Factual writing: letters
Objectives
- To understand the conventions of letter writing.
- To consider purpose and audience while writing.
National Curriculum
Key Stage 2, English, En3, 1e, 2b, 2c, 11.
Resources
- Online activity: Letters (English/Writing)
- Made-up formal complaint letter about a terrible museum
- Copies of the complaint letter
Teaching activities
Introduction
Tell children to imagine their class went on an outing to a museum but it was a disaster. So many children and parents complained that the head teacher recorded details and wrote a formal letter of complaint. Read out the made-up letter. How do we know this is a formal letter? How might the museum react to the letter? (Apologise? Be defensive? Deny the allegations? Offer compensation?)
Explain the museum passed it to their head office to deal with. What kind of language might a reply contain? Brainstorm possible phrases that might be used and record them on board, e.g., "We are instructed to inform you …", "regrettable circumstances …", "complaints will be investigated ...", "Compensation may be available ...", "Looking into the matter…", "in due course …", etc. Draw attention to the use of impersonal writing with passive voice and formal vocabulary.
Activity
Demonstrate and model how to use the online activity on the whiteboard. Work through the address and date and explain the rest of the activity. Let small groups take it in turns to complete the activity while the rest work on the class writing activity.
Ask the children to work with a writing partner to come up with a first draft of the museum's reply letter (they will both need to have a copy). Remind children the letter needs to be concise, polite and to the point. Remind children to use some of the formal phrases already listed on the board.
Plenary
Share some of the draft letters with the rest of the class. Do they meet the criteria for a formal letter?
Extension
Children can work through the online quiz.
Homework
Children can take their draft letter home, edit it and bring in the finished neat copy to be included in a class display.
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