Languages around the OU
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Languages - OU Community Online
Latest news, views, comment, debate and links for those studying, working with or with a passion for languages and language speaking
German courses in Germany and Austria
Are you studying German with the Open University? Would you like some extra practice?
Why not attend a German course in Germany or Austria where the language is spoken. We offer German courses for students of all ages and abilities in the following fantastic locations: Berlin, Munich, Cologne, Heidelberg and Vienna. Students can choose a course of anywhere from 1 week to 52 weeks starting throughout the year. Accommodation is also arranged in German host families for that extra practise speaking German.
I am a student of OU myself, having studied Portales (Spanish) last year and am set for En Rumbo (Spanish) this year I know how useful it is to practice the language outside of the OU and use other resources. I will be offering 10% off German tuition to any student that is studying German or any other language with the Open University.
Contact me for details:
gemma@livelanguagesabroad.com 01736 740000
http://www.livelanguagesabroad.co.uk/
http://www.facebook.com/LiveLanguagesAbroad
We also offer courses in Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Russian and Greek.
Are you studying German with the Open University? Would you like some extra practice? Why not attend a German course in Germany or Austria where the language is spoken. We offer German courses for students of all ages and abilities in the following fantastic locations: Berlin, Munich, Cologne, Heidelberg and Vienna. Students can choose a course of anywhere from 1 week to 52 ...
Italian Courses in Italy
Are you studying Italian with the Open University? Would you like some extra practice?
Why not attend an Italian course in Italy where the language is spoken. We offer Italian courses in Italy for students of all ages and abilities in the following fantastic locations: Florence, Rome, Siena, Milan, Venice, Sorrento and Viareggio. Students can choose a course of anywhere from 1 week to 52 weeks starting throughout the year. Accommodation is also arranged in Italian host families for that extra practise speaking Italian.
I am a student of OU myself, having studied Portales (Spanish) last year and am currently studying En Rumbo (Spanish) this year I know how useful it is to practice the language outside of the OU and use other resources. I will be offering 10% off Italian tuition to any student that is studying Italian or any other language with the Open University.
Contact me for details:
gemma@livelanguagesabroad.com 01736 740000
http://www.livelanguagesabroad.co.uk/
http://www.facebook.com/LiveLanguagesAbroad
We also offer courses in Spanish, German, French, Portuguese, Russian and Greek.
Are you studying Italian with the Open University? Would you like some extra practice? Why not attend an Italian course in Italy where the language is spoken. We offer Italian courses in Italy for students of all ages and abilities in the following fantastic locations: Florence, Rome, Siena, Milan, Venice, Sorrento and Viareggio. Students can choose a course of anywhere from 1 ...
Vote for the academic you'd most like Desk Time with
Get ready to quiz OU academics on the issues that matter to you.
This is your time to drive conversation with some of Britain’s leading academics. Simply vote on our Facebook Poll, let us know which of our inspiring academics you’d like Desk Time with, and log back in on Friday (12-2pm) to ask the questions that really matter to you.
Vote on the poll now: http://on.fb.me/15ZtpeR
The three academics are - in no particular order:
Katie Chicot - Infinity
Questions around infinity have helped mathematicians to solve some very practical problems. OU Mathematician Katie Chicot is ready to explore the mysteries and misconceptions of infinity with you, from ancient puzzles to the latest mathematical research.
Kristina Hultgren - Communication
The OU’s linguistics expert Kristina is looking at how communications have changed over the last few decades, and what different countries can tell us about socio-cultural, economic and political changes in the way we communicate.
Ellie Dommett - Cognitive Enhancement
Recent news reports estimate that 10% of university students take smart-drugs to improve brain performance. Dr Ellie Dommett is ready to discuss the impact these drugs have on the brain, and what questions we should be asking to inform the choice on smart drugs.
Posted on 22 July 2013.
Get ready to quiz OU academics on the issues that matter to you. This is your time to drive conversation with some of Britain’s leading academics. Simply vote on our Facebook Poll, let us know which of our inspiring academics you’d like Desk Time with, and log back in on Friday (12-2pm) to ask the questions that really matter to you. Vote on the poll now: ...
