Virginia’s CTE Resource Center — Career and Technical ...



Lesson Plan5093970000Telecommunications Skills: Using EmailObjective: Students will compose a professional email, using business conventions and etiquette.Workplace Readiness Skill: Demonstrate telecommunications skills.Definition: Demonstration includes selecting and using telecommunications devices (e.g., portable digital assistants, smart devices, cellular phones), services (e.g., digital subscriber line, cellular network, cable, Internet), and web-based applications (e.g., webmail, social networking, online auctions, wikis), appropriate to work assignments. Correlations to Other Workplace Readiness Skills:Demonstrate positive work ethic.Demonstrate self-representation skills.Demonstrate effective reading and writing skills.Demonstrate an understanding of workplace organizations, systems, and climates.Demonstrate time-, task-, and resource-management skills.Demonstrate customer-service skills.Correlations to Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL):English: 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.6, 6.8, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.6, 7.8, 8.2, 8.6, 8.7, 8.8, 9.1, 9.5, 9.6, 9.7, 10.1, 10.5, 10.6, 10.7, 11.5, 11.6, 11.7, 12.5, 12.6, 12.7History and Social Science: CE.14Instructional Steps:View the following (two-minute) video from the U.S. Department of Labor entitled “Soft Skills: Communication” (). Discuss the scenario in the video. While it may seem over-the-top or silly, students should acknowledge that, along with texting, a new language, of sorts, has evolved. Texting is just one way that we communicate. While students likely understand that it is inappropriate to “talk in text,” texting may indeed be shaping the writing style of today’s students. Emphasize the importance of correct punctuation, complete sentences, and accurate spelling in written communication.Make a list of all the different ways people communicate (e.g., face-to-face conversations, writing letters, emailing, talking on the telephone, participating in webinars). Ask students to think about situations that would be appropriate for one type of communication but not another, and share ideas with a partner. (An example relevant to teens might be breaking up with someone via text vs. in person.) Have students use Handout #1 to match each scenario with the appropriate method of communication. Lead students in discussing the following:How does the method you use to communicate affect the message you are conveying?Why would it be inappropriate to ask about the status of your employment application by reaching out via a company’s social media page?Why might telephone be the best choice if you need to ask about the status of your employment application?What are the advantages of face-to-face meetings?What method of communication might be best if you have a complex topic to communicate?Assign groups to work on understanding professional email conventions. Discuss the fact that email is the predominant mode of communication in the workplace. Because of this, it is important for everyone to understand email conventions and etiquette. Introduce Handout #2, “Anatomy of an Email.” Review the various sections of a typical piece of email correspondence. This is a good place to ascertain whether each student in your class has an email address. If you have students who do not, you may want to set up a time in the school’s computer lab or library for them to create one (with parental permission). Emphasize that email is helpful when networking, searching for jobs, or applying to a college or university.Beyond the structure of a typical email, there are various rules of etiquette for email correspondence. Ask students to break into small groups and work through activity 19b, entitled Professional Email Etiquette, on page 92 of Soft Skills to Pay the Bills — Mastering Soft Skills for Workplace Success (). In this activity, students are asked to give possible reasons for a list of email etiquette rules. This will help students understand the rationale behind each etiquette rule.Apply the lesson. Ask each student to draft an email to you that includes one or more of the following (as appropriate):Information about a current or ongoing project (i.e., status report)A question or two for you to answerStudent opinion about a topic in classStudent plan for meeting an upcoming deadlineThe email should include the parts of an email as identified in Handout #2, “Anatomy of an Email.” It should also include professional vocabulary appropriate to the classroom/workplace. Explain that you will be using a rubric to assess each email (see “Email Assessment Rubric”). Share the rubric with the class so that expectations are clear.Peer edit emails prior to sending. Ask students to save a draft of their email, and print a copy. In partners, have students use the “Email Assessment Rubric” to review each other’s work. Once they have done so, students can edit their drafts and send the emails to you for assessment.Formative Assessment: Review Handout #1 to check student understanding and to open a discussion about appropriate modes of communication for various situations/topics of communication.Review group work as a class. Discuss the rules of email etiquette and the reasoning behind each.Assess each student’s email using the “Email Assessment Rubric.” Consider delivering your feedback to each student via a professionally formatted email, to model the competency objective.Options for Adaptation/Differentiation:To offer scaffolding to students, a whole-group walk-through of Handout #1 will offer greater guidance to students. To assist students who may not have an email address, or who may have one that is inappropriate for professional use (e.g., cutiepie@), build in an extra class period for them to set up professional email addresses (with parental permission).To offer an extension option after instructional step #1, complete activity 19a, entitled “Translating Text,” found on page 91 of Soft Skills to Pay the Bills — Mastering Soft Skills for Workplace Success () from the U.S Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy.To offer an enrichment opportunity, ask students to create a PowerPoint slide show demonstrating what the class has learned about email communication skills in the workplace.Suggestions for Follow-up: If the class created a PowerPoint slide show, partner with another class that could benefit from the information and have student representatives present the PowerPoint.Ask students to send periodic email updates on projects or assignments, to offer additional opportunities for the application of the lesson objective.Ask students to design a bulletin board with “Tips for Email Etiquette,” to extend their learning and communicate it to other students.To build upon these concepts, complete lesson #2, entitled “Flipping the Switch,” found on page 23 of Soft Skills to Pay the Bills — Mastering Soft Skills for Workplace Success (), from the U.S Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy.Teacher ResourcesEmail Etiquette: Improve Your Business Writing & Communication Skills (includes an email do-and-don’t listing) (), OpenColleges (Australia). Soft Skills to Pay the Bills — Mastering Soft Skills for Workplace Success (), U.S Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy.Workplace Readiness Skills (WRS) Assessment: Virginia Overview (), Career and Technical Education Consortium of States (CTECS). Workplace Readiness Skills (WRS) for the Commonwealth: Instructional Resources (), Career and Technical Education (CTE) Resource Center. ................
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