✅ Easy Read: How to Make Information Accessible
📘 Using Symbols and Simple Text in a Preface
1. 🔤 Use Symbols (Pictures that Help People Understand Words)
You can use special symbol sets to help people understand what the words mean.
🧰 Good Symbol Resources:
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🧍♂️ Change People – free Easy Read symbols and example documents
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🔤 Widgets Online – symbol library (some free trials)
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🧠 Boardmaker – lots of pictures and symbols (paid)
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🧷 Open Symbols – free library of communication pictures
2. 🔎 Choose a Clear, Easy Font
Use big and clear letters that are easy to read.
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✅ Use Arial, Verdana, or Comic Sans
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✅ Make text 14–16 point size or bigger
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❌ Don’t use curly or squiggly fonts
3. 🧼 Leave Space Around the Words
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✅ Add plenty of white space between lines
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✅ Keep one idea per line
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✅ Use bullet points and short paragraphs
4. 🖼️ Add Symbols Before or Above the Text
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✅ Put symbols to the left of the sentence or on top
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✅ Use the same picture each time for the same idea
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📍 This helps people remember what the symbol means
5. 📄 Use a Simple Page Layout
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✅ One idea per section or page
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✅ Headings should be bold and big
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✅ Avoid too many colours or decorations
🛠️ How to Make it in Microsoft Word or Google Docs
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Use a table with 2 columns:
Left Column = Picture, Right Column = Text
| 🖼️ Symbol | 📝 Text |
|---|---|
| 🧠 | I have learning difficulties and mental health problems. |
| 📖 | This book is important to me. |
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You can use pictures from symbol libraries or emojis.
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Save your file as a PDF so the layout doesn’t change.
✅ Important Reminder:
Ask the person first.
Not everyone likes symbols or Easy Read.
Some people may prefer videos, spoken words, or plain text.
✔ Always ask how they want information.
❌ Never guess.
💡 What Can I Help You With Next?
Would you like:
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📄 A Word or Google Docs template you can edit?
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📘 A finished Easy Read preface with symbols?
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🗂️ Some example files to look at and get ideas?
Let me know what works best for you!
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