Good Notes for Teaching 'Writing Business Transaction Letters' in Form Three

Welcome to UNIT 15.3

PREVIOUSLY: Unit 15.2, we discussed various teaching skills on the sub topic Talking About Marriages in Form Two.

IN THIS UNIT 15.3, we will base on the teaching skills of the sub topic “Writing business transaction letters" in Form Three.

(Also: For Literature in English Subject, Check out my Literature in English Blog. Also check out My Diary for Diary Writing Inspiration and More! )

TOPIC’S INFORMATION

Main Topic: WRITING FORMAL LETTERS

Sub Topic: Writing business transaction letters

Periods per sub topic: 8

Class: Form Three

DESCRIPTION OF THE SUB TOPIC

In modern world, mobile phones and computers simplify business and other official activities. However, these businesses need other ways to make them more perfect, well organized, and professional by application of business transaction letters. These letters are good for both business and other official matters.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE OF THE SUB TOPIC/LESSON

The student should be able to write business transaction letters. The student should understand how to write business transaction letters by using acceptable format and appropriate language.

TEACHER’S PREPARATION STAGE

This stage is about the preparation of the teacher before undertaking the lessons of the particular sub topic. These are all activities, procedures, materials, teaching aids, and games prepared by the teacher for teaching a sub topic:

Putting heads together: Introducing the topic/lesson properly. Organising how students will be able to get to know what is the topic/lesson about. It is where teacher makes sure that students are going to be in his/her train. It includes brainstorming and familiarisation of the topic/lesson with the students.

This makes students stay together with the teacher. It is at this stage students can understand what is going to be discussed in the particular topic.

In this sub topic/lesson, students will be introduced by brainstorming about the terms Business and Transaction that are mostly applied in the world of business, transaction and leadership matters.

Preparation of Teaching and Learning Materials. A teacher has to decide on the teaching/learning materials he/she is going to use.

In this sub topic/lesson, various samples of business transaction letters are to be applied by the teacher in order to make students aware of the real business transaction letters.

Target Practice. Show or Guide students to the practice of the functions of the sub topic. A teacher has to show or guide students to the target practice of the grammatical functions of the sub topic.

In this sub topic/lesson, the teacher will discuss with students the following patterns and structures used in business transaction letters. These patterns are:

Sender's address
Date
Receiver's address
Dear Sir
Dear Manager
Re:
Yours Sincerely
Signature
Full name

Context-Based Practice. A teacher leads students to the discussion on how the target grammatical functions practised earlier can be applied or integrated into the contexts and situations. The students are guided by the teacher to apply the learnt skills in relevant contexts and situations like school and library.

In this sub topic/lesson, the teacher will use the appropriate situations like school to allow students to write the business transaction letters about the school matters like ordering, requesting, and applying for various services within the school parameters.

Vocabulary Building Practice. At this time, teacher discusses with the students on the vocabularies and phrases to apply in the already mentioned contexts and situations.

In this sub topic/lesson, the following vocabulary items are discussed; Sender's address, signature, salutation, closure, opening the letter, main body, and other related vocabularies.

TEACHING AND LEARNING PROCEDURES, ACTIVITIES AND GAMES

Guide the students to the full sub topic/lesson procedures, activities and games for better understanding of the sub topic by following these activities:

Activity One: Brainstorming. The teacher and students brainstorms about the sub topic/lesson’s important concepts and initial activities with students through oral questions with answers, pair works, and group discussions of all important concepts to get students on track.

In this activity, the teacher will guide students to brainstorm on the meaning of business transaction letters, purposes of business transaction letters and format of business transaction letters.

Business letter is the kind of the formal letter that is written by an individual to an organisation for requesting, sending or asking information about a particular company or organisation.

Purposes of writing a business transaction letters.

There are countless purposes of writing business transaction letters. Some of them are:

To apply for jobs
To order the products
To request for services
To call or summon people for interview and other important meetings
To provide condolences
To offer an apology

The format of business transaction letter.

The business transaction letter is an official letter that is written with the regard of careful observations of structure, organisation, rules and formats. The following is the format of business transaction letter:

Sender’s address. It is written on the top right corner of the paper.

(Space)

Date. It is written below the sender’s address, one single space after sender’s address.

(Space)

Inside address or receiver’s address. It is written at the left side below the date. A single space is required as well.

(Space)

Salutation. It is dominated by common expressions such as ‘Dear Sir, Dear Madam, Dear Mr. Johnson, Dear Madam Lita, Dear Sir/Madam’.

(Space)

Heading/Subject. It is usually introduced by Re: followed by heading of the letter in capital letters.

(Space)

Body Text. This is the main part of the letter that states why you are writing a letter. Put this information sufficient as far as the subject of the letter is concerned. Put it in manageable paragraphs. Not some many paragraphs. Be direct to the point and keeps brevity at most.

(Space)

Closing ‘Call to Action’/Closing remarks. This is the last paragraph that states what the reader is requested to do and what the writer will do. This paragraph is meant to make a follow up as well.

(Space)

Complimentary closing. Here the writer uses formal closing terms such as ‘Yours faithfully’, or “Your Sincerely’, etc.

(Space)

Writer’s signature

Writer’s name

Activity Two: Teacher’s Demonstration. Teacher's application of his/models or examples so as to bring the topic/lesson and the students into the real or common sense of the topic/lesson.

In this activity, the teacher will use model business transaction letters and other sample letters to introduce the students to the art of writing business transaction letters.

Teacher’s Model

Write an Official Letter to The Director of Tanzania Library Services Board, P.O.Box 9283, Dar es Salaam applying for the Librarian post. Your name is JOB SEEKER.

