Prewriting to Find the Right Opportunity

Name of opportunity:

Three reasons why you're a good fit:

Choose an opportunity or job for your response.

Is there an organization or a group that offers an opportunity that interests you? Are you a good candidate for this opportunity? Search for a job or other opportunity you would like to apply for. Record the key details about the opportunity. As an alternative, take a picture or photocopy the announcement.

Teaching Tip

The legal age for employment in the United States is 14, so some of your students may not yet be old enough to apply for a job. As an alternative, have them seek opportunities for volunteer work or specialty camps for academics, music, or sports.

Prewriting to Gather and Organize Details

An effective letter of application is well planned. You must decide what to say and organize the details in a way that will convince your reader to grant your request.

Step 1  Identify what you are applying for (for example, a position as a volunteer or an opening at a camp) and what you know about it.

Step 2  List important information about yourself, including your age, grade level, skills, and interests.

Step 3  Tell why you are a good match for the opportunity. (Give at least three reasons.)

Prewriting to Review the Parts of a Business Letter

A letter of application is a type of business letter. It includes the following parts:

1. Heading The heading includes your address and the date you wrote the letter. Write the heading in the upper left-hand corner.
2. Inside Address The inside address gives the reader’s name and address.
3. Salutation The salutation is the way you politely say hello to the receiver of your letter. It usually begins with the word “Dear” and is followed by the person’s title and last name and a colon.
4. Body The body of the letter contains the thoughts and ideas you want to share. Include one main idea in each paragraph to make your letter clear and easy to read. Skip a line between each paragraph of the body. Do not indent the paragraphs.
5. Closing The closing is the way to say good-bye politely. Skip a line and write the closing below the last paragraph. “Sincerely” and “Sincerely yours” are common closings. Capitalize only the first word. Follow the closing with a comma.
6. Signature The signature is the last part of the letter. Write it below the closing. Use both your first and last names. Leave four spaces after the closing, then type your name. (Write your signature between the closing and the typed name.)

1. Heading: Write your mailing address and the current date on three separate lines.
2. Inside Address: Write the inside address of the name, organization title, and address of your reader.
3. Salutation: Write your polite greeting to the reader, beginning with the word "Dear."