One aim of the HYS project is to create a teaching aid on the EU that is easy-enough-to-read for people with limited command of the language (approximately level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages). Here is a collection of already existing similar products which we use as a point to start.
Multiple Languages
1)
Website Easy to read - The European Union. [Accessed in January 2020]
Website by the European Commission with basic information on the idea and workings of the European Union, especially its institutional side. This is available in all languages of the member countries. The site is marked as "Easy-to-read" by the logo of the same name (see "European Easy-to-Read Guidelines")
German
1)
Einfach Politik: Europa: Ein Heft über die europäische Union. [Simple Politics: A Brochure on the Europan Union] Ed: Bundeszentrale für Politische Bildung. Issued 2019. 48 pages on A4 paper. - www.bpb.de/shop, Order number 9399.
This is a printed booklet of 48 pages in paper size A4, issued by Bundeszentrale fĂĽr Politische Bildung, a German federal institute to promote civic education. It was issued in 2019 to help prepare citizens for the European parliamentary elections. It is written in Einfache Sprache, the German equivalent of Plain Language, i.e. a form of language approximately on levels A2-B2. The booklet presents the European Union, its history, and its institutions.
Swedish
1)
Easy to read webpage about the EU in Swedish:
https://europa.eu/european-union/about-eu/easy-to-read_sv
(This is the Swedish language part of the website mentioned above unter "Multiple languages")
2)
Valskola 2018. Politik handlar om saker vi gör varje dag. [Election school 2018. Politics is about things we do every day.] 84 pages. LL-Förlaget. Issued 2018. ISBN 978-91-88073-43-3.
This 84 pages booklet in easy-to-read language (Swedish: lättläst) presents core information about the democracy and elections in Sweden. Contents include: About democracy; About the parliament, the municipalities and the county councils; About the parties; About the elections; About creating a new government; About our politicians; The parties in the parliamentary elections; Elections for the European parliament.
On September 9, we will elect more politicians
Riksdag, municipalities and county councils.
The following year, we will elect politicians to the European Parliament.
3)
https://urplay.se/program/182090-vem-bestammer-vad-pa-latt-svenska-eu
The website also offers othr explanatory videos about the national Swedish parliament, the county councils, and the municipalities as the most important political entities in Sweden.
The video links also to further teaching material to explain some concepts around the EU.
https://www.ur.se/mb/pdf/Arbetsblad/184000-184999/184645-1_103470_Vem_bestammer_vad_latt_svenska_ordlista.pdf
4)
Fredriksson, Bengt: På spanning efter EU. [Searching for the EU] LL-förlaget. Issued 2009.
This is a book of 200 pages written in easy-to-read Swedish (lättläst), written by the journalist Bengt Fredriksson. It covers practically every relevant topic of the inner workings of the EU, including such complex things as lobbyism, agricultural policy, education policy, etc. He uses everyday places, objects and happenings to explain how the EU is influencing Sweden and what effects the work has on the society.
5)
Wahldén, Christina: Hamed och EU [Hamed and the EU]. Vilja Förlag. Issued 2016.
The book “Hamed and the EU“ is a Lättläst (= Swedish version of Easy-to-read) book written in fiction but with a section including facts about the EU. Complementing the book is also some teaching materials that focus mostly on learning Swedish. However, the story also includes facts about the EU, and after reading the book the reader should have a better knowledge about the EU through the eyes of Hamed.
The description of the book on the publisher’s webpage: “Hamed has received a scholarship to go to Strasbourg and visit the European Parliament. He wants to learn more about what EU politicians do and write an essay about it. In Strasbourg, he meets two Swedish EU politicians and gains an understanding of the relationship between Sweden and the EU. The story is fiction, but has a factual section about the EU at the end of the book.“
This link will show you the first couple of pages from the book:
https://www.smakprov.se/smakprov/visa/9789188037978/partner/smakprov/
6)
Swedish Public Radio: Vem bestammer vad? Pa lätt svenska. [Who decides what? In easy Swedish]. Issued 2014 by Swedish Public Radio.
This is a simple four pages paper to explain important terms from the area of politics in easy Swedish (lätt senska). The first section is dedicated to the European Union and its institutions. Terms such as Council (Ministerradet), EU Commission, European Parliament, trans-border, exception, etc. are explained in paragraphs of about 50 words.
