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Introduction and guidance

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

This free badged course, Everyday English 2, is an introduction to Functional Skills English Level 2 and Essential Skills Wales Communication Level 2. It is designed to inspire you to improve your current English skills and help you to remember any areas that you may have forgotten. Working through the activities, and learning the tips and techniques outlined in this course, will help you to communicate more effectively in everyday life and make progress in your career.

You can work through the course at your own pace. You may find it helpful to have at hand a notepad and pen, although you can make and save notes online within the course material.

The course has three sessions, with a total study time of approximately 48 hours. The sessions cover the following topics: speaking and listening, reading, and writing. There are plenty of examples to help you as you progress, together with opportunities to practise your understanding.

The regular interactive quizzes form part of this practice, and the end-of-course quiz is an opportunity to earn a badge that demonstrates your new skills. You can read more on how to study the course and about badges in the next sections.

After completing this course you should be able to:

listen, understand and make relevant contributions to discussions with others in a range of contexts
apply your understanding of language to adapt delivery and content to suit audience and purpose
read a range of different text types confidently and fluently, and apply your knowledge and understanding of texts to your own writing
write texts of varying complexity, with accuracy and effectiveness, and correct spelling, punctuation and grammar
understand the situations when, and audiences for which, planning, drafting and using formal language are important, and when they are less important.

Moving around the course

The easiest way to navigate around the course is through the ‘My course progress’ page. You can get back there at any time by clicking on ‘Back to course’ in the menu bar.

It’s also good practice, if you access a link from within a course page (including links to the quizzes), to open it in a new window or tab. That way you can easily return to where you’ve come from without having to use the back button on your browser.

What is a badged course?

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

While studying Everyday English 2 you have the option to work towards gaining a digital badge.

Badged courses are a key part of The Open University’s mission to promote the educational well-being of the community. The courses also provide another way of helping you to progress from informal to formal learning.

To complete a course you need to be able to find about 48 hours of study time. It is possible to study at any time and at a pace to suit you.

Badged courses are all available on The Open University’s OpenLearn website and do not cost anything to study. They differ from Open University courses because you do not receive support from a tutor. But you do get useful feedback from the interactive quizzes.

What is a badge?

Digital badges are a way of demonstrating online that you have gained a skill. Schools, colleges and universities are working with employers and other organisations to develop open badges that help learners gain recognition for their skills, and support employers to identify the right candidate for a job.

Badges demonstrate your work and achievement on the course. You can share your achievement with friends, family and employers, and on social media. Badges are a great motivation, helping you to reach the end of the course. Gaining a badge often boosts confidence in the skills and abilities that underpin successful study. So, completing this course should encourage you to think about taking other courses, for example enrolling at a college for a formal qualification. (You will be given details on this at the end of the course.)

How to get a badge

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Getting a badge is straightforward! Here’s what you have to do:

read all of the pages of the course
score 70% or more in the end-of-course quiz.

For all the quizzes, you can have three attempts at most of the questions (for true or false type questions you usually only get one attempt). If you get the answer right first time you will get more marks than for a correct answer the second or third time. Therefore, please be aware that for the end-of-course quiz, it is possible to get all the questions right but not score 70% and so not be eligible for the OpenLearn badge on that attempt. If one of your answers is incorrect you will often receive helpful feedback and suggestions about how to work out the correct answer.

If you’re not successful in getting 70% in the end-of-course quiz the first time, after 24 hours you can attempt it again and come back as many times as you like.

We hope that as many people as possible will gain an Open University badge – so you should see getting a badge as an opportunity to reflect on what you have learned rather than as a test.

If you need more guidance on getting a badge and what you can do with it, take a look at the OpenLearn FAQs. When you gain your badge you will receive an email to notify you, and you will be able to view and manage all your badges in My OpenLearn within 24 hours of completing the criteria to gain a badge.

Now get started with Session 1.

Introduction

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Being able to communicate effectively is the most important of all life skills. Whether we are speaking to our boss, chatting to our friends or just popping to the shop to buy a pint of milk, most of us use our speaking and listening skills every day. But have you ever really stopped to think about what makes someone a good communicator?

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Transcript

NARRATOR

[MUSIC PLAYING]

Whether at home, at work, or applying for a job-- learning to communicate effectively is a very important life skill. Depending on the situation you're in, what and how you say things will vary a lot.

It's not all about speaking, either. Facial expression and body language are also important parts of communication. As well as eye contact.

So, if you're trying to get the attention of people in a group discussion, for example – or giving a presentation yourself, understanding speaking and listening can really help you to communicate much more successfully.

[CHEERING]

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In this session, you will explore the differences between formal and informal language, identify positive and negative non-verbal communication and practise your presentation skills.

If you are doing this course to prepare you for either the Functional Skills English Level 2 qualification or the Essential Skills Wales Communication Level 2 qualification, remember that speaking and listening is an important part of both programmes.

For both qualifications, the speaking and listening assessment is split into two parts:

A formal discussion: for this, you take part in a timed discussion on a set topic. In the Essential Skills assessment, this is linked to the reading element of the assessment. The discussion is with a minimum of two other people and you are assessed on your ability to communicate information, feelings and opinions, and to ask relevant questions. You are also expected to use appropriate language and non-verbal communication. You use preparatory notes to support your contribution to the discussion.
A short talk/presentation: for this, you prepare and present a short talk to a group of at least three other people. The talk can be on a topic of your own choosing. In the Essential Skills assessment, it must include an image or other materials to enhance or aid understanding. Both the structure and delivery of the talk are assessed, together with its suitability for the intended audience.

1 Speaking in different ways

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Speaking and listening skills are important in all aspects of your life. It is through them that you get by in everyday situations, connect with other people, and build and maintain relationships. They can influence people’s judgements about you. People are influenced by what you say and you need to make sure that you are easily understood by others.

Figure _unit2.1.1 Figure 1 Everyday speaking and listening

Long description

This applies to your working life as well as your personal life. Being able to listen and to speak clearly and confidently are skills that are highly valued whatever your job. So, what does it mean to be a clear and confident speaker?

Activity _unit2.1.1 Activity 1 What makes a clear and confident speaker?

Allow about 10 minutes

Watch the speaker in the short video below. Do you think she speaks clearly and confidently? Why do you think that?

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Transcript

WOMAN:

Hi. Um. I want you to give me some money. Um. It's for the kids so that, um, so they can, like um, go on holiday. Um, I mean, it's, it's like, it's really unfair that, um, some people can get to go on really cool trips every summer, but, um, other people, they um can't even make it to the, y'know beach for the day. Um. Yeah, I mean, it's just, it's not right, is it? Um, OK, that's all I've got to say.

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Discussion

The speaker looks and sounds nervous and unsure, which probably makes you, the listener, feel a bit uncomfortable. There are lots of pauses and ‘ums’ and ‘likes’. It’s hard to work out what she is saying or trying to say, and is quite frustrating to listen to. She does not speak clearly or confidently.

Now watch the video below. Tick the statements that you think apply to the speaker in this case.

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ABBY:

Hello. My name is Abby, and I'm raising money for charity that pays for children from poor families to go on holiday. It's really sad how thousands of children in the UK have never been away from home and they haven't had a single family holiday in their whole life. They just spend the holidays hanging around and don't get to see other places. Some kids have never even seen the sea, built a sand castle, run along a beach. If you could give just a small amount of money, it would help a child have an experience they will never forget. Thank you.

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Discussion

You probably ticked most or all of the statements. They all apply to someone who speaks clearly and confidently. It’s much easier in this video to follow what the speaker is saying compared to the first video. She knows what she wants to say and looks and sounds relaxed and confident, which makes it easier to understand the point she is making and is more enjoyable to listen to.

It is important that you use the correct language for the context. You should adapt your style and approach to suit your audience. For example, the way you would describe your symptoms to the doctor is likely to be different from describing the same illness to a friend. Or, if you were collecting money for a good cause, you would persuade your friends to contribute using different language from what you would use with a stranger.

The language and style you use when you are speaking will depend on:

who you are talking to
the situation
what you expect or hope to happen as a result.

1.1 Adapting your style

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Box _unit2.1.1

In a Functional Skills English Level 2 or an Essential Skills Wales Communication Level 2 discussion, you gain marks for using appropriate language. This means that for both qualifications, you need to understand the kind of language that is appropriate in different situations.

You can adapt your language to the listener and the situation by keeping these questions in mind as you plan what you are going to say:

Who …?
Why …?
What …?
How …?

For example:

Who am I speaking to?
Why am I giving this explanation?
What do I want to achieve?
How can I achieve that?

Your own experience tells you that you speak in different ways depending on the people and the situation. The main difference, which helps to decide on your form of language, is whether the situation is formal or informal.

Formality usually depends on who you are speaking to and in what context. For example, you may use more formal English to speak to your boss and less formal slang to speak to your friends.

Activity _unit2.1.2 Activity 2 Formal and informal situations

Allow about 5 minutes

Decide whether each of the situations below is formal or informal.

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Discussion

Being able to identify whether a situation is formal or informal can help you to communicate more confidently. When you go to an event or activity, knowing whether it is formal or informal can help you to decide what to wear, the language to use and how much preparation you need to do beforehand. This can help you to be better prepared and more confident in your communication.

1.2 Formal and informal language

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Now that you have identified different formal and informal situations, it is time to look at formal and informal language.

Formal language is a style of speech used when you are speaking to someone you don’t know or on whom you want to make a good impression.
Informal language is a style of speech where choice of words and grammar tends to be familiar rather than formal. It is used when you know, or want to get to know, the person you are speaking to.

Activity _unit2.1.3 Activity 3 Formal and informal phrases

Allow about 5 minutes

Match each formal phrase to its more informal equivalent.

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Discussion

In some of these examples, simply replacing a word makes something sound more formal: ‘attend’ rather than ‘come’; ‘enquire’ rather than ‘ask’; ‘received’ rather than ‘got’; ‘returned’ rather than ‘took back’.

Using a different phrase can also make something sound more formal: ‘am unable’ rather than ‘can’t’; ‘return your call’ rather than ‘phone you back’.

In the following example, using a full sentence rather than a shortened form makes it sound more formal: ‘Would you like anything else?’ rather than ‘Anything else?’.

Slang is very informal language that is usually spoken rather than written. It is commonly used among friends when speaking or sending text messages.

Activity _unit2.1.4 Activity 4 The difference between slang and formal language

Allow about 5 minutes

Can you match each formal phrase to its slang equivalent?

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Discussion

The slang words used here – gutted, nicked, legless, mates, gobby, peckish – are words that might be spoken or texted among friends. It is unlikely that you would see these words in formal writing.

Formal language is more likely to be grammatically correct. For example, you would say ‘I have not’ rather than the grammatically incorrect ‘I ain’t’.

When speaking and listening, you should think about three important questions:

Who am I speaking to?
What is the purpose?
Is this a formal or an informal situation?

Activity _unit2.1.5 Activity 5 Formal and informal phrases

Allow about 10 minutes

Think about each situation below and decide whether it’s formal or informal. Then write a phrase that you might use in that situation.

1. Making an appointment at the doctor’s surgery

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2. Chatting with friends

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3. Parents’ evening at a children’s school

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4. Job interview

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5. A community drop-in session

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Discussion

Compare your ideas with the examples below.

Table _unit2.1.1

Situation	Formal/informal	Example
1. Making an appointment at the doctor’s surgery	Formal	Good afternoon. I’d like to book an appointment,please.
2. Chatting with friends	Informal	Hey! You all right?
3. Parents’ evening at a children’s school	Formal	It’s nice to see you again.
4. Job interview	Formal	Good morning. I’m pleased to meet you.
5. A community drop-in session	Informal	Hi! I thought I’d pop in today.

In this section you have:

looked at what makes a confident speaker
identified formal and informal situations
considered the differences between formal, informal and slang language.

You will now turn to the important subject of non-verbal communication.

2 Non-verbal communication

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Figure _unit2.2.1 Figure 2 Communicating through body language

Long description

Box _unit2.2.1

In a Functional Skills English Level 2 or an Essential Skills Wales Communication Level 2 discussion, you gain marks for using appropriate non-verbal communication.

Non-verbal communication is all about the subtle cues between people that give an idea of how they are feeling. Non-verbal communication can include body language, tone of voice, facial expressions and hand gestures.

When you speak, much of the message that you convey comes through your tone of voice and body language rather than the words you use. This means that whether you are trying to persuade your friends to watch the movie you like, presenting information at a staff meeting or answering questions at a job interview, it is important that you always use positive body language.

Activity _unit2.2.1 Activity 6 Non-verbal body language

Allow about 10 minutes

Watch the short video below. Make a note of all the non-verbal signals that are demonstrated.

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Transcript

SPEAKER

When you speak, much of the message that you convey comes through your tone of voice and body language, rather than the words you use. This means that whether you are presenting information at a meeting, answering questions at a job interview, or joining in with a discussion-- you should try to be aware of your own body language, and keep it positive.

For example, leaning in slightly when someone is speaking demonstrates that you are actively listening. While leaning away signals that you are not really that interested in what they are saying or that you even feel hostile.

Crossing your arms can mean that you don't agree with what is being said, that you're not feeling confident, or that you're simply not interested. If your arms are open and your hands are together in your lap or on the table, it shows others that you are open to what they are saying.

Talking with your hands is an easy way to incorporate gestures into your conversation. Emphasising words with your hands can lead you to appear more credible and assured. Just be careful not to make it a dance party.

Making eye contact is another way of communicating positively. Keeping your head up and look the person you are talking to in the eyes, both when they are talking to you and when you are talking to them. There is no need to stare them down so remember to blink and to look away occasionally. Good eye contact lets others know that you are interested in the conversation.

You can show empathy with simple actions of agreement like nodding your head or smiling. These actions let people know that you are on their side. And that you identify with their plight. You can also laugh, when it's appropriate.

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Discussion

The video features both positive and negative non-verbal signals.

Leaning in shows that you are actively listening.
Leaning back can suggest that you are not interested in the discussion or even feel hostile about it.
Folding your arms gives a signal that you are not interested in what’s going on.
Relaxing your arms, so that they hang comfortably at your sides, or resting your hands in your lap, shows that you are open to what others are saying.
Talking with your hands and emphasising words with gestures can make you appear more credible and assured.
Making eye contact lets others know you are interested in the conversation.
Nodding and smiling are ways of showing empathy and letting others know you understand what they are saying. Laughing is another way of doing this – when appropriate.

Activity _unit2.2.2 Activity 7 Positive body language

Allow about 5 minutes

Decide whether each of the pictures below shows generally positive or negative body language or elements of both.

Figure _unit2.2.2 Figure 3 Talking

Long description

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Discussion

Both people in this picture are making eye contact and look engaged in the conversation. They are turned towards each other and their arms are open rather than folded.

However, they are leaning away from each other and neither is smiling. He seems to be pointing in her direction.

This picture seems to show both positive and negative body language.

Figure _unit2.2.3 Figure 4 Leaning back

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Discussion

This man looks very relaxed, happy and confident! But his body language seems a bit too informal, as his shoes are off and his feet are up on the desk. His body language – and his feet! – could make someone who is talking to him feel quite uncomfortable.

Figure _unit2.2.4 Figure 5 Discussing

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Discussion

Both people here look interested in the discussion. They are leaning in slightly and are focused on whatever is on the sheet of paper. The woman is pointing something out with her pen and smiling. The body language is positive.

Figure _unit2.2.5 Figure 6 Listening

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Discussion

The woman on the right is displaying negative body language: she has her arms folded and her expression suggests she doesn’t believe or agree with what is being said. The man to her left has a more neutral expression, although he looks a little concerned. His body language is more open.

Figure _unit2.2.6 Figure 7 Explaining

Long description

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Discussion

The woman talking in this picture is using her hands to emphasise her point and her arms are open. She seems to be making eye contact with one of her listeners; her body language is positive. The woman next to her is making eye contact and looks as if she is really listening.

