Email Etiquette Essentials

Year Level

Year 11 (Senior Secondary)

Duration

30 minutes

Class Size

10 students

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Curriculum Alignment

This lesson aligns with the Australian Curriculum (v9) for English, specifically focusing on the Language and Literature strands relevant to data and communication literacy, appropriate text types, audience awareness, and conventions of writing.
It connects particularly to:

• ACELY1752 (Year 11 English):
  Understand how to adapt styles of communication to suit different contexts, purposes and audiences.

• ACELY1754 (Year 11 English):
  Create imaginative, informative and persuasive texts that present a point of view using text structures, language features, and appropriate referencing.

• Development of communication skills including digital literacy and language conventions underpins this lesson.

This lesson plan also supports General Capabilities: Literacy, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability, and Personal and Social Capability.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

1. Identify key conventions and polite phrases used in formal and informal email communication.
2. Explain why email etiquette is important in professional and personal contexts.
3. Compose a brief email applying correct structure, tone, and style appropriate to audience and purpose.
4. Reflect on the impact of tone and clarity in digital communication.

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Resources Required

• Projector/whiteboard
• Example emails (printed or digital) illustrating good and poor email etiquette
• Worksheet with email writing framework
• Student devices (optional) or pen and paper

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Lesson Outline

1. Introduction & Engagement (5 minutes)

• Start with a quick discussion: “Have you ever received an email that was confusing, rude, or unprofessional? What made it that way?”
• Briefly explain the importance of email etiquette in personal and professional communication, highlighting consequences of poor email etiquette.

2. Exploring Email Etiquette (10 minutes)

• Present and dissect an example of a well-written email. Highlight and explain these elements:

  • Subject Line: Clear and concise
  • Greeting/Salutation: Formal vs informal (Dear vs Hi)
  • Clarity and Tone: Polite, respectful language
  • Structure: Introduction, body, conclusion
  • Sign-off: Appropriate closing phrase (Kind regards, Sincerely, etc.)
  • Use of grammar, punctuation, and spelling

• Contrast this with a poorly written email example. Discuss what could be improved.

• Refer specifically to appropriate language choices and register as highlighted in the Australian Curriculum’s emphasis on adapting communication for audience and purpose【15:AC9EFLE01.md†English Curriculum】.

3. Active Learning - Email Drafting (10 minutes)

• Students will write a short email on a given scenario, e.g.:
  Write an email to a teacher requesting an extension on an assignment.
• Provide a simple email framework worksheet that prompts:
  • Subject line
  • Polite greeting
  • Reason for writing (clear and concise)
  • Polite closing statement
  • Signature
• Encourage students to apply what they learned about tone, clarity, and structure.

4. Peer Review & Reflection (5 minutes)

• Pair up students to exchange emails and provide constructive feedback focusing on:
  • Tone suitability
  • Clear purpose
  • Proper structure and etiquette
• Discuss as a class how email tone influences understanding and relationships, supporting the curriculum’s focus on how language shapes interactions【15:AC9EFLE01.md†English Curriculum】.

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Assessment

• Formative assessment through observation of participation in discussions and peer review task.
• Review students’ email drafts for application of email conventions, appropriate tone, and clarity.

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Extensions (Optional)

• Analyse emails from the workplace or social settings to compare different registers and conventions.
• Explore culturally specific email etiquette practices relative to Australian societal expectations, linking to intercultural communication capabilities.

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Teacher Reflection Prompts

• Did students demonstrate understanding of adapting tone and formality for different audiences?
• How effectively did the peer review promote critical thinking about communication?
• What digital tools could enhance email writing skills in future lessons?

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This focused, scaffolded lesson equips Year 11 students with essential digital communication skills grounded in the Australian Curriculum objectives, cultivating confidence and professionalism in their written communication.