When her school hosted an international YL conference, students aged 11–18 wrote handwritten welcome letters to the 54 delegates (from 120+ entries, with A2, B1 and B2 models). Delegates wrote back.
Design
- One adaptable lesson plan with three model letters (A2, B1, B2).
- Run in class and as a city-wide competition including state-school students.
- Teachers select one letter per delegate; letters handed over on arrival.
Limits
A one-off event; sorting 120+ entries was heavy work; no outcome data beyond replies.
Principle (Claude)
A real reader turns a format exercise into communication (task authenticity in TBLT terms; relatedness in SDT terms). Cheap local versions: KET/PET email tasks sent to a partner class, a visiting teacher, or parents, who must reply.
Connections
Rewards undermine interest in the rewarded activity · Feedback on content - make the writer feel read