New course to bridge the culture gap
Language graduates in the 21th century need to have intercultural skills and language awareness as well as language skills.
The OU is addressing this in a brand-new course, L161 Exploring languages and cultures, which will be a 30-credit compulsory module in the new Certificate in Language Studies (T21) due to launch in October 2014.
“We believe L161 is unique, in that there are courses that focus on the culture of a particular language, and there are general cultural studies courses, but we have not found another course which teaches intercultural communication and language awareness alongside traditional language skills,” says module chair Dr Maria Fernandez-Toro.
“We visit ordinary people in multilingual life situations, ask academic experts for their opinions, and encourage students to reflect on their own experiences of intercultural communication.
“To promote employability, an entire block is devoted to intercultural communication at the workplace, and there is another one about communication in the digital age.”
The 30-credit L161 module is not aimed at a specific language, but lays the groundwork for the study of any language and can be studied alongside a beginners language module. It will be available from October next year.
To see ‘intercultural communication’ in action, check out the Hairy Bikers Bakeation on the OU’s OpenLearn website.
Travelling through 12 European countries to indulge their passion for baking, the Bikers were forced to deploy various intercultural communication strategies to learn from local chefs. Some of the OpenLearn clips will be used in L161.
Posted 19 July 2013
Photo shows the Hairy Bikers on their culinary tour of Europe. Courtesy BBC
Learning languages is not only about vocabulary and grammar, it is also about the different cultures of the people who speak those languages. Language graduates in the 21th century need to have intercultural skills and language awareness as well as language skills. The OU is addressing this in a brand-new course, L161 Exploring languages and cultures, which ...
Languages on tap
The OU offers language downloads in Spanish, French, German, Italian, Chinese, English and Welsh.
Language learning resources make up only about 10% of the total content that the OU supplies, but they account for almost a third of all downloads generated from the OU.
And OU language resources often take up the entire Top 10 languages downloads chart on iTunes U. To date there have been more than 15 million downloads of OU languages material.
OU Spanish lecturer Fernando Rosell-Aguilar has carried out the first large-scale study of language learners on iTunes U. He finds that an impressive 97.2 percent of those surveyed say the OU materials are helping them learn their target language.
Using audio or video to learn languages is nothing new, but podcasts represent a step-change, he says.
The obvious benefit is that you can download and listen or watch wherever and whenever you want.
“A lot of people are using podcasts for ‘washover’ listening – not concentrating on a specific language task, just getting used to the sounds and intonation of the language, without the pressure of feeling they’re going to be assessed on what they’re listening to.”
iTunes U has also opened up a massive choice of material which allows learners to ‘personalise’ their learning, he says.
“You can find a podcast about a subject that interests you and suits your personal learning style. This improves motivation and means you can learn language appropriate to your chosen field of work or interest.
“There are documentaries, interviews and lots of material recorded on location. Everything comes with transcripts so you can read as well as listen.”
The vast majority of the publicly available OU languages podcasts are excerpts from OU modules. Now some OU languages modules are making all their audio and video materials available to OU students on iTunes U, using ‘private’ areas which only enrolled students can access.
The majority of the OU languages downloads from iTunes U are not made by OU students. So why is the OU giving away resources for free? Fernando Rosell-Aguilar says:
“It’s great for the Open University brand. The OU is hardly known in the US, but millions of people out there are now downloading our languages materials.”
And OU students in turn benefit from the many podcasts offered by other organisations, he says. His tip? “The top two podcasts recommended by OU Spanish students are currently News in Slow Spanish and Coffee Break Spanish.”
Happy listening!
Do you have a favourite languages podcast? Why not share it on Platform?.
Find OU Languages resources on iTunes U.
Posted 19 July 2013
Since The Open University began supplying content to Apple’s free educational downloads service iTunes U in 2008, one subject has consistently been the most popular: languages. The OU offers language downloads in Spanish, French, German, Italian, Chinese, English and Welsh. Language learning resources make up only about 10% of the total content that the OU ...
