Week 37 Skill practice + writing a letter

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• mavo
• Leerjaar 4

Welcome guys! 

Please come in and have a seat

Planning for today

Lesson plan	5 min
Lay-out for a letter	15 min
The writing assignment	10 min
Get to writing	until the end of the lesson

Homework: Bring your letter to next class 

Spelling errors

Check your letter for the following spelling errors:

• no abbreviations, such as I'm, can't, don't, haven't, etc. 
• capital letters for days of the week, months, start of sentences, names, place names
• ending each sentence with a full stop (.) 
• blank line in between each part of the letter 

Now switch letters with the person sitting next to you

Formal letter/email outline

1. Your own address without your name, with the country

 

 Marinus Postlaan 1

 8264 PB Kampen

 Netherlands

Formal letter/email outline

2. The address that you are writing to 

543 Oliveroad 

1060 AB99 Aberdeen 

Scotland

 

Formal letter/email outline

3. Date of writing

 

 15 December 2020

 December 15, 2020

 December 15th, 2020

 15th December 2020

All options are correct; the first one is the easiest. Remember to write months with capital letters in English!

Formal letter/email outline

4. Subject line

  

 subject: application for English teacher

Do not use capital letters, except when you use names

Do not use punctuation, except for the colon (:) 

Formal letter/email outline

5. Salutation

 Dear Mr Jones / Mrs Jones, (if you know who you are writing to)

 Dear Sir/Madam, (if you do not know who you are writing to)

• Use capital letters
  
• Never use a first name.
  
• Do not write ‘Mister/Missus’
  
• Always end with a comma
  

Formal letter/email outline

6. Three paragraphs

   

More information later on

Formal letter/email outline

7. Final sentence

  I look forward to hearing from you soon.

This is a sentence you can almost always use. 

This is a seperate 'paragraph'. Blank lines before and after this sentence. 

Formal letter/email outline

8. Closure

   Yours sincerely, (when you used a name in the salutation) 

   Yours faithfully, (when you used Sir/Madam in the salutation)

Formal letter/email outline

10. Your signature and full name

 

 [signature]

 Lionel Messi

Basic rules

Between each new part of your letter you leave a blank line

It is okay to start a letter with “I” in English

Always continue writing until the end of the line. A new sentences does not mean you should start on a new line. You only start on a new line when you start a new paragraph / part of the letter. 

Basic rules

This is a formal letter, so you have to use formal language.

• Don't start a sentence with informal linking words, such as and, but, because, or, so, also. 
• Do not use contractions, such as don't, isn't, I'm, etc.
• Do not use slang, such as wanna, gonna, ain't, u, etc. 
• Be polite 

Application letter

You will have to write an application letter. 

We will practise this once, so you can get feedback. Then you will write your assignment. 

Paragraph content application letter

Paragraph 1: state what position you are applying for, state you are interested and explain where and when you read the vacancy 

Paragraph 2: introduce yourself, explain why you are suitable for this position 

Paragraph 3: name your hopes, expectations, ask any questions you might have, redirect them to your CV, and explain how they can contact you 

Useful sentences and phrases

Paragraph 1: 

• I would like to apply for the position of...
• I read your advertisement in...
• I am writing in connection with the job advertisement in...
• I am very interested in...

Useful sentences and phrases

Paragraph 2: 

• Let me introduce myself.
• I believe I am suitable for this position, because...
• I would be very suited for this position, since...
• People tell me I am... (list your qualities)
• I am currently a student at...
• I feel I have the necessary qualities for this job, because...

Useful sentences and phrases

Paragraph 3: 

• I would really appreciate it if you would...
• I do have some questions about... 
• Could you give me an indication of...
• If you have any questions, you can contact me on....
• I have enclosed my CV for...

