Lesson Plan

By Anna McNab

 

Learning Area: English

Grade: 10

Unit Title: Preparation for Work Experience

Lesson: Application Letters

Duration: 1 hour

 

Introduction:

 

This unit involves providing students with the necessary knowledge and skills which they will need when applying for work. This includes encouraging students to think about what sort of a person they are, their personal qualities, and qualities that they do not have and need to work on developing. Students are to use these guided inquiry activities to think about what field of work or career they would like to pursue. Students will then research into the field of work or career in order to prepare them for applying for the Work Experience Program taking place in Term 2. To apply for the Work Experience Program, students will be required to complete the Booklet asking for information about what sort of a person they are, evidence of research about their field of work or career, a Personal Statement, Resume and an Application Letter, which is to be published on Microsoft Word.

 

Throughout the unit so far, students have completed the Personal Statement and Resume, which have both been published on Microsoft Word. Students are now ready to begin working on Application Letters. In the previous lesson, students were given a sample of a correct, appropriate and a professional letter. They were also given a sample of an incorrect, inappropriate an unprofessional letter. They were required to deconstruct both letters in pairs, discussing the good qualities of the correct letter, and critiquing the incorrect sample, suggesting improvements to make it better. The class then came together as a whole and discussed the two letters.

 

This lesson, students will be working in the computer room. Students will be logging on to a computer, and will begin writing their Application Letter, keeping in mind the qualities of the correct letter and then apply that to writing their own Application Letters.

 

Objectives:

On completing this lesson, students should be able to:

-         Understand and demonstrate how an Application Letter is created on Microsoft Word.

-         Understand and demonstrate some functions of Microsoft Word when creating, editing and publishing an Application Letter.

-         Access and demonstrate prior knowledge about the good and poor qualities of an Application Letter when creating Application Letters.

-         Participate constructively and cooperatively throughout the lesson.

 

Students’ Prior Knowledge:

Previously students have been exposed to the format of an Application Letter and its good and poor qualities and features. Students have had previous experience using Microsoft Word in other lessons in this unit and other units; however, the level of experience and competence varies significantly.

 

Preparation:

-         Book Computer Room

-         Student English Folders

-         Spare Sample Application Letters

 

Procedure:

-         Gain students attention.

-         Inform students that this lesson will be used for continuing on with their preparation for the Work Experience Program.

-         Refresh students memory about what occurred last lesson and the types of comments that were made during the discussions.

-         Inform students that they will be applying those techniques that they learnt last lesson about writing a quality Application Letter and using the sample letter as a guide to writing their own letter applying for the Work Experience Program.

-         Inform students that they will now need to move to the computer room, collect their English folder from the teacher and log on to a computer and access Microsoft Word, and not their email. Inform students that if they work quietly and constructively, they will be allowed 5 minutes of free time on the computer to do what they wish.

-         Once in the computer room, ensure that all students have their English folder with them and are into Microsoft Word.

-         As students are working on their Application Letters, the teacher observes students using the word processor, paying particular attention to those students who have little experience using Microsoft Word.

-         As students are working through their letter, the teacher encourages them to consider the professionalism of their letters and what Microsoft Word functions could they use to make improvements. These may be functions such as using bullets, correct indentation, alignment and the style and size of the font.

-         Students have the remainder of the lesson to work on their Application Letters.

-         Students may have 5 minutes at the end of the lesson for free time on the computers if they work quietly and constructively.

 

Assessment:

-         Mainly observational.

-         Observe and acknowledge how well students use Microsoft Word and the particular functions needed to improve the professionalism of the Application Letters.

-         Observe and acknowledge how well students create, edit and publish their letters on Microsoft Word.

-         Observe and acknowledge how constructively students work throughout the lesson.

 

Reflection:

-         Were the students engaged and on task?

-         What worked well throughout the lesson? Why?

-         What didn’t work well? Why?

-         Is there anything that the teacher may need to touch back on to enhance further learning?

-         Do students need more direct teaching about using Microsoft Word?