Aoril, 2017
How t o ef f ect ively com m u n icat e
w it h you r t each er s an d ot h er s
Blizzard bags. Online classes.
Deadlines. Unforeseen
circumstances. These are just
some of the reasons students
need to reach out to their teachers
using email. And like everything
else, there is a right way and an
incorrect way to do so. Learning to
do it correctly while in high school
will serve students well once they
graduate. In college and at work
knowing how to communicate with
supervisors or professors is an
important soft skill to master.
Lan gu age r egist er s
It's important to realize that
languages have different registers,
or styles. Ranging from frozen to
intimate, there are 5 styles we use
and we need to be aware of them
so we use the correct style in the
right situation. Here they are:
1. Fr ozen Regist er : This is
language that remains fixed or
unchanged. Some examples are
the Preamble to the Constitution,
Pledge of Allegiance, Lord's Prayer.
2. For m al/ Academ ic Regist er :
Interviews, academic language in
classroom (lectures,
instruction? mini-lessons), public
speaking.
3. Con su lt at ive Regist er :
Instruction? mini-lessons), public
speaking Counselor (asking for
assistance). For instance:
Communications between a
supervisor and subordinate, doctor
and patient, teacher and student.
Chardon High School Learning Center
4. Casu al (In f or m al) Regist er :
Talking with friends, slang (writing
drafts should allow casual before
the formal draft because it ?gets
the information out? on the paper)
5. In t im at e Regist er : Reserved for
family members, husband and
wife, siblings and parent and child.
Th e Un iver sal Ru le: A person can
go from one register to the next
register without any conflicts
whatsoever (casual to
consultative? ); however, if a
person goes from one register to
another register, skipping a level or
more, this is considered anti-social
behavior (i.e. moving from frozen
to intimate, etc. marks a difference
between a public voice and private
voice).
You w an t t o m ak e a
good im pr ession ,
especially if you ar e
ask in g f or a f avor .
How t o em ail t each er s
When writing your teacher there
are several things to keep in mind
beginning with the subject line.
Teachers receive several emails a
day. The subject line must be clear
and include information like the
name of the class, class period, and
title of the assignment. Next,
address the teacher formally. Begin
with "Dear Mr. Smith", or "Hello Mr.
Smith".
Issue 19
In the body of the message,
remember to use proper English.
Your message should be
well-written and use correct
grammar. You want to make a
good impression, especially if you
are asking for a favor.
Be direct and to-the-point.
Teachers are busy people and
don't have time to read long
messages. Be respectful and keep
it short.
Finally, thank your teacher and
end in a formal way. Use a
complimentary close like "Thank
you," "Your student," or
"Sincerely,".
Be patient while waiting for a
reply. Most teachers will respond
quickly, but in case they are busy
and don't get back to you with an
answer be proactive. Try to figure
out what you need on your own.
If that isn't possible, send a
follow-up email acknowledging
the first email, and explaining
why you need a response. As
always, be brief and polite.
It's a good idea to thank your
teacher for their help. Simply
writing "Thank you" will show
your teacher that you appreciate
them and the help they gave you.
Welcome
Spring