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Texas Adult Education Standards and Benchmarks
for ABE ASE and ESL Learners

esl LESSON PLANS

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Texas Adult Education Standards
Lesson Plan

Before you begin

Title: A Letter to an Organization

Setting: ESL

NRS Level(s): Level 5: High Intermediate

Open entry/exit: Yes

Context: Workplace

Standard(s): ESL Convey Ideas in Writing

Benchmark(s): 1.5, 2.5, 3.5, 4.5, 5.5

Objective: To enhance effective communication skills by writing to a business or some other organization.

Materials:

• Computer and overhead projection screen
• 1 or 2 model business letters. For example refer to Rubin, D. (1990). Power English 8: Writing Skills. Englewood, NJ: Cambridge Adult Education, Prentice Hall Career & Technology (pp. 85 & 146). ISBN 013-685516-0.
• Paper and pencils

Estimated time needed to prepare for this lesson plan: 30 minutes

Estimated time needed to complete this lesson plan: 3 hours

The Lesson Plan

Introduce the lesson:
As a class, brainstorm experiences students have had writing business communication. Discuss vocabulary words associated with business communication. Emphasize how the business-related role of the person the letter is addressed to should be considered when choosing the appropriate vocabulary.

Teach the lesson:
Review models of letters to a business by projecting samples on the overhead.

As a whole group exercise, students will identify a shared need to contact a local business. The class will organize and compose a letter that the teacher types and projects on a projection screen. Input should be encouraged from all members of the class. Grammatical and punctuation will be emphasized as a part of this exercise. The finished letter should be reviewed and compared to the sample letters as a whole group exercise. Revisions should be made based on teacher’s instructions. The finished letter may be copied by each student and used to compose individual letters.

Practice the lesson:
Each student will write a business letter based on their personal needs or concerns. Student will use the group composed letter as a model.

Assess the lesson:
In pairs, students will share their letters with a partner. Students may rewrite letters based on peer feedback. Letters will be submitted to the teacher for further feedback and possible revisions.

Apply the lesson to the real world:
Students should be able to write business letters with more confidence. For example writing a letter to a child’s teacher or principal is one instance in which this lesson might be applied.

Submitted by: Mary Sharp

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