I read an article, actually blog post, this morning about a website called rewordify.com. After reading the post, and looking at the site, it reminded me of an assignment in grad school where we had to alter a text so it was easier for our ELs to understand, but not simplified. That is a hard task. It is much easier to simplify a difficult text, then actually keep the tough concepts while making it readable.
The website rewordify.com is a good stepping stone. While some difficult concepts are still embedded in the text, understanding the actual words is important.
Here is an example of the Gettysburg Address "rewordified:"
Eighty-seven years ago our fathers created on this continent, a new nation, understood/created/gave birth in Liberty, and dedicated to the suggestion (or plan) that all men are created equal.
Now we are involved in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so understood/created/gave birth and dedicated, can long last through/tolerate. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a grave for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is completely fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not bless -- we can not make holy -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have blessed it, far above our poor power to add or take away. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have so far so honorably advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great job remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead will not have died without success (or without purpose) -- that this nation, under God, will have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, will not die from the earth.
The website rewordify.com is a good stepping stone. While some difficult concepts are still embedded in the text, understanding the actual words is important.
Here is an example of the Gettysburg Address "rewordified:"
Eighty-seven years ago our fathers created on this continent, a new nation, understood/created/gave birth in Liberty, and dedicated to the suggestion (or plan) that all men are created equal.
Now we are involved in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so understood/created/gave birth and dedicated, can long last through/tolerate. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a grave for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is completely fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not bless -- we can not make holy -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have blessed it, far above our poor power to add or take away. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have so far so honorably advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great job remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead will not have died without success (or without purpose) -- that this nation, under God, will have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, will not die from the earth.
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