Category: English Correspondence

THE HANDOUT 16

 

• Credits             : 3 SKS
• Meeting            : 16 (Sixteenth)
• Topic               : Review
• Target              : The students can make a conclusion for the subject
• References       : Previous Handout (2 – 8 and 10 – 15)
• Contents          :

This meeting will be organized by conducting a class discussion.

You are allowed to ask any questions to the lecturer in relation to the topics that are still confusable for you.

• Exercises                   :

There is no exercise in this meeting. The lecturer will see and evaluate your activity in engaging yourself into the class discussion. Those who remain silent will be considered not active. This will be another point for the lecturer in interpreting and evaluating the students’ ability in the class.

• Tasks               : Considered as a Final Assignment

Individual Task

After the meeting has been conducted, you are asked to write a conclusion about the previous topics in the following table. You can make the same table in your exercise book.

Topics	Conclusion
Definition and Types of Letters
Parts of Letters
Electronic mail and e-mail
…….
…….
……
Letter of Application and CV

THE HANDOUT 15

 

• Credits             : 3 SKS
• Meeting            : 15 (Fifteenth)
• Topic               : Letter of Application and CV
• Target              : Writing an application letter and a CV
• References       :

–      Burt, Angela and Andrew Fergus. A Guide to Better Letters.Malaysia; Golden Books Centre Sdn. Bhd. 2005, pp. 54 – 67

–      Sjah, Djalinus and Azimar Enong. Practical Guide to Business Correspondence.Jakarta; Simplex Publishing Company, 1983, pp. 130 – 131, 136 – 139

• Contents          :

Letter of Application

This letter is the most important thing in the English Correspondence activities. It deals with the future life of someone and the prospective ness of his or her life in a certain field. Without knowing this ability, someone will be ‘kicked off’ before having an interview. To get a job will be so far if someone does not know how to write this letter.

The parts of this letter are the same with the other letters. They are the opening session, or the target of your letter, then, the content of your letter, and at last, the expectation that you need after you letter is read by the prospective employer in the company you are applying.

CV (Curriculum Vitae) and Resume

These documents always accompany the letter of application. Without one of those, the letter will automatically be not considered and the applicant will be failed in the first stage in getting a better job.

CV has chronological elements and Resume has the same thing but it focuses on the job description. A good CV and Resume usually has less than three pages, even three pages are much to be read by a manager.

Parts of a CV are:

–       Name,

–       Age/Place and date of birth,

–       Sex,

–       Nationality,

–       Religion, Status,

–       Address,

–       E-mail,

–       Handphone numbers,

–       Education,

–       Work Experiences,

–       Qualification,

–       Hobby, and

–       Personal References.

 

Technical things in writing a CV

Attach your current photograph in black and blue color.

Things that should be avoided when someone writing an application letter

• Exercises                   :

Group discussion

1. You want to apply for a job as an English teacher in one of the senior high schools inPadangcity. Please mention things that you should do when writing an application letter!
2. Please explain why Curriculum Vitae can help the applicant to a better chance rather than the application letter?

• Tasks               :

Individual task

1. Please write an application letter to one of English education institutions that you want to apply!
2. Please write your own original Curriculum Vitae as if you want to apply for the job.

THE HANDOUT 14

 

• Credits             : 3 SKS
• Meeting            : 14 (Fourteenth)
• Topic               : Letter of Extending Thanks, Goodwill and   Condolence

• Target              : Understanding and writing the above letters
• References       : Sharp, Deborah Whittlesey. Writing Business Letters with a Personal Touch.California; Lifetime Learning Publications. 1984, pp. 251 – 275

• Contents          :

Letter of Extending Thanks

This letter has a purpose to deliver the expression of ‘thank-you’ to a second party. Basically, there are hundreds and even thousands of forms of this letter, but, they have the same layout and expressions. The different thing is the content and the situation of when the expression of thanks is made.

Letter of Extending Goodwill

Personal relationship, like friendship and family, is really needed by everyone in anywhere in the world. Nobody can live his or her life lonely.  Therefore, writing a letter of goodwill is one of the secret of personal success in life.

Letter of Extending Condolence

This letter is the same with the previous letter but it has a purpose that is to express the feeling of sympathy to the others. This letter is usually written for bad moments in life.

Things that should be done in writing the above letters:

–       Don’t use extreme language

–       Don’t be too formal in your thanks

–       Don’t apologize for a form thank-you

–       Don’t be cute in your congratulations

–       Don’t be condescending in your congratulations

–       Don’t stress sadness in a letter of condolence

• Exercises                   :

Group discussion

1. When can we use the letter of extending thanks, goodwill and condolence? Why should be at that moment?
2. What do you think about the above letters? Are Indonesian people writing the same letters in their daily correspondence? Why?

