Theodora Stankova Theodora Stankova

Writing: Informal emails
Pre-intermediate level

Materials

Main Aims

  • To provide product writing practice of an informal email in the context of travel plans

Subsidiary Aims

  • To provide detailed reading practice using an informal email in the context of travel plans

Procedure

Warmer/Lead-in (3-5 minutes) • To set lesson context and engage students

- T welcomes the class - T sets the task (1 min): Do you like travelling? (Yes.) Me too, I love travelling. Which is your favourite travel destination? Discuss in pairs for 2 minutes. - Learners discuss in pairs in breakout rooms (2 mins). - T conducts OCFB (1 min).

Formulaic Language (6-8 minutes) • To highlight and clarify useful language for coming productive tasks

- T gives instructions and demos the task (1 min): This is an informal email from Elena to her friend Enrique. Read it and choose the correct description for each part (A, B, C, D, E). Then click on Next and select which phrases are formal, informal or neutral. You will do it in teams. Only ONE person from the team will submit. You have 4 minutes for everything. - T shares links to the task: Before you start take some seconds to read the options. - Learners work in teams in breakout rooms (4 mins). - T shows the text on the slide and asks CCQs (1 min): How do you start an informal email? (Hi, how are you?) And how do you finish? (See you soon! Take care.) Can you use these phrases to write to a friend or to your manager? (To my friend.) - T elicits form from learners and asks FCQs (1 min): In general, are these short or long forms? (Short.) How about this: ‘I’m’? What does it mean? (I am.) Can you use other contractions? (Yes.) Refer to model text for more example (it’s, don’t, etc.). How about this: ‘What time are you arriving?’? What is it? (A question.) Yes, it’s a direct question. Can we use other questions? (Yes.) For example, ‘Where are you staying?’ When you are writing to your friend, do you use short or long forms (generally)? (‘Short.) Do you say ‘It is great’ or ‘It’s great’? (‘It’s great’.)

Parallel (Controlled) Writing (8-10 minutes) • To provide an opportunity to practice writing skills in a controlled environment

- T gives instructions and demos the task (1 min): Now this is Enrique's reply to Elena. Choose the best word(s) to complete each part. Then click on Next and put the parts in the correct order (1 = First and 5 = Last). For example, if you think that this part goes second you have to select 2. This is individual and you have 4 minutes for everything. - T shares link to the task. - Learners work individually in Google Forms (4 mins). Now compare your answers in the chat for 1 minute (MAKE pairs). - Learners compare answers in pairs in the chat (1 min). - T conducts OCFB and shows the email with the answers on the slide (1 min).

Freer Writing (12-14 minutes) • To provide an opportunity to practice writing skills in a freer environment

- T gives instructions and demos the task (1 min): Now look at this question 'Where do you want to travel after the pandemic?'. Think about it for a moment and write an email to a friend to tell her/him about it. You will write your answers here (DEMO in Google Docs). You have 10 minutes. Do you have to write a formal or an informal email? (Informal.) Do you have to use shorter forms or longer forms? (Shorter.) - T shares link to the task. - Learners work individually in Google Forms (10 mins). - T monitors each learner and makes note of common errors for DEC. - When learners finish, T sets the publishing task: Now read what the others wrote. Who has the most interesting travel plans? You have 2 minutes. - Learners read their peers' production (2 mins). - T conducts OCFB and asks a couple of learners who they think has the most interesting travel plans (1 min).

Feedback and Delayed Error Correction (6-8 minutes) • To provide feedback on students' production and use of language

- During the Freer Writing, T writes some samples of learners’ production on the slide. - T highlights good use of language and elicits from the learners (2 mins). - For not so good use of language, T nominates different learners to identify and correct the errors. T writes the correct versions and elicits explanation from the learners (2 mins). - T provides further clarification and refers to previous slides, if necessary (2 mins). - T closes the class.

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