Exploring English: Language and Culture

Syllabus

• Week 1

  English: the global language

  • Getting started

    Find out how to use FutureLearn and meet your British Council tutors

  • Why is English a global language?

    Think about why English is so widely used

  • Technology and language learning

    How does technology help you learn?

  • Language focus: passives

    A look at how and when we use the passive voice

  • Useful expressions

    Some useful vocabulary from this week

  • Summary of Week 1

    A final round up and a discussion of your experiences of learning English

• Week 2

  Music: making a difference

  • Introducing the topic - British music

    What does British music mean to you?

  • Music and society

    Watch a video about a music project in the south of England and think about how music can make a difference to people's lives

  • Language focus: clauses

    A look at some of the language used in the video

  • Live Music

    Find out about how the UK watches live music.

  • Summary of Week 2

    A final round up and a discussion of the role of music in social change

• Week 3

  Countryside: a green and pleasant land

  • Introducing the topic - what is Britain like?

    What do people think about the British countryside?

  • Looking at the countryside

    Watch a short video of a visit to the Lake District in north west England

  • The United Kingdom

    A look at the different parts of the UK

  • Language focus: description

    A look at ways of making your use of language more descriptive

  • Summary of Week 3

    A final round up and a discussion of the countryside where you live

• Week 4

  Literature: books and identity

  • Introducing the topic - Literature

    A quiz about British literature and your thoughts on Shakespeare

  • The Globe Theatre

    Watch a video about the Globe Theatre in London

  • Language focus: comparatives and superlatives

    Nicole talks about some of the language we heard in the video

  • Roald Dahl

    A look at the life and works of the author Roald Dahl.

  • Summary of Week 4

    A round up of what we covered in Week 4 and a discussion of literature