Background on lesson:

Context:Class profile: Group of eight adult ESL learners

 Age: Mid-30’s Level: Intermediate

Learner Needs: These students are in the U.S. to find work. They have an intermediateknowledge of English and are now embarking on a job hunt. Therefore, they need to beable to take the first step in that process by writing a cover letter to attach to theirresume.

Objectives/Aims  – general and specific: The general objective of the lesson is tolearn how to structure and compose a cover letter in response to a job advertisement.Students will go through the six stages of process writing by starting with abrainstorming session on what message they need to get across with their cover letter.They will then organize and plan their writing by reflecting on their educationalbackground, past work experience and relevant skills. Then they will examine a coverletter format and start to write one of their own. They will form pairs and providefeedback to each other so that they can revise their letter. And finally, they will takeeach others’ cover letters home to provide each other with yet another perspective fromwhich to gain feedback.

Assumptions: The group has been learning English in order to be proficient enough toapply for work that requires intermediate knowledge of the language.

Language Analysis: Key phrases; salutations; relevant vocabulary.

Anticipated Problems and Solutions: The main concern here would be successfullyapplying the practice of peer feedback. Although research shows that peer editing andfeedback are beneficial methods in the ESL classroom, I has to be done right in orderfor it to yield positive results. This means that the students have to know how to goabout providing constructive feedback to each other. This topic could be integrated intothe lesson with the teacher showing examples of written work on a projector and givingoral and written feedback to demonstrate. Or the teacher could work on this topic beforeany peer feedback is initiated. She could also assist students as they are in the processof giving feedback to peers.

Materials: Handouts: structure of a cover letter; sample cover letter; key phrases to usein a cover letter.

Timing: 60 minutes

 

Lesson Plan:

Stage Aim Procedure Mats. Focus Time

Opening

Warmer Greetings. T-S 2

Introducingthe topic

Teacher explains that students will studyhow to introduce themselves to potentialemployers through the use of a coverletter.

T 2

GroupDiscussion

Teacher and students brainstorm anddiscuss what things they would need tobring to the attention of potentialemployers.

S 5

Sequencing

BackgroundInformation

Teacher elicits from students the keyphrases they would need to form theircover letters and any key vocabulary.

Hands out a structural outline of a coverletter with instructions and commonlyused phrases (i.e. I am writing to you inresponse to your advertisement for...),forms of salutation, plus a sample coverletter.

Hand-outs

S 5

Pair work Students work in pairs to help each otherin forming the structure of their own coverletter based on the handout.

10

IndividualWriting

Each student fills in their own informationto form a draft of a cover letter written inresponse to an opening for the positionthey would like to apply for.

S-T 10

Pair work Students form pairs and exchange theircover letters. They read each other’sletters and give feedback. Meanwhile,teacher checks on each pair to help themwith the process of peer feedback.

S-S 10

 

 

Individualwriting

Based on the peer feedback, eachperson revises their letter.

S-S 5

Closure/conclusion

Peerassessmentactivity

 As a final activity, students exchangetheir cover letters by passing them to theperson on their left. Each person readsthe main paragraph of the letter theyhave and the class tries to guess whattype of work (or what field of work) theowner of the letter is applying for.Students take each others’ letters hometo provide more peer feedback.

T-S 10

Follow up/Homeworkassignment

Teacher explains that students will takehome the cover letter they have read outand provide peer feedback by pretendingto be an employer who has received theletter. They will write down the strengthsand weaknesses of the compositiontogether with any structuralrecommendations.

1