1. Video
You will be listening a VIDEO CLIP about why gifted students need an education of formal writing. This does not only apply to gifted students. This applies to any college bound student--this means all of you! As you watch this video answer the questions on this WORKSHEET.
2. Job Application Letters
Now you will be provided three different LETTERS for job application. Read them through and discuss what differences there are among the three with a partner. Here's a hint on what to look for: Look at the title of today's lesson.
3. Exercise on the Informal You
You will be learning about why the informalyou is not favorable in writing. We will begin with POWERPOINT SLIDES 1-4. After reviewing the power point, we will move onto an activity. For this activity, you will get a HANDOUT that will give you practice rewriting sentences to make them more precise and formal. Make the necessary changes in each sentence to change them from less formal to more formal. Be prepared to share your answers with the class.
4. Formal Tone
It is also important to maintain a consistent formal tone in academic writing as well. Have look at SLIDES 6 and 7 and think about how you can change the vocabulary of your essay to give your writing a more formal tone by completing the activity in slide 7.
5. Informal Language
We need to push ourselves a bit further to more effectively avoiding using informal language in our writing. First we will go over the SLIDES 8-9 of the Powerpoint. Afterwards, you will look for more specific ways to improve the formality of your writing by reviewing this WORKSHEET. Take a look at the examples of informal language that need be edited and the ways they are made more formal. You will have roughly 7 minutes to finish exercise #1. Work with a partner to complete this activity.
