ENG4C GRADE 12 - COLLEGE PREPARATION. Lesson 11

Transcription

1 ENG4C GRADE 12 - COLLEGE PREPARATION Lesson 11

2 English ENG4C Unit 3 Lesson 11 LESSON 11 - DEALING WITH PROBLEMS PROFES- SIONALLY Work. This word relays the biting reality that we must participate in our society. We must, unless we win the lottery, earn a living. The world of work is unlike the world of school; however, in order to participate in the former a person must complete the latter in some basic way. This unit will introduce you to some of the basic reading, writing, and media tasks that you must understand in the world of work. Students will read a variety of short texts related to the world of work including sections on postsecondary choices. Furthermore a variety of writing exercises and tasks will be assigned in order for students to practice their writing skills for the world of work. Additionally short journal questions will be incorporated throughout the unit in order for students to reflect and assess their personal goals and desires for their future world of work. Finally, some brief quizzes will accompany each task in order to practice basic writing and vocabulary skills required for the world of work. Lesson 11 has six activities of which five are Key Questions, each should take approximately 30 minutes to complete. They are as follows: Key Questions: Key Question #43 Complete journal reflection and pass in to instructor. Key Question #44 Compose a Business Memo Key Question #45 Review sample and compose your own outline for a letter of complaint. Key Question #46 Self Editing Exercise Key Question #47 Complete your final letter of complaint for evaluation. Evaluation Overview: Key Question # Activity Assessment Area Marks 43 Journal Thinking/Inquiry Memo Knowledge/Understanding Complaint Letter Communications Editing Exercise Communications Final Draft Application 30 Total 100 Expectations: LI1.02 select and use specific and significant evidence from texts to support judgements and arguments (e.g., support an argument, using convincing examples from texts and research materials; support an interpretation of a character with specific reference to the dialogue in a play); Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 2 of 95

3 English ENG4C Unit 3 Lesson 11 LI1.04 LI2.02 LI2.03 LI3.01 WR1.01 WR1.03 WR2.02 WR3.02 WR4.02 WR4.03 compare ideas, values, and perspectives in texts (e.g., prepare an oral report examining alternative views of the future in different opinion pieces); analyse how elements of a variety of literary works are used to enhance meaning (extensive study) (e.g., compare how the rhyme scheme and rhythms in poems or songs reinforce the mood) analyse how elements of non-fiction forms influence meaning (e.g., compare a summary with the original report to analyse the characteristics of the intended audiences). analyse how language is used in expository writing to communicate information, ideas, and arguments (e.g., assess the effectiveness of a plainlanguage style used in business and technical writing; compare the diction used in a personal letter, a documentary voice-over, a business report, and a newspaper editorial); investigate potential topics for written work, including an independent study project, by posing inquiry questions, identifying information needs and purposes for writing, and developing research plans to acquire information and ideas (e.g., use a graphic organizer to plan the questions and strategies for an independent study project; create electronic bookmarks for an Internet search to find information for an oral presentation); formulate and refine a thesis to develop content for expressive and business and technical writing, using information and ideas from prior knowledge and research (e.g., imagine possibilities and test hypotheses while developing a thesis for an essay; consult a reference text of specialized or technical terms to add precision to the statement of the problem in a report); select and use a level of language and a voice appropriate to the specific purpose and intended audience of business and technical communications and expressive writing (e.g., rewrite a section of a technical manual in plain language to create a brochure for a general audience; draft an oral report for an independent study project using specialized vocabulary and aiming at an engaging style). select and use appropriate organizational patterns to structure expressive writing and multimedia presentations (e.g., use chronological order to describe the events leading to the crisis in a script; use a comparison-andcontrast pattern to organize and present information and ideas in an independent study project). revise drafts to improve precision and clarity of expression (e.g., replace vague expressions in a consumer report with precise technical terms; use feedback from a peer conference to identify transition words and phrases to link ideas); revise drafts to ensure an effective style (e.g., use checklists or rubrics to assess the effectiveness of word choice, sentence construction, and rhetorical devices in a report; examine writing for consistent use of inclusive and anti-discriminatory language; read an essay or narrative aloud to check that diction and style are appropriate to the topic and audience); Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 3 of 95

4 English ENG4C Unit 3 Lesson 11 WR5.02 WR5.04 produce, format, and publish written work, using appropriate technology to share writing with intended audiences (e.g., submit a report with the sources of information documented and charts, tables, and/or graphics smoothly integrated into text; use graphics, fonts, and typefaces effectively to enhance the impact of a report; adapt an electronic template for a formal letter); edit and proofread their own and others writing, identifying and correcting errors according to the requirements for grammar, usage, spelling, and punctuation. Activity: Read the short story entitled A Rupee Earned by I.F. Bulatkin. A Rupee Earned a fable by I.F. Bulatkin Once upon a time, in a land to the north, there lived a blacksmith who had worked hard all his life to provide for the needs of his family. So diligently had he laboured and so carefully had he saved that his wife and his children never knew want, and he even managed to put by a small store of wealth. But unlike his father, the son of this industrious man was such a lazy bones that in the whole wide world there was none to equal him. Although he was healthy and strong he did not know how to do anything but eat, drink, and sleep in the shade. In all the twenty years of his life he had not earned a single anna, and he never gave a thought to the fact that he was living on his father's bread. Now the time came when the blacksmith grew old and no longer had the strength to raise a spark from his anvil. Finally the old man took to his bed, and when he realized that death was near, he called his son to his side. "I do not know why you are so lazy," the aged blacksmith lamented. "You cannot take after me, for I have been on friendly terms with work my whole life long. Little by little I acquired my household goods by toil and honest sweat. How can it be that a son of mine cannot earn even one rupee?" "Well, to earn just a rupee is not such a magnificent thing," the youth replied. "My son," said the father, " show me that you can earn one rupee and all that I own will be yours when I die. Yes, you must prove to me now that you can earn something by the labour of your hands; otherwise, when I am gone you will not receive a rusty horseshoe nail. That is my will." Now the blacksmith's son wanted very much to come into this inheritance, but he was so lazy he hated to bestir himself to perform the small task his father required. Besides, he did not know how. What a cruel thing, to have to earn a whole rupee when he had never earned a single anna since the day he was born! But a paternal word is a stone mountain, and as a stone mountain is not removed, a paternal word is not changed. His father had spoken. The doting mother of this good-fornothing youth could not bear to see him Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 4 of 95

5 English ENG4C Unit 3 Lesson 11 suffer. When she found a convenient moment, she said to him: "Listen, little son, here is a rupee for you. Go and amuse yourself today, but when you come home in the evening, pretend you are returning from work and tell your father that you have earned the money." The youth was so lazy he did not want to bother himself even this much, but he knew that something had to be done. So he took his mother's rupee, and with a bit of bread and cheese and a leather bag of wine, he went off into the mountains. All day long he ate and drank and counted the birds in the sky. Then at nightfall he returned home and gave his father the rupee, saying: "Here, Father, take it. It wasn't easy for me to earn this rupee. I cannot straighten my back, I worked so hard." The father took the coin, looked at it from both sides, and tossed it from palm to palm. Then he threw it into the fire. "No," he said, "you did not earn that rupee." With a shrug of his shoulders the son replied: "Well, you don't have to believe me." And he went off to bed. The next day the worried mother gave her son a second rupee, but this time she instructed him: "Sleep all day if you wish, little son, but before you come home in the evening, run one mile. You will perspire, you will be tired, and then your father will believe that you have been at work, and that you did his bidding and earned the money by your labour." The lazybones cared for his legs, but he cared still more to inherit his father's fortune. So he took his mother's rupee, and with food and drink he set out for the mountains as before. From dawn to dusk he ate and drank and warmed himself in the sun, but when it came time to go home he ran a mile, and then for good measure he ran another. And when he arrived at the threshold he was so tired he could hardly draw a breath. Perspiration poured from him in streams. He toppled onto a bench and held out the rupee. "It surely was hard for me to earn this rupee," he gasped."! worked like an ox the livelong day. I am falling over my feet with fatigue." The father took the coin from his son, turned it over again and again in his hand, then threw it into the fire. "No," he said, "you are deceiving me, my son. This rupee was given to you. It was useless for you to run from the mountains." What could the lazy youth say? "You don't wish to believe me," he shrugged, smiling. "To be sure, it's not true." And forthwith he lay down by the fire and went to sleep. The good-for-nothing youth dreamed sweet dreams, but sleep did not come to his dear mother. She realized now that in deceiving her husband they only lost their hard-earned money, and she also knew that all this brought no profit to her son. So the next day she instructed differently: Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 5 of 95

6 English ENG4C Unit 3 Lesson 11 "Come now, little son. If you want to inherit your father's property, you must take yourself off and really go to work. If you only earn one or two annas a day, in a week you can make a whole rupee." It seemed there was nothing else to do; the time had come to obey. The lazybones worked for a whole week. He carried something for one man; he helped with something for another. One man gave him one anna; another gave him two. Bit by bit he accumulated a whole rupee. help you, for someone else's rupee is not worth one anna." Then the father willed all his property to his son and went to the land from which no man ever returns. (Bulatkin, I.F. A Rupee Earned in Sitelines 10. Prentice Hall Canada: Toronto, 2000.) Then he went to his father and poured a handful of coins before him. Again the old man turned over the money, weighed it in his hand, and held some pieces up to the light. Then he said: "No, my son. You have deceived me again. You did not earn this money." And he seized all the coins and threw them into the fire like so much rubbish. But this time the son was in a frenzy. He hurled himself into the fireplace, separated the burning coals with his bare hands, and snatched the money out of the very fire itself. "Why did you do that?" he cried. "I haven't straightened up my back for a whole week and you want to burn my money in the fire!" The father looked at his son and said: "Now I believe that you earned this rupee yourself. Someone else's money you do not care about that is cheap. But the money you earn by your own labour ah, that you make a big fuss over! So it is, my son. Remember my words: As long as you work, you will have money and contentment, and all things will be yours. But if you will not work, another person's money cannot Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 6 of 95

