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Online Course

Exploring English: Language and Culture

British Council via FutureLearn

Found in ESL, Humanities

Provider FutureLearn
Cost Free Online Course (Audit)
Session Upcoming
Language English
Certificate $59 Certificate Available
Effort 2 hours a week
Start Date
Duration 6 weeks long
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Taken this course? Share your experience with other students. Write review

Overview

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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.

The course draws on the British Council’s expertise in online learning. It is one of two courses from its Exploring English course collection.

You can find out more about this course in Chris Cavey’s post for the FutureLearn blog: 3 tips for getting the most out of Exploring English.

This course is for non-native English speakers who have studied English to around intermediate level (approximately B1 on the CEFR).

Taught by

Chris Cavey

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#3 in Subjects / Humanities / ESL

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Reviews for FutureLearn's Exploring English: Language and Culture Based on 108 reviews

5 stars 72%
4 stars 25%
3 stars 2%
2 star 0%
1 star 1%

Did you take this course? Share your experience with other students.

1
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Anonymous

Anonymous completed this course.

I really enjoyed this course, both for the topic and for the grammar review, as well as for the good English I listened to. I am a teacher and I do not have too many occasions to improve my English, but your courses are really interesting. This one is the first one I completed and I suggest it to everyone who is at least an intermediate student.

Was this review helpful to you? Yes

Anonymous

Anonymous is taking this course right now.

"Exploring English: Language and Culture" is a fantastic course in four weeks that will improve our productive (writing and speaking) and receptive (reading and listening) skills. Every week deals with a different subject: week 1 explores English language and its importance in the world; week 2 is about Music and how it makes a difference; week 3 describes the Countryside, and week 4 focuses on Literature. It goes without saying that they are used to help us to learn English the best way possible. That is, by using words and structures in context we will capture concepts and unde…

Was this review helpful to you? Yes

María

by María completed this course, spending 2 hours a week on it and found the course difficulty to be easy.

Very useful for english learners, very well organized, structured by topics it helps to improve and learn grammar, new vocabulary as well as english pronuntiation.

7 people found
this review helpful

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Anonymous

Anonymous is taking this course right now.

It’s an engaging course taking as a starting point our feelings towards language and the importance of the indivisible union of language and culture, as culture is reflected through language by means of speech in verse or prose. We learned in the course why it is said English is a global language and the influence of technology in learning English and how it has changed the way to learn the language. We reviewed the use of the passive voice, the comparatives, superlatives, relative clauses and their significance in literature. We also learned about the relevance of music in culture and how mus…

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Anonymous

Anonymous completed this course.

What for a good course! Indeed, these 4 weeks, our educators have sown seeds of interest to further deepen the knowledge of the UK language and culture.

English and American songs are present anywhere: at my fitness club and at the radio. I was surprised: For the first time in my life, I am carefully listening to understand the meaning of the lyrics! I also have a new list of English readings to spend the winter in a pleasant way. I also have the intention to go to the Global Theater in London and enjoy a Shakespeare play. Even if I am not going to understand some words, I am su…

Was this review helpful to you? Yes

José Á

José is taking this course right now, spending 4 hours a week on it.

I would like to thank every educator for their dedication to this course and learners. As a worker and a father of family I sometimes have not to much time a day, so I was following the course a Friday evening and I had an answer less than five minutes later. Well... the educator was there, working, at that hour, when maybe he should be enjoying his weekend. So, thanks again.

Every topic is very well prepared, they try us to talk as much as possible, to interact with each other, and that's really fantastic. It isn't here you have the lesson, learn it, make the exercises and finish. No way, you have some exercises, that's truth, but the main exercise is to interact, to talk, to express yourself, your thoughts and your feelings sometimes.

I'm enjoying this course, and no doubt I'll join other courses by British Council.

Was this review helpful to you? Yes

Anonymous

Anonymous is taking this course right now.

In the past two weeks, I've gained great insights in learning and teaching English. I believe learning always precedes teaching so I am so looking forward to more inputs, interesting discussions and new discoveries not only about the British culture but what the English language is all about. Essentially, learning this global language doesn't come through technically learning the grammatical points by the book, but it comes through exchanging ideas through reading, listening, reacting, responding, engaging and interacting. In short, it is in COMMUNICATING that we learn a new language. I am happy that I have been learning a lot here. Thanks to all the generous providers of this online course. :)

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Anonymous

Anonymous is taking this course right now.

Undoubtedly the couse is not only interesting but also very useful. At first I thought that I would not be able to understand video because I'm a teacher at a secondary school in a Russian village and I don't have time to practice excellent English with the help of the Internet. We use English students books written by Russian authors (I think it's not good for English learning). In the course I have come across the possibility to listen to very very good English, to write in English, to do tests, to learn something new about British culture. I'm happy that I've joined the course. Many thanks to the organizers of the course!

