Explore British culture - from music to the countryside - with the British Council to improve your English language skills.
Duration
4 weeksWeekly study
3 hoursIncluded in an ExpertTrack
Course 1 of 3
Language and Culture
On this course, you will learn about British life and culture, and improve your English language skills and knowledge.
Through short videos, you will learn about different popular culture topics as well as ways of life in the UK, including English as a global language, the countryside, music, and literature. Filmed in Great Britain, these videos will help you to develop your listening skills as you watch authentic examples of people speaking English. You will also examine some of the language used in the videos and analyse its use and learn how to use it again in practice.
What topics will you cover?
English: the global language
- Why is English so widely used?
- How does technology help you learn?
- Language focus: passives
- Useful expressions
Music: making a difference
- What does British music mean to you?
- Music and society
- Language focus: clauses
Countryside: a green and pleasant land
- What do people think about the British countryside?
- A visit to the Lake District in north-west England
- A look at the different parts of the UK
- Language focus: description
Literature: books and identity
- British literature
- Shakespeare and the Globe Theatre
- Anniversaries in British literature
- Language focus: comparatives and superlatives
Prove you're job ready
Highlight the new, job-relevant skills you’ve gained and supplement existing qualifications with a hard-earned, industry-specific digital certificate – plus one for every course within your ExpertTrack.
- Learn the latest in your chosen industry or subject.
- Complete each course and pass assessments.
- Receive certificates validated by the educating organisation.
- Impress employers with learning outcomes you can add to your CV.
- Make your career dreams a reality.
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Learning on this course
You can take this self-guided course and learn at your own pace. On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...
- Reflect on different popular culture topics as well as ways of life in the UK.
- Explore English as a global language.
- Develop your listening skills as you watch authentic examples of people speaking English.
- Reflect on language in use.
- Develop language skills and practise using new language.
- Discuss the countryside, music, and literature.
Who is the course for?
This British Council course is aimed at non-native English speakers who want to improve their English while exploring British culture. It would best suit those with intermediate English language skills; B1 on the CEFR or equivalent.
Who developed the course?
British Council
The British Council builds connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and other countries through arts and culture, education and the English language.
We work on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2019-20 we connected with 80 million people directly and with 791 million people overall, including online and through our broadcasts and publications.
Learning on FutureLearn
Your learning, your rules
- Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps, but you can complete them as quickly or slowly as you like
- Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
- Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores
Join a global classroom
- Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
- Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
- Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others
Map your progress
- As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
- Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
- Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate
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Start learning today - free 7-day trial
After your free trial you can:
- Pay $39 per month to keep learning online
- Have complete control over your subscription; you can cancel any time
- Work at your own pace and set your own deadlines at every stage
- Only pay while you’re learning; the subscription will cancel automatically when you finish
- Complete online assessments to test your knowledge and prove your skills
- Earn digital course certificates and a final award that you can share online, with potential employers, and your professional network
- Keep access to the content of courses you complete even after your subscription ends
Get a taste of this course
Find out what this course is like by previewing some of the course steps before you join:
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