h the French or Spanish. The instructor's creativity and desire to fulfill the objective of supplying opportunities for students to feel comfortable in the use of their prime tool, language, are the only boundaries.

E-mail Writing

       One 50-minute session would be necessary to ensure sufficient practice.

       Objectives: At the end of the session, the student will: be aware of the need to follow international format; be exposed to the principles of modern e-mail practices and will practice writing e-mails.

       Activity One: If students are in a computer lab for your class, ask them to open some e-mails and objectively analyze their professional content and format. 10 min.

       Students will certainly point out SHOUTING, (all capital letters) in some e-mails.

       They may also notice chatroom-style abbreviations such as "u" or "ur." They may notice that there is no correct closing, etc.

       Inform students of the following e-mail facts:

       An e mail in business must be composed as if it were a formal memo, or letter. The same rules of format apply.

       • Begin the e-mail with a salutation (Dear Mr. Smith, Dear Ms. Jamison, etc.)

       • Repeat the subject line in the first line of the e-mail.

       • Organize the e-mail in paragraphs. Use the direct approach: i.e., ask, or inquire in the first paragraph, explain why in the second paragraph and close with a diplomatic ending.

       • End your e-mail with a closing such as, sincerely.

       • Include your signature with an address, and a phone number or fax. This makes the e-mail less "virtual."

       Show students an e-mail, which does not fulfill its purpose.

       Example:

       Subject: Clients

       Mary, can u send me your list of clients you have been dealing with for the last 5 months. Want to check if we their accounts are closed.

        

       Ask students to correct this simple e-mail.

       Example:

       Subject: Client Accounts

       Dear Mary,

       Would you please send me a list of the clients with whom you have been dealing for the last 5 months?

       The accounting department wants to verify if their payments are in order. We have been having many delays recently and we need to find a solution to the problem.

       Sincerely,

       Dan Fisher, Accounting

       961-334-6788

        

       Activity Two: 25 minutes for group work, 10 minutes for presentations. Ask students to work in pairs or small groups if they are used to doing so and provide two case studies from which they can choose. Provide each group with an overhead transparency if the class is not working on computer terminals. Each group is asked to provide a model e-mail to present to the whole class. The class will evaluate the e-mails for content, format and correct language use.

       Sample Case Studies:

       A. Your company produces paper products of a very high quality. You wish to expand into the Easter European market, especially those countries which have recently become members of the European Union. Write an e-mail to the European Union Foreign Office department and inquire as to the formalities you must fulfill, as well as the possibilities for a company located outside the European Union to conduct trade with EU countries. Address the Trade office.

       B. You are the translator for the same paper product company. You have received many complaints from customers recently saying that English and Spanish are the only languages into which the directions for your new paper towel dispenser have been printed. Write a customer a

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