Figure _unit2.2.7 Figure 8 Shaking hands

Long description

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Discussion

These two women look happy to be making contact! They both smile and look at each other as they shake hands. Both show positive body language.

Figure _unit2.2.8 Figure 9 Head in hands

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Discussion

The man on the left looks frustrated and upset. He is grimacing, his eyes are closed and he looks as if he wants to tear his hair out. His body language expresses very negative feelings.

The woman on the right, however, looks concerned but calm. Her facial expression is open. She is leaning towards him and reaching out to comfort him. Her body language is positive.

2.1 I’d like to say something …

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

During a group discussion you may also want to use body language to indicate that you wish to speak.

Activity _unit2.2.3 Activity 8 Showing you want to say something

Allow about 5 minutes

Below is a list of body language actions. Select the ones that are useful signals that you want to say something in a discussion.

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Discussion

Throwing your arm up dramatically or standing up during a discussion can make you come across as unprofessional and aggressive. If you have something to say during a discussion, you are more likely to gain respect and get your point heard if you are polite, make eye contact and change your posture to signify you are ready to speak.

2.2 It’s the way you say it

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

It is not just your body language that can give the game away about how you feel. The old saying ‘It’s not what you say, it’s the way that you say it’ contains a great deal of truth. Your voice carries a lot of hidden messages to the listener. It can reveal:

your emotions
how interested you are in what is being said
even your state of health.

Your voice shows these differences in a variety of ways, particularly:

how fast or slowly you speak: your pace
how clearly you say the words: your articulation
how loudly or softly you speak: your volume.

Activity _unit2.2.4 Activity 9 Pace, articulation and volume

Allow about 10 minutes

Listen to the audio below, in which a spokesperson introduces a new England rugby coach to journalists. What do you notice about the speaker’s pace, articulation and volume?

Download this audio clip.Audio player: track_19.mp3 >

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Transcript

Presenter

(quietly) Testing, 1 2, 1, 2, 3 (cough)

Audience

(quietly) Low chatter

Presenter

Ladies and gentlemen of the press ...

Audience

(quietly mumbled chatter)

Presenter

I will shortly be introducing the new England rugby coach to you.

Audience

Better be worth it / That’s right / Mumbling – errrr / Bring it on

Presenter

Before I do, welcome to our new HQ.

Audience

VERY NICE / Lovely / D’you know how long it took me to get here? / Yeah, thanks (Laughing)

Presenter

Very glad you managed to make it here.

Audience

God / Yeah not the bloody long / OK / miracle

Presenter

We appreciate that for some of you this is out of the way.

Audience

Yeah and some! / (mumbling)

Presenter

Our apologies (cough). Finance has dictated that we relocate to here.

Audience

What a shame / (tch) / lack of finance more like / (clearing throat)

Presenter

Sorry; no more popping out in the lunch hour for a quick soundbite from the English RFU, heh heh.

Audience

(Jeering / boos / tutting)

Presenter

But to compensate we have laid on refreshments.

Audience

Yeah great / big deal / (laughing) / (sarcastic) woo hoo

Presenter

And the car parking is free.

Audience

Woo hoo / well, whoopee for that / (unenthusiastic clapping)

Presenter

The new coach will say a few words – and not too quickly.

Audience

Oh god

Presenter

If you want a transcript they will be available from me afterwards.

Audience

Can we just skip this? / GET ON WITH IT / (mumbling)

Presenter

Yeah OK, OK, you no doubt have a lot of questions to ask so please feel free to do so. One each, mind.

Audience

What? / Ha! / What? / Ha! So generous / (laughing)

Presenter

Please keep them brief and to the point.

Audience

(Laughing)

Presenter

And remember, he does have a team to pick for the game next week so please don’t keep him from his deliberations longer than is necessary.

Audience

(groaning) / Oh don’t worry / You’re keeping me here / Get on with it!

Presenter

And now ...

Audience

(fanfare noise) / (laughing)

Presenter

… we give you – the new England rugby coach.

Audience

YAY/ Woah / (unenthusiastic clapping )

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Discussion

See if your observations match those below.

The speaker starts hesitantly. He tests the microphone to check it is working.
He speaks slowly and clearly in an attempt to gain the attention of the people in the room. They need to know he has an important announcement to make.
He articulates his words and keeps the pace slow. This might be so that the journalists can write down what he is saying. However, he might be talking too slowly, as they sound increasingly impatient.
He tries joking and apologises for any inconvenience.
Towards the end, he slows the pace again because he wishes to build up the tension before revealing who the coach is. Again, the journalists want him to hurry up and urge him to ‘get on with it’.

Several things can affect the way you speak.

If you are angry or upset, you may talk very quickly. So emotions can affect the pace of speaking.
If you are interested in what is being said, you tend to be more precise. This focus helps you to articulate more clearly.
If you are not feeling at your best, you may turn your volume down and talk quietly or with little energy.

You can use this flexibility in pace, volume and articulation to create different effects when you are speaking.

In this section you have looked at:

the ways people communicate non-verbally
how to use positive body language to enhance your speaking and listening
how to change your pace, articulation and volume to convey a message.

3 Taking part in a discussion

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Figure _unit2.3.1 Figure 10 A group discussion

Long description

Discussions with a particular purpose are often more formal and involve some form of negotiation. It can be useful to produce a written plan for this in advance.

If you don’t prepare, you can find yourself in situations like the following:

You are caught ‘on the hop’ when someone asks you a question you were not expecting.
Someone comes up with a proposal completely unexpectedly.
You have not even thought about what the proposal under discussion might mean for you.
You do not know what the reasons for the proposal are.
You do not have enough background information.

The better prepared you are, the more likely you are to find solutions and reach decisions in discussions. Many discussions are really some form of negotiation. For example, if you are in a discussion with your manager about making changes to your job, the more you have planned what you want to say, the more likely you are to negotiate and influence the outcome.

3.1 Preparation

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Box _unit2.3.1

In a Functional Skills English Level 2 discussion, you gain marks by showing the assessor you are well prepared. One of the ways you can do this is by making notes before the discussion.

In an Essential Skills Wales Communication Level 2 discussion, you gain marks for producing written prepared notes before the discussion. This is therefore an essential part of your preparation.

You can approach the preparation stage by asking yourself a series of questions. This enables you to do a considerable amount of thinking in advance and to think of some of the points that others in the discussion might make. This means you are less likely to be surprised by something unexpected.

Activity _unit2.3.1 Activity 10 Initial questions

Allow about 10 minutes

Imagine you have worked as a sales assistant in a clothing store for six months and you want to do work that has more variety. You want to discuss this with your manager.

Write a list of questions that you could ask yourself in preparation, related to the purpose of the discussion and what you want out of it.

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Discussion

Here is a list of questions that you could ask yourself during the preparation stage:

What is the discussion about?
What is its purpose?
What do I want?
What might others in the discussion want?
What are the differences between what I and others want?
Are there any other ways I can achieve what I want?
What don’t I want and why don’t I want it?
What would be a good outcome?
What would be a satisfactory outcome?

Here are the questions again, with an explanation as to why each is useful.

Table _unit2.3.1

Question	Why is it useful?
1. What is the discussion about? 2. What is its purpose? 3. What do I want?	Q1, 2 and 3 help you to clarify your thoughts and be clear about what you want to say.
4. What might others in the discussion want?	Helps you to start thinking about what other people want. As you cannot be sure at this stage, you may have to consider more than one idea. You should then think about your response to these ideas. This helps you to be flexible during the discussion.
5. What are the differences between what I and others want?	Helps you to consider in advance what problems or differences there might be. This helps you to generate ideas on how to solve the problems and make progress.
6. Are there any other ways I can achieve what I want?	Helps you to be creative in your thinking. Have you thought enough about the issue?
7. What don’t I want and why don’t I want it?	Helps you to be certain about your own thinking.
8. What would be a good outcome? 9. What would be a satisfactory outcome?	Q8 and 9 help you to think about possible proposals and solutions that could come from the discussion.

Answering these questions in advance is good preparation for any discussion. You can prepare a range of information that helps you to be flexible and creative in keeping the discussion moving.

Activity _unit2.3.2 Activity 11 Answering those initial questions

Allow about 10 minutes

Again imagining yourself as a sales assistant, and in further preparation for the discussion with your manager about doing more varied work, try answering the nine questions to help you plan your response.

1. What is the discussion about?

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2. What is its purpose?

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3. What do I want?

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4. What might the other person or people in the discussion want?

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5. What are the differences between what I and the other person/people want?

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6. Are there any other ways I can achieve what I want?

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7. What don’t I want and why don’t I want it?

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8. What would be a good outcome?

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9. What would be a satisfactory outcome?

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Discussion

Below are some suggestions for each of the questions that could help you with your discussion. You may have your own ideas.

What is the discussion about?
Discussion with manager about more variety in the job role.
What is its purpose?
To negotiate more variety.
What do I want?
More variety in the job role.
What might the other person or people in the discussion want?
Manager may want me to stay in current role.
What are the differences between what I and the other person/people want?
Different overall goals.
Are there any other ways I can achieve what I want?
Apply for a different job or promotion.
What don’t I want and why don’t I want it?
Don’t want to lose my job because I like what I do.
What would be a good outcome?
More responsibility and a promotion.
What would be a satisfactory outcome?
Unpaid work experience.

3.2 Moving the discussion on

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Box _unit2.3.2

In a Functional Skills English Level 2 or an Essential Skills Wales Communication Level 2 discussion, you gain marks for asking and answering questions and helping to move the discussion forward.

Once you are involved in a discussion, you need to be able to identify when it is getting stuck and to move it on.

You know a discussion has lost its way when the conversation seems to be going round in circles. There are a number of reasons why this might be happening:

Proposals may not have been put forward clearly.
Those present may not be able to agree for some reason.
People may not be listening to each other properly.
There may be some external pressure limiting the discussion, such as lack of time.
The outcome is unclear.
Not all the facts are known.

There are several things you can do to make sure a discussion moves on again.

Activity _unit2.3.3 Activity 12 Moving things on or slowing them down?

Allow about 5 minutes

Listen to the short audio below, which is part of a discussion among four people about making a shared hallway safer and more welcoming for visitors.

When you hear someone say something that either moves the discussion on or stops it moving on, pause the audio and write down:

who spoke
whether they moved the discussion on or slowed it down
how they did so.

You will probably need to listen to the audio more than once.

When you have finished, write down whether you think the discussion was generally moving on well or not, and why you think this.

Download this audio clip.Audio player: track_28.mp3 >

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Transcript

Paul

Hi, I’m Paul. Welcome to Nita, Julie and Sharon. Let’s get the meeting underway. Um, the main point of us being here is to discuss what we can do to improve the hallway. Nita?

Nita

It’s been a mess for years.

Julie

Well, whose fault is that?

Sharon

Er, does that matter at this stage, Julie?

Paul

Thanks Sharon.

Sharon

OK. Shall we think about how we would like it to look in the future?

Julie

What’s the point? It’ll be ruined within a week.

Paul

We are here to try to improve the hallway.

Nita

Why just us? Where are the other people who live here? Why are they not doing anything?

Sharon

That’s not important, Nita. At least we’re here.

Julie

Seems we’re wasting our time doing just that.

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Discussion

Table _unit2.3.2

Who spoke?	Did they move the discussion on or slow it down?	How did they do this?
Paul	Tried to move it on	By reminding people what the meeting was for.
Sharon	Tried to move it on.	By focusing on the future, not the past.
Nita and Julie	Slowed things down.	By making negative comments, e.g. Nita: ‘It’s been a mess for years.’

Overall, the discussion was not moving on well because there were no clear proposals for how to improve things.

Constructive contributions build on what is being said in a discussion and move it forward. You can make constructive contributions by:

acknowledging other people’s contributions, for instance by picking up and developing their point or by encouraging them to make a contribution to the discussion
asking an open question
giving information or an opinion
reminding people of the purpose of the discussion so that everyone can refocus
summarising what has been said so far.

Recapping or summarising can be particularly helpful during a long discussion or when there are lots of details. At various times during the discussion you (or someone else) can stop and remind people of what has been said so far and what you still have to do.

Here are some useful phrases:

‘Let’s just check where we have got to.’

‘Can we just recap?’

‘Is everyone clear about what has just been said?’

‘Does anyone want to add anything to what has been said?’

‘Can we confirm that we have all agreed to …?’

‘Does everyone know what they have to do next?’

Box _unit2.3.3

In a Functional Skills English Level 2 discussion, you gain marks for presenting your ideas clearly and persuasively to others.

In an Essential Skills Wales Communication Level 2 discussion, you gain marks for providing appropriate information and offering opinions and feelings about the topic under discussion.

3.3 How to have a good discussion

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Discussions can go wrong quite easily. Some people talk too much, while others struggle to get their points across. Often there is not enough time given to sharing facts and information so that everyone understands what is under discussion. There are no clear decisions and the discussion seems to go round in circles.

Here are is a summary of common reasons why discussions go wrong:

The purpose of the discussion is not explained clearly.
People are not introduced to each other.
People are not sure why they are there.
Key people have not been invited.
Some people do all the talking.
Some people do not say anything and should do.
Information is not clear.
No one asks any questions.
Too much time is spent on irrelevant items.
There are too many disruptions, such as phone calls.
Important items are left out.
Decisions made are not clear.
No decisions are made.

Activity _unit2.3.4 Activity 13 When a discussion goes wrong

Allow about 10 minutes

Watch the video below in which a group of people discuss an issue that has arisen in their village. List the things that make the discussion go badly. You may find it useful to refer to the list above for guidance.

You may also find it useful to pause the video as you go along, so that you can write down your ideas.

Download this video clip.Video player: bltl_vid_03_eng_12_bad_discussion.mp4 >

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Transcript

ANNA

Hello, everyone. Right, let's crack on. Anyone got any ideas about what we can do?

ROGER

Sorry, I don't even know what this meeting is about. It just said urgent meeting on the letter.

ANNA

Oh, OK. Well, someone wants to bulldoze the wood at the bottom of the road and build a load of flats on it.

SUE

Right. So what are we supposed to do about it then?

ANNA

Duh, that's what we're here to talk about. Honestly, what a question.

BERNIE

Does anybody know anything about this company?

ROGER

Sorry, but who are you?

BERNIE

I'm Bernie. I've just moved into number 41. Who are you?

ROGER

I'm Roger from number 23.

BERNIE

Nice to meet you.

ROGER

Yeah, nice to meet you.

ANNA

Can we get back to the subject? I've got a few ideas about what we can do.

BERNIE

So if I can just go back to my question, do we know anything at all about this company? I'm wondering, perhaps, maybe someone at the parish council might know something.

ANNA

They never have the information you need. Maybe look it up online. Anyway, as I was saying, I've got a few ideas about what we can do. The first thing is to write to everyone in the village. Ask everyone to complain.

SUE

But complain about what? Everybody knows there's not enough affordable housing in the village. People might be glad of homes that their kids can afford.

ANNA

I'm sure people won't be happy about it, and they'll want to complain, and there's also the local newspaper. They'd be interested in the story, and actually there is someone on the parish council who'll be interested. She's called Miriam.

SUE

Shouldn't she have been invited to this meeting then?

ANNA

I'll give her the lowdown later.

BERNIE

Sorry, do you live around here too?

SUE

Ah, yes. I'm Sue from number 14.

BERNIE

Oh, nice to meet you.

SUE

Hi there.

BERNIE

I'm Bernie. 14, that's the one with the maple tree, right?

SUE

Yeah. Yeah, it is.

BERNIE

I look forward to seeing it in the autumn. The leaves turn that lovely shade of red.

SUE

Yeah, they do. I bought it from the garden centre last year, 50% off.

BERNIE

Oh, really?

ANNA

You have to be very careful, though, that they don't take over your whole garden. I bought one five years ago, and it's absolutely a giant now. In fact, the tree man's coming tomorrow to take off some of the branches.

