How to learn a language
Learn about the concepts and skills required to learn languages successfully. This free course, How to learn a language, introduces the skills and strategies for language learning, setting realistic goals when learning languages and keeping motivated, practise speaking skills and vocabulary learning strategies. It will enable you to evaluate resources and create a virtual immersion environment.
Author(s):
A brief history of communication: hieroglyphics to emojis
This free course, A brief
history of communication: hieroglyphics to emojis, is an introduction to the history
of writing, and the key role it plays in human communication. It tracks this
history from the invention of writing around 5500 years ago to the mass
popularity of emojis today.
First published on Tue, 18 Dec 2018 as Author(s):
Business English: Making decisions
Do you want to relocate to the UK? This free course, Business English: Making decisions, will help you with the language difficulties that can arise while providing assistance with the practicalities of the decision-making processes involved and the consultation that is necessary to ensure employees are kept informed.
First published on Tue, 23 Oct 2018 a
Everyday English 2
This free course, Everyday English 2, will inspire you to improve your current English skills and help you to communicate more effectively in everyday work and life.
First published on Tue, 04 Jun 2019 as Everyday English 2. To find out more visit The Open University's Author(s):
Acknowledgements This free course includes adapted extracts from an Open University course which is no longer available to new students. If you found this interesting you could explore more free Language courses or view the range of currently available OU Languages courses. Except for third party materials and otherwise stated (see terms and conditions), this content is made available un
Conclusion Once we start to look at naturally occurring language we see that there is systematic variation in the choices people make. These choices relate to both the meaning and the context of the communication. Specifically we have looked at differences in mode between grammar in speech, especially conversation, and in writing. You may already be familiar with the idea of variation within a language. For example, there are different varieties of English used in different parts of the world. Ind
3.3 Features of speech: dialogue In Section 3.2, Texts 1 and 2 were both monologues, that is, one person speaking or writing. Speech is more often a dialogue, a communication between two or more speakers and this influences the grammar choices made. We can see this in the dialogue transcribed below. 2.2 Using specific or general questions Notice the difference between closed questions and open questions. Closed questions These questions are very specific and the answers give precise information. Are there sites available? Yes. Has it got air conditioning? No. Where is Preston? In the north-west of England. What's the population? 128,000. Stating desirable conditions This structure is used to show conditions which are desirable. Should + infinitive The site should be within one hour of an international airport. 1.1 Factors influencing a relocation decision In this section you consider why companies decide to relocate and the factors that attract them to a new location. You study two companies looking for a new site and practise structures to express needs and requirements. Relocation involves ‘push factors’ and ‘pull factors’. Push factors are things that make a company want to move from a location. Pull factors attract a company to a new location. In Author(s): Introduction The course begins by exploring the notion implied in the title that health pervades all parts of our public and private lives. It will become clear that although health is everywhere, it takes different forms and has different meanings for different people and in different contexts. We all have our own versions of health and you will be able to check yours against a range of other views, including the views of the team who were responsible for producing this course. We think this is important 4.13 Gender and parenting Other feminist writers have used psychodynamic ideas to support their argument that gender differences, while ‘real’, are not inevitable but the result of the ways in which children are socialised in contemporary western societies. Nancy Chodorow, for example, claims that the isolated nuclear family in contemporary capitalist society is responsible for creating ‘specific personality characteristics in men’: 2.8 ‘Difference’, power and discrimination These first few sections have emphasised the point that differences are always produced in a social context, and that a key part of that context is power relationships. As pointed out earlier, a key element of Foucault’s social constructionist approach is that the way in which people are categorised in society (for example, by gender, ethnicity or age) involves an exercise of power that reflects the ideas and interests of dominant groups. One of the key arguments against essentialist views 1.3 People involved in parenting Another interesting question remains: can only a parent or parents provide these necessities? (We are leaving on one side for the moment the issue of which parent.) Clearly the answer has to be no. There are many examples of people involved in parenting who are not a child's parents. For example: step-parents grandparents aunts and uncles brothers and sisters friends References 3.2 Qualified nurses: working in the shadow of medicine? Dave, the senior registrar at Leeds General, made a strong statement about nurses on the audio clip: Nursing staff are vital. I can't be there all the time. They are my eyes and ears. So they basically watch over the patients for me and will let me know of any changes either good or bad that may be important. If you are performing a procedure … it's very helpful to have an assistant there, someone who can help yo Acknowledgements Except for third party materials and otherwise stated (see terms and conditions), this content is made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 Licence Grateful acknowledgement is made to the following sources for permission to reproduce materia 1.9 Conclusion In this course you have seen the importance of the shared meanings that we construct together – how they enable us to act collectively within social situations. In particular, you have explored Goffman’s ideas about how those meanings are constructed through: the way we present ourselves within social situations the way we respond to other people’s presentation of themselves and help to shore up their performances. Introduction Care is needed at all stages of life. This course makes care in the family its focus because the overwhelming majority of care, including health care, is supplied in families, much of it in private, much of it unnoticed and unremarked upon. The meaning of the term (informal carer) and the word (care) itself are explored. This OpenLearn course provides a sample of Level 1 study in Author(s): Conclusion This free course provided an introduction to studying Health and Social Care. It took you through a series of exercises designed to develop your approach to study and learning at a distance and helped to improve your confidence as an independent learner.
