What are the best practices for writing messages that non-native English speakers can easily understand?

Simplicity and clarity should always be the main goals of any communication but are particularly important when working across multiple cultures and languages. One essential care one has to have when crafting multi language communications is to study the cultural idiosyncrasies of the target countries and avoid any potential confusions or potentially misconstrued messages.

You must know your audience they will most likely consumer information on the go in a combination of written clear messages and some infographics. this will apply to all audience including the non English speakers

My top tips for communicating with non-native English speakers are: - Use objective communication and simple language - Avoid slang and local terms - Use visual aids for more complex explanations, like infographics - Consider the cultural diversity of the audience and avoid country-specific references

I think the title of this article is slightly misplaced. Instead of sharing how to write messages clearly for non-native speakers, what we really should address is how to write in standard English that anyone, anywhere in the world can understand - especially at a time when we are one global community, and our employees, stakeholders, and clients are distributed across the world.

For me, this is the number one thing every internal communicator should aim to do with all their written (and verbal) communications. Before issuing any communication, re-read numerous times and each time come from a different perspective. By this I mean, the first time you read it, read it from a 'does this make sense? is it accurate? Is it technically correct?' the second time you read it, ask yourself 'can I simplify the language? Can I remove any jargon etc.? Can I get to the point quicker?' Then, read it again for spelling and grammatical errors. I learnt to read it backwards at this stage, to help with identifying these types of edits.

Providing context and explanation is the key to make non native English speakers understand. The cultural and political history coupled with social belief systems is as diverse as one can imagine. One must be careful and sensitive to not miscommunicate and avoid offending unintentionally. Therefore, an effort towards giving the right context and explanation would be worth the while making the communication effective and putting the message across with the desired clarity of purpose.

In my experience working with a global team, I found that incorporating visuals significantly improved communication with non-native English speakers. For instance, when explaining a new project framework, a visual roadmap not only clarified the details but also made the information more accessible, transcending language barriers. This approach not only facilitates comprehension but also promotes a shared understanding among team members from diverse linguistic backgrounds.

My top tips: - use plain English - build simple infographics - clear images that show exactly what the instructions are - use bullet points and short sentences - max 3 sentences per paragraph

Uma boa forma de incluir todas as pessoas é utilizar a IA como um recurso contributivo na leitura e compreensão de textos em outros idiomas; tradução simultâneo de textos e frases, por exemplo, poderia ajudar significativamente a pessoa candidata a evoluir no processo e ser incluída com assertividade.

Even if non-native or native English speaker, I’m pretty sure that image stay the best way to communicate. Fred R.Barnat told us few years ago through an advertising… « A picture is worth a thousand words ». So yes I think that, visual will help.

Be careful using a tool. Don't just use its corrections and recommendations without double checking all of the changes it suggests. Nothing beats a good, human understanding of language and grammar. You could invite others to proofread your communications but give them all a different 'role' or purpose for proofreading. Someone can proof read specifically for spelling and grammar only. This will help them to identify and errors much easier.

In my experience of working remotely within an intercultural environment where English was predominantly a second language, I've found that written communication proves most effective. This approach allows the message recipient to read and comprehend the information at their own pace and in their preferred space, facilitating a thorough understanding. Following said written communication, we would utilize our Slack channels to encourage team members to pose any questions they may have to the IC team. Additionally, during team meetings, we emphasized the importance of speakers using presentations to anchor what was being verablly communicated. These practices are advantageous in a remote work setting and essential when language is a barrier.

At times, the way we express ourselves in one country might baffle those in another. An eye-opening incident occurred when I met a colleague from Kenya, and it became apparent that he interpreted a message from our IC team drastically differently than intended. This message, crucial as it pertained to our company policies, left me startled—I had made assumptions. Our face-to-face interaction revealed ideological barriers and cultural limitations, highlighting the communication challenges stemming from our narrow perspectives. Following that exchange, I often reflected on how our strategy became more inclusive with his input and recognized the significance of such informal exchanges in fostering improvement and understanding.

When crafting messages for non-native English speakers, it's vital to embrace diversity and sensitivity. Understanding cultural, social, and personal differences is key—steer clear of language or content that could offend or be irrelevant. Avoid humor, sarcasm, or irony that might be misunderstood. Skip assumptions, generalizations, or stereotypes about your audience or their situation. Instead, opt for inclusive, polite, and positive language. Show genuine interest and appreciation for your audience's perspectives. This approach ensures your messages are respectful, relatable, and easily understood by diverse non-native English speakers.

In addition to the messaging, make certain you’re using the right communication channels. An example: We were doing an internal comms campaign for a big firm that had speakers of English, Spanish, French, Hindi and other languages. No problem. We did region-correct translations for our email and text campaign. But what we quickly found out was that very few non-English-speakers used email. For them, it was all mobile and text. So that’s where we ended up concentrating our firepower.

I find it very useful to make use of the Flesch Kincaid Reading Ease/Grade level tool. This tool evaluates the reading level required to understand what you've written. Sometimes, it's easy to think you've written a simple piece of text, and yet when you check it, you haven't. Cutting down or eliminating passive sentences with active sentences, also assists to simplify your writing. Business language can often be overly wordy and complicated to sound impressive. This, however, often limits understanding and misses the mark. I recommend aiming to simplify complexity wherever possible and making shared understanding your primary goal.

Stay attuned to cultural nuances, embracing a spectrum of communication styles and preferences. Exercise caution against incorporating cultural references that lack universal resonance.