7 English ENG4CA Unit 3 Lesson 11 KEY QUESTION #43 Complete a journal reflection and submit it for evaluation. Choose one of the two journal entry questions and write a ½ to 1 page response. Keep in mind this journal reflection will be used later in the unit. 1. Write about your most memorable experience with poor customer service at a restaurant, a store, or some other business. What was the problem? How did the company deal with your complaint? Were you satisfied? What could they have done differently? 2. Write about your most memorable experience with a difficult customer. What was the problem? How was the customer satisfied? What does it take to satisfy any customer who s complaining about a product or service, in general? Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 7 of 95

8 English ENG4CA Unit 3 Lesson 11 Rubric for Personal Journal Reflection Category Knowledge/ Understanding Inferences Analysis Thinking/ Inquiry Integration Level % - poor connections to ideas and information in text made. -makes very limited connections to reading and to questions - poor support used from the text Level % - makes limited connections to information and ideas to describe overall focus of the reading -makes limited connections to reading and questions - adequate support used from the text Level % - connects information and ideas to describe overall focus of the reading -connects reading and questions to their experiences with success -good support from the text Level % -makes inferences about abstract concepts and -connects reading and questions to their own experiences in a highly effective manner - strong support from the text Evidence Communication Unity Coherence Application Written conventions Proofreading -integrates few elements from text and very limited information from their own experiences to create poor response - shows a limited focus or central idea - structure and sequence lack a clear organization - uses required conventions with limited accuracy - limited use of proofreading skills - integrates elements from text and few from their own experiences to create a somewhat satisfactory response - expresses a central idea that is clear and relevant to the question - structure and sequence are clear - uses the required conventions with some accuracy and effectiveness - moderate use of proofreading skills -integrates elements from text and own experiences to create a clear response - expresses central ideas that show clear understanding of the text and the question - uses a structure that supports the central idea effectively - uses the important writing conventions accurately and effectively - consistent use of proofreading skills -integrates elements from text and own experiences to create a unique response that is compelling, provocative and fresh - communicates a central idea that is thought-provoking and insightful - creates a structure that enhances an appreciation of the response - uses writing conventions skilfully - thorough use of proofreading skills Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 8 of 95

9 English ENG4CA Unit 3 Lesson 11 Mini-lesson on parts of speech, basic sentence structure, clauses, and punctuation. Review the following notes on parts of speech, basic sentence structure, and punctuation. Parts of Speech VERB: NOUN: Action or existence (state of being) Bob walks the dog. (describes an action) Joseph is the director. (describes a state of being, existence) Person, place, thing, or idea Susan runs around the track. (describes a person) Nashville is a great city. (describes a place) The book fell off the counter. (describes a thing) Officers have courage. (describes an idea) PRONOUN: takes the place of and functions like a noun (I, me, my, mine, myself, you, your, yours, yourself, he, him, his, she, her, hers, it, its, we, us, our, they, them, their, who, whom, whose, one, one s, everybody, anyone ) She worked his shift for him. My report was about them. ADJECTIVE: Describes a noun or pronoun Elizabeth bought a lovely suit. (describes a noun suit) It is well written. (describes a pronoun it) ADVERB: Describes a verb, adjective, or adverb Ramon worked diligently. (describes a verb how he worked) Josh is very smart. (describes an adjective smart) Eric drove really fast. (describes an adverb fast) PREPOSITION: Links a noun to the rest of a sentence The cat ran around the table. (links cat and table) It is a mile from here to my house. (links mile, here, and house) INTERJECTION: a word that expresses emotion and is capable of standing alone. Wow! That cake look delicious! Hey! Watch where you re going. Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 9 of 95

10 English ENG4CA Unit 3 Lesson 11 Parts of a sentence Sentence: Subject: Predicate: Clause: a group of words that expresses a complete thought and that contains a subject and a predicate. who or what the sentence is about, consisting of at least one noun or pronoun and any modifiers. the very of the sentence plus its objects, complements, and modifiers. a group of words that includes a subject and a predicate. A main clause is a group of words that makes sense as a sentence on its own. A subordinate clause contains a subject and predicate, but does not make sense on its own. It must be linked to a main clause. Subordinate clauses take the place of apart of speech, and therefore cannot function as a sentence. MAIN CLAUSE: SUBORDINATE CLAUSE: SUBORDINATE CLAUSE: The cat scratched me. The cat that scratched me had orange fur. (adjective clauses describing the cat) The cat scratched me anywhere it could. (adverb clause modifying the verb scratched) SUBORDINATE CLAUSE: Sentence Structure Simple sentence: The cat scratched anyone it could reach. (noun clause acting as object of the verb scratched) a sentence consisting of a single main clause with no subordinate clauses. E.g. I baked a cake big enough for the entire family. (I--subject) (baked a cake.family. predicate) Compound sentence: a sentence consisting of two or more main clauses, with no subordinate clauses. E.g. Main clauses can be joined in the following ways: By a coordinating conjunction and a comma E.g. Our rabbit ate the plywood to tiny chips, but her teeth kept growing. By a semi-colon Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 10 of 95

11 English ENG4CA Unit 3 Lesson 11 E.g. I felt sad when the couple broke up; the scene reminded me of my own break-up just a few weeks before. $ By a conjunctive adverb and a semi-colon E.g. Bill has come to class every day; however, I will not guarantee that he will pass. Complex sentence: a sentence consisting of a single main clause and one or more subordinate clauses. Compound-Complex sentences: a sentence consisting of two or more main clauses and one or more subordinate clauses. Basic Punctuation marks (.) Periods end declarative sentences and requests or mild commands. (?) Question marks end all direct questions. This includes incomplete questions and statements intended as questions. (!) Sometimes called the exclamation mark, the exclamation point is used at the end of a sentence or after an interjection to show strong emotion or emphasis. (,) Commas are the most frequently used punctuation mark in English. Originally used to show a pause, they are used nowadays in a variety of situations to make writing clearer. (;) Semicolons are used to separate independent clauses. When the items in a series themselves contain commas, separate the items with semicolons. (:) Use a colon before a list when the list is preceded by a complete independent clause. (Canadian Students Guide to Language and Literature. S. Barclay, J. Coghill, P. Weeks, Eds. Oxford University Press, Toronto, 2001.) Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 11 of 95

12 English ENG4CA Unit 3 Lesson 11 The Memo A memo is an internal form of communication within a business. Most often a memo is an announcement, reminder, or update about a certain event, policy, or procedure. A memo is brief, generally no longer than one page, and its audience is assumed to be a group of employees who are familiar with the organization. A memo also can discuss information of a technical or business nature in an almost "mini-report" fashion. Rather than serving as a bulletin to most members of the organization, such a memo is often written from one department representative or team to another department representative or team. In this case, the memo might update members of one department on a design or policy change that will affect the work of others in a different, but related, department. The memo must have the following format: A header ( Memorandum is sufficient) The "To" line should identify the intended readers of the memo. The "From" line should identify the author of the memo and should include written initials of its author. The "Date" line should be the date of the memo's authoring. The "Subject" line is the subject of the memo and it should be descriptive of the memo's purpose. Review the samples on the following pages. (Samples from Ontario College Writing Examplars) Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 12 of 95

13 English ENG4CA Unit 3 Lesson 11 Example of a Memo at Level 4 (Excellent) Comments: Uses a standard memo template. Shows good use of graphics (bullets, italics, and underlining). Presents complicated information clearly. Stresses reader benefits. Memorandum Date: 22/5/2002 To: From: All Employees [Student s Name] Directory of Human Resources Subject: REMINDER OF PARKING GUIDELINES Both day- and swing-shift employees need to be reminded of the parking guidelines. Please remember that any car that does not have a white-registration sticker will be ticketed. Day-shift employees: you are asked to use your assigned spaces in Lots A and B. You may loan your spaces to other employees when you are not occupying the. Swing-shift employees: you may park at the curb before 3:30 P.M. After this time, you may park in an empty space not specified as Tandem, Handicapped, Van Pool, Car Pool or Management. To help you with the registration process, Employee Relations will be in the cafeteria on May 30 th -31 st, from 11:30 A.M. 1:30 P.M., 3P.M.-5P.M., to take registrations and issue you your parking stickers. I am confident that this parking arrangement will continue being convenient for both day- and swing-shift employees. Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 13 of 95

14 English ENG4CA Unit 3 Lesson 11 Example of a Memo at Level 1 (Very Weak) Comments: Confuses letter and memo formats. Is too colloquial in tone. Lacks evidence of paragraph structure. Contains a high proportion of spelling and grammar errors. Violates major format conventions by using signature in memo. Receiver To: [Contact s Name] From: [College s Name] CC: [Contact s Name] Date: Mon, Dec 3, 2001 Subject: Plant Tour Dear John This is [Student s Name], I m a auto teacher at [College s Name] and I just wanted to let you know that we understand about the tour situation. We know how much goes on at GM and how much you have to remodel so GM can be successful. We just want to let you know that, when tours do begin we want to be the first class on your list. My class has 20 kids in it and their all very excited to see what goes on at your GM plant. We are currently doing a unit on FM, and talking about the history that is behind it. Well I have to get back to my class now, so I just wanted to let you know that we understand there will be no tours until April, but we want to be the first class to tour when they resume. Looking forward to hear from you soon John Later [Student s Name] Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 14 of 95

