• Establish a trusting relationship.
• Invite a second person to attend the teaching session, if appropriate.
• Discuss with the person what he or she can and want to do.
• Limit information to essentials for achieving desired behaviors. Be realistic.
• Plan what to say and organize information with the three most important points. (Frame the message first.)
• Slow down!
• Use common words consistently — no medical jargon.
• Define terms.
• Make instructions concrete/specific and vivid rather than general.
• Teach one step at a time.
• Break down complex instructions.
• Make time for the patient to tell his/her story and express feelings.
• Use a variety of teaching methods and tools.
• Use techniques of tailoring and cuing.
• Verify patient understanding by using teach-back technique and problem solving situations.
• Use praise and rewards.

Source: The Ohio State University AHEC Health Literacy Program, Columbus.