Spanish explained
Preterite or imperfect? To roll or not to roll the 'r'? OU Spanish lecturer and tutor Dr Lluïsa Astruc (pictured) has prepared a series of short but informative YouTube videos to answer these and other common student queries.
"The videos are mini-lectures that aim at explaining complex concepts in an accessible way," she says.
Topics so far are the preterite and imperfect tenses, the 'r' and the pronunciation of 'b' and 'v', and Lluïsa Astruc plans to update with a video on a new topic roughly once a month.
Watch Lluïsa Astruc's YouTube channel
Lluïsa Astruc has tutored on a number of OU Spanish courses, and contributed material to the courses L314 A buen puerto: advanced Spanish and L194 Portales:beginners' Spanish
Preterite or imperfect? To roll or not to roll the 'r'? OU Spanish lecturer and tutor Dr Lluïsa Astruc (pictured) has prepared a series of short but informative YouTube videos to answer these and other common student queries. "The videos are mini-lectures that aim at explaining complex concepts in an accessible way," she says. "I ...
Italian Residential courses in Rome at 6 different levels
Would you like to attend an Italian Residential School in the countryside of Rome for 7, 10 or 12 days to learn Italian? If the answer is yes we run courses all year around at 6 different levels for a small group( 1 to 5 max) which are all inclusive( except flights). Italian lessons, Italian cookery lessons and trips to Rome and surrounding areas will be also part of your Italian experience. Please contact for more info Dr Francesca Valentini on francesca.valentini@btinternet.com
or visit our web-site
http://www.scuolaappiavecchia.com
Would you like to attend an Italian Residential School in the countryside of Rome for 7, 10 or 12 days to learn Italian? If the answer is yes we run courses all year around at 6 different levels for a small group( 1 to 5 max) which are all inclusive( except flights). Italian lessons, Italian cookery lessons and trips to Rome and surrounding areas will be also part of your Italian ...
Italian day for Upper Interm and Advanced Students in Bucks
contact:
francesca.valentini@btinternet.com
start date:
Friday, 2 August, 2013 - 10:00
end date:
Friday, 2 August, 2013 - 16:30
contact: francesca.valentini@btinternet.com start date: Friday, 2 August, 2013 - 10:00 end date: Friday, 2 August, 2013 - 16:30
‘Feedback on feedback’ makes language learning more successful
An award winning article by two OU academics presents a method which encourages foreign language students to engage in a constructive dialogue with their tutors. The method looks at students’ responses to different types of comments, which may lead either to a successful, or an unsuccessful dialogue.
In the new study ten students were asked to make audio recordings of their reflections as they went through the comments and markings given by their teachers. The students’ responses were then analysed and categorised. Interestingly, while all students were pleased to receive praise from their teachers, high achievers were reluctant to accept it at face value and wanted to know how their performance could be further improved.
Similarly they did not mind unexplained comments on their errors in simple matters, such as spelling. However they did tend to adopt a less effective approach when their tutors pointed to their mistakes in more complex areas without explaining them adequately. Sometimes this even led to students rejecting comments altogether as ‘patronising’.
Picture L to R: Albert Sangrà, Maria Fernández-Toro, Concha Furnborough, and António Teixeira, Professor of Distance Education, Universidade Aberta, Portugal, the new EDEN President.
Posted on 1 July 2013.
An award winning article by two OU academics presents a method which encourages foreign language students to engage in a constructive dialogue with their tutors. The method looks at students’ responses to different types of comments, which may lead either to a successful, or an unsuccessful dialogue. The method can be used both for face-to-face and for distance ...
Language skills soar thanks to mobile phones
Open University expertise is revolutionising English language teaching in Bangladesh, using low-cost mobile phones.
The OU is a major partner in the English in Action teacher training programme, which has boosted students’ English language competence scores by 15 percent, according to independent evaluation.
Set to reach more than 76,000 school teachers and 10.5 million students by 2017, the programme has just won one of the British Council’s ELTons awards, known informally as the ‘Oscars of English language teaching’.
Communicative approach
Tom Power, OU Senior Lecturer in Education, says the programme’s success is down to introducing a communicative approach to language teaching into Bangladeshi classrooms, through the innovative use of mobile technology.