15 English ENG4CA Unit 3 Lesson 11 KEY QUESTION #44 Compose a proper memo for either of the two situations below. Use proper sentence structure and punctuation. Review the rubric on the following page before beginning this activity. Situation #1 Choose a business situation with which you are familiar and imagine you are a manager over a group of young employees. Next, envision you are an employer who has had recent problems with poor customer service. In order to remind your employees of good business practices you must compose a memo to your employees explaining the proper behaviour for dealing with customer service problems. In your memo remind your employees of the basic protocol or steps that should be taken to remedy the problem to make the customer happy. Situation #2 Choose a job situation in which you have had experience and imagine you are an employee who is representing all of your fellow workers who have been unfairly reprimanded by your manager. The problem stems from a customer service issue that occurred one week earlier. In your memo to your manger you must explain the customer service problem in brief, the steps taken to aid the customer, and defend your actions as a staff. Furthermore you should request some sort of apology from your manager. Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 15 of 95

16 English ENG4CA Unit 3 Lesson 11 Rubric for Writing a Memo Expectations: WR5.02, WR4.03, WR4.02, WR4.01, WR2.02, WR1.03, LG1.04 Category Level % Level % Level % Level % Knowledge/ Understanding Select publication method most accessible or appealing to intended audience Occasionally selects publication method most accessible or appealing to intended audience. Frequently selects publication method most accessible or appealing to intended audience. Consistently selects publication method most accessible or appealing to intended audience. Always selects publication method most accessible or appealing to intended audience. Thinking/ Inquiry Revise drafts for use of appropriate level of language Revises drafts with limited effectiveness. Revises drafts with some effectiveness. Revises drafts with good effectiveness. Revises drafts with exemplary effectiveness. Use a variety of resources to correct errors Uses few resources to correct errors. Uses some resources to correct errors. Uses a variety of resources to correct errors. Uses a wide resources to correct errors. Communication Revise drafts to ensure consistency of first or third person Revised drafts with limited effectiveness. Revised drafts with some effectiveness. Revised drafts with good effectiveness. Revised drafts with exemplary effectiveness. Use the information and ideas gathered to develop written work. Occasionally uses the information and ideas gathered to develop written work. Sometimes uses the information and ideas gathered to develop written work. Consistently uses the information and ideas gathered to develop written work. Always uses the information and ideas gathered to develop written work. Uses voice and language to suit the form Demonstrates occasional use of voice and language. Demonstrates appropriate use of voice and language. Demonstrates consistent use of voice and language. Demonstrates skilful use of voice and language. Application Revise drafts for clarity, unity and coherence. Simply revises drafts. Adequately revises drafts. Competently revises drafts. Thoroughly revises drafts. Use a pattern to present writing in a clear and logical manner Use the information and ideas gathered to develop written work Uses a pattern to present writing in a clear and logical manner with limited effectiveness. Occasionally uses the information and ideas gathered to develop written work. Uses a pattern to present writing in a clear and logical manner with some effectiveness. Sometimes uses the information and ideas gathered to develop written work. Uses a pattern to present writing in a clear and logical manner with effectiveness. Consistently uses the information and ideas gathered to develop written work. Uses a pattern to present writing in a clear and logical manner with considerable effectiveness. Always uses the information and ideas gathered to develop written work. Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 16 of 95

17 English ENG4CA Unit 3 Lesson 11 Activity: Read the article entitled How to write a letter of complaint by June Campbell. How to Write an Effective Letter of Complaint By June Campbell You're so mad you could spit. That #*^$% company got your order wrong again. You're gonna fire off a letter that'll make made their head spin. Nobody's gonna treat you like that! Sound familiar? If it does, you're not alone. We've all been there. The difference is that some of us write letters that get results. Others write letters that get us ignored or ridiculed. Written correctly, a letter of complaint can be very effective at getting you the results you want. You might even get more than you expected. Some letter writers report receiving surprise gifts and merchandise in response to a well written complaint. Many businesses appreciate knowing when something is going wrong, and they will do what they can to create goodwill with a dissatisfied customer. The following suggestions will help you write a letter of complaint that's likely to be read and acted upon. Complain only when appropriate. Sending numerous, frivolous letters of complaint will get you nowhere. Send your letters only for genuine complaints, and only after initial communication with company representatives has failed. In other words, if the widget you bought didn't work as expected, you would ask the sales person or the customer service department to correct the problem before you fire off a letter of complaint to head office. Address the letter to the correct person. You need to reach the person who has the authority to correct the problem. Inevitably, this will be a supervisor, a manager or a company executive. If your complaint is with a local business, address the letter to the owner or manager. If you're dealing with a local branch of a large corporation, you'll need to find out whether your complaint lies with the local branch or if the problem was created by policies set by a corporate office. If it's with corporate office, you'll send the letter there. It might take some detective work to find out who should receive your letter. If you can't find out by asking, try the company web site, annual reports, or business directories in your local library. Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 17 of 95

18 English ENG4CA Unit 3 Lesson 11 Be courteous and professional. Avoid sarcasm. No matter how angry you are, sending a rude, discourteous, inflammatory letter will not help you get the problem corrected. Keep it short. One page is all you need. The manager is more likely to read and act on your letter if you keep it brief, factual and to the point. No one has time or patience to wade through a six-page tome. Be factual. Identify the problem and outline the efforts you have made to correct the problem. Remember the five rules of journalism: Who, What, When, Where and How. Identify what you want. You have a complaint. What will it take to make things right? Do you want your money refunded? Do you want the product exchanged? Do you want a service contract extended? Do you want an apology? Stipulate what you want. Remember to date your letter and include full contact information, including account numbers or any other info that the recipient might need to trace your problem. State consequences when previous letters have failed to get the problem corrected. It is both unnecessary and ineffective to start out with threats of various punitive actions. Remember, the recipient doesn't appreciate receiving threats any more than you do. But, when previous attempts have failed, it's time to state what you are prepared to do, and when. You might say, "And, if I have not heard from you by the 30th of this month, I will take action." Taking action could mean contacting your credit card company, filing a complaint with a consumer agency such as the Better Business Bureau, seeking legal counsel, etc. Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 18 of 95

19 English ENG4CA Unit 3 Lesson 11 KEY QUESTION #45 Read the sample letter below, and then review the rubric for the expectations. Finally complete the brainstorming and outline pages for completion marks. Here is a sample letter of complaint that could be used for a first written complaint: Letterhead or Return Address Recipient's Address Date Attention: G. Smith, VP of Customer Relations Dear G. Smith: On August 19, 2002, I purchased a widget at Widget Store, 111 Main Street, Big City. On August 20, I returned the widget to your customer service department because it was missing Part #32 and could not be assembled. Your customer service representative ordered the missing part from your warehouse, telling me it would arrive within ten days. Two months later, it has not arrived. I contacted your customer service department on August 30, September 15, October 1, and October 20th. On each of those occasions, your customer service representative assured me that the missing part is en route from your warehouse. Today, I asked that my money be refunded since I am unable to use the widget without the missing part. Your customer service representative told me that it is not store policy to refund my money because I opened the package and partially assembled the widget. I am writing you to request that my money be refunded in full. I cannot use the widget without the part that is missing. I can be reached at the address given above, or by telephone at (your number). Yours truly, Dissatisfied Customer (Campbell, June. How to write an effective letter of complaint Business Writing by Nightcats Multimedia Productions. Updated September 11, November, ( Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 19 of 95

20 English ENG4CA Unit 3 Lesson 11 After reading the advice from June Campbell on composing a letter of complaint you must now compose your own letter of complaint. Be certain to review the sample and the rubric before you pass in your final draft for evaluation. We have all at some point been dissatisfied with a product or service. It could be a sneaker that wore out in only a few months of use, or possibly your accountant made errors on your tax return. Whatever the area of dissatisfaction a letter of complaint is a good thing for the consumer and the business. The consumer feels they have a voice and the business can hopefully remedy the situation. Pick one product or service with which you have been displeased lately and brainstorm your ideas below. It may be a fictional complaint or a real one, either way please use correct addresses in your letter. Use the organizer on the following page to help with this activity. You may wish to photocopy the sheet or recreate it in your notebook. When you have completed the organizer, work through the outline template in your notebook. Both of these will be graded as completion marks. Your final draft will require you to self edit from these activities. Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 20 of 95

21 English ENG4CA Unit 3 Lesson 11 Graphic Organizer Service or product with which you have a problem: List below all the important facts and information about your complaint. (Remember the 5W s of journalism: who, what, where, when, why and how.) Identify what you want. What are the consequences (if any)? Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 21 of 95

22 English ENG4CA Unit 3 Lesson 11 Outline Template of Letter of Complaint (Your address) (Your telephone number/s) (Date) (Name, if available) (Title (if no specific name, use Customer Service Manager or General Manager or similar you can call them to check) (Address) Dear (as appropriate) State what you bought, when and where (including serial numbers where appropriate). Or, what work you had done, when, where and by whom. State the problem you have with the product, the work or the service and why you have this problem. Give as many relevant details as you can. If it is a long story, it is a good idea to attach a separate schedule of what happened in time order. Include copies of any relevant documentation (e.g. receipts, warranties, letters, guarantees, contracts). List what you are including. Don t send originals keep those yourself. State what action you want taken to resolve your complaint. Give a precise but reasonable timeframe for that action to be taken, e.g. 10 working days. State that if you do not hear from them, you will be taking your complaint to. (the relevant complaints agency). Include details of when and how you may be contacted. Yours sincerely Your signature Your name (printed) Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 22 of 95

