How often do I get an email from students, including my college students, that has no subject line at all? Or something that does not help me to prioritize the email? I am sure like me, this drives you nuts. These blank or unclear subject lines are a clear indicator that the art of email communication needs to be taught. When you explicitly teach email composition skills you are helping students to better communicate in what is honestly a tricky medium to navigate. We all need to send emails, almost daily, knowing how to do it well is important.
Email is a Unique Type of Communication
Email occupies a unique, sometimes intimidating space between a quick text and a formal letter. While it feels more informal than a printed document, it cannot be treated with the same casualness as a text message. When a student communicates with a boss, a colleague, or a teacher, the message requires more reverence than when texting a friend.
To be honest, this is a hard skill to master. Most people have sat there staring at a draft for an hour, carefully choosing words and second-guessing the tone. Because it is a middle ground medium, it requires a level of care that has to be explicitly taught. As teachers, we should lean into this by using email as an authentic medium for assignments. The primary purpose of an email is to communicate, and that starts with understanding how a message is structured, which is a significant shift from the way students approach other assignment mediums.
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Assignment Medium Choices
As teachers, we have many medium choices when we assign students work: paper, digital quizzes, spreadsheets, video, audio recordings, or creative designs in Canva. My favorite way for students to communicate their assignment is to respond in the private comments in Google Classroom instead of in the body of a Google Doc. However, email offers an authentic context for practicing professional communication. Teaching a student how to craft a professional email gives them the agency to be taken seriously in a digital world.
Assign an Email
We have a lot of options for an assignment, but how often do we tell students to email? I am not talking about emailing “it” as an attachment, but rather that the assignment is communicated via email itself. For example, instead of a traditional essay or worksheet, try a prompt like: “Email me, in a professional structure, your argument for what the next school field trip should be.” The content of the assignment is the message, this is the learning objective demonstrated in an email. However, the learning objective is delivered in the format of a professionally communicated email. By making email the medium, students practice real-world communication skills in a controlled, supportive environment where students can receive feedback about how to effectively communicate using email.
Google Form Template
If your students are assigned email accounts and can email you directly, consider having them include a hashtag or other unique element in the email to allow you to filter your email for these assignments. It certainly can feel like chaos dealing with emails as assignments from students mixed in with your important teacher emails. You’ll want a way to filter those.
If your students do not have school email accounts, I have created a Google Form you can copy to allow students to email you through the Form.
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Components of a Professional Email
Because email requires more care than a text message, students must learn to structure their thoughts according to the expectations of the medium. We can break this down into four key components that need to be explicitly taught: the subject line, the greeting, the body, and the salutation. Understanding these parts helps students navigate the “unwritten rules” of professional digital communication.
The Importance of a Great Subject Line
The subject line acts as a clear, short summary that tells the reader exactly what to expect. In a world of digital noise, the ability to summarize a complex thought into a few punchy, informative words is a high-level skill. The subject line is the most important part of the email because it allows the recipient to prioritize their workflow.
Never Leave The Subject Line Blank
When a student leaves the subject line blank, they essentially hand the recipient an unlabeled box and ask them to guess the contents. It forces the reader to open the email just to find out what it is about, which is a drain on productivity.
The Goldilocks Rule: Not Too Long, Not Too Short
A subject line should be a headline, not the entire message. If it is too long, it gets cut off on mobile devices and becomes unreadable. If it is too short or vague, like “Hi” or “Question,” it provides no value.
What Makes a Good Subject Line?
A good subject line provides enough detail so the recipient can identify the topic without opening the message.
- Bad (Missing): Blank
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Bad (Too Vague): Question
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Bad (No Context): Regarding what we talked about
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Bad (The “Text Message” style): hi
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Good (Specific): Question: Step 4 of the Science Lab Reflection
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Good (Actionable): Missing Work: Period 4 Math Page 10
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Good (Identifiable): Field Trip Proposal: San Diego Zoo – Jane Doe
The goal is to communicate what the email is about so clearly that the person knows exactly how to prioritize it before they even click open.
The Greeting
The greeting is the first thing the reader sees inside the message, and it sets the stage for the entire interaction. In a text message, we often dive straight into the content, but email requires a “handshake” before the conversation begins. Skipping the greeting can make an email feel demanding or abrupt, whereas including one signals that the student recognizes the person on the other end and understands the professional relationship between the sender and the recipient.
Establishing the Professional Handshake
A greeting is not just a formality; it is a tool to establish the tone of the conversation. Students should understand that the way they address someone changes based on their relationship with that person. Starting with “Hello Alice,” “Hi Mrs. Keeler,” or “Dear Selection Committee,” shows that the student has considered their audience. This simple act of naming the recipient transitions the communication from a generic notification to a direct, professional exchange.
