Evgeniy Kalashnikov Evgeniy Kalashnikov

Writing: a formal enquiry letter
Grade 9 level

Description

In this lesson students learn how to write a formal information enquiry letter through studying a model of such a letter. The lesson starts with a lead-in video which is a commercial of language courses. Then students read for gist, study the structure of a formal information enquiry letter and focus on the target language. Then students are given a writing task (which they party compile themselves), work out the questiions to be asked and then in groups write the letter. For the writing part "Freeze activity" is used. Then students provide some feedback on the letters.

Materials

Abc PPT
Abc Student's worksheet
Abc Online Writing Practice
Abc Small plan cards

Main Aims

  • • To provide product writing practice of a formal e-mail in the context of inquiring information from a language school

Subsidiary Aims

  • • To provide gist and scan reading practice using a text in the context of a formal information enquiry e-mail to a language school

Procedure

Warmer/Lead-in (4-5 minutes) • To set lesson context and engage students

Start the lesson with grouping. Before playing explain that they are going to watch a TV commercial. Elicit what 'commercial' means. Start playing the video. Ask students to watch and say what will happen further when you stop the video. Play and stop the video at 0:24. Elicit their predictions The play the video further to check their ideas and stop at 0:32. Then ask what is being advertised. Then play the recording till the end. Ask them: T.: Have you ever attended any courses? T.: How did you find out the information about the course? Its details? T.: What do you do if you can't find all the necessary information on the website? (the anticipated answer is to write an e-mail, so try to lead the conversation to get this answer)

Exposure (8-10 minutes) • To provide a model of production expected in coming tasks through reading/listening

Explain that students are going to read an e-mail. Distribute the Student's worksheets. Ask them to read the e-mail and answer the following questions: 1. Who is writing? 2. Whom is he/she writing to? 3. Does the writer know the person who he/she is writing to? Are they friends, relatives? Ask ICQs: T.: Who do you have to do? T.: Do you work in groups or individually? Let students work individually first and then let them check in their groups. Elicit feedback . Answers: 1. Adriano 2. To a language school 3. No. They are neither friends nor relatives. Ask them if they think it is a formal letter or an informal one and why. Show them the structure of any letter/e-mail and ask them: 1. How many parts does it have? (three) 2. What are they? (top of the letter, body and foot) Ask them to look at the text again and identify what things must be in the parts mentioned above. Distribute the small plan cards (one set per each group) and ask them to work in groups and divide them according to the parts of the e-mail. Ask ICQs: T.: What do you have to do with the stripes? T.: Do you work individually or in groups? Elicit the answers. Answers: TOP: greeting BODY: reason for writing, personal information connected with the course questions FOOT: closing phrase signature

Useful Language (8-10 minutes) • To highlight and clarify useful language for coming productive tasks

Draw the students' attention to Task 2 and ask them what questions Adriano wants the school to answer. Give them some time to find the information in the text if its necessary. Answers: How much do the courses cost? When do the courses begin and finish? Where can I stay? T.: What expressions does Adriano use to get the information he wants? ('Could you please send me...', 'I would like some information about...') T.: Does he sound polite? (yes) Remind them it is a formal letter. T.: Look at task 3. There are useful phrases. Some of them are for formal e-mails, others are for informal ones. Write F for formal, I for informal. Check the work on the board. Point to the top and foot of the formal e-mail phrases and ask if Adriano knows the name of the person he is writing to. (no) Show them two more cards with 'Dear Mr Brown' and 'Yours sincerely' and highlight that we use these phrases when we know the name.

Productive Task(s) (10-10 minutes) • To provide an opportunity to practice target productive skills

Ask your students what they would like to learn in their life and write a sentence beginning with “I would like to learn how to…”. (Task 3 WS) Show the ad 'Join the course "How to ________. Professional coaches. Small groups or private lessons. For more information e-mail us at info@dummies.com' Give them two minutes and ask what questions they might ask (Task 4 SW) The students take their notes in their Students' worksheets and go to the computers to work. https://vk.cc/cje5xh Provide them with proper amount of time.

Feedback and Error Correction (6-6 minutes) • To provide feedback on students' production and use of language

When students have finished, show them the criteria for feedback. Content Appropriacy of language Organisation Language mistakes The students move to another computers and check their groupmates letters. Give them 3-4 minutes to check the letter and elicit feedback After the feedback, give back the coloured stripes they were given at the beginning of the lesson and advise them to use the resource if they need some help in organising their letters. Thank students for their great work

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