SUE

I'll have to keep an eye on it then, tell it not to get too big.

ANNA

Anyway, where were we? Um-- I think we've got a few good ideas about protesting against these flats. Let's see how it goes.

BERNIE

Could I suggest something else we could do?

ANNA

[PHONE RINGING]

Hold on a minute. Sorry, I need to take this. Hello? Hi. How are you? Is everything OK? Mm-hmm. Sorry, can I call you back? OK. Yeah, speak later.

Right. Well, it's getting late. Let's call it a day. I'm sure we'll stop this housing development in its tracks. I'll see you next time, everybody.

SUE

Thanks, yeah.

End transcript

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Discussion

Here are some of the things that you may have noticed about the discussion:

Its purpose was not explained. One participant at least had no idea why he was there.
Participants’ comments were not always treated respectfully. (’Duh! … Honestly, what a question!’)
People were not introduced to each other at the beginning, so not everyone knew each other or why the others were there.
Questions and opinions were dismissed by the chair, for example when she said, ‘The Parish Council never have the information … look it up online.’
One person – the chair – seemed to dominate the discussion: ‘Anyway, I’ve a few ideas as to what we can do.’
Someone who would have been helpful to the discussion was not invited (Miriam from the Parish Council).
Time was taken up talking about something quite irrelevant (the maple tree).
Only at the end did one of the participants have the chance to make a suggestion, as the chair dominated the discussion so much. Even then, he didn’t manage to say anything as he was interrupted by her mobile phone.
The discussion was disrupted by the chair’s mobile going off and her answering it.
It was unclear at the end what decisions had been made and who was going to carry out the suggestions that had been made. It felt unlikely that anything would actually be done following the discussion.
All the participants other than the chair looked unhappy by the end of the discussion. They may have gone away and immediately organised another meeting because the discussion had been so unhelpful!

In the discussion you have just watched, the chair didn’t help the discussion go well. She didn’t make sure that everyone knew each other or understood the purpose of the meeting. She didn’t ensure that everyone had a chance to speak.

Note that some groups prefer to work less formally, without a chair. They create a set of ground rules about how discussions should be managed. Everyone is asked to agree to these beforehand.

In the next video, you can see how a chair can help a discussion run smoothly.

Activity _unit2.3.5 Activity 14 When a discussion goes well

Now watch the video below. The discussion is on the same topic. As you watch, make a note of the things that make it go rather better than the discussion in the previous activity. Why does this discussion go well?

Again, you may find it useful to pause the video while you write down your ideas.

Download this video clip.Video player: bltl_vid_04_eng_12_good_discussion.mp4 >

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Transcript

ANNA

Hello, everyone. Thank you for coming. Does everyone know each other?

BERNIE

I'm not sure I actually know everybody. Would you mind if we went around the table and introduced ourselves?

ANNA

Good idea. I'm Anna from number 8.

BERNIE

I'm Bernie. I've just moved into number 41.

SUE

Hi. I'm Sue from number 14.

ROGER

I'm Roger from number 23.

MIRIAM

Hi. I'm Miriam, and I'm from the parish council.

ANNA

OK, just a quick recap. We're here because a property developer has applied for planning permission to build a block of flats on the land at the end of the road where the wood is. It would mean the total destruction of the wood. So we're here to work out what we can do to stop the flats being built. At this point, we're looking at all the ways we can protest against the planning application. Miriam, do you have any information on the company?

MIRIAM

Well, here's what I know. The company that want to develop the land are called Prime Building. They've applied before, back in 2009, but their application was rejected, because the wood is a site of scientific interest. But they're reapplying now, because the housing shortage is so bad within this area that they think they're in with a chance.

ANNA

Thank you. Any questions so far?

ROGER

Have the company built any housing around here before? I mean, have they had any applications granted?

ANNA

Good question. Miriam?

MIRIAM

They appealed a decision a few years ago over the other side of the village and lost, but I'll check the records to see if they've been building anywhere else.

ANNA

Thanks, Miriam. Now, we need to work out what we can do to stop them here. Any ideas, anyone?

SUE

Well, we could write letters to everyone in the village, ask them to email the council. Everybody loves that wood. It's a really safe place for the kids to play, the dog walkers love it too, and in the springtime, it's full of bluebells.

ANNA

That's a great idea. Could you write the letter, Sue, and distribute it?

SUE

Yeah. Sure. I can do that this week.

ANNA

OK. What else?

ROGER

How about getting the local nature society involved? They could write to the planning people, because it's a site of scientific interest. That way, it's then a benefit to the whole country, not just to the local people.

ANNA

Great. That would be a really strong point. Could you get in touch with them?

ROGER

Yeah, certainly.

ANNA

I'm sure they'd support our campaign. I was thinking, we should contact the press, at least the local newspaper. Has anyone got any photos of the wood we can send, you know, looking beautiful in different seasons?

SUE

I'll ask around when I take letters around this week.

ANNA

Sounds good. Bernie, do you have any other ideas about what we could do?

BERNIE

Well, I was thinking about getting in touch with the village school, because I know they use the woodland a lot to study the trees and the animals. And I think maybe they might want to go down there and take some photos or draw some pictures and things and tie that in.

ANNA

Brilliant. Anyone know the head teacher?

BERNIE

I do, actually. Yeah, I can give him a call tomorrow, if you want.

ANNA

Thank you. Miriam, is there anything the parish council can do?

MIRIAM

Well, I can pick this up at the meeting, on Thursday, but I'm sure they'll support your campaign.

ANNA

Great. So here are our decisions and actions. Sue will write to everyone in the village. Roger will write to the nature society. Bernie will contact the school, and Miriam will raise the matter at the next parish council meeting. Great. Well, shall we meet same time next week?

SUE

Yeah.

ANNA

OK. Thank you.

SUE

Thank you.

BERNIE

Thank you.

End transcript

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Discussion

People introduced themselves so everyone knew each other and why they were there before the discussion started.
The purpose of the meeting was made clear right at the beginning.
Relevant people with useful contributions to make, such as Miriam from the Parish Council, were present. She had already done some research on the issue, which was helpful.
During the discussion, the chair asked if anyone had any questions; she made sure everyone understood what was going on.
The chair invited suggestions from all the participants, including from someone who had been quiet. She didn’t dominate the discussion, but kept it moving and made sure everyone participated.
The chair made it clear who had to do what and at the end summarised all the decisions and actions. It felt as if something really was going to happen after the discussion!

In this section you have looked at:

how to prepare for a discussion
how to move a discussion along
why a discussion can go wrong
the things that make a discussion go well.

4 Presentations

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Figure _unit2.4.1 Figure 11 Giving a presentation

Long description

There may be many times in your life when you are asked to present information. You might do so formally, for example for a training event at work, or informally, for example if you give your opinion on something at a local community meeting.

Before you present information, it is important that you are prepared and that you have done some research.

Researching is just as important as presenting. This means allowing time beforehand for thinking, reading and writing.

You should think carefully about the reasons for the presentation – what is its purpose? Thinking about the purpose helps you to focus your search for information. The usual reasons for a presentation are to:

share your opinion on a topic, such as on climate change
persuade your audience to do something, such as to donate to a cause
describe a place or an event, such as giving a commentary on the Second World War
provide information on a topic, such as a news report.

You can collect information from a wide range of sources, including websites, books and other publications, podcasts, places such as museums and libraries, and people such as teachers and historians.

4.1 Structure

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

When you present information, you need a structure to help both yourself and your listeners. You need a structure in order to plan and organise what you are going to say. Your listeners need a structure so that they can follow and understand you.

A structure can look like this:

Introduction
Main points
Conclusion.

Activity _unit2.4.1 Activity 15 Summarising a talk

Allow about 5 minutes

Listen to the short audio below, in which someone reports back on a presentation that they attended, and answer the questions below.

You may want to pause the audio while you write down answers to the questions and/or listen to it more than once.

Download this audio clip.Audio player: track_24.mp3 >

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Transcript

I was asked to attend the presentation by the manager. It took place on Wednesday in the staff restaurant. It was about plans to introduce a new computer system.

We were given the reasons why we needed a new system. Our current one is out of date and cannot keep up with the workload.

A demonstration of three new systems will be given next month. Each one is different and will mean changes in the way we work. People from each department will be invited to the demonstrations.

The computer changes are going to happen. We should decide who we would like to send to the demonstrations.

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1. What does the speaker say as her introduction?

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2. What are her main points?

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3. How does she conclude the piece?

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Discussion

The speaker was asked to attend the presentation by the manager. It took place on Wednesday in the staff restaurant. It was about plans to introduce a new computer system.
The main points were as follows.
- The reason they need a new system: the current one is out of date and cannot keep up with the workload.
- A demonstration of three new systems will be given next month. Each one is different and will mean changes in the way they work.
- People from each department will be invited to the demonstrations.
The computer changes are going to happen. The staff need to decide who they would like to send to the demonstrations.

4.2 Describing and persuading

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Figure _unit2.4.2 Figure 12 How (not) to persuade

Long description

When you prepare a talk, you need to structure your main points to help your audience follow what you are saying. The way you do this will depend on the purpose of your talk. Your structure will be different if you are:

describing an experience or a series of events
persuading people by presenting your case.

Describing

Imagine that you have been asked to talk to a group of new employees to tell them about your job as a nurse. The main part of your talk could be organised under these five headings:

Background information about the hospital or surgery
What goes on in the department
Details of your work
What you most enjoy about your work
What you dislike about your job.

Persuading

However, if your talk is to persuade, you need to adopt a different structure for your main points, such as this:

Background
Other people’s arguments
Problems with other people’s arguments
Your arguments
Benefits of your arguments.

Here is an example based on persuading people not to smoke.

General background to smoking
Why smokers enjoy smoking
Evidence of damage to health
Cost of smoking to individuals and the NHS
How to give up smoking easily.

Activity _unit2.4.2 Activity 16 Deciding on the main points of a talk

Allow about 10 minutes

Imagine you work for the NHS and are planning to give a talk persuading people to donate blood. Write down some headings for your talk to show how you would structure your argument.

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Discussion

You could include any or all of the following:

General information about giving blood – how to make contact with the Service and where donor sessions take place.
Some of the ideas people have about giving blood.
Putting the facts straight – what actually takes place.
A case study about an individual donor.
The benefits to both individuals and the NHS.

4.3 Cues

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

When you are preparing a talk, you don’t need to write out everything that you are going to say. You can use cue cards. These are small pieces of card about the size of a postcard. They are called cue cards because they help you to remember what to say by giving you a ‘cue’ or prompt.

You need one cue card for each of your main points. The heading of the main point goes at the top of the card and then short notes expanding on it under the heading.

Figure 13 is an example of a cue card from a talk about giving up smoking.

Figure _unit2.4.3 Figure 13 Example of a cue card

Long description

Activity _unit2.4.3 Activity 17 Making cue cards

Allow about 10 minutes

Read the information below about a community centre. Plan some cue cards for a talk on the community centre. Decide on your main points and write a heading for each. Then write brief notes under each heading.

The centre is in Queen Street near the library and supermarket. The centre is open every day, Monday to Friday 7.00 am to 10.00 pm. On Saturdays and Sundays it is open 10.00 am to 4.00 pm. It has a varied programme of events for all ages. There is plenty for everyone to do and enjoy. You can start a new hobby or brush up an old one. For parents we have pre-school and toddler groups. For youngsters there are after school clubs, a drop-in centre and sound studio. Pensioners can enjoy our friendly luncheon club and coach trips out and about. We are now fully staffed with a professional team of people here to help you. There is a centre manager, two team workers, admin assistant, cook and caretaker. We look forward to seeing you soon in the centre.

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Discussion

There is quite a lot of information for your listeners to take in. But the information is in three sections, so you could organise your cue cards as follows:

Cue card 1: Whereabouts of the centre and opening times
Cue card 2: Programme of events and activities
Cue card 3: Staff at the centre.

4.4 Markers and signposts

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Figure _unit2.4.4 Figure 14 Markers and signposts

Long description

If you have a lot of information to get across in a talk, you might need to make your structure even clearer to your listeners. You can do this by using markers or signposts in the main part of your talk.

These are words that show listeners where the conversation or presentation is going.

For example, for the talk in the previous activity, you might start like this:

‘I am going to talk about the centre in three sections. Firstly, the whereabouts of the centre and opening times; secondly, the programme of events and activities; and, finally, the staff at the centre.’

This tells the listener what to listen out for in the main body of the talk. ‘Firstly’, ‘secondly’ and ‘finally’ become markers for them to follow.

Other marker words include:

on the one hand
on the other hand
whereas
nevertheless
even so
however
therefore.

Activity _unit2.4.4 Activity 18 Identifying markers and signposts

Allow about 10 minutes

Listen carefully to the audio, which is a conversation between a doctor and a patient called Lorna. Pause it when you hear either of the speakers using a marker or signpost. Make a note of the word(s) and how they help you to follow the discussion.

Download this audio clip.Audio player: track_25.mp3 >

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Transcript

Doctor

Hello, Lorna.

Lorna

Hello, Doctor.

Doctor

Right. As you know we ran a few tests after you had that funny turn.

Lorna

The severe headache and numbness in my arm?

Doctor

Yes. Quite. Well I have the results here and what I’d like to do is go through them with you, explain what this means, and discuss what we can do to help.

Lorna

Oh. I see.

Doctor

Remind me what you’d been concerned this might be.

Lorna

Well, Doctor, I did wonder if it was a, erm, a stroke or a brain tumour.

Doctor

Okay. I can tell you that it is neither of those.

Lorna

Oh.

Doctor

I can see that you’re looking anxious so, er, without further ado. From the results of the tests we carried out, it looks to me as if you have been suffering from migraines.

Lorna

Mmm

Doctor

Can you tell me what you know about migraines?

Lorna

Not a lot Doctor. I mean, I’ve heard of them but I don’t – I don’t really know –

Doctor

Well firstly let me say that it is something we can control.

Lorna

Is it really?

Doctor

Yes. We can give you drugs to prevent the attacks occurring –

Lorna

So that I’ll be able to –

Doctor

Secondly, you will be able to carry on –

Lorna

Driving? Oh, thank goodness for that

Doctor

If I could move on to explain a little about migraines.

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Discussion

Here are the markers and signposts you may have spotted.

Table _unit2.4.1

Who said what	How it helped
Doctor: ‘Right. As you know, ...’	Shows the doctor is ready to start to explain things.
Doctor: ‘Quite. Well, ...’	Shows the doctor is ready to move on.
Doctor: ‘I have the results here and what I’d like to do is ...’	Indicates that the doctor is about to explain what he is going to do.
Lorna: ‘Oh, I see.’	Lorna shows she has heard what the doctor said and is ready for him to continue.
Doctor: ‘OK.’	The doctor shows he has heard what Lorna has just said and is going to respond to her concerns.
Doctor: ‘I can see that you’re looking anxious, so ...’	The doctor acknowledges that his patient is anxious, so he’ll move on to address her fears.
Doctor: ‘Firstly, ... Secondly, ...’	The doctor shows he is going to make a number of points; here is the first … and now the second ...
Doctor: ‘If I could move on to explain a little about migraines, ...’	The doctor shows he’s moving on to talk about something else.

4.5 Are they listening?

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Figure _unit2.4.5 Figure 15 Is your audience listening?

Long description

When you are asked to speak in public, you should always remember your listeners. It is easy to concentrate so much on what you are saying that you forget about the people listening.

Have you ever noticed someone not listening to you? Did they do any of the following:

looking around the room
gazing out of the window
doodling on a piece of paper
fidgeting
yawning
not looking directly at you?

If someone behaves like this when you are speaking, it may mean they are no longer listening to you. They may have stopped listening because they did not understand what you were saying or because you haven’t kept their interest.

