Is a private course right for us?

Your private course learning outcomes are based on our award winning 2 day Easy English courses advertised on our calender. 

Staff develop skills to begin to learn how to write quality, best practice Easy English.

But it is your event, your topics, your needs, your barriers and takes account of your current place on your accessibility journey.

If it is not right for you, we will make it right for you. Access Easy English has been running private 2-day and 3-day courses for decades. A wide range of groups and organisations, including government department staff, community members, and people with low literacy have completed this course with us. We have run them across Australia and internationally.

Who is my trainer?

Cathy Basterfield. She is a trained speech pathologist, with more than 35 years’ experience. Know more about your trainer.

Who is on the Access Easy English team?

Cathy is supported by a highly skilled team of Easy English writers. Each brings unique perspectives to Easy English development. Yet all can create replicable Easy English content, using our extensive Easy English checklist that guides all development.

Our team are available to support you following your Easy English course.

Do you teach how to write Easy Read?

No.

We teach you how to develop Easy English.

We teach you the differences between Easy English and Easy Read. These are known facts for the last 20 years. We discuss the published research. The latest literature review, (December 2024) based on a review of 33 published papers on Easy Read indicated as one of its findings there is no strong evidence Easy Read supports people with intellectual disability to understand written content.

What can I do at the completion of your course?

At completion of your training, you will have begun your first Easy English document. You will have many practical tips, the framework for the development of Easy English and a copy of our latest extensive & practical checklist to create the Easy English content you need along with lots of other support resources.

Following your course, each staff member is able to submit a draft Easy English document for editorial review by our team. Our team review it for up to an hour providing specific editorial comment and advice on their draft. They can use this to take next steps on their Easy English journey.

It does take time and practise to develop all the skills to developing quality best practice Easy English.

Our team are available to support you and your team on your Easy English journey providing

• an editorial review per person on their first draft
• support via our closed social media groups
• regular 1 hour webinar tutorials, across the 5 steps of developing Easy English. Staff can register for our calendar events or you can also request your own series or individual tutorial webinars.

Is there more help we can get after the course?

We are here to help you develop the skills to develop quality Easy English for your audience. Ask us what further assistance you may need.

Look out for our practical manual of activities and worksheets. Only available to people who have completed our 2 or 3 day course. Currently in development.

Talk to us about working together, to co-develop your content. It may be initially or periodically. It may be for the life of a project or a single piece of content.

Talk to us about certain steps in the process you may need additional support, such as image work or to do consumer reviews.

How many people can attend?

The maximum number who can attend is 12 staff. A minimum of 5 - 6 staff is a good starting point.

We encourage you to backfill places with partner organisations to fill as many of the 12 places for your course.

When and where will your course be delivered?

Request your own dates. The course can be completed

• face-to-face or
• online.

How long is the course?

The recommended minimum length is 15 hours of course content. This enables your staff to learn about each of the 5 steps in the process, and begin some practical activities.

Your course:

2 days (7.5  hours per day of content).
Note: This includes up to 2 short pre-course videos.

Or

3 days – shorter days with the same content. (5 hours per day of content).
Note: This includes up to 2 short pre-course videos.

3 days - with an additional 3 hours for practise and practical activities with Easy English development and your own document. (6 - 6.5 hours per day of content).

Any of these options can be broken into half day sessions. Eg: the 2-day course over 4 x half days.
Note: the course broken into additional days do attract a higher fee.

You can also request a longer initial course with additional content and practise built into it.

How much is the cost?

It depends on individual course requirements.
We are happy to provide a free quote for you.

How do I book my first private course?

Contact Cathy and she will talk you through it. Contact information.

Note: Cathy is also available via WhatsApp for international organisations or when she is working overseas.

Have more questions?

Contact us now.