📘 RENCANA PEMBELAJARAN SEMESTER (RPS) :Course Title: Basic Correspondence

 

📘 RENCANA PEMBELAJARAN SEMESTER (RPS)

Course Title: Basic Correspondence

Program: English Department
Level: Undergraduate (Semester 2 or 3)
Credit: 3 SKS
Semester: 16 meetings
Prerequisite: English Grammar and Writing Skills
Language of Instruction: English
Lecturer: (to be filled)

1. Course Description

This course introduces students to the principles, formats, and language used in basic business and formal correspondence in English. It emphasizes clarity, politeness, and appropriateness in professional communication. Students learn to write various types of letters and emails used in academic, business, and organizational contexts.

2. Learning Outcomes

After completing this course, students are expected to be able to:

1. Demonstrate understanding of the structure, tone, and style of formal and informal correspondence.
2. Write clear, polite, and coherent business and academic letters or emails.
3. Apply appropriate vocabulary, register, and grammar in different correspondence contexts.
4. Use digital tools and email etiquette for effective professional communication.

3. Course Learning Matrix (Weekly Breakdown)

Week	Topics / Subtopics	Learning Outcomes (Sub-CLOs)	Learning Activities & Methods	Learning Materials / Media	Assessment / Evaluation
1	Course Orientation & Introduction to Correspondence	Identify types and purposes of correspondence	Lecture, discussion	PowerPoint, syllabus	Attendance, participation
2	Parts and Layout of Letters (Block, Semi-block, Full-block)	Understand letter formats and layout conventions	Lecture, demonstration, practice	Samples of business letters	Quiz on parts of a letter
3	Language Features of Business Correspondence (Tone, Style, Formality)	Analyze appropriate tone and formality levels	Lecture, pair work	Examples of formal/informal letters	Short written exercise
4	Writing Basic Inquiry Letters	Compose an inquiry letter using appropriate format	Guided writing, peer review	Templates, model texts	Written assignment 1
5	Replying to Inquiries and Providing Information	Write responses to inquiries politely and clearly	Simulation, group work	Example correspondences	Peer feedback
6	Orders and Acknowledgment Letters	Produce order letters and replies correctly	Group discussion, practice writing	Model letters, company contexts	Written assignment 2
7	Complaint and Adjustment Letters	Write letters of complaint and suitable replies	Case study, problem-solving	Real company examples	Quiz on correspondence types
8	Mid-Term Review and Test	Apply all skills learned so far	Review session, test	Summary materials	Mid-Term Exam
9	Application and Cover Letters	Write letters of application and resumes	Lecture, individual writing task	Job vacancy ads, samples	Draft of cover letter
10	Recommendation and Reference Letters	Write formal recommendation/reference letters	Lecture, role-play	Academic/business samples	Peer evaluation
11	Invitation and Acceptance/Decline Letters	Compose invitations and replies using formal tone	Group practice	Formal invitation examples	Written assignment 3
12	Email Correspondence and Netiquette	Apply email format and etiquette for business context	Simulation, digital tools	Gmail interface, email templates	Online email writing task
13	Memo and Short Internal Messages	Write memos and internal messages	Practice writing	Memo templates	Short quiz
14	Modern Business Communication: WhatsApp, LinkedIn, and E-Correspondence	Recognize professionalism in digital correspondence	Discussion, case study	Screenshots, online examples	Discussion report
15	Integrated Task: Correspondence Project (Simulation)	Demonstrate all correspondence skills in a project	Group simulation (company scenario)	Compilation of all letter types	Group project report
16	Final Presentation and Course Reflection	Present final correspondence project and self-reflect	Presentation, feedback	Students’ projects	Final Exam / Project Presentation

4. Teaching and Learning Methods

• Lectures and discussions
• Demonstrations and writing practice
• Peer and group work
• Case studies and simulations
• Online correspondence tasks (email, LinkedIn, etc.)

5. Assessment Scheme

Component	Weight (%)
Attendance and Participation	10%
Assignments / Writing Tasks	25%
Quizzes	10%
Mid-Term Exam	20%
Final Project / Presentation	25%
Professional Attitude	10%

6. References

Main References:

• Ashley, A. (2018). Oxford Handbook of Commercial Correspondence. Oxford University Press.
• Guffey, M. E., & Loewy, D. (2020). Essentials of Business Communication. Cengage Learning.