To avoid this, you should check their understanding as you are speaking. You can do this with questions like these:

‘Does what I have said make sense?’
‘I would be interested to hear how you see it.’
‘Does anyone have any questions?’
‘Does anyone have any comments?’
‘I would very much like to hear what this will mean for you.’
‘Would anyone like me to go over any of the points?’
‘I would be very interested to hear how you feel about this.’

You should adapt the questions to suit the audience and the purpose of your talk.

Activity _unit2.4.5 Activity 19 Checking your listeners’ understanding

Allow about 10 minutes

Listen to the audio below, which contains three different speaking situations. For each one, note down a question you might ask the listeners, to check their understanding of the topic.

Download this audio clip.Audio player: track_3.mp3 >

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I’m Dan Short, your MP. Delighted to be speaking to you today. My wife apologises that she couldn’t be here with me but she isn’t well and is at home. I’m sure you have all read the news about the arrival of a new addition to our family. I expect that you have also read of the plans to build a new out-of-town shopping centre. This will attract all the big-named stores to the area. ‘About time too’, I can hear some of you say. It is something this town has needed for a very long time. We’ve been doing some very new thinking about transport to the centre. All the details will be given at a public meeting to be held at the Town Hall next Tuesday.

(Cough). I would like to welcome you to the school this evening; and thank you for turning out in such bad weather. I saw a nasty accident on my drive in this morning which was most unfortunate. The delivery van also had trouble in the school drive. Let us hope our return journeys will be easier. I expect you have read in the papers and heard on the radio and television for some time now the debate about making changes to the school year. We have held a number of meetings within school to discuss the matter. The issues are very complex and affect all aspects of school life (cough). There are lots of things to think about. We have produced a fact sheet with all the details to help parents to know more about what is involved.

This is a very mixed-up kind of a day for me today. I am both happy and sad. You’ve been a great class and I’ve enjoyed working with you all for the last three years. We’ve shared many events, such as Tina’s wedding and Claire’s new baby. Now it’s time for me to try something different. I am going to start my own business working as a personal trainer and coach for people who want to keep fit and healthy. Sadly, that means next week will be our last class together. I don’t know if another instructor has been appointed so you may have to keep an eye on the notice board to find out what will be happening.

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Discussion

Here are some questions you may have asked listeners. Your ideas may be slightly different.

A.‘Can you remind me when the council meeting is?’
B.‘What is your opinion on the changes to the new school year?’
C.‘Will you continue to come to classes at this centre once I have left?’

4.6 Any questions?

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Once you have checked your listeners’ understanding of the topic you are delivering, you should show that you value their opinions. You can do this at the end of your presentation by inviting them to ask questions. You can use phrases like, ‘I would welcome any questions’, or ‘Does anyone have any questions?’

Answering questions is an important part of giving a talk. Your listeners’ response to the information you have given will be influenced by the way you handle their questions.

When someone asks a question, you should show that you are listening and respond carefully and respectfully. You have probably seen a speaker listen to a question while pacing up and down and not looking at the questioner. Perhaps you have heard a speaker cut off a question halfway through. This kind of response does not encourage listeners to clarify their understanding.

Activity _unit2.4.6 Activity 20 Encouraging your listeners to join in

Allow about 5 minutes

Below is a list of conditions. Some encourage listeners to join in. Others make listeners feel uncomfortable or upset and discourage them from taking part. Decide whether each condition is positive or negative and drag it to the appropriate column.

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Discussion

Recognising what it’s like to be a member of an audience can help you to become a better speaker. There are things you can do to make listeners feel comfortable and to encourage them to ask questions. When someone asks a question, you should:

look at them as they speak
be aware of their body language, which may give clues about how they feel
give them time to gather their thoughts
listen to and acknowledge their own views.

Do not:

put them down
give them a lecture or unwanted advice
deny their opinion.

If you answer a question in the middle of your talk, you can use your cue cards to help you to pick up the thread again.

Here are some of the ways that you can deal with questions:

Prepare for questions in advance. Think about questions that you may be asked and information that your listeners might want to know more about. You will probably be able to anticipate most of their questions. Practise answering them on your own or with a friend or colleague before the talk.
Repeat the question for the whole audience if there is a chance that anyone did not hear it.
Clarify the question if it’s complicated or in several parts, by checking your understanding. You can do this by restating the question in your own words:
- ‘Can I check that I have understood your question? You are wanting to know if the new IT system will affect the time we spend with customers?’
Be honest! Don’t try to pretend you have an answer when you haven’t. It is far better to admit you don’t know and offer to find out the answer later.

In this section you have looked at:

how to structure a presentation or talk
how to use signposts and markers
how to use cue cards
how to check listeners’ understanding
how to deal with questions from the audience.

5 This session’s quiz

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Check what you’ve learned this session by taking the end-of-session quiz.

Session 1 quiz

Open the quiz in a new window or tab, and then return here once you’ve finished it.

6 Summary of Session 1

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Well done for completing the first session of the course! Here are the key learning points from this session.

Being able to communicate effectively is an extremely important life skill.
To communicate effectively, you need to know whether the situation is formal or informal so that you know what kind of language to use.
People convey a great deal through body language, so being aware of your own body language will help you to communicate effectively.
You can change the pace, articulation and volume of your voice to convey different feelings and messages.
The more prepared you are for a discussion, the more likely you are to make positive contributions, respond well to other participants’ points, find solutions and reach decisions.
When a discussion gets stuck, you can move it on by making constructive contributions, such as reminding people of the purpose of the discussion or summarising what has been said so far.
When you prepare a talk or presentation, giving it a clear structure helps you to organise what you want to say and will help your listeners to follow you.
When you give a talk, cue cards can help you to remember your main points and what you want to say about each of them, while verbal markers and signposts help your listeners to keep track of where your talk is going.
While you are giving your talk, check your audience is listening and that they understand what you say, and at the end, invite them to ask questions.

You can now go to Session 2.

Introduction

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Reading is important in all areas of life. We now have to take in a lot more information compared to 50 years ago and so reading is becoming more, not less, important. In education, reading well is a skill needed for all subjects. At work, it is often necessary to read a range of material for a range of reasons.

Everyone needs to be able to read in order to cope with everyday life, but for Functional Skills English Level 2 and Essential Skills Wales Communication Level 2, you must also be able to read well. This means being able to:

read quickly
say why what you are reading has been written, i.e. recognise its purpose
recognise other people’s opinions in what you read
take the information you need from what you read
make judgements about what you read.

As you work through this session, remember that reading well will come with practice. It may feel like a slow process when you are first trying out your new reading skills, but you will definitely improve if you practise.

Download this video clip.Video player: bltl_a30_reading.mp4 >

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NARRATOR

Fifty years ago, most reading involved paper. And with today's digital technology, reading is now more important than ever. These days, we take in more and more information, so improving your reading can help in more and more areas of your life. With so many things to read, we're often faced with lots of information, so it's useful to be able to spot the most important points to focus on.

[BUZZING]

It is also useful to work out if something is worth reading in full, or can just be scanned to identify the information that is actually useful. Things that we can read can also be very different quality. Some text can be full of factual information, and others are personal opinion or fiction. Sometimes what you're reading is just not very good.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

[WAVERING SOUND]

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Throughout this session, you will be reading about ‘texts’. In this course, a ‘text’ does not refer to a message you send on your phone but to any piece of writing, long or short. A text can be a newspaper article, a letter, a leaflet, a report, a poster, an email, an advert, a text message or anything else that can be read.

If you are doing this course to prepare for either the Functional Skills English Level 2 qualification or the Essential Skills Wales Communication Level 2 qualification, remember that reading skills are an important part of both programmes.

For the Functional Skills English Level 2 qualification, the reading assessment asks you to read and answer questions on two different but related texts. These could include job adverts, newspaper articles, formal letters and reports. You get marks for your ability to identify and interpret information, as well as how well you can read for meaning and your ability to detect bias.
For the Essential Skills Wales Communication Level 2 qualification, your reading skills are assessed in both the controlled task and the confirmatory test.
- For the controlled task, you are asked to read, understand and summarise information independently from at least two different documents about the same subject. You need to use the information you obtain from the source documents to prepare for and take part in a ten-minute discussion and to plan a piece of writing.
- For the confirmatory test, you are given two texts to read and you answer ten questions based on each piece of text. The questions assess various reading skills and test your knowledge of spelling, punctuation and grammar at this level.

1 Why and how you read

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Figure _unit3.1.1 Figure 1 Reading fast and slow

Long description

How you get information from written material depends on what you are doing. If you are reading at work, for example, you will probably be pushed for time. Essays in education have to be written to a deadline and there will usually be a limited amount of time to do the background reading. Newspapers and novels, however, can be read at your own speed.

1.1 Why you read

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Figure _unit3.1.2 Figure 2 Everyday reading, everywhere

Long description

You start this session by thinking about why you read.

Activity _unit3.1.1 Activity 1 What do you read and why?

Allow about 5 minutes

Write down five things you have read in the past couple of weeks and say why you read them. You can include all kinds of things, not just books and newspapers. Include both short and long pieces of writing if you can.

Table _unit3.1.1

What you read	Why you read it
1	2
3	4
5	6
7	8
9	10
11	12

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Discussion

Here are some example responses.

Table _unit3.1.2

What I read	Why I read it
Novel	For pleasure
Newspaper	For information – to catch up on the news
Newspaper	For pleasure – to do the crossword
Leaflet on smoking	Information – the practice nurse gave it to me and asked me to read it
Rail timetable	Information – to plan my journey
Note from partner	Information – wanted me to take the cat to the vet
Internet article on healthy eating	Information – am trying to lose weight
Report on adult reading	Information – am writing an essay on adult reading
Cereal packet	Information – am trying to eat a healthy diet and wanted to know what was in the cereal

It can be quite daunting when you think about reading, but reading doesn’t necessarily mean only books. Every day, and without much thought, you read lots of different texts for different reasons.

1.2 Highlighting

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Highlighting means picking out the most important information in a text and making it stand out from what is not so important. Highlighting information while you read is useful because it helps you to identify the key points of a text (also known as ‘the main points’). You can then return to it at a later date (such as when revising for an exam) and you won’t need to read the whole thing again. Although not possible with all texts, this technique can help with things like revision notes or information you bring into a job interview.

You only need to highlight key words or phrases. You can do this by underlining or using a highlighter pen. You might like to use two or more highlighting colours to help you remember different kinds of information.

Activity _unit3.1.2 Activity 2 Practice with highlighting

Allow about 10 minutes

In the newspaper report below, highlight what you think are the three main points, not including the headline.

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Discussion

The headline suggests that the article is mainly about benefit fraud. So one possible choice for the three main points would be:

‘fined for fraudulently obtaining benefits’
‘sentenced to 200 hours Community Service’
‘failing to disclose income’.

Highlighting is a skill that improves quickly with practice. When highlighting key points, it can also be useful to make notes on them to help you to remember the points and use the information later, for example if you need to do a piece of writing using that information.

1.3 Extracting information

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

You will now explore different techniques for extracting information and reading with a time limit. This skill is particularly important for situations such as exams when time is short. Staying calm and being able to read under pressure can be the difference between a pass or a fail!

Activity _unit3.1.3 Activity 3 Reading with a time limit (1)

Allow about 5 minutes

This activity involves reading something in a limited time. Click anywhere on the image below and read as much of the advert as you can in 15 seconds. After this time, the advert will disappear. Then have a go at answering the questions.

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What is the job?

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What are the duties of the post?

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Who should applicants contact?

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When is the closing date?

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What is the rate of pay per hour?

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Discussion

Check your answers against these:

Lunchtime supervisor team leader.
To coordinate and supervise the school’s team of lunchtime supervisors.
Michael White.
Two weeks from the date of the advert.
£8.21.

It can be quite difficult to take in a lot of text in a short time. The layout can help you to identify what the text is about. If the text is important, spending more time reading will help you to digest the information.

Activity _unit3.1.4 Activity 4 Reading with a time limit (2)

Allow about 5 minutes

Complete the same activity again with a different text.

Click anywhere on the text below and read as much as you can in 15 seconds. After this time, the text will disappear. Then have a go at answering the questions.

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a. Name one of the places in North Yorkshire with a hostel.

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b. From where are excursions available?

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c. Which area is recommended if you like peace and quiet?

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d. Is payment refundable?

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e. When do you pay the full costs of the holiday?

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Did you find it easier to extract information from one of the texts? If so, which one? Why do you think this was so?

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Discussion

Check your answers against these:

- a.Scarborough
- b.Scarborough and the two other coastal centres in the north
- c.Devon
- d.No
- e.One month in advance
You may have found the second text more difficult to read than the first. There was too much writing and there were not enough clues as to where you had to stop or which were the important points in the passage.
The first text had clues as to the key points that the author wanted to get over:
- bold type
- headings in the middle
- short paragraphs.
This made it easier to extract the information.

In this section you have:

thought about the different types of text you read
practised identifying the main points from a text.

2 Skimming, scanning and detailed reading

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Figure _unit3.2.1 Figure 3 Skim, scan or read?

Long description

It can be difficult to read and digest lots of important information in a short time, but skimming and scanning can help.

Skimming involves reading the headings and subheadings of a text to get the main idea or ‘gist’ of the text. This can be useful when trying to decide whether to read it.
Scanning involves looking through the text to find keywords and phrases that are important or interesting.

Imagine you are looking at the magazine shelf in a supermarket. You may skim the titles of the magazines to find one you like and then scan the articles to find specific words or pieces of information.

2.1 Skimming

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Figure _unit3.2.2 Figure 4 What to look for when skimming

Long description

Skimming can help you to decide if something is going to be worth reading. Skimming involves reading the title, headings and subheadings, and looking at the pictures, to decide if the text is worth reading. This saves time if you want or need to read a lot of texts.

Skimming helps you to decide:

Should I open it?
Should I read it?
How much time should I spend reading it?

For example, for a newspaper article you could look at the headline, which summarises what the article is about, and at the first and last paragraphs, which might sum up the whole article. Photographs with captions also give clues.

Skimming is not just for information texts. You can also skim to decide if a novel is worth buying from a bookshop or borrowing from a library.

Activity _unit3.2.1 Activity 5 Why choose that one?

Allow about 5 minutes

Think of the last time you bought or borrowed a book to read for pleasure. Why did you choose that one?

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Have you bought any magazines or newspapers in the last few months or read any online? What do you think made you choose the ones you did?

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Discussion

Here are the reasons why I chose the books, magazines and newspapers I’ve read over the past couple of months. You may have had other reasons.

Books

The description of the book on the back cover.
I had already read and liked something by the same writer.
The illustrations on the front cover.
It was recommended by a friend.
I read a good review of the book.
I read the first paragraph of the first chapter and liked what I read.
I had seen the film of the book.

Magazines and newspapers

One magazine covers my special interest, mountain biking.
The newspaper I bought has a motoring section and I wanted to find out prices for second-hand cars.
I read a magazine in the hairdressers.
I like doing the newspaper crossword.

What you have written will depend on your own tastes and habits. I buy both newspapers and magazines without really looking at what is inside. I may scan the contents page of a magazine, but I rarely look at a newspaper before buying it. What you decide to read for pleasure often depends on your own interests and needs, but skimming can help!

2.2 Scanning

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Figure _unit3.2.3 Figure 5 Scanning

Long description

Scanning means reading a text quickly to get the main points. Scanning helps you to:

find a specific piece of information
preview material before you read it in detail
check if you understand something after you have read it carefully.

The next two activities will help you to practise your scanning skills.

Activity _unit3.2.2 Activity 6 Practice with scanning (1)

Allow about 10 minutes

This activity involves reading something in a limited time.

1. Click anywhere on the image below and read as much as you can in 15 seconds. After this time, the advert will disappear. Then have a go at answering the questions.

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a. How much do Functional Skills courses cost?

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b. Who should you contact?

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c. Note down three things that ‘Help with English and Maths’ can improve.

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d. What is Aisha’s phone number?

