To wrap up a unit on invitations, Bu Winda and ETA Mary Breen from SMAN 1 Manggar knew they would have to include formal written invitations. However, they worried that rarely used words and cultural differences would make the topic difficult for their students to relate to. Mary printed out dozens of event invitations, from a baby shower to a 70th birthday party and a corporate mixer to a royal wedding. After a quick warmup, students dug into the material. In groups, they dissected the invitations to find the key information–who, what, when, and where.

Mary and Bu Winda explained some words that are common on invitations in the United States, like RSVP and formal attire. The students were very interested in learning that many parties in the US are planned for a specific number of people, which is very different from the large weddings in Belitung.

To wrap up, the students planned their events and wrote beautiful invitations using all the words they had learned. Although this topic seemed intimidating initially, it was one of the best lessons of the year!

Mary Breen is currently teaching at SMAN 1 Manggar, East Belitung.