23 English ENG4CA Unit 3 Lesson 11 KEY QUESTION #46/47 Complete the self-editing checklist for your letter. Either photocopy or recreate this chart in your notebook. Type or print out a final draft of your letter of complaint. Submit both the checklist and your final letter for evaluation. Proofreading and Editing Self Editing Chart Sentence Structure: Check each sentence to be sure it is not a: 1. Run on sentence. 2. Sentence fragment. 3. Sentence that doesn't make sense. 4. Stringy sentence. (one that contains more than two independent clauses) Word Usage: 1. Be sure you've used the correct word. 2. Avoid slang words. (kids, homies, etc.) when not required (for Creative Writing purposes or for specific stylistic purposes. 3. Use precise nouns and verbs. (Word choice) 4. Avoid contractions in formal writing. Agreement: 1. Be sure that subjects and Verbs agree in number. (singular or plural) 2. Be sure pronouns agree with their antecedent in number. (singular or plural) 3. Be sure pronouns are in the correct case. (subjective or objective e.g. between you and me) 4. Keep verb tenses are kept consistent.(present, past, future, etc.) 5. Keep voice is consistent. (Don't switch incorrectly from first to second person, etc.) Punctuation: 1. Be sure all sentences have ending punctuation. 2. Check to be sure questions end with question marks. 3. Use commas after introductory words and phrases. 4. Use commas after items in lists except for the last item. 5. Use a comma in a compound sentence just before the coordinating conjunction. 6. Omit unnecessary commas. 7. Use a comma after a dependent clause when it comes before an independent clause. 8. Check to be sure apostrophes are used in contractions and possessives. Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 23 of 95

24 English ENG4CA Unit 3 Lesson 11 Proofreading and Editing Self Editing Chart (Continued) Spelling & Capitalization: 1. Check for careless spelling errors including poor letter formation. 2. Avoid casual spelling such as cause for because and gonna for going to. 3. Remember that a lot is two words. 4. Begin each sentence with a capital. 5. Check homonyms to be sure you have spelled the one you mean (there, their, they're; where, were, to, too, two; your, you're) 6. Capitalize proper nouns including I. 7. Eliminate unnecessary capitals. Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 24 of 95

25 English ENG4CA Unit 3 Lesson 11 Rubric for Letter of Complaint Criteria Level 1 (50-59%) Level 2 (60-69%) Level 3 (70-79%) Level 4 (80-100%) Knowledge/ Understanding -uses conventions of selected form -demonstrates understanding of information, ideas, concepts, issues and ideas covered. - limited use of convention of selected form - demonstrates limited understanding of information, ideas, concepts, issues and ideas covered - some use of conventions of selected form - demonstrates some understanding of information, ideas, concepts, issues and ideas covered - considerable use of conventions of selected form - demonstrates considerable understanding of information, ideas, concepts, issues and ideas covered - thorough use of conventions of selected form - demonstrates thorough and insightful understanding of information, ideas, concepts, issues and ideas covered Thinking/ Inquiry -interprets, classifies, and organizes information, ideas Communication communicates a sense of audience and purpose -shows limited evidence of organizational structure -communicates with a limited sense of audience and purpose -shows some evidence of organizational structure -communicates with some sense of audience and purpose -shows considerable evidence of organizational structure -communicates with considerable sense of audience and purpose -shows highly effective evidence of organizational structure -communicates with strong sense of audience and purpose - uses language communicate information, ideas -uses language to communicate information, ideas with limited effectiveness and clarity - uses language to communicate information, ideas with some effectiveness and clarity - uses language to communicate information, ideas with considerable effectiveness and clarity - integrates language to communicate information, ideas with a high degree of effectiveness and clarity Application - uses language conventions effectively - applies language conventions with limited effectiveness -more than 5 sp/gr errors - applies language conventions with some effectiveness -3-5 sp/gr errors - applies language conventions with considerable effectiveness -1-3 sp/gr errors - applies language conventions with high degree of effectiveness -0-1 sp/gr errors Note: A student whose achievement is below Level 1 (50%) has not met the expectations for this assignment or activity. Next Steps: You have now completed Lesson 11. Congratulations. You have just examined some problems that all people experience with workers either as a customer or as an employee. Next we will examine what YOU know about a particular technical or instructional process for which you already have experience. Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 25 of 95

26 ENG4C GRADE 12 - COLLEGE PREPARATION Lesson 12

27 English ENG4C Unit 3 Lesson 12 LESSON 12 - EXPLORING YOUR OPTIONS Lesson 12 will allow you to read from a choice of two articles. One may be interesting to those who will soon enter the workforce, and the other article may be more interesting to those re-entering the workforce after an absence. Afterwards students will be asked to compose a piece of technical writing about a procedure that they currently use or have used in the past (cooking, fixing, cleaning, etc.). Lesson 12 has six activities, each should take approximately 30 minutes to complete. Four of these activities are Key Questions and must be submitted for evaluation. Key Questions: Key Question #48 Journal Reflection Key Question #49 Worksheet Completion For: Presenting Technical Information and Explaining a Procedure Key Question #50 Outline and Rough Draft of Technical Writing Assignment, Explaining a Procedure Key Question #51 Final Technical Writing Assignment Evaluation Overview: Key Question # Activity Assessment Area Marks 48 Journal Thinking/Inquiry Worksheets Knowledge/Understanding Outline Communications Final Draft Application 30 Total 105 Expectations: LI1.01 LI1.02 LI2.03 LI3.01 analyse and assess ideas, issues, and explicit and implicit information in texts (e.g., assess information from a research report to write an executive summary; explain how separate incidents, characters, or elements in a novel work together to communicate the main theme); select and use specific and significant evidence from texts to support judgements and arguments (e.g., support an argument, using convincing examples from texts and research materials; support an interpretation of a character with specific reference to the dialogue in a play); analyse how elements of non-fiction forms influence meaning (e.g., compare a summary with the original report to analyse the characteristics of the intended audiences). analyse how language is used in expository writing to communicate information, ideas, and arguments (e.g., assess the effectiveness of a plainlanguage style used in business and technical writing; compare the diction Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 27 of 95

28 English ENG4C Unit 3 Lesson 12 LI3.03 WR1.01 WR1.02 WR1.03 WR2.02 WR3.01 WR3.02 WR4.01 WR4.02 used in a personal letter, a documentary voice-over, a business report, and a newspaper editorial); analyse the effect of authors choices of language, syntax, and rhetorical and literary devices on the reader by examining their own and others responses to the style of texts; investigate potential topics for written work, including an independent study project, by posing inquiry questions, identifying information needs and purposes for writing, and developing research plans to acquire information and ideas (e.g., use a graphic organizer to plan the questions and strategies for an independent study project; create electronic bookmarks for an Internet search to find information for an oral presentation); organize and analyse the information, ideas, and sources to suit specific forms and purposes for writing (e.g., categorize information from a variety of sources to clarify divergent positions on an issue; use suggestions from peer discussion in assessing alternative opinions or ideas for an independent study project); formulate and refine a thesis to develop content for expressive and business and technical writing, using information and ideas from prior knowledge and research (e.g., imagine possibilities and test hypotheses while developing a thesis for an essay; consult a reference text of specialized or technical terms to add precision to the statement of the problem in a report); select and use a level of language and a voice appropriate to the specific purpose and intended audience of business and technical communications and expressive writing (e.g., rewrite a section of a technical manual in plain language to create a brochure for a general audience; draft an oral report for an independent study project using specialized vocabulary and aiming at an engaging style). use report structure, essay structure, and organizational patterns such as induction, deduction, and process-analysis to present information and ideas in reports and essays (e.g., use a general-to-specific pattern to organize the headings and content of a report on how a law is passed; use a process-analysis pattern to describe the stages of the writing process); select and use appropriate organizational patterns to structure expressive writing and multimedia presentations (e.g., use chronological order to describe the events leading to the crisis in a script; use a comparison-andcontrast pattern to organize and present information and ideas in an independent study project). revise drafts to strengthen content and improve organization by adding relevant details and examples, reordering ideas, and strengthening connections (e.g., group relevant information to support key ideas in a short analytical essay; create headings and subheadings to indicate general and specific points in a report); revise drafts to improve precision and clarity of expression (e.g., replace vague expressions in a consumer report with precise technical terms; use Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 28 of 95

29 English ENG4C Unit 3 Lesson 12 WR4.03 WR5.04 LG1.01 LG1.03 LG1.04 LG1.05 feedback from a peer conference to identify transition words and phrases to link ideas); revise drafts to ensure an effective style (e.g., use checklists or rubrics to assess the effectiveness of word choice, sentence construction, and rhetorical devices in a report; examine writing for consistent use of inclusive and anti-discriminatory language; read an essay or narrative aloud to check that diction and style are appropriate to the topic and audience); edit and proofread their own and others writing, identifying and correcting errors according to the requirements for grammar, usage, spelling, and punctuation. apply a variety of strategies to extend vocabulary while reading, with an emphasis on discerning nuances and judging the precision of words (e.g., read articles in a news magazine and describe how the context might help them decipher the meaning of new or unfamiliar words; use a thesaurus to find synonyms for a word and systematically substitute to assess the effect of different word choices); identify and use specialized business and technical vocabulary and consolidate their use of a plain-language style in reports and essays; express themselves effectively in a variety of spoken and written communications, with a focus on using specialized vocabulary and figurative language and sustaining an appropriate style (e.g., select precise and specialized vocabulary in revising an independent study report; select arresting vocabulary and figures of speech to use in a simulated political debate); recognize, describe, and use correctly, in oral and written language, the language structures of standard Canadian English and its conventions of grammar, usage, spelling, and punctuation, as prescribed for this course (e.g., consult recognized style guides for information about language conventions). Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 29 of 95

