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Personal Correspondence

Personal Correspondence


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Definition:

Written communication for one’s own purposes, and not on behalf of an organization. Can be by electronic mail (e.g., email, blog, listserve) or by traditional post (letter).

Purposes:

  • To maintain relationships
  • To exchange records of incidents
  • To share ideas of common interest
  • To extend, accept or decline and invitation
  • To offer congratulations or condolences
  • To initiate a request for or to cancel service
  • To forward payment
  • To provide or request information
  • To lodge a complaint

Characteristics:

  • Features of a friendly letter (date, greeting, body, closing, signature)
  • Features of a formal letter
    • Information is accurate, clear, relevant and ordered in a sequence which fits the context
    • Punctuation is accurate
    • Letter is addressed to the intended person and the purpose of the letter is stated at or near the beginning
    • A formal letter format is followed (e.g. date, heading, greeting, body, closing, signature)
  • Features of email
    • Concise and to the point
    • Answer all questions and pre-empt further questions
    • Formal and informal
    • Use of abbreviations and emoticons
    • Use of active vs. passive voice
    • Email etiquette (e.g. libelous, defamatory, offensive, racist, obscene remarks)
    • Spam, chain mail, viruses and hoaxes
  • Greetings and signatures by first name
  • Use of idioms and natural language
  • References to common experiences
  • References to ideals, plans, or opinions of events or people
  • Portions of content that are of significance only to the author and main recipient
  • Abbreviations of address and date
  • Lengthier than business or functional letters
  • May contain a postscript (P.S.)
  • Form of address used fits the context and the relationship between writer and audience
  • Information is presented so that the content, vocabulary, and tone fit the context, subject matter and audience

Grade Level Instructional Scope for COMPREHENDING the Genre and Text of Personal Correspondence:

Grade 2

Opportunities to Teach:

Grade 7

Opportunities to Teach:

Understanding the genre

  • Purpose
  • Elements
  • Structure
  • Formats

Understanding the text

  • Purpose
  • Making predictions,mental images, visualizations, and questions before during and after
  • Rereading
  • Making inferences
  • Summarizing

Understanding the genre

  • Purpose
  • Structure
  • Elements
  • Formats
  • E-mail etiquette
  • Intended audience

Understanding the text

  • Tone
  • Purpose
  • Self-monitoring, predicting, imaging, questioning, rereading, inferring, summarizing, interpreting
  • Writing to intended audience
  • Accuracy of information
  • Appropriate form for purpose

Booklists:

  • Grade 2
  • Grade 7

Access to the Documents:

Complete K-8 Genre Project
From the Michigan Department of Education

Complete K-8 Genre Booklist
From Kent Intermediate School District


Page last modified on February 05, 2009, at 11:57 AM