AN OFFICIAL LETTER TO TANZANIA LIBRARY SERVICES BOARD

P.O.Box 155,

KATAVI.

04/10/2017.

DIRECTOR GENERAL,

TANZANIA LIBRARY SERVICES BOARD,

P.O.Box 9283,

DAR ES SALAAM.

Dear Sir/Madam,

RE: APPLICATION FOR A LIBRARIAN VACANCY AT TANZANIA LIBRARY SERVICES BOARD.

I would like to apply for a Librarian vacancy at Tanzania Library Service Board.

I am a 25 years of age Tanzanian male. I am single and have just completed my studies recently.

I completed my Certificate of Secondary Education Examination at Karema High School in 2012. In 2015, I completed my Library Management Course.

I have worked as a Librarian at Karema High School Library as part of my field studies for one year. I have also worked as part time Librarian at Katavi Regional Library.

I have enclosed my birth certificates and my academic certificates inside without forgetting my C.V.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours faithfully

J. Seeker

JOB SEEKER

Activity Three: Students’ Demonstration. Showing students how models like that of a teacher can be applied by them. Here students need to be guided on how to use given expressions, structures, vocabulary, and phrases or similar ones.

In this activity, the teacher will guide students to the discussion of the topics such as request for visit at National Park, ordering the materials, application for positions, and purchase of materials among others. Teacher guides students to choose a topic to write on. The teacher should make sure that the students choose the relevant topics to write on.

Activity Four: More Students’ Activities. Taking/leading students to the real situations or contexts where they can apply what they have mastered. Here speaking, reading or writing activities are involved.

Now in this activity, students will have to draft their letters under teacher's guidance.

The teacher on the other hand will go through the students individually, in pairs, or in groups and assist to edit them. The teacher will not only assist students to edit the students' works, the teacher will also have to go round the class assisting students in the areas of grammar, tense, vocabulary, and spelling.

Activity Five: Winding up the topic/lesson. Here teachers summarise the topic/lesson by emphasizing the importance of the sub topic/lesson and suggesting other related aspects of the sub topic/lesson.

In this activity, the teacher has to assist students with more writing activities so that they can have more understanding of the sub topic/lesson. In this context, the teacher can provide students with certain advertisements and ask them to write business transaction letters about the particular advertisements.

Additional Activity: As a teacher, what other activity can be applied in this sub topic/lesson? You can always drop your alternative activity or activities to this article so as to improve teaching and learning of O Level English (OLE).

GRAMMAR PRACTICE:

Just like other writing activities, Letter writing needs systematic writing process. Letters should be drafted, written, edited, rewritten and published.

For more on writing process, check Expository compositions/essays in Form Three and Four.

REFLECTION

In this aspect, the teacher will ask students to relate the writing business transaction letters to the experiences found in the contemporary societies. The teacher shows the students some real examples or social activities and economic activities that should involve writing business transaction letters. The teacher will tell students that most institutions including the school apply business transaction letters in their operations and activities.

ASSESSMENT

The teacher should use relevant assessment tools like oral questions, drills, games, exercises, pair works, group works, and assignments so that to check if a student is able to write business transaction letters.

ASSESSMENTS

Assessment #01: Group Work.

In groups, write the formal letter to the PCCB Regional Director of P.O.Box 123, MPANDA asking him/her to come at your school to launch the PCCB club.

Assessment #02: Pair Work.

You are the members of Elimu Rika Club at your school. In pairs, write an official letter to the Head of your School asking him/her the chance to conduct the school public rally where your team will address the students about important things about the youth.

Assessment #03: Individual Work.

As a Chairperson of Your School Environment Club, write an official letter to the Manager of Environmental Conservation Unit of P.O.Box 111, Mpanda asking him to visit the place for environmental studies. Your name is HONEST MAJALIWA.

Note: You can give students more individual works, pair works, and group works to facilitate their interaction and understanding of the sub topic or lesson. As English language teacher you have to give students more works to do. Because language is meant to be largely spoken and written, the teacher should rely on written exercises and notes. Instead students have to learn English language by vigorously exercising individually, in pairs, and in groups.

SUMMARY/CONCLUSION
In the world of work and business, business transaction letters are very important. After graduating, students themselves will have to write business transaction letters in order to apply for jobs or ask for education opportunities at certain institutions. The teacher has to advise students to be keen on how to write business transaction letters. This is the necessary skill for any young person who is aspiring to look for jobs and other better life opportunities

When one is writing a business transaction letter, he/she should use a professional tone, write clearly, and be persuasive.

NOTE: These stages explained above are not necessarily covered in a single lesson of single or double period. Remember that this is the guide for teaching the whole sub topic which has periods ranging from 6 to 20. So, the teacher's task is to divide these stages according to the total number of periods for a particular sub topic.

WHAT IS YOUR OPINION?

This article is about how to study and teach "Writing Business Transaction Letters" in Form Three. As a student or teacher, what is your opinion on how to study and teach this sub topic/lesson?

Your opinion is worth and I believe that it can make these materials better for our own consumption.

You are Welcome!

Check out how to Study & Teach other Form Three Sub Topics in this Blog!

Listening for specific information

Listening for general information

Participating in debates, dialogues, interviews, impromptu speeches and discussions Part 1

Participating in debates, dialogues, interviews, impromptu speeches and discussions Part 2

Participating in debates, dialogues, interviews, impromptu speeches and discussions Part 3 l

Reading intensively for comprehension

Reading extensively

Identifying and analysing setting, main plot, and characters Identifying themes

Identifying main features of different genres Part 1