Introduction to Transactional Writing

This lesson introduces students to the concept and forms of transactional writing, emphasising its relevance in real-life contexts such as running or promoting a business (e.g., a hotel). Through interactive activities, students explore different types of transactional texts, including brochures, speeches, reviews, newspaper articles, and reports.

Lesson Objectives:

• Understand the concept and importance of transactional writing.
• Identify the form, conventions, purpose, audience, and tone in various transactional writing tasks.
• Practise creating appropriate content based on these elements.

Activities:

• Students work in groups to design their own “dream hotel” and brainstorm the types of transactional writing necessary for its operation and marketing.
• Groups are assigned specific writing tasks (e.g., brochures, reviews) and must determine the format, purpose, audience, and tone before presenting their ideas.
• Exercises include adapting the tone of a letter of complaint to demonstrate the impact of language choice.

Skills Developed:

• Critical thinking in evaluating the form and tone suitable for different audiences.
• Collaboration through group work and brainstorming sessions.
• Practical application of writing conventions in structured formats.

This lesson is ideal for engaging students in transactional writing and helping them connect classroom skills with real-world scenarios.