Activities for a Business Writing Class

• Proper business correspondance needs structure and correct formatting. Tooga/Digital Vision/Getty Images

  A business writing class is a powerful tool for coping with the professional world for nearly any student regardless of their major. Learning business writing, whether you are sending out a letter to a prospective client, composing a press release or simply crafting a memo for your boss, will be an asset. To function in the business world, you will need to learn the grammar rules of the business world.

Business Letter

• A basic business letter is a crucial tool regardless of what facet of business you end up in. Whether you are in marketing and advertising and are sending a letter to plan a function, a musician looking to book a prestigious venue or a lawyer requesting a meeting, knowing how to properly and formally present a business letter will be key. Ask each student to choose a dream career path. Assign them a situation associated with that choice, such as the examples above, to craft a business letter in response to. For an added touch of fun, pair up students and have them write letters to each other regarding a business collaboration. Have the students help the teacher rate each others' letters.

Resume

• Resumes and cover letters can seem a daunting task to those unfamiliar with the format. Knowing how to properly construct these interview and job hunting staples will prove widely beneficial and useful. Have the students draft a resume to reflect their current experience. Where a college degree would be mentioned, they can write: "B.S. in Biology, Degree expected May 2011." This line can be easily changed when they earn their degrees. Have each student find a job in the Classifieds that they would be interested in and ask them to craft a cover letter to complement their resume to the employer. Assign other students to play the employer in a role playing activity and set up mock interviews fueled by the resumes and cover letters.

Email

• Emails are more frequently replacing post mail and office memos as the quick and convenient communication choice. Since email is so convenient, and likewise frequent, the language of an email is vulnerable to becoming sloppy and overly casual. Ask students to bring in several of their personal emails sent to friends and family members. Task them to rewrite the messages following proper business email etiquette rules and standards. This will help reinforce the importance of proper business communication tones as well as give them examples of proper email correspondence.