“Over the last decade, the mobile phone has become almost ubiquitous in the developing world. Most people in Bangladesh now own a mobile phone,” he says.
“We wanted to use widespread available technology to get high-quality audio and video learning materials to teachers, even in remote rural areas, but without depending on costly, unreliable mobile internet access or intermittent electricity supplies.”
Instead, the training materials, developed by the OU and local partners in Bangladesh, are stored on tiny SD (secure digital) memory cards, supplied to the teachers pre-loaded on mobile phones.
'The trainer in your pocket'
Dubbed “the trainer in your pocket”, the phone gives teachers instant access to several gigabytes worth of audio and video materials, for teacher professional development and for classroom use. A low-cost portable rechargeable speaker is provided which plugs into the phone, bringing English listening materials to classes of as many as 100 students. Such resources support teachers introducing new learning activities into their classrooms.
Research at the start of the English in Action project showed that most English lessons in Bangladeshi primary and secondary schools focused heavily on teaching correct grammar, and very little English was spoken by either teachers or students.
One teacher who taught both English and the national language, Bangla, told researchers: “If you had come into my lessons before English in Action, you would not have been able to tell which of those languages I was teaching, because we were speaking only in Bangla in both lessons.”
'not only did students’ performance improve by 15 per cent, but teachers’ English was better'
English in Action demonstrates – through videos of actual Bangladeshi teachers, with their own classrooms and students – techniques which get pupils using English to communicate. There is now a ‘strong consensus’ among language teaching experts that this communicative approach is the most effective way to teach languages, says Tom Power.
“There have been previous large-scale projects in Bangladesh which have succeeded in teaching teachers about the communicative approach, but not developed a sufficient understanding of how to put this into practice.
“We have been able to help teachers understand how. The starting point of their training is trying out the new classroom activities, with the help of the video guide.”
Focus on impact not output
English in Action also has an exceptional focus on measuring its impact, he says. “Typically many international development programmes report on their output, effectively saying ‘we were going to train X number of teachers, and we did’. But they don't tell you what difference it has made to teaching or learning.
“We have a really comprehensive research programme which asks how did the programme change what happens to teachers and students, and ultimately, did it make a difference to the learning outcomes for English language?”
Independent observers were sent to around 500 Bangladeshi classrooms, and discovered that far more English was being spoken in lessons after English in Action was implemented.
A final evaluation of English language competence was made by independent international assessors from Trinity College London, who tested more than one thousand students and teachers in primary and secondary schools, in the first phase of the programme.
They found that not only did students’ performance in English tests improve by 15 per cent, but the teachers’ English was also better.
English in Action was developed at the request of the Bangladeshi Government, and funded by the UK government Department for International Development’s UK Aid programme. It is delivered in partnership with development consultants BMB Mott McDonald.
Building on far-sighted research
It began in 2008, but builds on a small but far-sighted OU research project called DEEP, which spotted the potential of mobile devices to enhance teaching in developing countries as far back as 2001.
Tom Power adds: “Projects in developing nations which are trying to teach things at large scale and low cost have tended to use the cascade system – they train a small group of people who then go on to train another group of people, and so on, so the learning is cascaded down.
“But, as you go further down the chain, the learning gets more and more diluted. As a teacher in Kenya said ‘The trouble with cascades is that those at the bottom either don’t get wet – or they get wet with dirty water'.
“By using technology, we don’t need to cascade. The expertise comes directly to each teacher via the ‘trainer in your pocket’.”
Find out more about the OU's international development activities
Open University expertise is revolutionising English language teaching in Bangladesh, using low-cost mobile phones. The OU is a major partner in the English in Action teacher training programme, which has boosted students’ English language competence scores by 15 percent, according to independent evaluation. Set to reach more than 76,000 school ...
Spanish Conversation Practise with Tapas
Hello everyone
A few of us Spanish students from L204 are getting together for a chat and a drink tomorrow night in Soho from 7pm onwards. If you would like to join us feel free to come along.
