English Language Arts and Reading.6.11.D

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The student is expected to

compose correspondence that reflects an opinion, registers a complaint, or requests information in a business or friendly structure.

composition strand teks talk image

Knowledge and Skills Statement

Composition: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking using multiple texts--genres. The student uses genre characteristics and craft to compose multiple texts that are meaningful.

Have students send an email to a teacher stating their opinions about a class activity. Provide specific guidance on ways to respectfully express their opinions. Based on student needs, a paragraph frame, sentence stems, or an email template could be used to support students as they complete this task. Create a rubric that clearly states criteria for success with this task. Review the rubric prior to assigning the independent work.
 

Further Explanation

This SE requires students to begin writing to audiences outside of those they are familiar with and for purposes that require a consideration of tone. Student writing is expected to be organized, coherent, and include a greeting, a body, and a closing. It is important for students to develop this knowledge with different types of correspondence. This activity can be completed with multiple types of correspondence including digital correspondence.

Correspondence is any written or digital communication exchanged between two or more people in the form of a letter or e-mail. Students in this grade should begin writing correspondence to audiences outside of those familiar to them and for purposes that require careful consideration of tone. Students’ writing should be organized and coherent and include a greeting, a body, and a closing.

Research

McManus, M. S., & Theamwong, L. (2015) Enhancing fourth grade students' writing achievement through purposeful experiential learning: an action research study. Universal Journal of Educational Research 3(12), 997–1000. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1083248.pdf

Summary: In this article, fourth grade students had a writing task that involved improving the school. It required a students to call on community agency, area business, and high school student support. Students wrote letters applying for grants, asking for materials, and requesting additional support. Student orally presented their prewriting and these presentations proved to be an effective method for the revision and editing of their written work.