Matching content to a diverse audience

Name:

Date:

Class:

Quick Questions

Shade in the A or B circle for each question.

1. Which sentence is better for a Year 7 student reading a school newsletter about a new app?

A Tap the green button to open the app.

B Initiate the application via the primary graphical interface element.

2. True or false: Using lots of technical jargon makes content suit a diverse audience.

A True

B False

3. You are making a poster about a school sports day. Which choice is more inclusive?

A Show students of different ages, abilities and backgrounds taking part

B Show only one type of student winning every event

4. Which is a good way to check that your content works for your audience?

A Ask a sample reader to try it and tell you what is confusing

B Assume it is fine because you understand it yourself

5. Which tone suits a guide for younger students learning to use a school website?

A Formal and complicated, like: 'Users must authenticate prior to access.'

B Friendly and clear, like: 'Click Login to get started.'

Match the Pairs

Draw a line connecting each item on the left to its match on the right.

Left column		Right column
1Plain language		AAsk a Year 5 student and a grandparent to read your draft, then note where they get stuck
2Jargon		B<img src="team.jpg" alt="Students of different ages and abilities working together">
3Inclusive images and examples show people of different ages, abilities and backgrounds		CThis sentence is full of jargon and complex words. Plain language such as 'Click the menu to start the app' would suit more readers.
4Checking with a sample reader finds parts of your content that are unclear before you share it		DTechnical words or abbreviations that only experts know and that can confuse a general audience
5Please utilise the dropdown to initialise the GUI.		EThe examples leave out girls, different ages, abilities and backgrounds, so many readers will not see themselves in the guide.
6Every example in the guide shows only teenage boys playing sport.		FUsing short, everyday words so readers of any age or background can understand the message

Definitions

inclusive content

Fill in the Blanks

Complete each line of code by filling in the missing parts.

Replace ______ with plain language

Use images that show different ages, abilities and ___________

Ask a ______ reader to test your content

Choose a suitable ____ for your audience

IF reader is confused THEN _______ using plain language

Spot the Error

Shade in the letter of the line that contains an error.

Question 1

A audience ← "Year 7 students"

B write the draft

C reader ← "a Year 7 student"

D ask author to read the draft

E fix parts that confuse them

Question 2

A audience ← "Year 7 students"

B say "Initiate file storage"

C say "Press Print to get a copy"

Question 3

A images ← only teenage boys

B for each image in images

C show it with alt text

Question 4

A audience ← "Year 7 students"

B example ← "a school sports day"

C jargon ← ["synergy", "leverage"]

D keep jargon to sound smart

Question 5

A audience ← "Year 7 students"

B reader ← "a professor"

C show draft to reader

D fix parts they find confusing

Answer Key

Matching content to a diverse audience

Section A: Quick Questions

A — Tap the green button to open the app.

B — False

A — Show students of different ages, abilities and backgrounds taking part

A — Ask a sample reader to try it and tell you what is confusing

B — Friendly and clear, like: 'Click Login to get started.'

Section B: Match the Pairs

Plain language → Using short, everyday words so readers of any age or background can understand the message

Jargon → Technical words or abbreviations that only experts know and that can confuse a general audience

Inclusive images and examples show people of different ages, abilities and backgrounds → <img src="team.jpg" alt="Students of different ages and abilities working together">

Checking with a sample reader finds parts of your content that are unclear before you share it → Ask a Year 5 student and a grandparent to read your draft, then note where they get stuck

Please utilise the dropdown to initialise the GUI. → This sentence is full of jargon and complex words. Plain language such as 'Click the menu to start the app' would suit more readers.

Every example in the guide shows only teenage boys playing sport. → The examples leave out girls, different ages, abilities and backgrounds, so many readers will not see themselves in the guide.

Section C: Definitions

inclusive content — Content that suits its audience by using plain language, a suitable tone and examples that include different ages, abilities and backgrounds, so everyone can understand it.

Section D: Fill in the Blanks

Replace jargon with plain language

Use images that show different ages,
abilities and backgrounds

Ask a sample reader to test your content

Choose a suitable tone for your audience

IF reader is confused THEN
  rewrite using plain language

Section E: Spot the Error

D — The draft should be checked by a sample reader from the audience, not by the person who wrote it. The line should be: ask reader to read the draft.

B — 'Initiate file storage' is jargon that Year 7 students may not understand. It should use plain language, like: say "Press Save to keep your work".

A — Inclusive images should show people of different ages, abilities and backgrounds. Only showing teenage boys leaves other people out. It should be: images ← mixed ages, abilities.

D — Jargon makes content hard to understand. It should be swapped for plain words: swap jargon for plain words.

B — A sample reader should be someone like the real audience. A professor is not a Year 7 student, so they will not show if Year 7s can understand it. It should be: reader ← "a Year 7 student".