Estas bienvenido, for details click on the link below
http://www.brindisa.com/restaurants/tapas-brindisa-soho/
HP
Hello everyone A few of us Spanish students from L204 are getting together for a chat and a drink tomorrow night in Soho from 7pm onwards. If you would like to join us feel free to come along. Estas bienvenido, for details click on the link below http://www.brindisa.com/restaurants/tapas-brindisa-soho/ HP
Italian Homestay courses in Rome- Italy
Buongiorno. My name is Dr Francesca Valentini. I am a former student with the Ou and I have a Master Degree in Teaching and Promoting Italian language and culture to foreigners student.I am an Italian Professor from Rome in Italy and I am running all year around Italian Residential courses( at 6 different levels) in the countryside of Rome for 7, 10 or 12 days, which might help you with your Ou studying.Our all inclusive courses are a full immersion in the Italian language and life style and will also include trips to Rome and surrounding areas and Italian cookery lessons. Contact me kindly on francesca.valentini@btinternet.com
to find out more
Buongiorno. My name is Dr Francesca Valentini. I am a former student with the Ou and I have a Master Degree in Teaching and Promoting Italian language and culture to foreigners student.I am an Italian Professor from Rome in Italy and I am running all year around Italian Residential courses( at 6 different levels) in the countryside of Rome for 7, 10 or 12 ...
Resources: keeping you up to date
Engineering, technology and design students: discover the latest research from the ASTM Standards and Engineering Digital Library which contains full text ASTM standards, technical papers, books, manuals, data series and journals, covering a broad range of engineering disciplines.
Environment, development and international studies students: The National Geographic Virtual Library, a complete collection of the National Geographic Magazine and Traveler (dating back to 1888) with images, maps, videos and full-text books.
Health and social care students: access to Social policy and practice online which includes data from ChildData, AgeInfo, Planex and Social Care Online. The collection includes abstracts of material (with some links to full-text) and covers public and social policy, public health, social care, community development, mental & community health, homelessness, housing, crime, law & order, families, children and older people.
Language students: check out the Cairn Collections of Que sais-je? a collection of searchable, full text, French popular encyclopedias.
Law students: access the Max Planck encyclopaedia of public international law. This comprehensive resource contains peer-reviewed articles on all aspects of public international law.
Posted 23 March 2013
(5 votes)
The OU Library keeps you up-to-date in your subject by regularly subscribing to new resources. Here are the latest subscriptions available to registered OU students. Engineering, technology and design students: discover the latest research from the ASTM Standards and Engineering Digital Library which contains full text ASTM standards, technical papers, books, manuals, ...
How your old phone can help you study
Dear Platform readers
Thought you may like this one from The Gadget Show. If like me you are on a limited budget and have an old phone with a slow internet connection, it can still become a useful study tool- by simply upgrading the browser.
Since installing the Opera Mini browser (m.opera.com) my phone is much faster and the websites are now legible. Downloading and using AV content is now quick and efficient and social networking is easy .
Click on the link for more details and enjoy.
http://gadgetshow.channel5.com/gadget-show/gadget-news/how-to-make-any-p...
Henry Poole
Studying BA Modern Languages
Dear Platform readers Thought you may like this one from The Gadget Show. If like me you are on a limited budget and have an old phone with a slow internet connection, it can still become a useful study tool- by simply upgrading the browser. Since installing the Opera Mini browser (m.opera.com) my phone is much faster and the websites are now legible. Downloading and using AV content is now ...
OU Level One Beginners Chinese
Hi All,
I'm intrigued to know more about the OU's Level One course in Mandarin. In particular I wonder how much oral practice is offered. I note with some regret that the price of the course (and for 'transitional' students at that) has jumped from £400 to £520 in the past couple of years, way ahead of inflation. Is this because the course has improved with extra facilities such as day schools or a summer school?
With many thanks in anticipation of comments about the course and any recommendations.
Russell
Hi All, I'm intrigued to know more about the OU's Level One course in Mandarin. In particular I wonder how much oral practice is offered. I note with some regret that the price of the course (and for 'transitional' students at that) has jumped from £400 to £520 in the past couple of years, way ahead of inflation. Is this because the course has improved with extra facilities ...
