The topic explained
Period 6 / Writing skills; Period 7 / Writing
Period 6 / Writing skills
- the importance of belonging and fitting in (or not fitting in)
- online communities
- verb to noun changes (verbs ending in -y)
- understanding idioms and proverbs
- sentence linking phrases
- writing notices
- writing a community welcome page
Starting an online community and writing a notice
There are community-building systems on the Internet, many of them free, offering tools that you can use in building your community. Here is a list of the steps you need to take.
- Attract members.
- Build the site.
- Watch it grow!
- Think about which Internet tools would serve your purpose and audience.
- Decide on your community’s purpose.
- Identify your target audience (the people who might want to use the site).
| NOTICE! | NEW MUSIC CLUB |
|---|---|
| We are trying to start a new club for people who are interested in music because we’re sure there are lots of other students who would enjoy this. Would you like to join us? | STARTING SOON Can you play an instrument, or do you just enjoy listening to music? Why not join our new music club? Everyone is welcome! For more detail contact Nuria (07131 498752) |
- Give it an attractive title.
- Keep it short (it doesn’t have to be in sentences).
- Remember to add a way of contacting you.
Read the beginning of an article about online communities. Put the steps in the correct order. Number them 1–6.
Discuss the following in pairs or small groups.
You would like to set up an online community. Following the first two steps from the article in Activity 1, discuss ideas about the purpose and the target audience. Think about these points.
Read the two notices. Then decide which one is best, and why.
Write a notice.
You need some help setting up your community from someone who knows about computer programming. Write a notice explaining the idea and asking for helpers.
Period 7 / Writing
Planning and writing a community welcome page
You now have enough people interested in your idea for an online community.
- Welcome visitors to the site.
- Explain the idea of the community.
- Say what members can do.
- Invite people to join you.
Discuss the questions in small groups.
What should the site look like, and what should it include?
What pictures could you put on the home page?
Apart from a home page, what other areas are needed? Choose four or five from this list (or any other ideas you have).
Add your chosen areas to the ‘screen’ below.
Write a welcome page.
Write two or three paragraphs for the ‘About us’ area of the community website.
Compare your work.
When you have finished writing, compare what you have written with the other members of your group. Decide on the best ideas and put them together in a final version.
