Unit C

Sections: Introducing Advice Columns Writing Letters Seeking Advice Oral Linking Activity

Writing Letters Giving Advice Extension Activity: Video Creating an Advice Column

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54 Part 2: Unit C Advice Columns

Advice Columns

1. Introduction

In this unit, students will learn about letters seeking advice and letters giving advice which could be found in an advice column suitable for a teenage reader. In groups, they will design an advice column including four letters to seek advice and four reply letters offering advice. Students will have the option of using their letters in a podcast.

2. Objectives

• Establish what advice columns are and the part they play in popular culture

• Analyse the structure of letters in advice columns

• Analyse the language of letters in advice columns

• Plan and write letters seeking advice

• Plan and write letters offering advice

• Design and write an advice column in a group or produce a podcast on giving advice

• Assess an advice column or podcast and provide feedback to another group

3. Prior Knowledge/Learning

• Knowledge of conventions for letter writing

• Familiarity with language features such as using modal verbs in giving advice, and alliteration, for emphasis in headings and names

• Knowledge of conventions of podcasts

• Familiarity with podcasting technology

4. Overview of Activities

1. Introducing Advice Columns Understand what advice columns are, where they are found, what information they contain and the part they play in popular culture.

2. Writing Letters Seeking Advice Analyse typical language structures and the overall structure of a letter seeking advice in a typical advice column.

Write letters seeking advice.

3. Oral Linking Activity Practise seeking and giving advice through an oral activity.

4. Writing Letters Offering Advice Analyse typical language structures and the overall structure of a letter giving advice in a typical advice column.

Write letters giving advice.

5. Extension Activity: Video Practise seeking and giving advice through a listening activity.

6. Creating an Advice Column – Option 1

Create an advice column which could be found in a magazine suitable for teenage readers.

7. Creating an Advice Column

– Option 2 Record an advice column as a podcast.

Introducing Advice Columns

In this section, students:

1) become aware of what advice columns are and the function of advice columns;

2) identify various places where advice columns can be found; and 3) analyse language and structural features of advice columns.

56 Part 2: Unit C Advice Columns

Teacher Tips: Advice Columns

Advice columns have been part of popular culture for more than a century.

They mirror various aspects of popular culture at any given time. The fact that people can ask for advice anonymously from others about situations they may not like to discuss with people they know has made them popular.

There are different types of advice columns for different people on different subjects. Typically advice columns focus on relationships, dating, etiquette, money, work, health, computers and parenting.

Advice columns share various features.

• Letters seeking advice are usually anonymous. Advice columnists are often women, although some men also write columns. The writer asking for advice normally uses a pseudonym as does the column writer. The column writer is commonly known as an ‘agony aunt’ or ‘agony uncle’.

‘Ann Landers’ and ‘Dear Abby’ have been well-known columnists.

• Although the problems are related to the person who wrote the question, they are often universal in nature so they attract other readers who can relate to the problem too.

• They also share a similar structure and some language features.

Advice columns make readers feel that they can take part in their favourite newspapers or magazines, and columns are popular in lifestyle sections of these publications. Asking for advice and seeking replies is now also popular on Internet websites.

Advice columns remain popular and have adapted to the changing needs of the times and people. If you look at examples over many years, you can see that the columns reflect how society’s attitudes have changed over time, e.g. attitudes to sex and marriage are often different now from 50 years ago.

Advice columns therefore make an important contribution to popular culture.

Probably the most easily obtainable columns suitable for students are in the Young Post section of the South China Morning Post. Others can be found on the Internet.

The purpose of the following Think, Pair, Share activity is for students to start thinking about advice columns and the types of columns available and where columns can be found. If possible, students should also look at common language and structural features.

The purpose for Worksheet 2C.1: Matching Topics is to familiarise students with common topics in advice columns.

Suggested Procedures

1. Ask students to bring two examples of advice letters to class from newspapers, magazines or downloaded from the Internet. Have a supply of advice letters collected from various media sources that can be used in class as extra resources.

2. Using a Think, Pair, Share model (see appendix) students Think: Students review their letters to see:

• where the advice columns are from;

• what sort of problems are in the advice columns; and

• similarities between the letters in terms of structure or language, such as the length, use of modals, imperatives, common phrases offering suggestions, e.g.

Have you thought of…, How about…

Pair: Students share their findings with their partner.

Share: Students share their thoughts with the class.

Worksheet 2C.1:

Matching Topics

Matching Topics

RNCT, NET Section, EDB, HKSAR Worksheet 2C.1: Matching Topics 3. __

I keep hearing a lot about organic food. Do you think…

4. __

I know accessories can make or break my look, so what do you…

5. __

I can’t decide whether to buy the XOP2 or the SK7 tablet. The XOP2 is more up-to-date but the other is cheaper…

1. __

Sitting at your desk every day is great for your exam results perhaps, but remember to get regular exercise…

2. __

I thought this girl was my best friend – we have been friends for a year now – but I heard…

Advice columns can focus on problems such as:

a. relationships b. sex c. etiquette d. health e. diet f. computers/gadgets g. fashion

What do you think the problems are in the following excerpts from letters?

Match the letters, a, b, c, etc, to the following numbered excerpts.

58 Part 2: Unit C Advice Columns