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Anonymous

Anonymous completed this course.

I am really Thanksful for this amazing course. I am from Mexico and I love British culture, if you do too, do not wait go and join the course. You will learn a lot about different aspects of British culture while practicing some of the most important grammar points wich are helpful to improve your English, specially speaking.

You learn about litterature, people, places and my favourite one, music!

I am a little bit sad because it has ended for me but I highly recommend it, you can enjoyr this amazing course too.

So thank you so much I will never forget what I have learnt here. Good bye.

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Anonymous

Anonymous is taking this course right now.

This course was very useful and I would recommend it to all of them who want to start learning about English language and culture. Every week deals with different topics from which we can learn new things, comment and get to know new friends. Many thanks to British council and the leaders who work everyday with us. As I had not time to follow it everyday, I could follow the lessons during the end of the week and still get replies from leaders and friends. THANK YOU ALL AND BEST WISHES FROM ALBANIA!

Was this review helpful to you? Yes

Animesh L

by Animesh is taking this course right now.

It is really helpful and not only did we get to learn from the teachers but also from each other. I have been able to communicate with people from different parts of the world which I would totally miss if I was not part of this class.

INFORMATIVE, BRILLIANT AND GIVE A CHANCE TO MAKE FRIENDS WHICH WOULD NOT BE MADE OTHERWISE

Was this review helpful to you? Yes

Anonymous

Anonymous completed this course.

I have learnt a lot in this course, and reviewed as much. The educators are really involved and make it very easy to learn by replying to as many questions as they can. It is a great course that I would recommend to anyone who wants to improve their English while learning new things.

Was this review helpful to you? Yes

Anastasia A

Anastasia is taking this course right now.

I have spent a great time while being informed about british culture!

What is more , I exchanged ideas and views with other participants

having the chance to meet other ways of living too.

Thank you for this exciting journey!

Best Regards,

Anastasia Amvrosiadou

Was this review helpful to you? Yes

Anonymous

Anonymous is taking this course right now.

I would widely recommend this course to both students and teachers who would like to have more insight about contemporary cultural topics on Britain. I haven't finished the course yet but it has been quite iinteresting and lots of fun too!

Was this review helpful to you? Yes

Anonymous

Anonymous is taking this course right now.

Second MOOC i'm doing, "Exploring English: Language and Culture" is, one more time, a nice experience. Thanks to Genny, David, and all the crew of the British Council, i feel I'm making progress and it's thanks to you.

Was this review helpful to you? Yes

Anonymous

Anonymous is taking this course right now.

Very useful for english learners,it helps to improve.Thanks a lot!

I haven't finished the course yet but it has been quite interesting.

I'm enjoying this course.

Was this review helpful to you? Yes

Anonymous

Anonymous is taking this course right now.

Excellent course! I have learnt a lot and i am improving the differents skills (speaking, reading, writing and listening). Thank you so much!

Was this review helpful to you? Yes

Anonymous

Anonymous completed this course.

I found this course marvelous! The educators was fantastic as they didn't tired to reply to our comments, furthermore they had so lively discussions on videos . What it was surprised me it was the continuously and vivid discussion among the learnerns - was so many- and even though it was stressful for me to write down my thoughts in English, I had the opportunity to express myself and read others opinions. Also, while we touch some sensitive subjects like how strong could be the national identity in our countries, everybody express their opinion with dignity and politely. I want to thank the educators, who, incidentally, had so much humor and was so likeable, and the other learners, due to them I learnt so many things about their countries, writers, music.

Was this review helpful to you? Yes

Anonymous

Anonymous completed this course.

It is a really amazing course I've enjoyed it very much. it was a very useful way to learn about British culture and knowing a lot of information about British music and literature along with beautiful British countryside. it was very interesting to interact with people from different countries, cultures and backgrounds.

I'd like to ask that we can get some feedback on how much we write correctly if we have some grammar mistakes, are we using the right expressions and writing style. I think all of that will help us in improving our writing skills to sound more natural. I know it is very hard for educators to check all comments but maybe there is some kind of a system to do it.

Was this review helpful to you? Yes

Anonymous

Anonymous completed this course.

It is an excellent course which I enjoyed to the utmost. The inclusion of a fifth skill has been a great success taking us all into the heart of British society and making us want to know more. We had a taste of delicious British cuisine, some exciting rock music, the lovely evergreen British countryside with a tour of some wonderful National Parks and some fantastic literary works by the best of British classics. I would like to thanks all the magnificent teachers who guided us on this wonderful journey and the staff of The British Council for making this course possible. I will be looking forward to seeing you once again in the near future. Thanks and good luck.

Was this review helpful to you? Yes

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