are able, the OLC will use testing and feedback to find out if our communication is successful.

Scope

This policy covers all OLC communication both internally and externally, and the OLC expects compliance with this policy from:

• OLC staff
• volunteers and Board Members
• contractors and consultants

Resources and Support

In all project planning, the OLC will build in the costs of clear communication. Project budgets will include the communication resources needed such as time, training and money.

The OLC will give new volunteers a copy of Ruth Baldwin's Clear Writing and Literacy as part of their training. The OLC will also refer them to other useful resources and web sites.

Standards and Guidelines

Organization of information

The OLC will strive to organize its communication pieces in a manner that is logical, easy to follow, and clearly communicates the needed message and information.

Consistency

The OLC will aim for consistency at all levels of communication.

This includes:

• adherence to agreed upon guidelines for the look (organizational branding) of all OLC materials. This includes OLC design standards for items such as type styles, font sizes and logo placement
• consistent usage in grammar, punctuation and spelling
• use of consistent terms (e.g., if the word "salary" is used in one sentence we will not say "remuneration" in the next sentence).

To help us be consistent, the OLC will adopt a style authority. That means choosing a dictionary that everyone uses and a stylebook such as the Canadian Press Stylebook. We will also develop our own "house style" for terms that are specific to the OLC.

The OLC will design templates for its different document types. These templates should help the reader to navigate the document and have a consistent OLC "look and feel." These templates will become part of the house style guide.

Grade Reading Level Benchmarks

Grade Reading Levels are benchmarks. They help teachers to choose harder texts as their students move through their years of schooling. Grade Reading Levels are based on two factors: 1) the length of sentences, and 2) the number of syllables in the words.

For this policy, the OLC used the Reading Effectiveness Tool on the Clear Language and Design website to set the benchmark reading levels. This tool also takes organization, tone and appearance into account.

The OLC has set three benchmark levels for its communications:

1. "Must know" information for members and the public
   (Grade 5 — 6 Reading Level)
   Grade Reading Level 5 — 6 is about the same as Literacy and Basic Skills (LBS) Level 3. Adults at LBS Level 3 can read many texts written at Grade Level 5 — 6 on their own.
   
   The writer should aim for a Grade 5 — 6 Reading Level when:
   • adults with literacy challenges are a significant part of the reading audience
   • the purpose of the document includes getting a response or action from adults with literacy challenges.
   
   Note: When there are new terms and complex concepts, the reading level for some parts of a document may have to go up to the next benchmark level. The OLC has a duty to be accountable and to promote growth and learning. These standards must not be used to justify leaving out information or making it too simple.
   
   
2. Day-to-day information for the OLC staff and member groups, and information for the public (Grade 7 — 9 Reading Level)
   Grade Reading Level 7 — 9 is about the same as LBS Levels 4 and 5. The writer should aim for this reading level range when conducting day to day business that does not have a significant audience of people with literacy challenges. Well-written texts at Grade Reading Levels 7 — 9 have a clear, well-organized, succinct style. New terms and concepts, as well as any special language, are clearly defined and explained.
   
   
3. Special language for an informed audience (Grade Reading Level 10+)
   The OLC conducts research and makes recommendations on public policy. This sometimes means that we must use special terms and a formal style higher than Grade Reading Level 9. This is acceptable within our Clear Language Policy as long as:
   • no one with literacy challenges is part of the target audience and no action is required of them
   • special terms and formal style are used only to serve and inform the reader.

Alternatives for adults who do not read on their own
Adults who have not yet reached LBS Level 3 may not read on their own, even when the material is at a level below Grade 5. When these adults form a significant part of the audience and are expected to respond to the message, the OLC will use alternative forms of communication, such as:

• person to person contact
• telephone
• radio or television
• tapes
• website audio and video
• pictures

The OLC will also:

• organize supports within the OLC, such as a mentor system
• encourage people with literacy challenges to find supports in their communities
• work to ensure that members have the support they need.