30 English ENG4C Unit 3 Lesson 12 Activity: Read one of the following two articles by Julie Collins or Bob Rosner. How do you survive an entry-level job? Working Wounded by Bob Rosner Advice That Adds Insight to Injury The job market is supposed to be good right now but all I can find are entry-level jobs. I'm smart and I've got four years of work experience behind me. Is it too much to ask for a job that uses my mind? - Wasting Away Dear Wasting: Did you catch the story recently about Mark Hatterer? He's the York, PA guy who is a hero for rescuing a dog that had fallen into a septic tank. Anyone else would have given Scotty up for dead & gone; but not Mark. He pulled the puppy out, wiped the muck from its mouth, and you got it gave him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Well, I'm not suggesting you do that level of heroics, but if it was possible to breathe life back into something as unconscious and smelly as Scotty, it's possible to breathe life back into your job. I've adapted the following tips from Eve Luppert's book, Rules for the Road (Perigee, 1998). The book is chock full of tips 106 to be exact to help anyone stuck in a job that's foul. 1. How realistic are your expectations? Ms. Luppert observes that it will be at least eighteen months before they let you run the company. The only thing you'll get to manage is your expectations! So make them realistic. Expect to do lots of stuff that no one else wants to do and to do it better than they expected you to do it. 2. Do you ask for feedback? It would be great if bosses knew how and when to give feedback, but they don't. That means you have to initiate the process. Ask your boss regularly to tell you how you're doing. And when she does, don't just listen to the good stuff. Over the long term you'll find the criticism much more valuable. 3. Are you doing the best job you can? According to Rules for the Road, the best way to get out of an entry-level job is to do it really well. And don't just limit yourself to your job description, see if you can take the next step in each job or function you perform. 4. Do you dress and act for the job you have, or the job you want? When you start to look and behave like a buttoned-up professional, your bosses are apt to notice. So build the image you want to project. Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 30 of 95

31 English ENG4C Unit 3 Lesson Can you be extra nice to yourself when your job isn't? Ms. Luppert suggests that you stay away from bars and alcohol when your job is beating you up. She suggests that you treat yourself to a movie, sleep, a CD or a bubble bath instead. This is an important lesson to learn, because frustration will be a part of your career long after this stinky job is history. Of course, it's occasionally best to quit a "going nowhere" job. But most of the time it's wise to keep on digging. Who knows? There just might be a puppy in there somewhere. From: Carpentry program offers challenge to motivated students by Julie Collins SYDNEY MINES- Vocational trades are becoming more respected due in large part to demand, says Arno Raymakers, carpentry instructor at Memorial High School. Raymakers works at ensuring there is a balance between theory and practical work for his students. There are 11 vocational programs at Memorial, with more than 300 students registered. "Our carpentry program will give the students about 1,000 hours toward the first block of their apprenticeship program," said Raymakers. "There is quite a waiting list to get into many of the core trades programs such as carpentry, plumbing and electrical. There is a high demand for skilled, certified tradespeople." Similar to community college programs, even though it is at the high school level, the same regulations that apply to community colleges also apply to the vocational programs at Memorial. "If you are good at your trade and want it, there is never a shortage of work and the money is good," Raymakers said. "There are also the specialized jobs related to carpentry, such as estimators, draftsman, project management for construction sites and working with building supplies." Grade 10 features an introductory to carpentry, plumbing and electrical. "The students try a little of each and then hopefully make a decision based on their strengths," he said. "Every tradesman should have a bit of knowledge of all trades and expertise in one. We are at about an 80 per cent placement for a lot of our programs." Raymakers said trades are more respected because of the demand, but also because of the emphasis on quality workmanship. "It is a priority to be certified," he said. "The hands-on work keeps the students interested. They do the theory and then apply it with the practical work. Workshop safety is also a priority. We have a good mix." Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 31 of 95

32 English ENG4C Unit 3 Lesson 12 Throughout the year, students work on numerous projects including framing small buildings like storage sheds. The dog houses students work on are built to residential standards, with a floor system, walls and rafters and exterior finish exactly like a house. "There is nothing like the satisfaction of a completed job," he said. "I also try to instil the importance of a work ethic in my students. They are required to show up on time and complete their projects within the time required. As well, math and problem solving skills in vocational programs have to be right up there with the academics." Collins, Julie. Carpentry program offers challenge to motivated students. Cape Breton Post, September 30, Page B2. (Retrieved from November 25, 2003.) KEY QUESTION #48 Complete journal reflection and submit it for evaluation. Write a ½ to 1 page response to the following questions. 1. Which one of these articles inspires you the most? Attempt to explain why. 2. Do these articles not inspire you? Attempt to explain why. 3. If you could enter into an apprenticeship/vocational program right now, in what field would it be? Explain why this field interests you. Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 32 of 95

33 English ENG4C Unit 3 Lesson 12 Rubric for personal journal reflection: Expectations Focus/Criteria Level % Level % Knowledge/ Understanding inferences analysis Thinking/ Inquiry integration - poor connections to ideas and information in text made - makes very limited connections to reading and to questions - poor support used from the text - makes limited connections to information and ideas to describe overall focus of the reading - makes limited connections to reading and questions - adequate support used from the text Level % - connects information and ideas to describe overall focus of the reading - connects reading and questions to their experiences with success - good support from the text Level % - makes inferences about abstract concepts and connects reading and questions to their own experiences in a highly effective manner - strong support from the text evidence Communication unity coherence Application written conventions - integrates few elements from text and very limited information from their own experiences to create poor response - shows a limited focus or central idea - structure and sequence lack a clear organization - uses required conventions with limited accuracy - integrates elements from text and few from their own experiences to create a somewhat satisfactory response - expresses a central idea that is clear and relevant to the question - structure and sequence are clear - uses the required conventions with some accuracy and effectiveness - integrates elements from text and own experiences to create a clear response - expresses central ideas that show clear understanding of the text and the question - uses a structure that supports the central idea effectively - uses the important writing conventions accurately and effectively - integrates elements from text and own experiences to create a unique response that is compelling, provocative and fresh - communicates a central idea that is thought-provoking and insightful - creates a structure that enhances an appreciation of the response - uses writing conventions skilfully proofreading - limited use of proofreading skills - moderate use of proofreading skills - consistent use of proofreading skills - thorough use of proofreading skills Note: A student whose achievement is below level 1 (50%) has not met the expectations for this assignment or activity. Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 33 of 95

34 English ENG4C Unit 3 Lesson 12 Activity: Notes and mini-lesson on: presenting technical information and explaining a procedure. Read the following notes on explaining a procedure and complete the short tasks. How to Write Instructions You know the situation: the video player timer is broken. You need to have your favourite programme taped, as you're going out, but your mum's hopeless - she just can't remember how to use the video. So you're going to have to leave her instructions on how to operate the video recorder. In the following list, decide what statements you think are important when writing instructions. (Answers follow) 1. Adding some jokes to your instructions. 2. Writing your instructions in the right order. 3. Giving a detailed description of what the video player looks like. 4. Making your writing clear and easy to understand. 5. Showing off your knowledge of the technical side of the video. 6. Giving direct and simple commands/directions. Now you know what to look out for, read the two sets of instructions below. Decide which you think is more successful and think about the reasons why. A) Mum. Let's see if we can get it right this time. I don't want to be watching the news again like last time! You need to put the video in the machine and then press the record button. That's the small red one which is a little to the left of the play button, which looks like a Smartie with an arrow on it - you can't miss it. The stop button is just below the play button, I think. Oh, by the way, don't forget to rewind the tape first, and you'll need to change the channel too probably. B) Put the tape in the machine. Press rewind and wait until the rewinding has finished. Change the channel to 5. The record button is the red one in the top left corner. Press it. Check the recording light is on. Press stop when the programme has finished. Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 34 of 95

35 English ENG4C Unit 3 Lesson 12 Extract B also makes frequent use of verbs which command - sometimes known as verbs in the imperative form. This is the form of the verb which tells you to do something. For example: eat this let go come on. Often they come at the start of a sentence. They make it clear what a person should do, so you can probably see why they are useful for instructions. Look again at extract B below. The verbs have been put in bold for you. Identify those verbs which are in the command/imperative. Put the tape in the machine. Press rewind and wait until the rewinding has finished. Change the channel to 5. The record button is the red one in the top left corner. Press it Check recording light is on Press stop when the programme has finished. Instructions are usually written in the present tense, as though the action is happening now. E.g. 'The record button is the one...' Sometimes the future tense is used. E.g. 'You will need to prepare...' Look at these examples. Which verbs are in future tense? 1. In this recipe, you will need two eggs. 2. Ensure they are fresh eggs. 3. When the water is boiling, place them in the pan. 4. They will be cooked in four minutes. Putting instructions into the right order is vital. You could cause irritation and even real problems for your reader, if you don't get it right. Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 35 of 95

36 English ENG4C Unit 3 Lesson 12 Your mum has decided to get her own back. She has left some instructions for you on how to clean the car. However, they are a bit of a jumble and they could be a lot clearer. Put them into the right order by mentally numbering them 1 to 6. Your mum will be delighted to see how you can improve her writing! a. Using the chamois leather, polish the car until it sparkles. b. Wash the car thoroughly. c. First clean the inside of the car with the vacuum cleaner. d. Fill with soapy water. e. Then fetch a bucket from the garage. f. Rinse the car with clean water. So now you should be aware of what type of writing is needed in order to create successful instructions. We shall see if you can write a clear set of instructions of your own. First here are some tips: work out the right order for your instructions keep your sentences short and simple number your instructions if you wish use command verbs use the present or sometimes the future tense present your writing clearly. (Actis Limited, Writing Skills: Writing Instructions, English Online, 2003, retrieved 29 December, 2003, < KEY QUESTION #49 Worksheet Completion for Presenting Technical Information and Explaining a Procedure. Note: Photocopy these worksheets or recreate them in your notebook prior to completion. Complete the following worksheets on presenting technical information and explaining a procedure. You should choose a procedure that you think everyone should know how to do such as: doing laundry, cooking scrambled eggs, changing a tire, fixing a leaky faucet, etc. Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 36 of 95

37 English ENG4C Unit 3 Lesson 12 \ Worksheet #1- Present Technical Information Name: Date: Use the chart to help you prepare a brief instruction guide of a simple process for your audience. It should be something with which you are familiar. (i.e., Making scrambled eggs, changing a tire, fixing a leaking shower head, etc.) The Steps: break the process into a series of small steps: Analogies/Comparisons: create an analogies/comparison to make the process clearer. Glossary: list technical terms and definitions. Term Definition Visuals: sketch 2-3 visuals to make ideas clear for your audience. Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 37 of 95

