The note
How schools teach it now
Schools teach formal letter layout and language: 'Dear Sir or Madam' ends 'Yours faithfully', 'Dear Mrs Patel' ends 'Yours sincerely'. No contractions or slang. Persuasive letters state the aim in the first paragraph, give reasons with evidence in separate paragraphs, answer the other side, and finish with a clear request.
5-minute kitchen-table activity
Choose a real issue at home, such as a later bedtime or a new pet. Your child writes a short formal letter to you: aim, three reasons, one 'some people think... however...' and a polite request. Reply formally. Discuss which reason was the most convincing.
Worked example
Start a letter to your head teacher asking for a school vegetable garden.
- Greeting: 'Dear Mr Jones,' because you know the name, so you'll end 'Yours sincerely'.
- First paragraph: who you are and exactly what you want.
- Then one reason per paragraph, a counter-argument answered, and a polite request to finish.
Answer: Dear Mr Jones, I am writing on behalf of Class 6 to ask whether our school could create a vegetable garden on the unused field behind the hall...
Common mistakes to watch for
- Slipping into chatty language or contractions (it's, can't, gonna).
- Mixing up 'Yours sincerely' and 'Yours faithfully'.
- Giving lots of reasons in one paragraph with no evidence or examples.
Encouragement
- Try saying
- “That reason would really convince me. Can you add an example?”
- Rather than
- “Nobody would agree to that anyway.”