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Discussion

a.They are free.
b.Aisha.
c.Any of:
- Confidence with money
- Booking holidays
- Reading to children
- Learning to drive
- Using reference books
- Completing forms
- Social skills
- Using the internet.
d.01234 567890.

2. How easy did you find this activity? What things about the advert made it hard or easy to read?

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Discussion

If you found this activity easy, it may be because the leaflet is laid out well. There are clear headings, bold titles and plenty of space between the lines. You were probably able to pick out the main points.

Activity _unit3.2.3 Activity 7 Practice with scanning (2)

Try the same activity again, now that you know the questions. Click anywhere on the image below and read as much as you can in 15 seconds. After this time, the advert will disappear. Then have a go at answering the questions.

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a. How much do Functional Skills courses cost?

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b. Who should you contact?

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c. Write three things that ‘Help with English and Maths’ can improve.

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d. What is Aisha’s phone number?

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Discussion

The first time you read the advert, you will only have managed to pick out the main ideas. You may have done better the second time, because you knew what the questions were going to be; you were reading for a purpose. This should have helped you to concentrate and come up with your answers more quickly.

Activity _unit3.2.4 Activity 8 Practice with scanning (3)

Allow about 15 minutes

The text below is taken from careers guidance for parents returning to work. As with the previous two activities, you will read this in a limited time.

Click anywhere on the text and read as much as you can in five minutes. After this time, the text will disappear. Then have a go at answering the questions.

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a. Where are courses available?

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b. How is confidential advice available?

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c. What kind of work might people want?

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d. At whom is the guidance aimed?

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e. How do you know whom the guidance is aimed at?

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2. Do you think the guidance is well written? Can you think of ways of improving it?

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3. Now that you know the questions you need to answer, re-read the guidance again and time yourself as you do so – see how long it takes to read it the second time. Then scroll down the page so the text is hidden and try to answer the same questions. Use a pen and paper if you don’t want to write over your previous answers.

Discussion

Check your answers against these. Yours may have been slightly different.

- a.local further education colleges
- b.through a personal interview
- c.voluntary or paid, part time or in a job share
- d.The guidance is aimed at parents who gave up work to have children and are thinking of returning to education or work, and are not confident about doing so.
- e.Because it says it in the first paragraph. Also, the heading ‘DOES YOUR CONFIDENCE NEED A BOOST?’ gives a clue.
You may have thought that the guidance is easy to read because it has clear, simple words and is divided into sections with headings.
It could have been improved because:
- there is too much writing
- the headings would have been easier to read if they had been in bold or italics rather than capitals
- there is no title, so you have to read the first paragraph to find out what it is about.

It should have been easier to read the second time because you knew what you were looking for. You probably read it more quickly and answered more questions correctly. This is because you were reading for a purpose.

After doing these activities on skimming and scanning, you should have a good understanding of how to pick a relevant text and identify key points or pieces of information in it. This skill is a useful one in everyday life and in any exam that involves answering questions on a text.

2.3 Detailed reading

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Figure _unit3.2.4 Figure 6 Detailed reading

Long description

Detailed reading means reading something carefully to get accurate information. You would do this if you had to read long or complicated material in a book or a report.

You have seen how skimming and scanning can help you to decide:

how useful a text is going to be
how much time you need to spend on it.

To understand a text fully, however, you have to read it a lot more carefully. This does not mean that you have to read every word or that you have to read slowly. The secret is to read efficiently.

People who are not used to reading for a purpose often read phrases or passages several times because they have not fully understood them the first time. But re-reading a passage several times will not make you a good reader.

It is more important that you set up a rhythm of reading that lets you read smoothly. If you come across a difficult phrase or passage, carry on, but make a note that you may have to come back to it later.

The same applies to difficult or unfamiliar words – always stopping to use a dictionary will not make you an efficient reader. In some cases, you may be able to predict the meaning of a word from the rest of the sentence. When you come across an unfamiliar word, try reading the rest of the sentence to see if it provides any clues as to what the word might mean. If this doesn’t work, keep a note, which you can come back to later, of where the word was and go back to it after you have finished reading the whole document.

Activity _unit3.2.5 Activity 9 Practice with reading

Allow about 10 minutes

Read the passage below. As you are reading, don’t stop if you come across a word or phrase that you don’t understand, but make a note of it so that you can go back after you have finished the whole thing.
When you have finished, look in a dictionary and write down the meanings of the words or phrases that you didn’t understand.
Then read the passage again and see if it makes sense to you. Use the box below to summarise the main points.

There is no official requirement as to the number of first aiders to workers so employers tend to have no fixed policy about the number of first aiders they need in their company.
The reluctance of employers to have a fixed policy is financial. Companies are reluctant to take on something that could cost them a great deal of money in the long run. The number of persons who need to be trained as first aiders should depend on the size of the company and what it produces. A small office will only need one first aider, while a large factory will need more.
Employees also need to realise that they have a duty to keep the workplace safe. They must all work together to keep the work environment safe and be constantly reminding their colleagues that they need to know about health and safety.

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Discussion

You will have gained some idea of the meaning of the passage from the first reading, but at first glance there were not many clues as to what it was about. This was because it didn’t have any titles, subheadings or words or phrases in bold to give you guidance and show you which parts of the passage were most important.

Now check your summary points against these. Yours will probably be slightly different.

Employers tend to have no fixed policy on the number of first aiders they need.
Employers are reluctant to have a fixed policy due to cost implications.
Employees also have a duty to keep the workplace safe.

Activity _unit3.2.6 Activity 10 Recap on scanning, skimming and detailed reading

Allow about 5 minutes

Write down what you understand by scanning, skimming and detailed reading and give one or two ideas of when you would use each.

Skimming

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Scanning

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Detailed reading

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Discussion

Here’s a summary of what each term means and when you might use it.

Table _unit3.2.1

Way of reading	What it means	When you would use it
Skimming	Looking at the title, section headings and subheadings and pictures to get an idea of what the text is about.	When looking at a book and deciding if it is going to be worth reading.
Scanning	Looking through a text very quickly to find specific information or key words that you are looking for.	To find a particular piece of information; to preview material before reading it in detail; or to check that you understand something after reading it.
Detailed reading	Reading something carefully to get accurate information.	When reading long or complicated material such as books or reports.

Activity _unit3.2.7 Activity 11 Skimming, scanning or detailed reading?

Allow about 5 minutes

For each example below, decide whether the method of reading you would be most likely to use would be skimming, scanning or detailed reading. Then drag it to the appropriate column.

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Discussion

You will have noticed that right and wrong answers were not given for this activity. This is because for all of these examples, skimming, scanning or detailed reading may all be appropriate, depending on the context. However, here are the methods of reading that I would most likely use for each:

Table _unit3.2.2

Skimming	Scanning	Detailed reading
Deciding whether to buy a book Reading a newspaper	Checking a bus timetable Reading a gas bill Finding a holiday in a travel brochure Finding an underground station on a map	Summarising a report at work Reading a hire purchase agreement Reading a novel

Skimming

Scanning

Detailed reading

Deciding whether to buy a book

Reading a newspaper

Checking a bus timetable

Reading a gas bill

Finding a holiday in a travel brochure

Finding an underground station on a map

Summarising a report at work

Reading a hire purchase agreement

Reading a novel

In this section you looked at:

skimming, scanning and detailed reading
reading techniques to help reading for meaning.

3 Fact, opinion and bias

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Figure _unit3.3.1 Figure 7 Fact, opinion and bias

Long description

The next step to being a good reader is to be able to recognise arguments in texts. In this section you look at how to do this, so that you can judge whether a text is biased or prejudiced, and whether it is based on fact or on opinion. You also look at how punctuation and grammar can affect the meaning of texts.

3.1 Prejudice and bias

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

It is important to be able to recognise prejudice and bias in what you read. So what do these words mean?

Activity _unit3.3.1 Activity 12 Defining prejudice and bias

Allow about 5 minutes

Look up the words ‘prejudice’ and ‘bias’ in a dictionary or search engine. Write the definitions in the box below.

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Discussion

Here are some example definitions:

Prejudice – an opinion against a group or an individual based on insufficient facts and usually unfavourable and/or intolerant.
Bias – very similar to but not as extreme as prejudice. Someone who is biased usually refuses to accept that there are other views than their own.

Here are two examples of prejudice and bias.

The report blames most crime in the town on teenagers, without any evidence, as the writer is prejudiced against young people.
My aunt is biased towards dogs that are black, like her own, and she is always more friendly to them than to other dogs.

Activity _unit3.3.2 Activity 13 Examples of prejudice and bias

Allow about 10 minutes

Write a sentence for each word showing how it could be used. For example:

‘He is definitely prejudiced against women – he never promotes them at work.’

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Discussion

Here are two more examples.

Prejudice: He was prejudiced against foreign people and wanted to stop all immigration into this country.
Bias: All the football reports in the local newspaper are biased against visiting teams because the editor is a Manchester City supporter.

The next activity will help you to recognise bias and prejudice.

Activity _unit3.3.3 Activity 14 Recognising bias and prejudice

Allow about 10 minutes

Read the following letters and answer the questions. Both texts have been adapted from letters to a national newspaper.

Letter 1

Dear Sir/Madam
The decision to build a new terminal at Stansted Airport is a clear indication that this Government has finally abandoned any pretence of listening to local opinion and are determined to discredit and dismantle any of the remaining rights that local people have to a say in the future of their environment.
No sensible argument has been put forward for the extension. The real losers in this argument are local people. It seems that if you choose to live by an airport you then give up the right to have a say in local matters.
The private sector is the only opinion the Government seems to want to listen to. The wishes of local people are now totally ignored in the planning process.
We all want to see a decent, well-planned travel system but this is not the way to go about it. Everybody should be involved, not just big business.
Yours faithfully

Letter 2

Dear Sir/Madam
The announcement that the Stansted extension will go ahead will mean a noise pollution and traffic nightmare for tens of thousands of people living near and around the airport. It must be stopped before it is too late.
The new terminal will bring a horrendous increase in traffic. It is estimated that there will be an increase of over 30 million passengers every year. This is totally unacceptable and we must fight to the death to oppose it. It is simply dreadful that the people of North Essex be made to suffer for the greed of the rest of the country.
It is disgraceful and totally unnecessary that noise and air pollution should be allowed to grow to what will be a deadly level.
Yours faithfully

1. Is the writer of Letter 1 for or against the extension to the airport? How do you know?

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Discussion

The writer of Letter 1 is against the extension, as shown when they say, ‘No sensible argument has been put forward for the extension.’ But the letter is really about the way in which the decision was taken, without consulting local people.

2. What would you say are the main arguments the writer uses in Letter 1 to support their point of view?

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Discussion

The writer says that the planning process has been ignored and that local people should have been involved in the decision.

3. Is the writer of Letter 2 for or against the extension to the airport? How do you know?

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Discussion

The writer of Letter 2 is obviously against the extension. The letter refers to the increase in noise and air pollution for people living near the airport.

4. What type of words does each writer use to try to get their point of view across?

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Discussion

The words used in Letter 1 are not as strong as in Letter 2. The language used in Letter 2 is sensationalist and emotional, and is aimed at convincing people that the extension is a bad thing.

5. Which letter do you think is the most biased? Explain your reasons.

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Discussion

Letter 2 is more biased because the writer puts forward only one view: that the extension is a bad thing.

If you can quickly recognise a writer’s point of view or see language that is unfair, you can make better decisions about the value of the text. As an active reader you need to keep the writer’s position in mind and always be ready to think of other arguments that might give balance.

3.2 Fact and opinion

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

It is very important, as an active reader, to recognise the difference between fact and opinion in texts. Facts are true and cannot be argued with, because they can be proven and are supported by evidence, while opinions vary according to the attitudes of the writer. Remember, however, that facts can be twisted to fit the opinions of the writer.

Activity _unit3.3.4 Activity 15 What is fact and what is opinion?

Allow about 5 minutes

Without using a dictionary or a search engine, write down what you think is meant by ‘fact’ and ‘opinion’.

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Discussion

Here’s what I wrote. Yours might not be exactly the same but should be similar.

Fact: Something that is true and can be proved.
Opinion: A person’s view. It may or may not be backed up by facts.

When people write articles, they often select facts that support their opinion.

When you read this kind of text, you need to be able to tell the difference between facts that can be backed up by evidence and ‘facts’ that have been made up by the writer. You can do this by:

checking that any reports that are quoted actually exist and refer to the fact in question
finding other sources that give opposing points of view
thinking of the reason the text has been written and its audience (for example, an article in a popular newspaper may have been written to sell the newspaper rather than to give a true or fair account of an incident)
looking for sensationalist words, such as ‘horror’ or ‘disgraceful’, which might influence readers’ opinions.

An objective piece of writing is based on facts and can be backed up with evidence. Subjective writing expresses opinions and feelings rather than facts.

Activity _unit3.3.5 Activity 16 Recognising fact and opinion (1)

Allow about 10 minutes

Read the following two extracts from newspaper reports of the same accident and answer the questions that follow.

Article 1

Figure _unit3.3.2 Figure 8 Article 1

Long description

Article 2

Figure _unit3.3.3 Figure 9 Article 2

Long description

1. Which article is the most objective?

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2. Which contains more facts?

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3. Which article contains more opinions?

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Discussion

Article 1 is more sensationalist than Article 2 and probably appeared in a popular newspaper. The clues that Article 1 is based on opinion rather than on facts alone include the following:

It uses emotional language such as ‘horror’, ‘miraculous’ and ‘incredibly’.
It mentions drugs and alcohol although there was no direct evidence of either – if the driver had not been a teenager, would they have mentioned drugs or alcohol at all?
It contains bias and prejudice, for example through the repeated use of the word teenager and the mention of drugs, which may not have been included if the people involved had been older.

It is interesting how the use of words changed what was a terrible accident into an opinion on teenage drivers, drugs and alcohol.

Article 2 is fairer and simply gives the facts of the crash. It does not try to place the blame on anyone or sensationalise the event.

Now try the next activity, which gives you more practice in recognising the difference between facts and opinions.

Activity _unit3.3.6 Activity 17 Recognising fact and opinion (2)

Allow about 10 minutes

The following extract is adapted from an article in a national newspaper. Highlight facts in yellow and opinions in green.

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Discussion

These are facts, as you may have seen them on first reading:

lighting up just one cigarette knocks 11 minutes off a life span
over a lifetime the average male smoker consumes 311,003 cigarettes
smoking a packet of 200 cigarettes knocks a day and a half off your life.

The only opinion is offered by Clive Bates, when he described smoking as ‘a disgusting habit’.

Reading all the statistics about smoking affecting length of life, I took the article to be a fair description of the impact of smoking on health. On second reading, however, it seems that the figures themselves cannot be trusted. According to the doctor, they are ‘crude’ – which could mean inaccurate.

This is a good example of where you can be misled by what appears to be the truth. On first reading it may appear that you are reading facts in the form of statistics, but these statistics may have been picked to reflect someone’s opinion.

Activity _unit3.3.7 Activity 18 Same story, different reports

Allow about 10 minutes

Read the two texts below.

What similarities and differences can you spot?
Which contains the most bias?

Text A

As part of a healthy, balanced diet, you should consume fewer foods and drinks that are high in sugars. Sugary foods and drinks can cause tooth decay, especially if you have them between meals.
Many foods that contain added sugars also contain lots of calories but often have few other nutrients. Eating these foods frequently can contribute to becoming overweight.
Being overweight can increase your risk of health conditions such as:
heart disease
type 2 diabetes
stroke.

NHS (2018) How much sugar is good for me? [Online]. Available at www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/food-and-diet/how-much-sugar-is-good-for-me/ (Accessed 20 February 2019).

Text B

As I bite into a fresh apple, I stop to think about what I am eating. I am consuming a fruit, which means I am absorbing fructose. And what is fructose? A SUGAR (cue scary music)!
In a world where the consumption of sugar is being slammed (for good reason), it concerns me that all sugar is being treated equally, and it shouldn’t be.
While some sugary foods should be avoided like the plague, others, if consumed appropriately, can be your friend.

