Training Workshops

"Offered an inclusive amount of information in a timely fashion
with lots of resources to take back to the office."


Training Workshops:

  • Tailored programs on-site to meet your needs, time frames, and budget
  • Up-to-date, evidenced-based content with hands-on, participatory learning methods for adults
  • Director of OSU Clear Health Communication Program often speaks at national, state, and local conferences and meetings

Sample Presentation Topics for Short Programs:


Health Literacy: It’s Time To Take It Seriously!

Increase awareness of the prevalence of limited literacy and its impact on health outcomes. The results of the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy, populations at risk, health care costs of low literacy, and reading levels of health materials are discussed.

You Can’t Tell By Looking: Assessing a Person’s Ability to Read and Understand Health Information

Learn how to determine if a person has a literacy problem. Several tools used to test reading and comprehension ability are discussed.

Getting Your Message Across: Clear & Effective Verbal Health Communication

Reach beyond the written word and learn ways to increase the involvement of your patients, clients, or customers in the effective management of their own health care.

Skills for Effective Patient / Client Teaching

Learn how to use a variety of strategies to effectively teach patients / clients self-management skills.

Cross-Cultural Communication

Remove roadblocks between culture and the delivery of quality health care and information. Learn what to consider when translating and interpreting across languages and cultures.

Sample Presentations for In-Depth Training


Creating Plain Language Printed Materials

Learning the basics of planning, writing, designing, and field- testing of plain language materials.

Materials Design

Learn how text, design, and illustrations can be used to reach your target audience. Develop an “eye” for what makes materials reader-friendly.

Audience Research (Field Testing)

Learn the value of getting consumer input and feedback when developing and evaluating the effectiveness of materials and programs.  Needs assessments, individual interviews, and focus groups as methods of field-testing are covered.

Introduction to Health Literacy / Plain Language for Front-Line Staff

  • This half or whole day training course provides the basics of health literacy including:
  • Review of research findings about adult literacy skills and the reading levels of health information
  • Presentation of evidence-based criteria for plain language writing with examples and discussion
  • Demonstration and practice using readability formula
  • Skills-building in choosing or developing plain language materials.

Writing for Those from Other Cultures

Making materials culturally appropriate means more than merely translating English materials into another language.

Meeting the Challenges of Low Health Literacy in Your Organization
The following presentations can be taught separately or as a single unit

  • Program Planning and Evaluation

Assess your current programs and develop new educational initiatives that meet the cultural and literacy needs of patients, clients, and communities.

  • Literacy, Health, and the Law

Explore the changing legal perspectives on providing consumer health information versus ensuring understanding. Meet accreditation guidelines for achieving excellent patient/provider communication.

  • Building an In-House Plain Language Team (Train the Trainers)

Learn how to plan and implement a health literacy initiative in your organization including: assessing the current level of health communications, raising awareness and enlisting management and staff support, establishing policies, providing staff training, building health communication resources.