The words to use
- Chunk and check
- Giving information in small pieces and checking understanding between each one, rather than all at once (NICE NG197, 2021).
- Teach-back
- Asking the person to explain or show back what you told them, to test how well you explained it. It is more than asking "Do you understand?"
- Signposting
- Telling the person the shape of what is coming, such as "There are three parts", so they can follow along.
- Jargon
- Technical words that make sense to professionals but not to most people, such as "bronchi" or "metastasised". Swap them for plain words.