Colquhoun, J. (2014) How much sugar is really OK? [Online]. Available at www.foodmatters.com/article/how-much-sugar-is-really-ok (Accessed 20 February 2019).

Discussion

The texts are similar in that they are on the same topic and they can both be found online. However, they express different opinions on the subject and do so using different styles of writing.

Text A uses more factual language, whereas Text B uses sensationalist language with words such as slammed, concerns and plague.
Text A uses facts to support the argument, whereas Text B uses opinion.
Text A uses formal language and has a professional tone, whereas Text B is much more informal and speaks directly to the reader.

Text B contains the most bias as it argues and highlights the writer’s opinion using the techniques identified above. Text A contains less bias and uses facts to support the writer’s case.

Remember, journalists write for the people who buy their newspaper, so stories are slanted towards keeping them interested.

In this section you have looked at:

identifying fact, opinion, bias and prejudice
how a writer’s point of view can affect the way they write a text
telling the difference between what is true and what is opinion.

Being able to do these things makes you a critical reader – a crucial step in becoming a good reader.

4 Audience and purpose

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Figure _unit3.4.1 Figure 10 Purposes of different texts

Long description

It is important to be able to recognise that people write things for different reasons. For example, someone writing for a newspaper might be trying to entertain or inform people and encourage them to buy that newspaper. Someone writing a do-it-yourself manual will want to write as clearly and simply as possible so that people can easily follow the instructions.

If you can recognise what a piece of writing is trying to say and why, you can make quick decisions on how you are going to approach it. If a do-it-yourself manual, for example, has too much writing and no pictures, it is not likely to be of much use, so you can decide quickly to look for a better version.

4.1 What is it for?

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Many of us see text in a newspaper, either printed or online, every day. The text in a newspaper is made up of sections, stories, headlines and pictures.

Newspapers may include:

articles of different length
advertisements
regular features such as the weather, television programmes and horoscopes
one-off articles.

Another kind of text is a novel, which is longer and usually has chapters.

Texts can also be very short. A text message and an email can give information and/or send greetings.

To decide which kind of text you are dealing with, you have to look for clues. Here are some ideas.

Who is the text aimed at (who is the audience)? For example, is the writing aimed at people who might have similar ideas to the author? Or is the author (or writer) trying to get people to change their way of thinking?
How is the text written? Is it long? Is it short? Does it have paragraphs? Does it have pictures?
Is the text laid out in a formal way with headings, bullet points, etc. or is it written just to be attractive to the reader?
What type of language is used? Is it formal or informal? Are long or complicated words used?
What is the writer trying to do? Is it to inform, instruct, persuade or amuse?

Activity _unit3.4.1 Activity 19 What’s the purpose?

Allow about 10 minutes

Think of six different kinds of text. This might include things like a recipe, a bus timetable, a holiday website or an estate agent’s advert. For each, write down:

its audience: who the text is aimed at
its purpose: why it has been written
its language and layout: the key features of how the text is written and set out.

For example, for a birthday card you might write:

Audience: Person whose birthday it is.
Purpose: To show you have remembered their birthday and wish them well.
Language and layout: Informal, short message.

Some texts have more than one purpose and more than one audience.

Text 1:

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Text 2:

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Text 3:

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Text 4:

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Text 5:

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Text 6:

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Discussion

Take a look at some of these ideas.

Table _unit3.4.1

Type of text	Audience	Purpose	Language and layout
Birthday card	Person whose birthday it is	To show you have remembered their birthday and wish them well	Short message, informal
News article on house prices and mortgages	General public	To give information about different kinds of mortgage scheme	Headline, picture, short paragraphs
Text message	Receiver of text message	To give information or a greeting	Very short with abbreviations
Children’s bedtime story	Children	To entertain	Short sentences, pictures, bright colours
Health and safety email	Company employees	To give up-to-date information on health and safety regulations	Short, simple with headings and pictures
Slimming magazine	Readers interested in weight loss	To inform, advise and entertain	Contents, articles, letters, pictures, adverts

Written material can aim to explain, persuade, inform, entertain or describe. Some texts fall into more than one category. You look now in particular at texts that instruct, describe and persuade.

4.2 Instructive texts

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Figure _unit3.4.2 Figure 11 Texts that instruct

Long description

Instructive texts instruct or tell you how to do something. Good instructive texts are written in a simple, logical style and include helpful features such as diagrams, graphs, charts, bullet points and numbered headings. An example of an instructive text is an instruction manual.

Activity _unit3.4.2 Activity 20 Improving an instructive text

Allow about 5 minutes

Read the following passage.

What features make it an instructive text?
What changes could be made, such as to the layout, to make it more effective as an instructive text?

INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE OF A TRIANGULAR BANDAGE
Ask the casualty to sit down and support the injured limb. Place the forearm across the chest with the fingertips resting on the opposite shoulder. Place an open bandage over the forearm and hand with its point along the elbow. Still supporting the forearm ease the base of the bandage around the hand, forearm and elbow. Carry the end across the back and over to the front of the uninjured shoulder. Gently adjust the height of the sling if necessary and using a reef knot tie the two ends together in front of the hollow above the collarbone.

Discussion

This is an instructive text because it tells you how to do something. It gives instructions.
You may not have found this very effective. It could be improved by:
- using pictures to illustrate the points
- separating the points and listing them with numbers or bullets.

4.3 Descriptive texts

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Descriptive texts describe people or events without passing judgement on them or offering an explanation.

Activity _unit3.4.3 Activity 21 What makes a descriptive text?

Allow about 5 minutes

Try to identify why the following article could be called a descriptive text.

Figure _unit3.4.3 Figure 12 A descriptive text

Long description

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Discussion

The article just gives an account of an event that has taken place. The language tries to give facts, rather than an argument or instructions.

4.4 Persuasive texts

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Persuasive texts are texts that try to persuade the reader. They normally have:

a point of view
arguments and evidence to support that point of view.

A persuasive text such as an advertisement may use the following:

simple words and bright pictures
rhetorical questions, i.e. questions that are asked without expecting an answer (‘What are you waiting for?’ ‘Have you ever seen such a bargain?’)
exclamation marks and capital letters (‘EVERYTHING MUST GO!!’)
emotive language (‘abandoned, abused, unloved, these animals need your help’).

Activity _unit3.4.4 Activity 22 How do persuasive texts work?

Allow about 10 minutes

Study the following three texts. How would you say each of them tries to persuade the reader?

Text 1

Figure _unit3.4.4 Figure 13 Text 1

Long description

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Discussion

Words like ‘madness’, ‘amazing’ and ‘mad’ grab your attention and make you read the advertisement. Words like these are called emotive words. Although they are attention grabbing, they do not really give any information and often exaggerate.
Bold type and capitals are used for emphasis.
The phrase ‘Must end Wednesday’ suggests you have to hurry to take advantage of the offer.

Text 2

Figure _unit3.4.5 Figure 14 Text 2

Long description

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Discussion

This advert:

appeals to parents by using the ideas of children and safety together
refers to ‘our own children’
uses the word ‘smiles’ instead of ‘miles’ to add humour
plays on the idea that good parents would buy only safe toys for their children
suggests that only their toys will make children smile.

Text 3

To the Editor
Dear Sir/Madam
The number of cars dumped in the city is now beyond a joke. It is absolutely horrendous that no one is taking an interest in something which is causing such a danger to our children.
The situation needs to be tackled NOW, not tomorrow. If nothing is done quickly someone will be killed and our Town Councillors will have blood on their hands.
Yours not very faithfully
Anne Angry

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Discussion

This letter:

uses extreme and emotive language: ‘horrendous’, ‘killed’, ‘blood on their hands’
highlights the safety of children
plays on words at the end – ‘Yours not very faithfully’ rather than ‘Yours faithfully’ makes you read it twice
makes no attempt to be fair or quote opposite points of view.

In this section you have looked at:

how texts have different audiences and purposes
the different features of texts that instruct, describe or persuade.

5 Structure and layout of texts

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Different kinds of text have different kinds of layout and style.

For example, a formal report usually contains:

headings and subheadings
bullet points
bold and italicised writing.

A report may also contain:

appendices (or an appendix, if only one): these contain additional information and are at the end of a book or a document
references: these give details of the sources of information, i.e. where the information comes from, and are also usually at the end of a book or a document.

A Valentine’s card, however, usually contains a short, caring or amusing message with pictures on the theme of love, as it is sent to show affection.

An advertising poster usually contains:

lots of colour
as few words as possible
attention-grabbing words such as FREE or NEW.

Text messages are short and may contain abbreviations.

Activity _unit3.5.1 Activity 23 Which texts have which features?

Allow about 10 minutes

Try answering the questions below on different types of text and their features.

1. Which features of language and layout would you expect to see in an article in a tabloid newspaper about obesity? Select all those that apply.

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2. Why do you think an article in a tabloid newspaper has these features? Select the main reason.

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3. Which features of language and layout would you expect to see in a government report on obesity? Select all that apply.

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4. Why do you think a government report has these features? Select the main reason.

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5. Which features of language and layout would you expect to see in a government poster informing people about the health risks of obesity? Select all that apply.

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6. Why do you think a government poster informing people about the health risks of obesity has these features? Select the main reason.

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Discussion

Here’s a summary of the features you would find in each type of text and why.

Table _unit3.5.1

Type of text	Features of language or layout	Why it has these features
Article from a tabloid newspaper on obesity	Simple language Sensationalist language Short paragraphs Short words Biased language Photographs Quotes	This kind of text has to provide information to its readers, but at the same time keep their interest, as the tabloid’s target is to increase the number of people buying the newspaper.
A government report on obesity	Summary Longer words More formal language Headings No pictures but probably other images such as graphs or tables References Appendices Separate conclusions	This kind of text is aimed at experts in the subject who are able to judge the truth or otherwise of the information that is included. However, the information included may only support the Government’s case. Information that is not included could also be significant.
A poster informing people about the health risks of obesity	Simple language Limited number of words Key words Colour Pictures	This text has one job – to pass on a message to the general public quickly and efficiently. It needs to attract people’s attention though not necessarily for any length of time. Colour, pictures and key words are used to make the poster attractive and easy to understand.

Type of text

Features of language or layout

Why it has these features

Article from a tabloid newspaper on obesity

Simple language

Sensationalist language

Short paragraphs

Short words

Biased language

Photographs

Quotes

This kind of text has to provide information to its readers, but at the same time keep their interest, as the tabloid’s target is to increase the number of people buying the newspaper.

A government report on obesity

Summary

Longer words

More formal language

Headings

No pictures but probably other images such as graphs or tables

References

Appendices

Separate conclusions

This kind of text is aimed at experts in the subject who are able to judge the truth or otherwise of the information that is included. However, the information included may only support the Government’s case. Information that is not included could also be significant.

A poster informing people about the health risks of obesity

Simple language

Limited number of words

Key words

Colour

Pictures

This text has one job – to pass on a message to the general public quickly and efficiently. It needs to attract people’s attention though not necessarily for any length of time. Colour, pictures and key words are used to make the poster attractive and easy to understand.

In this section you have looked at:

the layout and structure of a range of different texts
how the way a text is written can give clues to its audience and purpose.

6 Reports

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Figure _unit3.6.1 Figure 15 Reports

Long description

Examples of reports include:

newspaper reports, for example on an accident or a soccer match
reports written by an employee for their boss
government reports
traffic accident reports written by a police officer
reports of damage written for an insurance company.

6.1 What are reports for?

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Reports are written for a number of reasons:

To record information, such as on a road accident.
To influence people who are making decisions, such as to report on an investigation into plans to build a large estate of houses in a rural area.
To start action, such as to suggest that a stretch of road should have speed cameras installed.
To persuade people, such as a local government report persuading people to recycle.
To help people reflect on how successful something has been, for example on how funding has been spent and the impact it has had.

As reports are aimed at different audiences, they vary in length, style and layout.

Activity _unit3.6.1 Activity 24 Reports you have read

Allow about 5 minutes

Start by thinking about the different kinds of reports you have read.

1. Make a list of some of the reports you have read over the past few years. Look again at the types of report listed above to jog your memory.

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2. Which report do you remember most clearly?

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3. Why do you think the report you remember has stayed in your memory?

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Discussion

Here is an example of a response:

Some of the reports I remember reading are reports on meetings at work, a government report on schools, a report of a court case and children’s school reports.
The report I remember most clearly is one on teachers’ pay!
I remember that one because it was most relevant to what I needed. These reports are usually well laid out and signposted so that it is easy to find and remember the key points.

6.2 Formal reports

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Formal reports tend to be official reports about a specific subject. They tend to be factual and contain detailed information, research and data.

They are often written by people who are expert in their subject area, so the language may be more specialist and difficult to understand for non-experts. The language may sound more complicated. A good formal report usually contains a number of signposts, such as:

headings
subheadings
bullet points.

Formal reports are divided into sections, with signposts to what is contained within each section.

Formal reports usually have the following sections:

a Contents page
Terms of reference
Introduction
Methodology
Findings
Conclusion
Recommendations
Appendices.

A definition of each of these is given below. (If you have already completed Session 3 on Writing, you may want to skip this part and go on to section 6.3.)

Contents page

This is a list of the topics covered and their page numbers, sometimes with a short summary of each topic.

Terms of reference

These explain why the report was written, its background and the audience it is aimed at.

Introduction

This gives a short explanation of what the report is about. It is useful if all you need is a quick overview. You can read the introduction and conclusion if time is short and you do not need to challenge or build on the report’s findings.

Methodology

This is a very important part of more academic reports, as the writer explains how they arrived at their findings, i.e. what methods they used. If you are reading a report that you disagree with, it is important to read this section. Without this information it is difficult to put forward opposing arguments.

Findings

In this section the writer presents their findings and arguments. Findings may also include recommendations, but normally these appear after the conclusion (see below).

The findings often use signposts to direct you to what the author feels is important. These may include headings, underlining, capitals, italics and bold font.

The headings are like chapter headings in a book and you can scan these before you start to read the full report. Headings normally have subheadings that are a further guide.

Conclusion

This is a brief summary of the main points and any conclusions the writer has come to.

Recommendations

These are the suggestions for action that arise from the findings of the report. This section needs to be read carefully by anyone who has asked for the report to be written or has a direct interest in the matter, as it will form the basis for future actions. Recommendations should be written in a way that is easy to read, with bullet points and other signposts.

Appendices

This is where additional information relating to the report is placed. For example, graphs, charts, tables and figures may be placed here rather than in the main body of the report.

In more academic reports, references to other sources are listed in a bibliography. Reading a bibliography is not necessary unless you are thinking of researching the topic yourself and writing your own report.

6.3 How to read a report

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Keep the following guidelines in mind when you read a long or complicated report:

question – think carefully about the questions you want the report to answer
skim or scan – see section 2 to remind yourself of these skills
read in detail – see section 2 to remind yourself of how to read in detail.

Box _unit3.6.1 Steps in reading a report

Read the title: ask yourself, ‘Is this the right report for me to read?’
Read the contents page: ‘Does the report contain what I need?’
Read the introduction: ‘Does the report contain what I need?’
Read the conclusion: ‘Does the report contain what I need?’
Skim through the headings: use a highlighter pen to pick out the main points.
Look for signposts that show what the author thinks is important – italics, bold, capital letters.
Read the important sections.
Review what you have read: ‘Have I got what I need? If not, what should I read again?’

Hint If you are really pressed for time, skip the shortest sections as these may be less important than longer ones.

Activity _unit3.6.2 Activity 25 Identifying a report’s structure

Allow about 10 minutes

Read the following report.

