Mini lesson: No, Nah, Yep, Yes! (A lesson on audience)
Bobbi Faulkner
RE 5130
January 2007
Learning Context: In Communications Skills, a course geared most specifically to the 10th grade writing test, my ELL learners, ages 13-17, grades 9-12, are learning to write for a variety of audiences. From past experience, I know that this is a writing concept that is hard to grasp without concrete examples. My hope is that this mini-lesson will provide them with the scaffolding necessary to craft writings with specific audiences in mind.
Learning About: To start, I ask students if they know what “audience” means. If they need prompting, I ask them if they’ve ever been part of an audience. What does it mean to be in the audience? After we have defined audience through a class discussion, I show the video clip from Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. On the board, I will have written the following two questions for consideration while viewing the clip. 1. What were Lemony Snicket’s audiences? 2. What changed as he addressed each audience?
Once I have shown the clip, we discuss these questions. I write student responses on the board and ask that they copy these down for future reference. If it doesn’t come up, I guide students to the realization that we choose different details, different language, and different tones depending on audience.
Learning to Do: After the discussion, I ask students to complete an activity and share it with a partner. Students who wish to do so may share their finished products with the whole class.
Structure for Feedback and Revision: Students will work with partners after writing two of their three letters to different audiences. Students will finish the letter-writing at home. In the next class, they will again meet with their partners and finish the evaluation. A twist that I like to add is to have volunteers read their letters to the class but leave out who they are to. Based on tone, language, and details, the students try and guess the audience. Next, students will be asked to write an essay to a specific audience [a speech to the graduating class]. In order to do so, they will have to recall the talking points from this mini-lesson.
Audience Writing Activity
The Scenario: You have gone away to college. You have a new girlfriend/boyfriend. You are to write three letters home, discussing this new love in your life.
The audiences: One letter should be to your parents. Another should be to your best friend. Write the last letter to your spiritual advisor: priest, preacher, etc.
Be sure to keep each specific audience in mind while writing. For example, you may write in slang to your friend. Think also about the details that you would include when writing to each person. Please start your letter with “Dear______,” (or however you would address that particular person/audience) and end with a proper salutation, Sincerely, ______or Love,______.”
You should write no more than a paragraph for each person. We will do the first two in class. Your homework will be to complete the assignment. It does not matter what order you write the letters in.
When you are done, share your letters with a partner. Use the following to focus your discussion. You should answer the following questions about your partner’s letters.
Parents:
- You use formal/informal language in this letter. (Circle the appropriate answer)
- List the details the writer included about the relationship.
Friend:
- You use formal/informal language in this letter. (Circle the appropriate answer)
- List the details the writer included about the relationship.
Spiritual Advisor:
- You use formal/informal language in this letter. (Circle the appropriate answer)
- List the details the writer included about the relationship.
Comments: What stood out as being the most significant differences between the letters?