Having good English skills are important for everyday life. In fact, being able to communicate effectively can improve your career prospects or if you decide to continue your studies. This free course serves as good preparation for studying the formal English Essential Skills Level 2, which is available in Wales. Whilst the course does not cover all aspects of the current English Functional Skills Level 2 curriculum, available in England, youwill learn tips and techniques to help you communicate more effectively ineveryday life.Working through the examples and interactive activities in this course will help you to understand the different ways in which we communicate and how to use simple techniques to improve your self-confidence in taking part in discussions or writing letters or emails.Enrolling on this course will give you the opportunity to earn an Open University digital badge. The badge is a great way to demonstrate your interest in the subject. What you learn by completing the course will really help if you wish to enrol on a formal qualification.Once you are signed in, you can manage your digital badges online from your OpenLearn Profile. In addition, you can download and print your OpenLearn Statement of participation – which also displays your badge.This course has been produced as part of the Department for Education's Flexible Learning Fund, the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales and with the kind support of Dangoor Education, the educational arm of The Exilarch's Foundation.This course was written by Middlesbrough College in partnership with West Herts College, Bedford College Group and The Open University, in collaboration with Coleg Cambria, Addysg Oedolion Cymru | Adult Learning Wales, Coleg Gwent and the NPTC Group of Colleges.
Overview
Syllabus
- Introduction and guidance
- Introduction and guidance
- What is a badged course?
- How to get a badge
- Acknowledgements
- Session1Session 1: Speaking and listening
- Introduction
- 1 Speaking in different ways
- 1.1 Adapting your style
- 1.2 Formal and informal language
- 2 Non-verbal communication
- 2.1 I’d like to say something …
- 2.2 It’s the way you say it
- 3 Taking part in a discussion
- 3.1 Preparation
- 3.2 Moving the discussion on
- 3.3 How to have a good discussion
- 4 Presentations
- 4.1 Structure
- 4.2 Describing and persuading
- 4.3 Cues
- 4.4 Markers and signposts
- 4.5 Are they listening?
- 4.6 Any questions?
- 5 This session’s quiz
- 6 Summary of Session 1
- Acknowledgements
- Session2Session 2: Reading
- Introduction
- 1 Why and how you read
- 1.1 Why you read
- 1.2 Highlighting
- 1.3 Extracting information
- 2 Skimming, scanning and detailed reading
- 2.1 Skimming
- 2.2 Scanning
- 2.3 Detailed reading
- 3 Fact, opinion and bias
- 3.1 Prejudice and bias
- 3.2 Fact and opinion
- 4 Audience and purpose
- 4.1 What is it for?
- 4.2 Instructive texts
- 4.3 Descriptive texts
- 4.4 Persuasive texts
- 5 Structure and layout of texts
- 6 Reports
- 6.1 What are reports for?
- 6.2 Formal reports
- 6.3 How to read a report
- 7 This session’s quiz
- 8 Summary of Session 2
- Acknowledgements
- Session3Session 3: Writing
- Introduction
- 1 The six steps to writing success
- 1.1 Preparing
- 1.2 Planning
- 1.3 Drafting
- 1.4 Editing
- 1.5 Redrafting
- 1.6 Proofreading
- 2 Spelling, sentences and paragraphs
- 2.1 Spelling
- 2.2 Sentences
- 2.3 Paragraphs
- 3 Writing to inform, persuade and advise
- 3.1 Writing to inform
- 3.2 Writing to persuade
- 3.3 Writing to advise
- 4 Formal or informal?
- 5 Types of writing
- 5.1 Writing emails
- 5.2 Writing letters
- 5.3 Writing reports
- 5.4 Writing articles
- 6 End-of-course quiz
- 7 Summary of Session 3
- End-of-course summary
- Acknowledgements
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Reviews
5.0 rating, based on 1 Class Central review
4.5 rating at OpenLearn based on 10 ratings
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Ahmad Khalid SahibzadaThis was an awesome course English as a second language, I do believe more students will efficiently use of this opportunity to improve your skills.
