EP4. Write an email (如何回复老师的邮件)

Writing emails is one of the main ways teachers communicate with parents in Australia. In this episode, we'll discuss the parent-teacher relationship in Australia and teach you a basic email structure called SHOWS. This structure will help you write clear and effective emails.

English learner, Vanessa (left) and the show host, Dory (right).

Most Mandarin-speaking parents from mainland China are used to communicating with teachers through WeChat groups, phone calls, or face-to-face conversations. So, when new migrant Vanessa received an email from her son's teacher for the first time, she felt quite worried.

In China, receiving a formal written document from the school usually indicates that your child has done something seriously wrong.

Vanessa

In this episode, we'll talk with school teachers to better understand the parent-teacher relationship in Australia. We’ll also teach Vanessa how to write an email with a simple structure. Learn the SHOWS structure yourself so you can easily write emails to anyone.

^Credits:

^{Sound design and music composition: Bowei Zhu, Yuqi Huang}

This podcast helps Mandarin-speaking immigrants in Australia understand the English language better and feel more motivated to learn. Find previous episodes in the eight-part series your podcast app, such as the SBS Audio app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Pocket Cast.

Watch Is English hard? No! on YouTube.

Visit SBS Learn English for more English learning material.