38 English ENG4C Unit 3 Lesson 12 Worksheet #2 - Explain a Procedure Name: Date: A. Analyze and correct weak instructions: Identify any problems with the following instructions. Then write an improved version of these directions in the space provided. To record music from the built-in radio be sure to have a tape. A normal one will do. Set the unit's function so that it is playing the radio. Put in the tape and press the recording button, using Deck A and not B for the tape. If you hear a whistling that you didn't hear before, then you should play with the button on the top panel that says it's a selector. Find out which one reduces the whistling best. To stop the recording, press the stop button. Problem: Revision: B. Write clear instructions: Read the instructions below for making pasta. You will use what you learned about writing instructions from the above notes. Preparing Fresh Pasta Here is the way to prepare a good homemade pasta: pour the necessary quantity of flour on a plane (we propose 400 grams for 4 people) and make a hole in the middle. Put an egg for every 100 grams of flour in the hole. Start kneading the flour with the eggs. To soften the dough, some olive oil can be added. Go on kneading, until after about ten minutes, you get a homogeneous paste. At that point you are not in a hurry; you should form a ball and wrap it in a napkin, and let it rest for a few minutes. Divide the dough in fist-sized parts (Fig. 1); introduce each part between the kneading rolls with the regulator on position 1. Fold the pastry you get into two and introduce it again between the rolls. (Fig. 2) Pass the pastry several times, flouring it each time, between the rolls, each time, reducing its thickness until you get the desired one. That's why the regulator has many positions, each for a different thickness. You only have to cut the pastry passing it between the cutting rolls (Fig. 3); if you want an even smaller sized paste, pass the noodles parallel to the rolls. Use the squares on the following page to create a series of graphics that visually communicate important procedures to your audience. Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 38 of 95

39 English ENG4C Unit 3 Lesson 12 Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3 In the space below, clearly explain the procedure. Relate the figures you created to procedure steps. When you are finished why not follow your own instructions in a test. Then give it to someone else (a friend, a relative) to test as well. Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 39 of 95

40 English ENG4C Unit 3 Lesson 12 KEY QUESTION #50 Outline your instruction paragraph on your chosen procedure. You will need to photocopy this sheet or recreate it in your notebook. Submit for evaluation. Graphic Organizer What process are you going to instruct? Identify what technical words you may have to explain. List below all of the step by step instructions in order that they must be completed. Remember what your notes stated about the choice of verbs. Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 (If more steps use a separate page) Some Poor Samples of Instructions Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 40 of 95

41 English ENG4C Unit 3 Lesson 12 KEY QUESTION #51 Complete your final draft for your technical writing: Instructions/Process Paragraphs. See rubric following for the evaluation criteria. Be certain to include a minimum of 2 visuals for aiding your instructions/process paragraphs. Instructions/Process Paragraphs Students must compose a paragraph or series of paragraphs in which they describe a specific task. The sequence of instructions can be on any topic of interest to the student. For example: making an omelet, fixing a flat tire, cooking spaghetti, or setting up your DVD/VCR. Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 41 of 95

42 English ENG4C Unit 3 Lesson 12 Technical Writing Rubric Criteria Level 1 (50% - 59%) Thinking revise drafts for revises drafts with use of appropriate limited effectiveness level of language cite research information where appropriate Communication use voice and language to suit form use the information and ideas gathered to develop written work Application apply strategies to extend vocabulary provide an introduction, body and conclusion in reports or short essays revise drafts for clarity and unity use a range of organizational structures to produce written work use a pattern to present writing in a clear and logical manner rarely cites research information where appropriate demonstrates occasional use of voice and language occasionally uses the information and ideas gathered to develop written work applies strategies to extend vocabulary with limited effectiveness provides few aspects of essay structure simply revises drafts uses a range of organizational structures to produce written work with limited effectiveness uses a pattern to present writing in a clear and logical manner with limited effectiveness Level 2 (60% - 69%) revises drafts with some effectiveness sometimes cites research information where appropriate demonstrates appropriate use of voice and language sometimes uses the information and ideas gathered to develop written work applies strategies to extend vocabulary with some effectiveness provides some aspects of essay structure adequately revises drafts uses a range of organizational structures to produce written work with some effectiveness uses a pattern to present writing in a clear and logical manner with some effectiveness Level 3 (70% - 79%) revises drafts with good effectiveness often cites research information where appropriate demonstrates consistent use of voice and language consistently uses the information and ideas gathered to develop written work applies strategies to extend vocabulary with considerable effectiveness provides most aspects of essay structure competently revises draft uses a range of organizational structures to produce written work with considerable effectiveness uses a pattern to present writing in a clear and logical manner with effectiveness Level 4 (80% - 100%) revises drafts with exemplary effectiveness routinely cites research information where appropriate demonstrates skilful use of voice and language always uses the information and ideas gathered to develop written work applies strategies to extend vocabulary with a high degree of effectiveness provides all aspects of essay structure thoroughly revises drafts uses a range of organizational structures to produce written work with a high degree of effectiveness uses a pattern to present writing in a clear and logical manner with considerable effectiveness Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 42 of 95

43 English ENG4C Unit 3 Lesson 12 Next Steps: You have now completed Lesson 12. Congratulations. You have completed reading articles that will hopefully inspire you as you tackle your next lesson. Furthermore you have practiced some technical writing activities based on your prior knowledge. Next you will examine an area of work that you truly ARE interested in. You shall begin with a technical idea and word search on the terms and tasks associated with the profession to which you aspire. Following this you shall take on the role of a Human Resources manager for a fictitious company and create a brochure/advertisement for those prospective employees who may apply for positions in this field. Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 43 of 95

44 ENG4C GRADE 12 - COLLEGE PREPARATION Lesson 13

45 English ENG4C Unit 3 Lesson 13 LESSON 13 - EXPLORING MORE OF YOUR OPTIONS Lesson 13 will begin by examining the role of language and media in the workplace. From this brief examination we will examine the use of advertising by employers to seek qualified employees and to advertise their services and products. You will then research the terms closely associated with a profession for which you would like to apply in the future. After a more detailed examination of posters and brochures you will outline and create your own media advertisement for a job or service of your choice. It need only be 81/2 x 11 in size so as to be easily transported for evaluation. Key Questions: Key Question #52 Individual research activity. Research the words and terminology for a specific profession that YOU wish to pursue. Key Question #53 Advertisement questions. Examine attention getting devices, visual appeal, text, and subtext. Key Question #54 Outline a job advertisement in print form or poster format. It must include a text and visual portion. Key Question #55 Complete your final job advertisement assignment. Evaluation Overview: Key Question # Activity Assessment Area Marks 52 Terminology Thinking/Inquiry Ad Questions Knowledge/Understanding Outline Communications Final Draft Application 30 Total 105 Expectations: LG1.01 LG1.02 LG1.03 WR3.02 apply a variety of strategies to extend vocabulary while reading, with an emphasis on discerning nuances and judging the precision of words (e.g., read articles in a news magazine and describe how the context might help them decipher the meaning of new or unfamiliar words; use a thesaurus to find synonyms for a word and systematically substitute to assess the effect of different word choices); analyse the origins and roots of words used in different areas of science, business, and technology (e.g., computer studies, hospitality services, communication technology, financial services, health care); identify and use specialized business and technical vocabulary and consolidate their use of a plain-language style in reports and essays; select and use appropriate organizational patterns to structure expressive writing and multimedia presentations (e.g., use chronological order to Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 45 of 95

46 English ENG4C Unit 3 Lesson 13 MD1.01 MD1.03 MD2.01 MD2.02 describe the events leading to the crisis in a script; use a comparison-andcontrast pattern to organize and present information and ideas in an independent study project). demonstrate critical thinking skills by identifying bias and analysing messages in media works (e.g., write an essay describing aspects of Canadian culture as represented in a range of Canadian television programs; explain the impact of cross- promotional marketing associated with a film); explain the relationship between media works and their audiences (e.g., analyse the reactions of the local community and other audiences to a film, television series, or cable channel, and explain why different audiences interpret messages differently; explain the effect of feedback from a preview audience on the final version of a media work); design or create media works based on ideas, themes, and issues examined in this course (e.g., create a short video, using available resources, on a business or technical topic for a clearly identified audience and describe how the video would be changed for a different audience; design an oral presentation to be made with and without media support and assess the effectiveness of each presentation); demonstrate an understanding of the relationships among form, purpose, audience, and production options in their creations, assess the effectiveness of the works, and analyse the choices made during the production process (e.g., develop and apply basic criteria for assessing the effectiveness of student media works; write a reflective report describing key production decisions and their results). Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 46 of 95

47 English ENG4C Unit 3 Lesson 13 Activity: View these two cartoons and respond to the questions below. A. B. Think about the following questions: 1. In cartoon A list the buzz words used by the employer. What do they mean in real language? 2. Why do you think people are impressed by the type of vocabulary referred to in cartoon B? Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 47 of 95

