Цель урока: развитие коммуникативных навыков учащихся при написании деловых писем и объявлений на английском языке.
Задачи:
А) Обучающие:
- Обучение навыкам делового письма;
- Обучение аналитическому чтению объявлений с целью извлечения нужной информации.
Б) Развивающие:
- Развитие коммуникативных навыков в письменной речи;
- Развитие познавательных навыков в деловом стиле общения.
В) Воспитывающие:
- Воспитание деловых качеств личности;
- Развитие навыков корректного, вежливого, делового общения учащихся.
Оборудование:
- Аутентичные письма и объявления на английском языке;
- Аудиозапись объявлений на английском языке;
- Раздаточный материал (карточки с объявлениями из разных газет на английском языке).
- While giving this lesson I used the technique which is called “imagining dialogues”. This is a particularly useful planning device for writing letters. The basic idea is that student writers imagine the conversation that might replace the letter. In other words they visualize their audience and work out the dialogue had the interaction been verbal rather than in letter form. In this way they can imagine the questions that the ‘reader’ might ask. It is a technique that insures that all the relevant content is included. It works well with formal letters, such as making requests, applications, etc. You will need a simple model letter of application, which can be analyzed in terms of implicit questions.
- The lesson also requires a prompt for letter writing, one, which is appropriate to the students. The advertisements in this task are one such prompt and would be appropriate to young European students who wish to spend a year in Britain after leaving school. Alternatively, students can prepare for the lesson by finding an advertisement for a job, which they would like to do, and are qualified for. If they are studying in England this will engage them in useful independent reading of newspapers and other materials. If the search is carried out in their first language, the letter itself can still be written in English and based on the job description.
In class:
The teacher has many copies of letters written in English. She chooses one of them and gives it to students.
- Give out copies of the letter below. Working with the whole class, ask them to imagine the conversation between this writer and the employer and to work out the question, which might generate the first sentence as a response. Write the question on the blackboard.
- Ask the students to work in pairs and to continue listing the questions which would generate the various parts of the letter.
- Elicit the questions from the students and complete the list on the blackboard. It will probably look something like this:
| 26 Brookbank Road, Chalkside, Surrey SN S 3BQ |
April 27th 1988
The Managing Director,
Sinton Exports Ltd,
3 Castle Chambers,
Chalkside,
Surrey.
Dear Sir,
I saw your advertisement for the post of bilingual secretary in the Gazette last Thursday.
I would like to apply for the position. I am twenty-two years old, Italian, and speak
German and English. My German is fluent as I lived in Germany for five years and attended
High School there. After leaving school I returned to Italy and took a course of
Secretarial Studies. I enclose a copy of my School Certificate and my Diploma in
Secretarial Studies. I worked in Rome for six months as secretary to the manager of a
small export company.
I came to England a year ago to improve my English and have taken the Cambridge Proficiency Examination in English and a course of English for Secretaries. I enclose copies of the certificates which I received for these.
I shall look forward to hearing from you.
Yours faithfully
Claudia Cremisi
- Where did you see our advertisement?
- How old are you?
- What nationality are you?
- What language do you speak?
- How good is your German?
- What secretarial qualifications do you have?
- Do you have certificates or diplomas for these?
- What work experience do you have?
- How long have you been in England?
- Have you taken any English language examinations?
Give out copies of appropriate advertisements or ask the students to study their own advert. Each student should work out the set of questions which employer might ask and write them out, deciding on a sensible order.
Here are some advertisements from different newspapers which you may give your students:
- “The Grouse”: Full and part-time available in this famous country inn for bar person and serving staff. Excellent working conditions and unusually good rates of pay to right applicants.
- “General Clerical Staff”: Young person required for busy solicitors’ office. Work hours 8.30 – 5.00. Duties involve typing, telephone, reception and general office work. Salary according to age and experience. No knowledge of law required. Would suit person able to learn and work on own initiative.
- “Full-Time Sales Assistants”: Mayday Incorporated are looking for young and enthusiastic sales staff for our new showroom opening shortly in the West London area. We specialize in first and Second World War memorabilia and other historical items.
For further details apply to:
The Manager,
Aston Lea 950.
Applicants in writing to:
Peter Bury, Spiller and Son,
14 Ship Street, Oxford.
Please write giving age, qualifications, and any experience to:
Major Roderick Simpson,
Mayday Incorporated,
123 Baker Street,
London W1.
- Students can then check each other’s questions in pairs and suggest additions, deletions, or modifications.
- Ask the students to start work on a first draft, following the set of questions.
- Give your students for homework the task to write a formal letter using any advertisements.
- Give your students marks for their work and explain them. Ask their opinion about your lesson if they liked this lesson.
This activity is also useful for redrafting in letter-writing. When students have written a first draft they can then work out the questions for their own or a partner’s letter. This will help them to judge whether any content is absent, superfluous, or unclear.