How Is Plain Language Used In Government Documents?

In this insightful video, the concept of plain language in public administration is explored with clarity and relevance. It explains how governments use simple, accessible language to communicate with citizens effectively, highlighting why avoiding legalese and technical jargon matters.

The video covers the purpose and importance of plain language for transparency and citizen understanding, and gives examples of how official documents have been simplified and redesigned.

Perfect for educators in language, civic education, or communication studies, this video offers a compelling case for teaching practical writing and clear communication. It also serves as an excellent conversation starter for students to analyze and design simpler versions of complex documents.

The Global Risks Report 2025

The Global Risks Report 2025 is the 20th edition of the World Economic Forum's annual analysis of the most pressing global risks. This report is based on the Global Risks Perception Survey 2024-2025, which gathers insights from over 900 experts worldwide. 

Key findings from the report include:

- State-based armed conflict: identified as the most immediate global risk for 2025, with nearly a quarter of respondents ranking it as the most severe concern. 

- Environmental risks: extreme weather events and biodiversity loss are highlighted as critical threats over the next decade. 

- Misinformation: recognized as a major risk in the coming years, exacerbated by technological advancements and geopolitical tensions.

The Global Risks Report can be an excellent resource for educational purposes in schools, fostering critical thinking, global awareness, and problem-solving skills. Here are some ways it can be used across different subjects and educational activities: critical reading (analyze sections of the report to teach students how to interpret complex texts, extract key information, and identify bias or perspective) or debate and argumentation (organize debates on topics such as "Which global risk poses the greatest threat to humanity?" using data from the report to support arguments).

For a comprehensive understanding, you can access the full report here:

https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Global_Risks_Report_2025.pdf

How to spot and fight disinformation

How to Spot and Fight Disinformation is a guide aimed at helping citizens identify and combat the spread of false information, especially online. 

Developed by the European Union, it typically provides practical tips and strategies for recognizing disinformation, such as checking the credibility of sources, verifying facts, analyzing images and videos for manipulation, and understanding the motives behind the spread of misleading content.

The resource is part of the EU’s broader effort to promote media literacy, safeguard democracy, and prevent the harmful effects of disinformation, including political manipulation and social division. It often includes examples of common disinformation tactics and provides guidance on how to respond or report suspicious content on digital platforms.

Find it on:

https://learning-corner.learning.europa.eu/learning-materials/how-spot-and-fight-disinformation_en

Also available in Spanish:

https://spain.representation.ec.europa.eu/document/06d2547a-63e2-4b8b-9c08-620c5a6990d9_es

COVID Communication Kit

This kit contains ready-made media that is designed to give communicators a head start in explaining new policies and procedures. It can be used to create effective videos, presentations, documents, and more.

The kit includes:

• Over 130 COVID-related images (hi-res PNG) for documents, presentations, and videos
• Ready-made videos that succinctly explain masks, contact tracing, and social distancing
• PowerPoint presentations that provide a starting point for your message
• Templates and workbooks for clear communication of policies

These resources are shared with a Creative Commons license call Attribution Non-Commercial

https://www.commoncraft.com/covid

CommonLit

CommonLit is a nonprofit education technology organization dedicated to ensuring that all students graduate with the reading, writing, communication, and problem-solving skills 

It offers free instructional materials created by teachers, for teachers to support literacy and critical thinking development for students in grades 5-12.

You can search and filter their collection (by lexile, grade, theme, genre, literary device, or common core standard), share it with your students, and track progress.

Registration is free

https://www.commonlit.org/en