Avoid contractions
And while we are on the subject of foreign words, contractions can look equally obscure. It sounds more formal to say I will not or we have not or you could not, but they are easier to read than won’t, haven’t and couldn’t. Check some early-grade reading books and you will find that contractions don’t appear. They are introduced at a more advanced grade.

“Everyone” or “everybody”
Here is an odd piece of advice. Use someone and everyone instead of somebody and everybody. I’ve never found a really good explanation for this, but it has been consistent in the testing I have done. I always wonder about that eo and yo in the middle of these words, but somehow they puzzle readers less than having a body in the word.

Use long words if they are familiar
Using long words which occur frequently in the lives of people with developmental disabilities can often be OK. Most are used to seeing developmental disabilities, for instance, or guardian. These same words would be difficult for immigrants learning English. On the other hand, immigrants can usually read immigrant and sponsor quite easily. So, remember that life experience plays a large role in reading.

Pick the best word
Notice how some comparatively simple words can floor people. Decide and choose often cause difficulty. We tested these many times and eventually found that pick worked well, even though it is not very elegant. Another suggestion is make up your mind about something. Be careful with change and chance, as they are easily mixed up. I avoid both when I can.

Meaning
There is an interesting thing to notice if you are rewriting someone else’s documents, especially ones meant for lower-literacy readers. Every word we use has a particular meaning, and changing a word creates a difference. We hope to make the change so minor that the meaning is still what the original writer intended. But sometimes the tone will shift, just as it does when changing terrorist to freedom fighter, or the disabled to people with disabilities. We try to get it right, but sometimes you may have a dispute with the writer and together you must try to reach common ground. If you have had the document tested by people with developmental disabilities and you are satisfied they understand, you may need to try convincing the writer that the language used is necessary. Otherwise the work of the folks with developmental disabilities is devalued. But if you have not caught the meaning and intention of the document, then you must go back and rework it. The tendency for many writers is to want to put some of their favourite words and phrases back in, and you may need to emphasize that the results were reached with input from people with developmental disabilities and that this is what they understood.