This report has been written to document an accident that occurred on Monday 15 July 2018 in the wood store at Maverick Workshops.
The driver involved in the accident was Jon Collins.
Jon was driving the forklift truck and appears to have lost control when it skidded. It is suspected that this was due to a patch of oil on the floor, which had been left by one of the company’s fleet lorries.
In the event Jon was quite badly hurt, so an ambulance was called and he was taken to hospital. He has a broken his arm and will be off work for the next five weeks.
It is suggested that the company investigate where the oil came from and inspect the steering on the forklift truck, as this is the third accident this week.

Make a note in the text boxes below of what the report contains under each of the headings.

1. Terms of reference

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2. Findings

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3. Conclusions

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4. Recommendations

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Discussion

How did you do? You should have picked out the key features shown below. If you didn’t, have another look at the report after reading these answers.

Terms of reference: to document an accident.
Findings: accident caused by a patch of oil on the floor.
Conclusions: accident was due to oil and possibly steering of the forklift truck.
Recommendations: investigate source of oil patch and check steering on the forklift truck.

Activity _unit3.6.3 Activity 26 Structuring a report

Allow about 20 minutes

The next activity is based on a report commissioned by Dumblederry Country Council into crime in Southland, an area of Dumblederry. It is longer than any of the material you have been reading up to now, so it will be more challenging, but it is a chance to practise everything you have learned so far. It is in two parts. Take your time and enjoy it!

Part 1

In the following report, the headings and paragraphs have been mixed up and are in the wrong order. Drag both the headings and paragraphs into the correct order so that the report makes sense.

To help you, here are the number of paragraphs that should fit under each heading:

Terms of reference: 1
Methodology: 1
Findings: 7
Recommendations: 1

If you find it hard to decide how to order the paragraphs under Findings, try arranging them like this:

Number of crimes (1 paragraph)
Types of crime (1 paragraph)
The national picture (1 paragraph)
Types of offender (1 paragraph)
Other types of crime (2 paragraphs)
The town centre (1 paragraph)

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Part 2

Below are two paragraphs that could be presented more effectively by using bullet points. Have a go at editing them using bullet points.

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Discussion

Part 1

Here is the report with all the paragraphs arranged in the right order, and with headings and subheadings added.

Terms of reference
The Town Council had expressed concern that there seems to be a growing problem with crime and general disorder in the town and they asked for recommendations as to how the situation could be improved. They requested this account of crime in Southland.
Methodology
The information that follows is based on a survey of three wards in the town over the past two years. The survey was carried out by a local market research company and cost £75,000.
Findings
The total number of recorded crimes in Southland in 2018 was 14,777. This represents a crime rate of about 123 per 1,000 residents; that is considerably higher than the rates for both Southland and Northamptonshire as a whole. It is also a quarter higher than for England and Wales as a whole.
The most frequently recorded crimes in the area were burglary and crime against motor vehicles. A comparison of recorded crime in the following year paints a similar picture. There was a slight improvement over the previous year but the percentages remains higher than both the county and the national average.
The most common crimes nationally are assault and offences against cars. National assault rates include grievous bodily harm, actual bodily harm and a range of offences against the person. Burglary is the third most common crime nationally with aggravated burglary being the least common offence.
The figures show that during the two years in question there were a total of 4,500 known offenders in Southland. A breakdown of the information illustrates that 77% of these were male, most offences were committed by offenders aged between 13 and 27, 67% of all motor vehicle crime was committed by offenders under the age of 16, the most common offence committed by offenders aged 18 to 20 was burglary.
In addition to recorded crime, Southland Police have also kept records of other incidents reported to them. These are not actual crimes in the sense the perpetrators have committed a criminal offence, but they have given rise to complaints from local residents. These can be divided into juvenile nuisances and breach of the peace. Local vandalism is included in this, as are breaches of the peace such as drunkenness and obstruction.
Residents suggested that juvenile nuisance and breach of the peace were the biggest causes for concern. There was a widespread feeling that facilities for young people were totally inadequate and the main complaints were about teenagers ‘hanging around’, noisy neighbours and gangs, bad street lighting and young people drinking in public places.
The majority of all age groups felt safe in the town centre but this fell at night. This appears to be in line with the experiences of towns and cities on a national scale, where the character of the town centre is often different to that of the rest of the town.
Recommendations
The Report makes the following recommendations: an increased police presence in the town centre, the introduction of CCTV cameras in the town centre, the provision of better facilities for younger people, and an increase in car park security systems.

You probably found the Findings section very long. If you look at the version below, you’ll see that dividing it into subsections, with headings, makes it easier to read:

Findings
Number of crimes
The total number of recorded crimes in Southland in 2018 was 14,777. This represents a crime rate of about 123 per 1,000 residents; that is considerably higher than the rates for both Southland and Northamptonshire as a whole. It is also a quarter higher than for England and Wales as a whole.
Types of crime
The most frequently recorded crimes in the area were burglary and crime against motor vehicles. A comparison of recorded crime in the following year paints a similar picture. There was a slight improvement over the previous year but the percentages remains higher than both the county and the national average.
The national picture
The most common crimes nationally are assault and offences against cars. National assault rates include grievous bodily harm, actual bodily harm and a range of offences against the person. Burglary is the third most common crime nationally with aggravated burglary being the least common offence.
Types of offenders
The figures show that during the two years in question there were a total of 4,500 known offenders in Southland. A breakdown of the information illustrates that 77% of these were male, most offences were committed by offenders aged between 13 and 27, 67% of all motor vehicle crime was committed by offenders under the age of 16, the most common offence committed by offenders aged 18 to 20 was burglary.A breakdown of the information illustrates that:
Other types of crime
In addition to recorded crime, Southland Police have also kept records of other incidents reported to them. These are not actual crimes in the sense the perpetrators have committed a criminal offence, but they have given rise to complaints from local residents. These can be divided into juvenile nuisances and breach of the peace. Local vandalism is included in this, as are breaches of the peace such as drunkenness and obstruction.
Residents suggested that juvenile nuisance and breach of the peace were the biggest causes for concern. There was a widespread feeling that facilities for young people were totally inadequate and the main complaints were about teenagers ‘hanging around’, noisy neighbours and gangs, bad street lighting and young people drinking in public places.
The town centre
The majority of all age groups felt safe in the town centre but this fell at night. This appears to be in line with the experiences of towns and cities on a national scale, where the character of the town centre is often different to that of the rest of the town.

Part 2

The two selected paragraphs, presented using bullet points, are shown below.

Here’s the first one:

The figures show that during the two years in question there were a total of 4,500 known offenders in Southland. A breakdown of the information illustrates that:
77% of these were male
most offences were committed by offenders aged between 13 and 27
67% of all motor vehicle crime was committed by offenders under the age of 16
the most common offence committed by offenders aged 18 to 20 was burglary.

Here’s the second:

The Report makes the following recommendations:
an increased police presence in the town centre
the introduction of CCTV cameras in the town centre
the provision of better facilities for younger people
an increase in car park security systems.

In this section you have practised:

recognising and reading different types of report
identifying the main points in a report
different reading techniques.

7 This session’s quiz

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Check what you’ve learned this session by taking the end-of-session quiz. This quiz doesn’t count towards your badge.

Session 2 quiz

Open the quiz in a new window or tab then return here once you’ve finished it.

8 Summary of Session 2

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Well done for completing the reading session of the course! In it, you have covered reading techniques such as skimming, scanning and detailed reading, which are useful for identifying the main points and highlighting key information. You have also explored the difference between fact and opinion and how to spot opinions disguised as facts.

Here are the key learning points from this session.

It is likely that you do a lot of reading every day without realising it.
It is easier to read and extract information from texts that are laid out well, for example with headings, short paragraphs and bullet points.
Skimming is useful when you are deciding whether to read something; it involves reading the title and headings and looking at the pictures to get an idea of what it is about.
Scanning is useful when you are looking for specific information; it involves looking through the text to find key words and phrases.
When reading a text in detail, it is more important to set up a rhythm of reading than to understand every word or phrase; go back to words you don’t understand later rather than rereading or looking up their meaning there and then.
Recognising prejudice and bias, and the difference between fact and opinion, is very important when reading, as prejudice, bias and opinion are likely to exclude other points of view.
Identifying why something has been written helps you decide quickly how you are going to approach it.
Texts that have different purposes – for example, to explain, describe or persuade – use different features in order to provide information in the most effective way for that purpose.
Similarly, different kinds of text – a report, a poster, a greetings card – have different layouts and styles.
Reports are usually divided into sections which can include Contents, Terms of Reference, Introduction, Methodology, Findings, Conclusion, Recommendations and Appendices.

Hopefully by completing this session your confidence with reading has improved. Continue to practise these skills and you will move from being a good reader to a great reader!

You can now go to Session 3.

Introduction

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Writing tasks come in many different forms, from straightforward notes and messages to complicated reports, study assignments and job applications. Each has its own rules of language and layout, but they all involve writing.

It’s a bit like preparing food. Boiling an egg is different from making pizza, but both are cooking tasks.

Recipes reflect this. Fish curry tastes quite different to chocolate mousse but recipes for the two dishes are structured in similar ways:

Both start with a list of ingredients.
Both note the equipment needed.
Both break the method down into a series of steps.
Both allow you to create a successful dish.

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Transcript

NARRATOR

[MUSIC PLAYING]

Writing is part of life, whether at work or at home. We are often writing things down. It could be just a note or something more substantial. But whatever the task, having some basic writing skills can help in all sorts of ways. It's good to make sure you are properly prepared with all the things that you need to start writing, as well as being in the right place and having enough time for the job.

The written word can be very useful. Accuracy can also be very important. So reading back and checking if you have made any errors in spelling or punctuation can avoid misunderstandings and problems later on. By following helpful steps and developing your skills in writing, you can get to grips with even the most complex tasks.

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For the Functional Skills English Level 2 qualification, the writing assessment consists of two writing tasks, which involve writing a formal letter, email, report or blog. You get marks for your ability to write in the correct style and format, as well as for the accuracy of your spelling, punctuation and grammar.
For the Essential Skills Wales Communication Level 2 qualification, you are asked in the controlled task to write two documents that communicate different information to different audiences using language that is appropriate to purpose and audience. You are asked to write in different styles and produce different types of text. This could include, but is not limited to, a formal letter, email, report, article or blog.
You need to have evidence that you can plan, draft and proofread your work. Your final pieces of writing should reflect your ability to write in the correct style and format, using accurate spelling, punctuation and grammar for the level.

1 The six steps to writing success

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Figure _unit4.1.1 Figure 1 The six steps in writing

Long description

Writing tasks can be broken down into six basic steps.

Preparing
Planning
Drafting
Editing
Redrafting
Proofreading

Follow these six steps carefully and you will produce effective writing.

1.1 Preparing

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Figure _unit4.1.2 Figure 2 The first step: preparing

Long description

Preparing is about setting yourself up to succeed, not fail. It means making sure you have:

what you need to be able to write (a computer or paper and pen)
a suitable place to write (where you won’t be continually interrupted or distracted)
enough time to tackle the task properly, without feeling rushed and pressured.

Activity _unit4.1.1 Activity 1 Different approaches for different tasks

Allow about 5 minutes

In light of the points above, make a list of the things you might do to prepare for each of the writing tasks.

Letter to a friend

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Long report for work

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Discussion

Your answer may have included some of the following.

Letter to a friend

Find a piece of paper and something to write with.
Find somewhere to sit down and a surface on which to write.

Long report for work

Think about how much time the task will take and when it must be handed in.
Set aside that time in your schedule.
Gather together any other pieces of information you may need (such as statistics or other reports).
Make sure you have access to a computer or a pen and paper.
Find a place to work where you won’t be disturbed.

1.2 Planning

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Figure _unit4.1.3 Figure 3 The second step: planning

Long description

Box _unit4.1.1

In the Functional Skills English Level 2 writing assessment, you gain marks for presenting your information and ideas in a logical sequence. It is therefore important that you always create a plan before you start to write.

In the Essential Skills Wales Communication Level 2 writing assessment, you gain marks for producing a plan. The more detailed the plan, the more marks you get. Planning is therefore a really important aspect of the assessment

Planning is about organising your thoughts so that what you write is clear and to the point. It is also an excellent way of breaking through any initial block or hesitation. (For many people – myself included – a sheet of white paper or a blank computer screen is quite off-putting.)

One of the best ways to plan is to ask yourself key questions. The first question you ask yourself might be:

Why am I writing?

Activity _unit4.1.2 Activity 2 Questions to ask yourself when planning

Allow about 5 minutes

Write down three useful planning questions.

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Discussion

Any question that helps you organise your thoughts will be useful. Here are eight helpful planning questions:

Why am I writing? (Who am I writing to?)
What sort of format do I need (e.g. message, letter, report)?
What do I want to happen as a result of my writing?
What points must go in?
What are my other main points?
What is the most logical order to put my points in?
What sort of language will my reader expect?
What sort of language will my reader understand?

Here are some useful planning guidelines.

Box _unit4.1.2 Tips for planning your writing

Start in rough Use a pencil and paper; it’s easy to change your mind and it helps to remind you you’re working in rough. (If you work on a computer, you may be used to jumping straight into a task and then improving your work on screen. Experiment by starting on paper first. If you do not like working this way, you can always go back to working on-screen. However, you may find starting on paper helps you organise your thoughts.)
Jot your ideas down Take time to think – jot down all your ideas (no matter how crazy) in note form and see where they take you. One idea may lead to another!
Talk your ideas through with someone else Explain why you’re writing and then get some feedback. Two heads are better than one! (It’s not usually possible to do this in a formal writing assessment, however.)
Forget about perfection Worry about spelling and neatness later.

When you have planned what you want to say and how you want to say it, you are ready to start producing a first draft – a first attempt at the task.

1.3 Drafting

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Figure _unit4.1.4 Figure 4 The third step: drafting

Long description

The purpose of drafting is to see how your ideas work.

Base your first draft closely on your planning notes. At this early stage it is important to put your effort into what you are saying, not how you are saying it.

First drafts are also called rough drafts. As the name suggests, a rough draft does not have to be neat, set out exactly right or free of all mistakes.

Activity _unit4.1.3 Activity 3 Pros and cons of drafting

Allow about 5 minutes

Note down some advantages and disadvantages of writing a rough draft.

Table _unit4.1.1

Advantages	Disadvantages
13	14

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Discussion

Here are some pros and cons. You may have thought of others.

Table _unit4.1.2

Advantages	Disadvantages
Helps you get to grips with the task.	The task takes longer.
Allows you to concentrate on your ideas without worrying about spelling and presentation.	Tires you out!
Gives you time to really think about how best to express yourself.
Gives you a chance to change your mind.

1.4 Editing

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Figure _unit4.1.5 Figure 5 The fourth step: editing

Long description

Once you have produced a rough draft, you are well on the way to an effective piece of writing. The remaining steps are all about polishing and refining. Editing is the first of those steps.

Editing means reviewing what you have written with a critical eye to see what improvements you can make. It’s a good idea to allow a little time to pass between finishing your rough draft and reviewing it.

To make improvements – and not just changes – you need to have a clear idea of what you are aiming for. It might be worth glancing back at your planning notes to check you are still thinking along the same lines as you were when you began. (Of course, your ideas may have developed while working and this is fine – just make sure you are aware of the development.)

Focus first on the content – on your ideas and their organisation – and then on the expression and presentation. Don’t be afraid to scribble in corrections and new ideas: your draft is still a work-in-progress.

Hint If you are editing on a computer, copy your first draft and paste it into a new document. You now have two copies of your work. Leave the original for reference. Edit the other. Later you can compare the edited version with your untouched original draft. You may decide that some of your original ideas are better and you can then reinstate them. Sometimes first ideas are best!

Activity _unit4.1.4 Activity 4 Questions to ask yourself when editing

Allow about 5 minutes

Write down three useful editing questions that would help you to focus on:

the content of your writing
the language you are using
the way you have laid it out on the page.

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Discussion

Any question that helps you review your work is a useful question. Here are some of the questions I thought of:

Does my writing say what I want it to?
Have I arranged my points in the most logical order?
Will my reader understand what I am saying?
Have I used precise, accurate terms and clear sentences?
Have I got the format right?
Does it look easy to read?