48 English ENG4C Unit 3 Lesson 13 Examining Media for the Workplace What are media texts and why do we study them? When we refer to media we usually mean mass media, which include newspapers, magazines, television, film, video and the Internet. Media literacy is the ability to assess and analyze mass media. Critical analysis of media texts (of visuals) helps us to understand how meaning is communicated and how techniques of persuasion operate. It also offers us clues to the characteristics and values of our culture. As a result, we are able to become better informed and more critical consumers of media. In this way we can learn to use media to communicate our own messages more effectively. Text, Context, and subtext The text of a film, print advertisement, Web page, or radio program is its content. The context is the environment in which it was created and received. The sub text is ist underlying meaning, which can often be deliberately obscured. For example, consider the technique of product placement, in which an advertiser pays to have its product included in a film. In the middle of a scene you might see the cool looking main character drinking brand X soft drink and you know it s brand X because the label is so prominent. The text is simply that the character is thirsty. The context is a popular movie designed for entertainment. The sub text is that cool people drink brand X. (Canadian Students Guide to Language, Literature, and Media. Susanne Barclay, Judith Coghill, and Peter Weeks, Eds. Oxford University Press: Toronto, 2001.) Media Literacy Key Concepts Media educators base their teaching on key concepts and principles of media literacy. These concepts provide an effective foundation for examining mass media and popular culture. 1. All media are construction The media do not present simple reflections of external reality. Rather, they present carefully crafted constructions that reflect many decisions and result from many determining factors. Media Literacy works towards deconstructing these constructions, taking them apart to show how they are made. 2. The media construct reality The media are responsible for the majority of the observations and experiences from which we build up our personal understandings of the world and how it works. Much of Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 48 of 95

49 English ENG4C Unit 3 Lesson 13 our view of reality is based on media messages that have been pre-constructed and have attitudes, interpretations and conclusions already built in. The media, to a great extent, give us our sense of reality. 3. Audiences negotiate meaning in the media The media provide us with much of the material upon which we build our picture of reality, and we all "negotiate" meaning according to individual factors: personal needs and anxieties, the pleasures or troubles of the day, racial and sexual attitudes, family and cultural background, and so forth. 4. Media have commercial implications Media Literacy aims to encourage an awareness of how the media are influenced by commercial considerations, and how these affect content, technique and distribution. Most media production is a business, and must therefore make a profit. Questions of ownership and control are central: a relatively small number of individuals control what we watch, read and hear in the media. 5. Media contain ideological and value messages All media products are advertising, in some sense, in that they proclaim values and ways of life. Explicitly or implicitly, the mainstream media convey ideological messages about such issues as the nature of the good life, the virtue of consumerism, the role of women, the acceptance of authority, and unquestioning patriotism. 6. Media have social and political implications The media have great influence on politics and on forming social change. Television can greatly influence the election of a national leader on the basis of image. The media involve us in concerns such as civil rights issues, famines in Africa, and the AIDS epidemic. They give us an intimate sense of national issues and global concerns, so that we become citizens of Marshall McLuhan's "Global Village." 7. Form and content are closely related in the media As Marshall McLuhan noted, each medium has its own grammar and codifies reality in its own particular way. Different media will report the same event, but create different impressions and messages. 8. Each medium has a unique aesthetic form Just as we notice the pleasing rhythms of certain pieces of poetry or prose, so we ought to be able to enjoy the pleasing forms and effects of the different media. (Barry Duncan et al. Media Literacy Resource Guide, Ontario Ministry of Education, Toronto, ON. Canada, at Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 49 of 95

50 English ENG4C Unit 3 Lesson 13 How to Write an Ad The formula is very simple: you want to hire someone, and there's someone out there who wants the job you're offering. But how do you find that person? The first step is to get your message to the public. Hence, the want ad. Want ads are just that - ads that tell the public what you want. They usually appear in regional newspapers, but you can also place them in magazines or other local publications, and now on the Internet. You will need to decide when you want the ad to run, where it should appear, and the size of the ad. Each of these factors will affect the price. Regardless of the medium you choose, your message will essentially be the same. And - creating want ads is not only a good way to find employees, but also a great opportunity to advertise your company. The following are a few tips on writing a want ad: Get to the Point - Job Responsibilities. Be concise, but thorough. Make sure the person reading the ad knows exactly what you need in an employee and what the job entails. Before writing the actual ad, figure out what tasks the hired employee will do, as well as jobs that they may need to do in the future. If you are looking for someone who may be promoted quickly to a different position, keep those things in mind when listing desired traits. Once you have decided which tasks the prospective employee will do, write them out in order of importance in short phrases (ex: Shipping Clerk - Inventory, Mail Room, Ordering Supplies). Prioritize Skills. Everybody needs people with "excellent communication skills," or a "great work ethic." Determine and list the skills that are most important to the position, or to your particular work environment. If a good sense of humor is as important in your company as fast typing skills - say that. List the necessary skills in order of importance (ex.: well-organized, attention to detail, prompt). Experience. Make sure you mention any required education or experience. It's tempting to be vague here when you're willing to train the right person. But just coming out and saying the job requires an accounting degree and office experience will save you hours, days, even weeks of screening out unqualified people. Salary. Salary information is optional - however - if the salary is not high, listing it may save you a lot of time from interviewing people who require more money. Also, be clear if the job has potential for growth, as that is something that all job searchers are looking for. Some people are willing to take a lower salary in exchange for great experience. List the Interviewer as the Contact Person. Often times, the first phone contact with a candidate can tell you if that person is worth having in for an interview. Sell Yourself. Make no mistake about it - potential employees are interviewing you as much as you are them, especially in tight job markets. Want ads can be a great opportunity to sell your company to the public. Potential investors have been known to look at Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 50 of 95

51 English ENG4C Unit 3 Lesson 13 unusual places to find out information on a company. Are you a "new, dynamic company with a great future"? Let people know that. All in all - this is your time to shine. To tell people why they should work for you. Just remember, the general rule of thumb with writing want ads is - be honest. If you don't ask for what you want, chances are, you won't get it. Format and space allowances will vary depending on where you place your ad. But this example includes all the basics you'll need: ( How to write a want ad, The How-To Network: The Association of the United States Small Business Association, 2002, accessed 31 December, 2003.) Elements of Visual Media Point of view: From what position, camera angle, perspective, or vantage point was the visual created? For example, was the photographer close to or far from the subject? Whose point of view is being represented in the text? Subject: What is the central focus? Is the subject a specific case or does it represent a general idea? Framing: What is isolated in the visual test? What has been left out and why? What happened just before the event was captured? What will happen the moment after? Foreground: What is in the foreground? Is it in focus? How does it relate to the subject? Background: What is in the background? Is it in focus? How does it relate to the subject? Lighting and colour: Are light and colour used to highlight of focus the viewer s attention? Are they used to obscure some element in the visual text? Context: What is the location in time and space? What purpose(s) does it ser e? What other visual texts are presented along with this one? Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 51 of 95

52 English ENG4C Unit 3 Lesson 13 KEY QUESTION #52 Individual Research Activity - Terminology. Research the words and terminology for a specific profession that YOU wish to pursue Instructions: You must now choose a profession that you wish to pursue. This will be much easier if you choose a profession that you truly believe you can pursue. It can, however, be a dream job as well. Once you have chosen a profession, compose a list of ten words or phrases which some one in your chosen profession must be familiar with. Each word must be followed by a clear and coherent definition (and sketch) which explains its use. Use the format that follows for each word. Submit the completed list for evaluation. For example if you chose plumbing repair you would list such things as: pipe wrench, bulb type plunger, trap and drain auger (or snake), etc. And of course include detailed description or diagram of their use. Word: Definition: Sketch: Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 52 of 95

53 English ENG4C Unit 3 Lesson 13 Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 53 of 95

54 English ENG4C Unit 3 Lesson 13 KEY QUESTION #53 Complete the following questions about The Body Shop advertisement on the previous page. Submit for evaluation. VIEWING AN ADVERTISEMENT 1. DETERMINE WHAT ATTRACTED YOUR ATTENTION Rank the features of the advertisement in the order in which they caught your attention. Print 1 for first and 5 for last. caption/slogan colours/settings artwork/models text brand name/logo 2. FOCUS ON THE VISUAL APPEAL What was your first response to the ad? Indicate whether it was positive or negative. What overall effect does the artwork have on you? Does it cause shock, surprise, pleasure, anxiety, or something else? If people appear in the ad, complete a chart in your notes similar to this one: Identity Do you recognize the people? Or can you assume who they are? Why have they been chosen? Role What are the people doing? What is their purpose in the ad? Lifestyle Do the people suggest a particular lifestyle? What details reveal this? 3. FOCUS ON THE TEXT Are some words printed in bigger font than others? If so, why do you think this information appears in larger fonts? To which audience need, want, or fear does the ad appeal? How does the text claim the product or service will help address this need, want or fear? List any qualifying words that limit the claim. Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 54 of 95

55 English ENG4C Unit 3 Lesson CONSIDER THE SUB TEXT As suggested in the details of the ad, what does our society value or consider important. According to your experience, does the ad reflect reality? KEY QUESTION #54 Complete an outline for print or poster job advertisement. Use the following to guide you through the process. Answer these questions in your notebook and submit them for evaluation. Outline for Print Advertisement: When writing the job description, include the following information: 1. Provide a brief description of your company and the product and/or service it provides. List the benefits of working for your company - have you received any awards as a great place to work? If yes, list them. Sell your company! 2. Describe the general scope of the work the applicant will perform. Walk the applicant through a typical workday describing the duties he/she will perform. $ Describe any job responsibilities. $ Will the employee be managing a team? If yes, how large is the team? $ Describe your work environment and why an employee would want to work in that environment. $ Describe career advancement opportunities. Candidates want to know how their career can advance with your company. $ Describe company benefits and perks such as tuition reimbursement, free training, an outstanding benefits package, onsite daycare, an onsite gym, nearby walking trails, etc. Benefits and perks help separate your company from the competition and help you to attract the best candidates. 3. Describe the job requirements but only include "must have" skills. The more skills you list, the fewer candidates you will have applying to your job posting. If you can teach these "required" skills, you have just created job benefits (free training) and increased the number of good candidates that will apply to your job ad. Be very careful not to scare away great candidates by listing dozens of skills they may never use. 4. Include your contact information including , fax, telephone and snail mail. The more application options you provide to candidates, the more responses you will receive from your job ads. Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 55 of 95

