Work experience

Objective & content

This writing sheet teaches pupils to write a formal email asking for a work experience placement (Dear..., I am writing to ask whether I could..., I am a Year 10 student at..., I have wanted to be... since..., I would be happy to..., I am hard-working and..., If you were able to offer me a place, I would be very grateful, I attach..., I look forward to hearing from you, Yours sincerely). Pupils read Ella's email to a vet's practice, take its phrases and write their own. By the end, they can write an email of 150 to 180 words with the facts, reasons, experience and a polite request.

Pedagogical guide

Page 1 has Ella's email, with a photo of two vets examining a dog. Ella, a Year 10 student, asks Dr Hughes for a placement during her school's work experience week, 15th to 19th June. She has wanted to be a vet since she was eight, when a vet saved her dog after a car accident; she has two cats and a rabbit and helps at the animal shelter every Saturday. She knows nurses and receptionists do much of the work and is happy to do any job, even cleaning. She attaches a letter from her school and is free for an interview after school. The people and places are made up. Pupils answer six questions with three options each, then read the useful phrases, set out in the order of the email (start, the facts, why, experience, ready to help, ask and end). Page 2 starts with four sentences to complete with would, were, attach and for. Then pupils write to a placement from a card (a local newspaper, a primary school, a hotel kitchen, a football club, each with who to write to, what you would do and who it suits) or to a real place, and tick the checklist. The answer key gives a model email to the hotel's chef. The sheet fits a class preparing for its own work experience week (stage d'observation, Betriebspraktikum).

Suggested procedure

1. (5 min) Ask "Where would you like to do your work experience? Why there?"
2. (10 min) Read Ella's email aloud; pupils answer the questions.
3. (5 min) Read the useful phrases with the class; pupils find the passive and the conditional.
4. (5 min) Page 2: pupils complete the sentences.
5. (20 min) Pupils choose a placement, write their email and tick the checklist.
6. (5 min) In pairs, one pupil reads an email and the other, as the employer, asks one interview question.

Adaptations

[S] Pupils follow Ella's email paragraph by paragraph.

[A] Pupils write the reply offering an interview, and three questions they might be asked.

Materials & prerequisites

One copy of pages 1 and 2 per pupil. Page 3 is the answer key, the model email and the teacher notes: keep it. Pupils need the present perfect with since and for, the passive and the second conditional. To take it further, pupils write to a real place for their own work experience week.