Envelopes for Each of Us: What are you writing, to whom, and how?

Many writing lessons might not end well. Because learners have probably not been encouraged to see how others appreciate their products. Too much seems to be on correction efforts while little is paid attention to the beautiful experience of reading or simply sending the letter.

A simple way is using envelopes and telling the students that their final letters will be wrapped, sent, and replied to a real audience.

The audience can be their peers in the same class, or in a different class (if teachers are teaching 2 class levels at the same time), or virtually.

With the inclusion of envelopes in mind, teachers and learners will have a clear communicative focus and authentic audience before they take on the process:

What are you writing?
Who are you writing to?
How are you presenting the format?

Take a look at my students’ pleasure in reading their peers’ letter to Secret Santa.

They were enjoying the experience of reading their peers’ expressions and thoughts. And I was, too!

Just another thing. You don’t see the envelopes, do you? 🙂

A traditional envelope can look like this:

I strongly believe in the designs of envelopes in writing lessons. Actually, an envelope can take many forms and shapes. A folded paper itself is the envelope. A pizza shape or a notice board with flips and flaps can be an envelope.