An open letter about the school map

Text: an original contemporary open-letter-style practice extract.

Dear committee, the new school map is beautifully clear to people who already know the school. We recognise the rectangular block beside the hall as the rooms where our lockers stand. A new pupil sees a shape labelled B and must first discover what sort of answer B is supposed to provide.

I watched a visitor turn the page twice at the entrance. The map placed the main doors at the bottom, although she was standing beside the side gate. It did not tell her where she was starting. We should add a clear starting point for each entrance and words explaining the building labels. The drawing need not become crowded to admit that its reader has not arrived with our knowledge.

Please test the next version with someone visiting for the first time. A familiar route can make a confusing map seem adequate because we stop consulting it before the confusion matters. Let the newcomer use the page while we keep quiet for a moment. We may learn which parts of its clarity we have supplied ourselves.

Analyse how the writer uses language and structure to interest and engage the reader.

In your answer, consider:

• language features and techniques
• structural techniques
• the effect on the reader.

Support your views with detailed reference to the extract.