Using Model Texts

Purpose: To help learners better understand features and language of a writing task they will be attempting

Some activities using model texts

• Label the different parts of the model. For example, if you are working with business letters, learners would label the addresses of the sender and receiver, the date, the greeting, the closing, the signature, the name typed out and any abbreviations used at the bottom.
• Match standard phrases used in the letter to their meanings, which you have written below the model text. An example of a standard phrase is “Please do not hesitate to contact me …”, for which you might write, “It is ok to write or phone the person who sent the letter.”
• Compare a successful version of that writing task to an unsuccessful version. For example, you might choose a good business letter and compare it to one that is too informal or poorly organized.
• Fill-in-the-blanks
• Learners put paragraphs or sentences from the text in the correct order.
• Learners discuss the purpose of paragraphs or sentences.
• Learners highlight sentences or paragraphs with different colors to denote their function.
• Learners copy the model (shorter text) into their notebooks, substituting their personal information for the given information in the text.