Discuss the important components of a letter. Formal letters require a variety of components that are not contained in most informal written communications, such as emails and text messages. Instruct your students on the anatomy of a letter, including the return address, sender's address and title, date, salutation, body and closing. Many students, particularly young students, may be unfamiliar with the various formalities included in such letters.
Discuss and show examples of different types of letters. Within the broad category of a formal business letter are a variety of types of letters based on their intended purpose. For example, students may one day need to know how to write a letter of recommendation, a formal complaint letter, a cover letter for a job application, a thank you letter and various other types. Show students examples so they can better distinguish the various functions and styles.
Have the students write letters. One of the most effective ways to teach students how to write letters is to give them hands-on experience by having them write various types of letters. Have the students write letters to each other for peer critique or have them submitted directly to the instructor.
Evaluate the letters, pointing out areas that need improvement as well as things done well. Once students have written their letters, take the time to go through the positives and negatives of a few examples. It isn't necessarily crucial to go through each individual student's letter; rather, selecting a few instructive examples can be just as effective.