A letter from Wales

Objective & content

This writing sheet teaches pupils to write a first letter to a penpal (Dear..., My name is..., I'm eleven, I live in..., I have..., I like..., I can..., My favourite food is..., Write soon! Best wishes,) and to answer the penpal's questions. Pupils read Megan's letter from Cardiff, see how it is built, take its phrases and write their own reply. By the end, they can write a short letter of 40 to 50 words about themselves, their family, their pets and what they like and can do.

Pedagogical guide

Page 1 has Megan's letter, with a photo of Megan and of a "Welcome to Wales" sign. Megan is eleven and lives in Cardiff, the capital of Wales, where people speak English and Welsh; she has two brothers and a little sister, a dog called Bobo, and she can play the guitar but can't sing. Her letter ends with three questions: How old are you? What's your favourite food? Can you play an instrument? Pupils tick true or false for six sentences about her. Page 2 shows how the letter is built: pupils match each part (say who you are, your family, your pet, what you like and can do, ask questions, end) to its words in the letter. The useful phrases follow in a box, with the key words in bold, and pupils complete Hugo's letter to Megan with six words from a box. Page 3 is the writing: a short plan in notes, the letter itself (with Dear Megan, already written and a row of phrases to use), and a checklist pupils tick when they have finished. The answer key gives a model reply. The letter uses I have, not I have got.

Suggested procedure

1. (5 min) Ask "Who has a penpal?" and show the photos: where is Megan from?
2. (10 min) Read Megan's letter aloud; pupils tick true or false.
3. (10 min) Page 2: pupils match the parts of the letter, then read the useful phrases.
4. (5 min) Pupils complete Hugo's letter with the words in the box.
5. (20 min) Page 3: pupils plan in notes, write their letter to Megan and tick the checklist.
6. (5 min) Two or three pupils read their letter aloud.

Adaptations

[S] Pupils copy the phrases from the box and change only the details (name, age, town, pet).

[A] Pupils add a sentence about their town and ask Megan two questions of their own.

Materials & prerequisites

One copy of pages 1 to 3 per pupil. Page 4 is the answer key, the model reply and the teacher notes: keep it. Pupils need be, have, like and can, and the words for the family, pets and hobbies. To take it further, pupils swap letters with a partner and write back, or the class writes to a partner class in another country.