Email Etiquette for Middle School Students: Essential Skills for Effective Communication

Email communication has become an essential part of our daily lives. For middle school students, learning how to communicate effectively with their teachers and other adults via email is a vital skill that will prepare them for future success. In this blog post, we will discuss the importance of proper email etiquette and provide a no-prep activity for educators to help students develop this essential skill.

No-Prep Activity: The Email Clinic

This activity requires no preparation or materials from the educator. The goal of the Email Clinic is to help students practice writing polite, clear, and well-structured emails to their teachers.

1. Divide the students into pairs. Each student will take turns playing the role of the teacher and the student.
2. Ask the “student” to think of a situation that would require them to email their teacher. For example, they might need help with a homework assignment, clarification about a due date, or information about an upcoming event.
3. Give the “student” a few minutes to write an email to their “teacher” using proper email etiquette. Remind them to include a greeting, a clear explanation of the reason for their email, and a closing with their first and last name.
4. Once the email is written, the “teacher” should read the email and provide feedback on the politeness, clarity, and structure of the message. They can also offer suggestions for improvement.
5. After the feedback is given, the students should switch roles and repeat the process.

Discussion Questions

1. Why is it important to use proper email etiquette when communicating with teachers and other adults?
2. What are some potential consequences of sending an email with poor etiquette?
3. How does the tone of an email affect the way the message is received by the recipient?
4. What are some strategies for ensuring that your email is polite and clear?
5. How can practicing email etiquette now help you in the future?

Related Skills

Developing proper email etiquette is just one aspect of effective communication. Other related skills that students should learn include:

• Active listening: Being able to listen attentively and understand the message being conveyed by others.
• Nonverbal communication: Understanding body language, facial expressions, and other nonverbal cues to gauge the emotions and intentions of others.
• Conflict resolution: Learning how to address disagreements and find solutions that benefit all parties involved.
• Empathy: Developing the ability to put oneself in another person’s shoes and understand their feelings and perspectives.

Next Steps

Teaching students proper email etiquette is an important step in preparing them for future success. To help educators further develop their students’ communication skills, we encourage you to sign up for free samples of our skill-building materials and resources at Everyday Speech.