Tips

• Always write your age in full; i.e. sixteen-year-old girl / seventeen-year-old boy 
• Write numbers up to twenty in full, except when you are talking about dates (i.e. I attend school five days a week / I read your vacancy on 3 February 2021). 
• havo = higher general secundary education (I am in my final year of higher general secondary education) 
• Translate everything into English, so the names of papers and your education should be written in English, not in Dutch. 
• If you must say something in Dutch, make sure to write the Dutch inbetween quotation marks. 

What to do? 

Write a letter of application

Save the letter in your writing folder

This is a practise letter, you will receive feedback. 

Situatie

Over een aantal maanden hoop jij jouw diploma op zak te hebben. Je bent bezig met onderzoeken wat je daarna wilt gaan doen. Het lijkt je fijn om tijdens de zomervakantie in het buitenland te werken. Tijdens het zoeken naar opties, kwam je een advertentie tegen van Camp America. Een organisatie die baantjes regelt voor zomerkampen in de Verenigde Staten. 

Camp counselor wanted

summer 2021

You will...

• ... be overseeing a group of 8 - 12 years old during their daily activities. 
• ... plan activities and supervise the campers. 
• ... guide the campers, and make sure they have a safe environment while at camp.

You have to be...

• 17 - 19 years old
• creative
• good at organising activities 
• responsible
• good with children

You need...

a highschool diploma and good English skills

 

Opdracht

Volg de formele brief outline en schrijf een complete solliciatiebrief naar Camp America. 

• Noem in de brief tenminste 3 kwaliteiten die aansluiten bij de advertentie.
• Geef aan wat voor werkervaring jij hebt.
• Stel ten minste 3 vragen.
• Verwijs naar jouw CV. 

Homework

Write the letter and bring this to next class

We will go over the rubric the teachers will use for the writing test 

Welcome guys! 

Please come in and have a seat

Planning for today

Lesson plan	5 min
The writing rubric, how to ace this test	15 min
Peer feedback	15 min
Get to work	until the end of the lesson

Homework:  Edit your letter according to the feedback you have received from your peer

The rubric 

What do teachers pay attention to? 

Peerfeedback 

1. We will make pairs. The teacher will deceide who is going with who 

2. Find the person you are placed with and have a seat

3. You are going to give each other feedback, you will use the rubric and decide what grade the other would get. 

4. On each others work you write at least:

1 thing that went well and 1 thing to improve

Your letters must be handed in next lesson 

If there are no tips & tops then you both haven't done your homework so take this seriously

Can't think of a tip? Ask for the opinion of at least 3 other pupils and then the teacher

Got feedback? 

Back to the drawing table and edit your work. The teacher wants to see the feedback you got and wether or not you improved your work according to the feedback given. 

Welcome guys! 

Please come in and have a seat

Planning for today

Lesson plan	5 min
Recap on letter writing	10 min
Signal words	15 min
Final touches	U.T.E.O.T.L

Homework: Add linking words to your letter where possible, hand this letter in. 

So far 

• You have learned the proper lay-out 
• You have practiced once
• You have seen the rubric and used it 
• You have received feedback from a peer

• What else do you need? 

Signal words 

Pros: 

• Add vocabulary points 
• Look great 
• Make you seem like you know what you are doing 
• Create links between sentences 

Signal words II

Linking words are important in all skills. 

They are little keys to understanding what is to follow 

VERY handy for reading, writing and speaking ;) 

Opsomming, uitbreiding

Tegenstelling

Oorzaak, redengevend

Voorbeeld

Also

In addition

Because

Since

Although

Rather

Instead

Yet

For example

For instance

i.e.

In fact

As

See the difference 

Orientation

Text:

- title: panda poop power

- image of a panda eating

- adapted from The Economist

1. In conclusion
2. Indeed
3. In the meantime
4. Nevertheless

1. an exclusive
2. an indispensable
3. a waste
4. a wholesome

1. abundance
2. diet
3. infertility
4. size

1. encouraging
2. hypothetical
3. pointless

Homework 

Attempt to put at least 3 linking words in your written letter

Hand in your letter to receive feedback from your teacher