Writing Effective Emails

Overview

In this sixth lesson of the ten-lesson unit Reading, Writing, Publishing, students examine how purpose and audience shape email choices. They then plan, draft, proofread, and send or submit a formal or informal email, applying stylistic and written conventions appropriate to a real communication context.

Learning intentions

• WALT identify the purpose, audience, tone, structure, and conventions of different emails.
• WALT make language choices appropriate for a formal or informal audience.
• WALT organise ideas clearly using a subject line, greeting, paragraphs, and sign-off.
• WALT proofread and refine writing before sending it.

Success criteria

• I can explain how an email’s audience and purpose affect its tone and language.
• I can use an informative subject line, suitable greeting, clear paragraphs, and an appropriate sign-off.
• I can develop connected ideas clearly and support my message with relevant detail.
• I can use a proofreading checklist to correct spelling, punctuation, grammar, and formatting errors.

Curriculum links

• Develop ideas in writing using stylistic and written conventions: students develop a clear, connected email for a specified audience and purpose.
• Demonstrate understanding of how context shapes verbal language use: students explain how time, place, purpose, and audience influence email language.
• Demonstrate understanding of specific aspects of studied text: students identify and discuss how structure, style, language, and conventions create effects in model emails.
• Key competencies: managing self, using language and symbols and texts, relating to others, and participating and contributing.

Lesson structure (90 minutes)

1. 0–8 min · Hook: “Would you send this?” Teacher displays two versions of the same message: “hey can u move the deadline??” and “Kia ora Ms Patel, would it be possible to discuss an extension for my assignment?” using the opening comparison slides. Students vote on which message they would send to a teacher and justify their choice using one word about tone or audience.

2. 8–23 min · Notice and discuss. Teacher introduces purpose, audience, tone, register, structure, and written conventions, then models how the context changes an email to a teacher, community contact, or classmate using the email features slides. Students annotate a model email on the email analysis and drafting worksheet, identifying the subject line, greeting, opening purpose, supporting detail, action or request, sign-off, paragraphing, and language choices.

3. 23–38 min · Compare contexts. Teacher places students in five pairs and gives each pair a short email scenario from the scenario discussion slides; examples include requesting information from a local organisation, explaining an absence to a teacher, or arranging a study session with a classmate. Students decide the intended audience and purpose, select a suitable tone, and rewrite two overly casual phrases in a more appropriate way. Pairs share one change and explain the context behind it.

4. 38–50 min · Deconstruct and plan. Teacher live-models planning an email: identify the recipient and purpose, draft a precise subject line, sequence the message, and choose an appropriate greeting and sign-off. Students complete the planning section of the email analysis and drafting worksheet, choosing one authentic scenario: teacher, community contact, or classmate. They list the information the recipient needs and the response or action they want.

5. 50–72 min · Independent drafting. Teacher conferences with students, checking that the intended audience, purpose, and tone are consistent, and refers students to the drafting instructions and checklist slides. Students draft a 150–200 word email, using clear paragraphs and relevant detail. They may write to a real recipient only after teacher approval; otherwise they address the email to a fictional or class-based recipient and save it as a draft.

6. 72–84 min · Peer proofreading and revision. Teacher explains respectful feedback: identify one successful choice, ask one clarifying question, and suggest one specific improvement. Students exchange drafts and use the checklist on the proofreading checklist to check subject line, greeting, tone, paragraphing, clarity, spelling, punctuation, grammar, and sign-off. Writers revise independently, accepting or rejecting feedback thoughtfully.

7. 84–90 min · Submit and reflect. Teacher displays the final reflection prompts using the plenary slides and collects drafts or supervises sending through the school-approved platform. Students submit their email and complete an exit response: “My audience and purpose were…”, “One language choice I made for this context was…”, and “One convention I checked was…”.

Resources

• the complete email teaching and modelling slide deck
• the email analysis and drafting worksheet
• Projector or interactive display
• School-approved email platform or document workspace
• Model formal and informal email examples
• Whiteboard and markers
• Peer feedback pens or highlighters
• Teacher-approved email scenarios
• Devices for drafting and submitting

Assessment

• During pair discussion and annotation, listen for accurate identification of audience, purpose, tone, structure, and conventions; question students who identify a feature without explaining its effect.
• Confer during drafting, checking that ideas are sequenced, developed with relevant detail, and shaped for the intended audience and purpose.
• Use the final email and exit response as evidence of students’ ability to develop connected ideas, apply stylistic choices, and use written conventions with control.

Differentiation

• Provide a colour-coded model, labelled paragraph structure, and sentence starters such as “I am writing to…”, “The reason for my message is…”, and “Could you please…”.
• Allow students who need support to plan orally with the teacher, use speech-to-text, dictate ideas before editing, or work from a reduced choice of scenarios.
• Pre-teach or display terms including audience, purpose, formal, informal, register, greeting, sign-off, and convention; pair EAL learners with supportive peers and accept culturally appropriate greetings where they suit the context.
• Extend confident writers by asking them to create two versions of the same message for different audiences and explain how their vocabulary, syntax, tone, and structure changed.