Looking for German learners
Hi everyone,
I’m a native German living in the near of Frankfurt. I’m looking for an English native speaker who is learning German and wants to practise with a German native speaker. I want to improve my spoken English, so we both could profit from this.
I’m thinking about one “session” per week about 60-90 minutes long but I’m flexible with that. During such a session we would speak half German and half English. For communication we could use the free program Skype. You just need a headset and a reliable internet connection.
If someone is interested you might want to contact me at kafeflasch@yahoo.de.
Regards,
Marvin
Hi everyone, I’m a native German living in the near of Frankfurt. I’m looking for an English native speaker who is learning German and wants to practise with a German native speaker. I want to improve my spoken English, so we both could profit from this. I’m thinking about one “session” per week about 60-90 minutes long but I’m flexible with that. During ...
Participants needed for OCD study
The research is investigating whether the brains of people with OCD function differently to those without OCD.
Preliminary findings suggest some systematic and interesting differences between brain activity in people with OCD, and non-OCD controls, even in a relaxed state. However, to obtain a more detailed picture researchers need to find more participants with OCD.
They are looking for people between 18 and 60 years of age, who have been diagnosed with OCD and have no learning disabilities.
If you decide to participate, they will need four hours of your time. The timing of these sessions can be flexible and scheduled according to your convenience.
During this time, your brain activity will be recorded using a safe, non-invasive and painless technique known as Quantitative Electroencephalography, or QEEG. You will also be interviewed and asked to fill in a questionnaire.
The study generally takes place at the OU in Milton Keynes or in Camden in London. Travel costs will be reimbursed. In some cases researchers will be able to come to your town or a town near you to perform the scans and interviews.
By participating in this study, you will be contributing to scientific advancements in OCD research. Additionally, you will gain interesting insights about how your brain may have been affected by OCD.
You can get more information from the QEEG and Brain Research Lab project page. If you wish to take part, or have any enquiries, please contact Loes Koorenhof by calling 01908 659 472, or email loes.koorenhof@open.ac.uk
(9 votes)
The Open University is recruiting people with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) to take part in an ongoing research project. The research is investigating whether the brains of people with OCD function differently to those without OCD. Preliminary findings suggest some systematic and interesting differences between brain activity in people with OCD, and ...
Is there an OU Mastermind out there?
BBC's Mastermind is looking for contestants now.
For more information, or to book a place on one of the nationwide auditions, visit the Mastermind website and click on Audition Information; or call 0161 836 0315; or email mastermind@bbc.co.uk
Posted 25 March 2013
(8 votes)
Do you fancy yourself as a bit of a quizzer? BBC's Mastermind is looking for contestants now. For more information, or to book a place on one of the nationwide auditions, visit the Mastermind website and click on Audition Information; or call 0161 836 0315; or email mastermind@bbc.co.uk Posted 25 March 2013 1.625 Average: 1.6 (8 votes)
French Courses in France
Are you studying French with the Open University? Would you like some extra practice?
Why not attend a French course in France where the language is spoken. We offer Frenchcourses for students of all ages and abilities in the following fantastic locations: Nice, Paris, Bordeaux, Montpellier, Biarritz, Lyon and Antibes. Students can choose a course of anywhere from 1 week to 52 weeks starting throughout the year. Accommodation is also arranged in French host families for that extra practise speaking French.
I am a student of OU myself, having studied Portales (Spanish) last year and am set for En Rumbo (Spanish) this year I know how useful it is to practice the language outside of the OU and use other resources. I will be offering 10% off French tuition to any student that is studying French or any other language with the Open University.
Contact me for details:
gemma@livelanguagesabroad.com 01736 740000
http://www.livelanguagesabroad.co.uk/
http://www.facebook.com/LiveLanguagesAbroad
We also offer courses in Spanish, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian and Greek.
Are you studying French with the Open University? Would you like some extra practice? Why not attend a French course in France where the language is spoken. We offer Frenchcourses for students of all ages and abilities in the following fantastic locations: Nice, Paris, Bordeaux, Montpellier, Biarritz, Lyon and Antibes. Students can choose a course of anywhere from 1 week to 52 weeks ...