seeking information
party invitations
thank you letters
friendship letters
business letters
applying for job

Lesson plans to promote the writing of better letters.

Conducting a Survey
Ask the class how their mail arrives at home, eg

- does it get delivered to their home letterbox?
- does it get delivered to a Post Office box?
- does it come by rural delivery?

Have groups brainstorm and report back on they different types of mail that their families could receive in the mail, eg

1. letters
2. parcels
3. magazines
4. flyers
5. bills
6. donation requests
7. postcards

Have students speculate on which type of mail on their list they are most likely to receive during the week. Note down for later.

Have each student conduct a family mail survey during the period of a week. Discuss and list the possible categories that they can include in their survey, eg

1. how many of each item (specific type) is received?
2. which member of the family receives the most mail during the week? Can they offer any explanation for this?
3. which type of mail is opened first?
4. which mail is read carefully and which is not?
5. which mail gives the greatest pleasure? Why is this?

Discuss the best ways of recording the results of survey, eg

1. as a table
2. as a pictogram
3. as a graph
4. as a ratio

Thinking About Communication?

Introduce the idea that there are many different forms of communication, eg email, phone, face to face meetings, audio and video conferences, letters …

Have students construct a table to show the most appropriate use of each form of communication. (Example below)

1. Phone communicating simple immediate messages or just a chat
2. Email short and brief messages seeking an instant answer
3. Video/audio conference allowing people in different parts of the country and the world
4. to meet and discuss ideas without travelling
5. Fax immediate way of sending a copy of a written document

Students list …

- when did they last write a letter and to whom?
- when did they last receive a letter and from whom?
- how did they feel when they last received a letter? Why?

Introduce the more complex idea of the purposes of letters (include postcards as a type of letter), eg

- why do people write letters?
- to whom do they write?
- what advantages would a letter have over different forms of communication?

Can the students list specific times (instances) when a letter is the best or most appropriate form of communication? Can they say why?, eg a letter of invitation to a birthday party not only is a pleasure to receive but also serves as a reminder.

Challenge them to list all the times when they would choose to write a letter, eg

- send a letter or postcard to a friend when on holiday
- to apply for an after-school job
- to ask for information for a school project

Have students ask older family members when they always use a letter as a form of communication. Why did they choose the letter and what advantages does it have? Report back and share results.

Formal and Informal Letters

Focus on comparing two distinct types of ‘real’ letters that students can write …

1. a formal letter requesting information for a school project or arranging for a class visit.

2. a letter to a friend or family member

The Formal Letter

Have students examine a selection of business and school letterhead paper. Why do they think a letterhead is commonly used?

When would they use letterhead paper? eg when making a request for information for a school project.

Introduce the idea that there can be various styles for setting out a formal letter. Does your school have a particular style that is used? Invite a member of the office staff to talk to the class.

Thinking about style and format

Tell students that most formal letters are now typed on a word processor.

Tell them that although there are many type (font) styles to choose from it is important that they stick to one that is easy to read, eg helvetica, times or arial.

Before writing begins, discuss the other important factors that are necessary for a formal letter, eg

the letter must have a date

your correct postal address must be on the letter or letterhead so the recipient will know exactly where to send a reply

if requesting material, enclosing a stamped addressed envelope is only polite and will almost ensure that you get a satisfactory reply.

Sample Formal Letter to Discuss with Students

1. Start with an opening and brief paragraph that tells exactly why you are writing.

2. The second paragraph would tell why you want these brochures and makes the letter more interesting for the reader.

3. The final paragraph would thank the person for considering the request.

4. The letter must then be signed personally (in ink) at the bottom and the usual way is to use Yours faithfully.

5. Tell students that it is considered very important that there are no spelling mistakes. This shows the person receiving the letter that some real care and thought has been put into the writing of the letter.

Writing an Informal Letter

Before having students write a letter of friendship, thanks or an invitation to a family member or friend, discuss and identify differences between this type of letter and a formal letter, eg

1. it could be written in their own handwriting to make it more personal

2. it could have less structure and be quite chatty

3. if it is an invitation to a birthday party it must have the place, date and time. A stamped addressed envelope could also be included to‘make sure of a reply’

4. remember that checking spelling is still important! It shows the letter recipient that you care about quality!