Year 11 - English
Understanding and planning open letters
Non-fiction: teenage kicks
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit, pupils develop their non-fiction reading and writing skills by looking at a collection of non-fiction texts about the theme of teenagers. They first build towards writing an open letter, before then looking at how they can write nuanced and sophisticated articles in an original voice.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to explore the various purposes of an open letter and use examples to inspire your own.
Key Notes
- Open letters are letters with intended recipients but made publicly available for anyone to read.
- Open letters may be written to raise awareness on topics or galvanise the public.
- Open letters can be written by anyone to any person, group or indeed thing.
- Open letters have various purposes such as: entertain, complain, encourage, provide hope.
- Open letters are usually inspired by a topic that the writer feels strong positive or negative emotions towards.
Vocabulary To Learn
- hobbyist: a person who pursues a particular hobby
- galvanise: shock or excite someone into taking action
- conquest: the act of taking control or possession of land
- ocmplacence: a feeling of calm satisfaction that prevents you from trying harder
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Students may believe that open letters have to be written to those in powerful positions.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.
Open letters are letters with intended recipients but made publicly available for anyone to read. Open letters may be written to raise awareness on topics or galvanise the public.
2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'hobbyist'
a person who pursues a particular hobby.
3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.
Mistake: Students may believe that open letters have to be written to those in powerful positions. Correction: There are open letters on a wide range of topics and niches. All that an open letter requires is a strong feeling about something.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Analysing a dramatic description of an event Study Guide
- Analysing and improving an article Study Guide
- Applying reading strategies to non-fiction texts Study Guide
- Comparing ideas and advice on love in different centuries Study Guide
- Exploring attitudes to teenagers across time Study Guide
- Exploring how love has changed over time Study Guide
- Exploring vivid childhood accounts Study Guide
- Planning an effective article Study Guide
- Structural methods in a dramatic account Study Guide
- Using and understanding irony in non-fiction writing Study Guide
- Using credible expert views in a non-fiction article Study Guide
- Using dialogue effectively Study Guide
- Using juxtaposition and foreshadowing in childhood accounts Study Guide
- Withholding information and timing revelations Study Guide
- Writing an effective article Study Guide
- Writing an open letter Study Guide
- Writing humorously Study Guide
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