• Tasks               :

 

Individual task

1. Please write a letter of extending thanks to your parents that they have helped so much until you can study in a college
2. Please write a letter of goodwill to your best-friends for they have been so nice to you and have helped you in any time you need
3. Please write a letter of condolence when you hear that a grandmother of one of your closest friends is passed away because of the dengue fever.

THE HANDOUT 13

 

• Credits             : 3 SKS
• Meeting            : 13 (Thirteenth)
• Topic               : Letter of Persuading and Invitation
• Target              : Writing a letter of persuading and invitation
• References       :

–       Burt, Angela and Andrew Fergus. A Guide to Better Letters.Malaysia; Golden Books Centre Sdn. Bhd. 2005, pp. 17 – 22

–       Sjah, Djalinus and Azimar Enong. Practical Guide to Business Correspondence.Jakarta; Simplex Publishing Company, 1983, pp. 108 – 229

• Contents          :

Letter of Persuading

It is written when someone wants to persuade another people for a particular interest or hobby. For general contents, this letter also has the same meaning with letter of suggestion.

Some forms of this letter are:

–       Suggesting a purchase

–       Suggesting a sale

–       Suggesting further service or business

–       Suggesting future contact

–       Suggesting an idea

–       Suggesting a change

For a higher degree letter in the persuasion, there are some forms of it, which are:

–       Persuasion to colleagues and associates

–       Persuasion to superiors

–       Persuasion to the General Public

–       Persuasion to Government officials

Letter of Invitation

This kind of letter is written when an event that is formal is going to be held. It is written and given to the receiver at least one week before the event starts.

Some forms of this letter are:

–       invitations to dinner,

–       invitations to individuals at home,

–       invitation to receptions, teas and coffees,

–       wedding invitation,

–       recitals,

–       invitation for an academic activity,

–       a club at ‘home’

–       invitation to go to an exhibitions

–       anniversaries

Things that should be done in writing a letter of persuading:

–       Don’t use weightless words

–       Don’t repeat

–       Don’t make your reader an outsider

–       Don’t leave your reader guessing

–       Don’t overstate your case

–       Don’t flatter

–       Nudge, don’t shove

• Exercises                   :

Group discussion

1. Please discuss why a letter of persuading needs a well-understanding or personal touch?
2. What will happen if when someone writes a letter of invitation does not mention the information well? Why that it could happen? How to avoid that?

• Tasks               :

Individual task

Please write one letter of persuading and invitation for your lecturer to attend your graduation day and ask for his or her advice about what you should do after the graduation day.

THE HANDOUT 12

 

• Credits             : 3 SKS
• Meeting            : 12 (Twelfth)
• Topic               : Letter of Complaining and Protesting
• Target              : Writing a letter of complaining and protesting
• References       : Sharp, Deborah Whittlesey. Writing Business Letters with a Personal Touch.California; Lifetime Learning Publications, 1984, pp. 89 – 117

• Contents          :

 

Letter of Complaining

 

In a business activity, a letter of complaining is always used by one party when the other party has been found to be unsatisfying enough for the business agreement.

Forms of this letter are:

–       Complaints that request satisfaction

–       Complaints that state dissatisfaction or disapproval

–       Complaints that demand satisfaction

 

Letter of Protesting

 

Different from above, this letter is used when someone needs to be heard because of an unfair decision that has been made.

Forms of this letter are:

–       Protesting to a legislator

–       Protesting to a superior

–       Protesting for insufficient behavior

–       Protesting for poor service

–       Protesting for unfair policies

 

Things that should be done in writing these two letters:

1. Don’t be apologetic or hesitant
2. Don’t let anger overcome reason
3. Don’t be one-sided
4. Don’t kibitz
5. Don’t accuse
6. Don’t patronize a protester

 

• Exercises                   :

 

Group discussion

 

1. In what occasion that we can write our complaint and protest outside business activities and transaction? Why?
2. Please write one example of each of the above letters!

 

• Tasks               :

 

Individual task

 

1. Please write one letter of complaining for a situation when you have received an improper product which is made by Blackberry. You are not satisfied with the capability of the phone when you open your email.
2. Please write a letter or protesting for a situation when you have been treated unfairly by a policeman in the street. The police claimed that you had done a mistake but you realized that you did not do any mistake. You have followed all the rules.