Teen Literacy Tips

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It’s almost Thanksgiving here in the U.S., so why not use this time to teach your students the ancient art of writing thank-you notes?  Show the world that teenagers can be gracious and appreciative too, if they’re given the right skills. With the following six simple steps, your students can be the most courteous class in the school.

In her article “How to Write a Thank-You Note,” Leslie Harpold outlines six elements of an effective thank-you note:

1. Greeting the giver
2. Expressing your gratitude
3. Discussing your use of the gift
4. Mentioning the past, alluding to the future
5. Thanking the giver again
6. Closing the note

Read Harpold’s full article for an explanation of each element and for some concrete examples of the thank-you note in action. You could even print the article for your class.  Then, buy some inexpensive thank-you notes or have students make their own, and take some class time for students to use Harpold’s outline to write notes to give out at Thanksgiving dinner.

It’s a very simple template, but if you can get your students to use it, then you will have made the world a better place.

Related articles on this site:

• Keep Internet Notes the Easy Way
• Presentation Zen for Teachers
• Is It Time to Abandon the Notebook?