Avoiding the “Hey” Trap
In informal settings, students often use “Hey” or no greeting at all. While “Hey” is common in casual peer-to-peer communication, it often lacks the reverence required for the middle-ground space of email. Instruction should guide students to choose greetings that lean toward professional respect without being unnaturally stiff. “Hello” or “Hi [Name],” is usually the perfect balance for communicating with teachers, bosses, or colleagues.
Matching the Audience
Instruction should help students identify when to use specific titles versus first names. If they are unsure, they should always lean toward more formal titles. Using a greeting correctly shows that the student is not just clicking through a program in silence, but is an active participant who knows how to navigate different social and professional environments.
Setting the Tone for Success
The greeting serves as a signal to the reader about what kind of interaction to expect. A respectful, clear greeting makes the recipient much more likely to prioritize the email and respond positively. When students master the greeting, they demonstrate the Communication and Collaboration aspects of the 4 Cs by showing they know how to initiate a productive professional dialogue.
The Body of the Email
The body of the email is where the message is delivered, and it requires a specific level of detail that students often skip. Because many students are accustomed to the rapid-fire nature of text messaging, they often send a single sentence that lacks the necessary weight for a professional medium. Mastering the body of an email means mastering that tricky middle ground between a casual chat and a formal paper.
Navigating the Middle Ground
Email is unique because it is a “middle” medium. It is not a text message where you can assume the person is looking at their phone and ready to reply, but it also does not require the dense, academic structure of a five-paragraph essay. When communicating with a teacher, a work colleague, or a professional organization, students must learn to use a tone that is respectful and clear without being overly stiff. It is more careful than a text, but more direct than a letter.
The Cold Reader Rule
Instruction should emphasize that the reader is likely coming to the email “cold.” Unlike a text thread that saves the entire history of a conversation on one screen, an email stands alone. Even if a student just finished a conversation with a teacher in the hallway, they must assume that by the time the teacher opens the email, that context is gone. The message needs to provide enough background information so the recipient can understand the request without having to go back and “decode” or remember a prior interaction.
Establish the “Why” Immediately
While context is key, students should still practice getting to the point in the very first paragraph. A professional email should never be a mystery that the reader has to solve by scrolling to the bottom. State the purpose of the email early: “I am writing to ask for clarification on the project due Friday” or “I wanted to share my reflection on today’s lesson.” This respect for the reader’s time is a hallmark of professional communication.
The Balance of Detail and Brevity
Students need to use more words than they would in a text message to ensure their meaning is not misinterpreted. In a text, “k” or “where is it?” might work, but in an email, those lack the necessary professional polish. However, if the message is long or complex, teach students to use a summary at the top followed by “TL;DR” (Too Long, Didn’t Read) before the deeper details. This provides the best of both worlds: immediate clarity for the busy reader and full context for those who need it.
Professional Tone and Reverence
When emailing someone in a position of authority or a professional organization, the body should reflect a level of reverence. This does not mean using “big words” for the sake of it, but rather using complete sentences and a polite tone. It is a sign of professional agency when a student can transition from the informal “slang” of their peers to the clear, thoughtful prose required to be taken seriously in a workplace or academic setting.
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The Salutation
The salutation serves as the professional “exit” of the email. Just as we do not usually hang up a phone call without saying goodbye, an email needs a proper closing to signal a respectful end to the conversation. It provides that final point of professional polish before the student signs their name, ensuring the message does not feel unfinished or blunt.
Choosing a Professional Closing
For the middle ground of email, the salutation should be polite but not overly dramatic. Students do not need to use archaic language. Common, effective options include:
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Thank you, (The most versatile and safe option)
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Best, (Common in professional office settings)
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Sincerely, (Better for more formal requests or people they do not know well)
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Respectfully, (Great for reaching out to a boss or school administrator)
Teaching the Automatic Signature
Many professional email users use the automatic signature feature in Gmail™ to save time and maintain a consistent professional identity. This is a great technical skill to teach students so they do not have to remember to type their name and details every time.
Instruction should focus on what information is appropriate to include in a student signature:
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Full Name: Essential so the recipient knows exactly who is writing.
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Relevant Details: This might include their Grade Level, Graduation Year, or even their School Role (e.g., “ASB President” or “Period 4 Math Student”).
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Professional Layout: Teach students how to use the settings in Gmail™ to create a clean, three-line signature. This removes the chance of them forgetting a salutation and ensures their “digital business card” is attached to every piece of professional communication.
Signing Off with Intentionality
Whether they type it manually or use an automated tool, the goal is for the student to take ownership of their professional identity. A proper salutation and signature show that the student has been careful and intentional from the subject line all the way to the final period.
Feedback Over Grades
Make the real assignment the communication itself. If a part of the structure is missing, provide feedback and have the student try again. This supports students in understanding where they are and how to grow toward the Meets standard without the distortion of a traditional rubric.