Additional References:

• Murphy, R. (2019). English Grammar in Use. Cambridge University Press.
• Cotton, D., Falvey, D., & Kent, S. (2017). Market Leader: Business Correspondence. Pearson Education.
• Online business correspondence resources (BBC Learning English, Grammarly blog, LinkedIn Learning).

7. Graduate Attributes Supported

• Communication Skills
• Professional Ethics and Attitude
• ICT Literacy
• Critical Thinking and Collaboration

Detailed Lesson Plan — Meeting 5 :Course: Secretaryship

 

Detailed Lesson Plan — Meeting 5

Course: Secretaryship

Department: English Education / English Department

Meeting: 5 (Week 5 of 16)

Topic: Business Correspondence — Email and Letter Writing

Approach: Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL)

Duration: 2 x 50 minutes

Language of Instruction: English

1. Learning Objectives

By the end of this meeting, students are able to:

1. Identify the structure and language features of professional emails and letters.
2. Formulate guiding questions about what makes business correspondence effective.
3. Analyze authentic examples of business correspondence in English.
4. Write a short formal email using correct tone, format, and vocabulary.
5. Reflect on the importance of politeness and clarity in secretarial communication.

2. Expected Learning Outcomes

CLO	Description	Indicators
CLO1	Demonstrate professional communication skills in English	Students use formal tone, accurate expressions, and correct structure in written correspondence.
CLO4	Create professional office documents in English	Students produce a well-written email following professional conventions.

3. Learning Model: Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL)

IBL Stages:

1. Orientation (engage curiosity)
2. Question Formulation (students ask “why/how” questions)
3. Investigation (explore examples, collect information)
4. Analysis & Discussion (interpret findings)
5. Conclusion & Reflection (draw insights and apply skills)

4. Learning Activities

Phase	Time	Lecturer’s Role	Students’ Activities	Tools / Media
1. Orientation / Engagement	10 min	Greet students, show a real example of a business email (projected). Ask: “What do you notice?”	Students share first impressions: tone, format, politeness, purpose.	PowerPoint / sample email screenshot
2. Question Formulation	10 min	Guide students to generate questions about effective business emails. Example prompts: “What makes this email polite?”, “What phrases are formal?”	Students list 3–5 questions in small groups.	Whiteboard / Padlet
3. Investigation (Exploration)	25 min	Provide 2–3 authentic business emails (good & bad examples). Ask students to investigate: format, tone, opening/closing, vocabulary.	In groups, students analyze and highlight differences.	Printed/email samples
4. Analysis & Discussion	20 min	Facilitate class discussion. Ask groups to share findings and summarize common features of good correspondence.	Students compare results and create a checklist of “Rules for Effective Emails.”	Discussion board / notes
5. Application (Practice)	25 min	Give task: “Write a short email to your supervisor confirming a meeting schedule.” Provide guidelines (recipient, tone, word count).	Students draft emails individually, then peer-review each other’s writing using checklist.	Laptop / notebook
6. Conclusion & Reflection	10 min	Summarize the structure of business emails: Subject, Greeting, Opening, Body, Closing, Signature. Highlight the importance of clarity and politeness.	Students reflect: “What did I learn about professional communication today?”	Reflection form

5. Assessment

Component	Criteria	Weight
Group inquiry participation	Active questioning and idea sharing	20%
Email analysis report	Identification of features, accuracy	30%
Individual email writing	Format, tone, clarity, grammar	40%
Reflection note	Insight and language	10%

6. Learning Materials

• Sample business emails:
• Good Example: Confirmation of Meeting
• Poor Example: Informal or unclear tone
• Expressions for Business Correspondence:
• Opening: I am writing to inform you that...
• Request: Could you please confirm...
• Closing: I look forward to your response.
• PowerPoint slides: “Structure and Style of Business Correspondence”

7. Teaching Aids / Media

• Laptop & projector
• Google Docs or Padlet (for collaborative writing)
• Printed worksheets (sample letters/emails)

8. Reflection and Follow-up

• Reflection Question: What makes written communication in English different from Indonesian business writing?
• Homework:
  Write a formal apology email for rescheduling a meeting due to a sudden conflict.
  (Word limit: 120–150 words; submission next week.)

9. Teacher Notes

• Use English as the main language during instruction, but allow brief clarification in Bahasa Indonesia if needed.
• Encourage critical questioning and discovery rather than direct lecturing — let students notice the “rules” of good correspondence through comparison and discussion.
• Link the topic to real secretary duties: emphasize how accuracy and tone can influence company image.