56 English ENG4C Unit 3 Lesson 13 In summary, make your job advertisement a powerful marketing tool. Make your job ad exciting enough to be included in your company brochure. If you want the best candidates applying to your jobs then you must create job advertisements that both attract and sell candidates on the benefits of working for your company. Outline for Poster Advertisement 1. What job are you advertising? 2. What symbols or colors will you use? What mood do you wish to create? Why? 3. Who is your target audience? (males, females, young, middle aged, older?) 4. What will be the primary image in the foreground? The background? What is the context of the ad? 5. Sketch your idea. Remember that your final product must fit on a regular 81/2 x 11 inch sheet of paper. KEY QUESTION #55 Final Print or Poster Job Advertisement On at 8 ½ by 11 inch sheet of paper you shall complete you print or poster job advertisement. If a print version, it must be a minimum of 200 words in length and include which newspaper or magazine it would ideally appear in. If a poster version, it must be in colour and include pictures and text reflecting the same ideas as the samples in the above documents and advertise for a specific job or a profession in general. Use the samples above and notes as your guide. Furthermore incorporate at least five of your vocabulary words from your above list into your ad. Evaluation will be based on the rubrics on the following page. Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 56 of 95

57 English ENG4C Unit 3 Lesson 13 Rubric For Poster Advertisement Standard Level % Knowledge/ Understanding (Key terms are used from professional terminology list.) Thinking/ Inquiry (Profession is obvious, target audience identifiable.) Communication (Poster communicates intentions of job advertisement.) Application (Visual, text, and sub text work together as an effective advertisement.) Only 1 or 2 words are used with low level of success Profession advertised is vague, target audience is vague Advertisement objectives are not entirely clear and obvious Visual, text, and sub text work somewhat effectively Level % 2 or 3 words are used with moderate success Profession advertised is identifiable, target audience is identifiable Advertisement objectives are somewhat clear and obvious Visual, text, and sub text work with moderate effectiveness Level % 3 or 4 words are used with good level of success Profession advertised is clear, target audience is clear Advertisement objectives are very clear and obvious Visual, text, and sub text work well together and are effective Level % Five words or more are used in a creative and effective manner Profession advertised is clear and developed, target audience obvious Advertisement objectives are lucid, clear, obvious, and presented creatively. All elements work superbly and are very effective Rubric for Print Advertisement Standard Level % Knowledge and Understanding (Content: All six of these must be addressed: 1.)description of company and services, 2.) benefits of the company, 3.) scope of work expected to be performed, 4.) work environment, 5.) job requirements, and 6.) contact information. Communication (Organization) Application (Word choice and mechanics) Fewer than three elements are addressed. Target audience is difficult to determine, visual organization does not demonstrate audience awareness, no evidence of deliberate choices in font, size or newspaper/magazine target group. Chosen vocabulary shows no analysis of audience, poor appearance, over 6 minor (1-3 major) usage, punctuation or spelling errors. Level % Only 3-4 elements are addressed. Target audience can deduced by the setup and presentations, visual organization only somewhat points to audience awareness, little evidence of deliberate choices in font, size or newspaper/magazine target group. Chosen vocabulary shows little analysis of audience, somewhat appropriate appearance, 4-6 minor (1-2 major) usage, punctuation or spelling errors. Level % Only 4-5 elements are addressed. Target audience is clear from setup of poster, visual organization points to some audience awareness, there is evidence of deliberate choices in font, size or newspaper/magazine target group. Chosen vocabulary shows good analysis of audience, appropriate appearance, 1-3 minor usage, punctuation or spelling errors. Level % All six elements are addressed. Target audience is obvious from setup of poster, visual organization shows very good audience awareness, there is evidence of deliberate choices in font, size or newspaper/magazine target group. Chosen vocabulary shows excellent analysis of audience, fluid and appropriate appearance, no major usage, punctuation or spelling errors. Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 57 of 95

58 English ENG4C Unit 3 Lesson 13 Next Steps: Now that you have completed the section on how employers advertise for positions and explored the vocabulary for a specific profession, now you can apply for a job. The focus of the next lesson will be finding a job in the world of work, resume writing and a letter of application for a job to which you aspire or for which you are truly qualified. Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 58 of 95

59 ENG4C GRADE 12 - COLLEGE PREPARATION Lesson 14

60 English ENG4C Unit 3 Lesson 14 LESSON 14 - GETTING THE JOB YOU WANT The focus of this unit is to get that job you have always wanted. We will begin this unit by reading parts of a chapter from Richard Nelson s 1995 book What Colour Is Your Parachute? A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters & Career-Changers. The chapter we will explore is called Rejection shock. After some questions and responses to parts of this article you shall examine résumés and cover letters. Finally you will create your own resume and cover letter of application to a job for which you are truly qualified. Key Questions: Key Question #56 View and respond to questions about the visual entitled the 12 rules of hiring and firing. Key Question #57 Reading activity: Read the article entitled Rejection Shock and respond to the questions. Key Question #58 Outline your own résumé and cover letter using the template provided. Key Question #59 Complete your final résumé and cover letter. Evaluation Overview: Key Question # Activity Assessment Area Marks 56 Journal Thinking/Inquiry Rejection Shock Knowledge/Understanding Outline Communications Final Resume Application 30 Total 105 Expectations: LI1.01 LI1.02 LI3.03 LI3.04 analyse and assess ideas, issues, and explicit and implicit information in texts (e.g., assess information from a research report to write an executive summary; explain how separate incidents, characters, or elements in a novel work together to communicate the main theme); select and use specific and significant evidence from texts to support judgements and arguments (e.g., support an argument, using convincing examples from texts and research materials; support an interpretation of a character with specific reference to the dialogue in a play); analyse the effect of authors choices of language, syntax, and rhetorical and literary devices on the reader by examining their own and others responses to the style of texts; explain how authors and editors use design elements to organize content and communicate ideas (e.g., assess the effectiveness of the graphic design used to present information in a flowchart; write a letter to the pub- Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 60 of 95

61 English ENG4C Unit 3 Lesson 14 WR1.02 WR2.01 WR2.02 WR4.01 WR4.02 WR4.03 lisher of a play making recommendations about how to reformat the text of the second edition). organize and analyse the information, ideas, and sources to suit specific forms and purposes for writing (e.g., categorize information from a variety of sources to clarify divergent positions on an issue; use suggestions from peer discussion in assessing alternative opinions or ideas for an independent study project); select and use appropriate forms to produce written work for specific audiences and purposes, with an emphasis on research reports, summaries, short analytical essays, and scripts (e.g., use a step-by-step procedure to write and illustrate an instructional pamphlet about snowboard safety; compile a class anthology of short analytical essays as models for next year s class); select and use a level of language and a voice appropriate to the specific purpose and intended audience of business and technical communications and expressive writing (e.g., rewrite a section of a technical manual in plain language to create a brochure for a general audience; draft an oral report for an independent study project using specialized vocabulary and aiming at an engaging style). revise drafts to strengthen content and improve organization by adding relevant details and examples, reordering ideas, and strengthening connections (e.g., group relevant information to support key ideas in a short analytical essay; create headings and subheadings to indicate general and specific points in a report); revise drafts to improve precision and clarity of expression (e.g., replace vague expressions in a consumer report with precise technical terms; use feedback from a peer conference to identify transition words and phrases to link ideas); revise drafts to ensure an effective style (e.g., use checklists or rubrics to assess the effectiveness of word choice, sentence construction, and rhetorical devices in a report; examine writing for consistent use of inclusive and anti-discriminatory language; read an essay or narrative aloud to check that diction and style are appropriate to the topic and audience); Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 61 of 95

62 English ENG4C Unit 3 Lesson 14 KEY QUESTION #56 Examine the diagram on the following page and complete the journal response for evaluation. Write your journal response to the following questions: 1. Which of the rules do you agree with the most either from your personal beliefs or from experience? Explain using personal examples. 2. Which one of the rules do you have the most problems with? Explain why. 3. The author states that these are rules about hiring and firing. Do you believe this to be true? Or do you think that some of these are biased or simply untrue? Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 62 of 95

63 English ENG4C Unit 3 Lesson 14 THE TWELVE RULES ABOUT HIRING AND FIRING 4 Your employers may lay you off, or fire you, anytime they want to. They may do this because they have run out of money, and can t afford you anymore. They may do this because they have to decrease the size of their business, or are going out of business. They may do this because they find your skills do not match the work that they need to be done. Or they may do this because they have a personality conflict with you. 6 Your employers may fire you, or lay you off, with out any warning or much notice at all to you, dumping you unceremoniously out on the street. 1 Nobody owes you a job. 2 You have to fight to get a job. ( Fight means persevere, use ingenuity, compete ) 3 You have to fight to keep a job. Loyalty, years of service, or personal friendship with the boss, do not in any way guarantee you a job at that place for the rest of your life. 8 If you are fired, your former employer may do everything in the world to help you find other employment, or may do nothing. 5 You may quit anytime you want to. 10 As you look back, you may feel that your employers treated you very well, in accordance with their stated values or you may feel that your employers treated you very badly, in total contradiction of their stated values. 7 You may quit without any warning or much notice to your employer, leaving them high and dry. 11 If you were the only one who was fired or let go, the other employees ay promise they will fight to save your job, but you need to be prepared for the fact that when the chips are down, they may actually do nothing to help you. You will feel very alone. 9 If you quit, you may do everything you can to help your employer find a suitable replacement, or you may do nothing. 12 Nonetheless, you remain a rare and unique individual, no matter how the world of work treats you. Your worth is not defined simply by your work, but your spirit, your heart, and your compassion towards others. (Diagram taken from: Bolles, Richard Nelson. Rejection Shock in Echoes. Oxford University Press: Toronto, 2001.) Copyright 2004, Durham Continuing Education Page 63 of 95