Teachers' TV lesson plan
Title
Formal and Informal Texts
Associated Teachers’ TV programme
KS3 English: Language and Grammar - Formal and Informal Texts
Programme description
A Year 9 English language lesson that uses emails and texts
Note to teachers
This lesson plan was not created by Teachers' TV but the author has allowed us to publish it here to be used for
educational purposes
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Year 9 English – Formal and Informal Texts
Starter 1
Revise technical terms including formal, informal, standard English and non-standard English, and discuss situations
where the different types of language are used
Starter 2
Consider the notion of formality by looking at a variety of written texts, including some electronic texts. Each pair of
students is given a written text and is asked to place themselves on a continuum in order of formality ranging from
formal to informal. Selected students will be asked to explain why they have placed themselves in the positions they
have chosen, hopefully drawing out the language features of their text.
Range of texts: email, text message, webpage, newspaper, letter from a friend, letter from a headteacher, newsletter,
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Main activity A
In pairs, discuss and analyse an electronic text for the language features it contains using the headings below (in table
format), looking at words, sentence structures and lengths, spelling, layout
List features using technical terminology.
Most able: to fill out analysis
Mid ability: find examples and attempt analysis
Least able: match the feature and the example
Sheets for different ability groups have the format:
Feature
Example
Non-standard spelling
GR8
Short sentences
Why
Saves character when sending a text
Main activity B
In pairs, employ these language features by re-writing the original text from the continuum as a very formal text, if it
was informal, or as an informal text if it was formal. Look at a model of a formal letter from a teacher to a parent,
rewritten as a text message
Plenary
Pin up the rewrites around the room and ask the students to move around the room noting down the text types,
whether they think the text is formal or informal, and comment on the appropriateness of the text
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