Once you have gone through your first draft with a critical eye, noting where you feel changes should be made, you are ready to start your second draft.

1.5 Redrafting

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Figure _unit4.1.6 Figure 6 The fifth step: redrafting

Long description

Redrafting helps you get your ideas into a shape that you are happy with.

Editing should have highlighted any changes to the structure and organisation that you need to make. When you redraft, you focus on the way you express your ideas. The box below contains some tips on how to do this clearly.

Box _unit4.1.3 Tips for expressing yourself clearly

Use precise language, i.e. words that say exactly what you mean. For example:
- Don’t write ‘Most people are turning up after lunch.’
- Do write ‘Twenty delegates will arrive at 2.00 p.m.’

Write sentences that communicate a single, main idea clearly.

Use grammar that links your ideas in a way that leaves no room for confusion. For example:
- Don’t write ‘He said he wanted to talk about it to him because he had asked him to let them know about side-effects as soon as possible.’
- Do write ‘The patient told me he wanted to speak to the doctor as soon as possible to report a side effect he was experiencing from the medicine.’

Use punctuation that links your ideas accurately and logically. For example:
- Don’t write ‘Mrs Carter’s 7-year-old daughter Eileen, slipped in the playground and cut her knee I took her inside and washed the cut then I disinfected it, I put a bandage on to stop dirt getting into the cut, Eileen said her knee did not hurt anymore. She wanted to go out and play so I let her, she said her knee was better when I asked her how her it was at 11.00 a.m.’
- Do write ‘Mrs Carter’s 7-year-old daughter, Eileen, slipped in the playground and cut her knee. I took her inside and washed the cut. Then I disinfected it. I put a bandage on Eileen’s knee to stop dirt getting into the cut. Eileen said her knee did not hurt anymore. She wanted to go out and play so I let her. I asked her how her knee was at 11.00 a.m. She said it was better.’

Use correct spelling; incorrect spelling might distract the reader and doesn’t impress.
Write in a way that is easy to read, whether on a computer or by hand.

Activity _unit4.1.5 Activity 5 Expressing your ideas clearly

Allow about 5 minutes

Which of the points above do you think would make your own writing more clear? Make a note in the text box below of the three most important ones for you. Keep those in mind when you next come to write something.

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Discussion

Here is an example:

When I write, I often make my sentences too long and complicated, so the following tip is very relevant to me:

Write sentences that communicate a single, main idea clearly.

1.6 Proofreading

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Figure _unit4.1.7 Figure 7 The sixth step: proofreading

Long description

Box _unit4.1.4

In the Functional Skills English Level 2 writing assessment, you gain marks for ensuring that your spelling, punctuation and grammar is accurate. Proofreading your work is therefore an important part of the writing assessment.

In both the Essential Skills Wales Communication Level 2 writing assessment, you gain marks for a draft which has been checked to identify and correct any mistakes. Proofreading your draft is therefore an important part of the writing task.

Proofreading means checking for mistakes. The aim of proofreading is to ensure that what you have written is what you mean to say.

Proofreading is the careful reading of your final draft. You should allow as much time as possible between finishing your final draft and proofreading it. It is very important to bring a fresh eye to your work at this stage. If you try to proofread too soon after finishing writing, you are likely to see only what you think you have written and you may miss mistakes.

Activity _unit4.1.6 Activity 6 What to look for when proofreading

Allow about 5 minutes

What should you look for when proofreading? Note down your ideas.

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Discussion

You may have thought of some of the following:

spelling
punctuation
grammar
choice of words
layout
readable handwriting/accurate word processing.

You will be looking at spelling and some aspects of punctuation and grammar in the next section.

When you have proofread your final draft, try using the spell check on your word processor to help you. Remember to check suggested spellings before you press accept as they may not be the most appropriate for your context!

Activity _unit4.1.7 Activity 7 Spot the errors

Allow about 10 minutes

Have a look at the text below. There are three spelling mistakes and three punctuation mistakes.

Highlight the incorrect words and punctuation errors and then correct them in the text box.

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Discussion

The words that are spelt incorrectly are:

critism (criticism)
obversations (observations)
carefulley (carefully).

The words that were punctuated incorrectly are:

… but you did ask for feedback, the best policy is …
(Needs a full stop rather than a comma.)

… and say ‘thank you’ (They have taken the time …
(Needs a lower-case ‘t’ in ‘They’.)

… normally it is worth looking carefulley at anything they had a problem with?
(Needs a full stop rather than a question mark.)

Here’s the corrected text:

If you ask someone to read what you have written and point out any problems, be prepared for criticism. You may not like being told that your writing doesn’t make sense (or is poorly punctuated or full of spelling errors), but you did ask for feedback. The best policy is just to accept the other person’s observations and say ‘thank you’ (they have taken the time to read your work, after all). You can ignore everything they said, of course, but normally it is worth looking carefully at anything they had a problem with.

In this section you have looked at:

how to prepare for and plan your writing and write a first draft
how to redraft and proofread your work so that it is accurate and says what you mean.

2 Spelling, sentences and paragraphs

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Figure _unit4.2.1 Figure 8 Spelling, sentences and paragraphs

Box _unit4.2.1

In the Functional Skills English Level 2 writing assessment, you gain marks for the correct use of spelling, punctuation and grammar, and for using a range of sentence structures, including complex sentences, and paragraphs to organise written communication effectively.

In the Essential Skills Wales Communication Level 2 writing assessment, you gain marks for the correct use of spelling, punctuation and grammar and for appropriate use of paragraphs, and you will be expected to use complex sentence structures appropriately.

From complex sentences to semi-colons and synonyms, even the most experienced of writers can find spelling, punctuation and grammar tricky. However, ensuring that your writing is clear and accurate can make you appear more professional and get your message heard. In this section you look at how to improve your spelling and at creating sentences and paragraphs, which will help you to write with good punctuation and grammar. Employers are more likely to employ candidates who have good written communication skills. Improving your spelling, punctuation and grammar is a wise investment of your time and will set you ahead of the crowd!

2.1 Spelling

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Spelling is a key aspect of writing. It helps to express our ideas clearly and makes a good impression when people read what we have written:

If you want people to understand your ideas and what you express in writing, you need to be able to spell the words you want to use.
For better or worse, we are judged on the quality of our spelling. People who spell well are respected.

Don’t panic if you struggle with your spelling. Spelling well is very different from spelling perfectly. Perfection is not a realistic aim. Good spelling is spelling that allows you to express yourself freely in the first place and then to correct any errors later.

It is worth remembering that although there are many words in English – about half a million – you do not need to be able to spell them all. Focus on learning to spell the words you need. If you find yourself struggling to spell the same word on several different occasions, make a note of it. Keep a list of the words you want to learn. Try targeting five a week.

Syllables

Every word has at least one syllable. Many have more than one. Some have as many as five or six.

What are they? Syllables are vowel sounds, with or without consonants. Syllables are useful for spelling as they help you to decode words by chunking sounds together. Here are a few examples:

‘eye’ has a single syllable made up of a vowel sound alone
‘my’ also has a single syllable made up of the same vowel sound, but with the consonant sound ‘mmm’ attached
‘ago’ has two syllables: a-go
‘photograph’ has three: pho-to-graph
‘independent’ has four: in-de-pen-dent.

Activity _unit4.2.1 Activity 8 How many syllables?

Allow about 5 minutes

How many syllables do the words below have? Select the correct answer.

Hint: Try saying the words out loud to yourself. Say them slowly and count each syllable as you go, either on your fingers or by making a note on a piece of paper.

1. after

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2. careful

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3. benefit

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4. among

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5. concentrate

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6. authoritatively

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7. management

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Once you can hear syllables, you will also be able to hear word stress. Word stress is important as it helps to identify how to pronounce and spell a word correctly by highlighting the key letters within the word. Look at these examples of shifting stress. The stressed syllable is underlined.

advertise – advertisement

electric – electricity

photograph – photographer – photographic

Activity _unit4.2.2 Activity 9 Where is the stressed syllable?

Allow about 5 minutes

Highlight the stressed syllables in the words below.

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Discussion

Working out where you place the stress in a word helps you to break it up into smaller chunks and spell out each chunk.

Here are three things you can do that may help to improve your spelling.

Box _unit4.2.2 Top three spelling tips!

Notice how words are spelt, wherever you are. Written language is around us all the time.
Practise: read and write regularly.
Review the words that matter to you and test yourself.

2.2 Sentences

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Sentences are the basic building blocks of writing and in this section you look at what a sentence is. This will help you use grammar and punctuation correctly. Confidence with grammar and punctuation will allow you to create different kinds of sentences and make your writing interesting to read.

A sentence needs to make sense on its own. In order to do so, it must include a subject (who or what the sentence is about) and a verb (what the person or thing is doing). The subject and the verb must make sense together. Have a look at some of the examples below.

The cat sat on the mat.

In this sentence, ‘the cat’ is the subject and ‘sat’ is the verb. It is a full sentence as the subject and verb agree and make sense together.

What is the problem?

In this sentence, ‘is’ is the verb and ‘the problem’ is the subject. It is a full sentence.

The information on the website.

This is not a full sentence. It does not include a verb and is therefore incomplete.

Activity _unit4.2.3 Activity 10 Spot the sentences

Allow about 5 minutes

Look at the four short texts below. Select the ones you think are proper sentences.

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Discussion

Two of these statements are sentences:

What’s that?
I don’t know.

Each has a subject and a verb, and each makes sense on its own.

The other two are not sentences. They are incomplete and do not make sense on their own.

The question is one of some complexity, especially regarding.
Then there is.

There are three different types of sentence:

simple
compound
complex.

Simple sentences

These contain only one idea. Here are some examples:

Sammy is 36 years old.
He works at a hospital.
He works in the Housekeeping Department.
He is a supervisor.
He enjoys his work.
Sometimes he finds it stressful.

Compound sentences

These are simple sentences joined together. For example:

Sammy is 36 years old and he works at a hospital.
He works in the Housekeeping Department where he is a supervisor.
He enjoys his work but sometimes he finds it stressful.

The words used to join the sentences are called conjunctions. Here are some examples of conjunctions:

and
where
but
when
so
because
since
while.

Activity _unit4.2.4 Activity 11 Making compound sentences

Allow about 5 minutes

Use conjunctions to combine these simple sentences into compound sentences.

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Discussion

Your answers may be slightly different depending on which conjunctions you chose, but each of your compound sentences should have a conjunction and the sentences should make sense.

Charles Dickens was born in Portsmouth, but he lived most of his life in London.
Dickens also lived in France where he wrote one of his most popular books.
Dickens died in 1870 and he was buried in Westminster Abbey.

Complex sentences

These combine a number of ideas, not all of equal weight. Look at the following sentence.

I enjoy gardening although it can be quite hard work.

This sentence has one main idea and one additional (or extra) idea.

‘I enjoy gardening’ is the main idea; ‘it can be quite hard work’ is an extra idea.

Now look at another example of a complex sentence.

Sammy, who is 36 years old, enjoys his work as a supervisor in the Housekeeping Department at a hospital but sometimes finds it stressful.

‘Sammy enjoys his work’ and ‘sometimes finds it stressful’ are the main ideas. The other ideas – that he is 36 and works as a supervisor in the Housekeeping Department at a hospital – are extra, less important ideas.

Note that the commas are used here to separate the less important ideas from the more important ideas. For more information on this and some other uses of commas, go to the OpenLearn course Everyday English 1.

Activity _unit4.2.5 Activity 12 Making complex sentences

Allow about 10 minutes

Combine the simple sentences below into complex sentences. Treat the idea in bold as the main idea. You may also want to add some words, leave some words out or change the order of words.

Hint Be careful to keep the meaning the same as the original.

Peter’s father was a very good public speaker. He was rather quiet in private life.

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On the first day they set out late. Then they lost their way briefly. Even so they covered a lot of ground.

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Charles Babbage wrote a consumer guide to life assurance. He invented an early form of the computer.

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Discussion

Compare your answers with the ones below. The main ideas are in bold. You may have slightly different answers depending on how you combined the simple sentences, but each of your complex sentences should have a main idea that can be separated from the other, less important ideas.

Peter’s father, although rather quiet in private live, was a very good public speaker.
Despite setting out late and briefly losing their way, they covered a lot of ground on that first day.
Charles Babbage, who also wrote a consumer guide to life assurance, invented an early form of the computer.

2.3 Paragraphs

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Box _unit4.2.3

In both the Functional Skill English Level 2 and Essential Skills Wales Communication Level 2 writing assessments, you gain marks for the correct use of paragraphs.

Paragraphs are important in writing. They help your audience to understand and enjoy your writing and are useful in helping you organise your ideas.

A paragraph may contain the following elements:

a topic sentence expresses the idea of the topic in general terms
an explanation explains the idea in more detail
an illustration gives a concrete example.

Activity _unit4.2.6 Activity 13 What’s in a paragraph?

Allow about 10 minutes

Identify the three elements – the topic sentence, explanation and illustration – in the paragraph below. Highlight each using a different colour.

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Discussion

The topic sentence is:

Food is important in all societies.

It tells us what the paragraph is about in general terms: the importance of food.

The explanation is:

A great deal of effort goes into producing food, involving both agriculture and industry. The food that is produced must then be either stored or distributed and sold. In recognition of this effort and of the importance of food, many cultures have evolved elaborate rituals around the final preparation and eating of food.

It explains the idea expressed in the topic sentence.

The illustration is:

A traditional French meal, for example, might take several days to prepare and as long as four hours to eat.

It gives a concrete example to illustrate the idea and the explanation.

In this section you have looked at:

syllables and word stress and how they can help with spelling
simple, compound and complex sentences
an example of how to structure a paragraph.

3 Writing to inform, persuade and advise

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Figure _unit4.3.1 Figure 9 The many forms of writing

Long description

Texts that are written for different purposes and audiences have different layout features and writing styles. Identifying why you are writing something will enable you to use techniques that work for that purpose and to write more effectively.

3.1 Writing to inform

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Writing to inform is about communicating information to your audience. Your information should be factual, relevant and clear.

One example of when you ‘write to inform’ is in a job application. You may be asked to write a personal statement providing information on:

your qualifications
experience that makes you suitable for the role
reasons why you would like the position.

Activity _unit4.3.1 Activity 14 Texts that inform

Allow about 5 minutes

How many different texts to inform can you think of? Write down as many as you can.

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Discussion

Here are some suggestions:

newspapers and magazines that contain information
a letter to confirm a doctor’s appointment
informative websites, for example Citizens Advice
a party invitation from a family member or friend
a textbook
recipes
instructions
manuals.

Below is an example of a text that informs. It is a formal letter from a rental agency, informing the recipient of changes to their rent. It shows the kind of language that is used in a text that informs.

Box _unit4.3.1

41 Elm Walk
Newport
LM1 8HU
Newport Rentals
PO Box 71
Newport
29 March 2019
Dear Ms Edwardes
Re: Monthly rental for 41 Elm Walk
We are writing to tell you that we are changing the amount of rent you pay for number 41 Elm Walk. This will take effect from 1st May 2019.
The new amount and the way we have calculated it are shown on the next page.
Please read the notes we have sent with this letter. They tell you what changes you must tell us about. You can tell us about any changes online.
Yours sincerely
Mr Matthew Meadows

Activity _unit4.3.2 Activity 15 Features of texts that inform

Allow about 5 minutes

Tick the writing techniques that apply to the letter above.

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Discussion

The letter uses most of these techniques, apart from diagrams and illustrations.

It’s useful to keep these features in mind when you write to inform. In other words, you need to:

use language that is clear and to the point
include facts
write in an impersonal way
use short, clear sentences
break up your text with subheadings, diagrams and illustrations
write in an unbiased way.

One of the golden rules of writing to inform is contained in the acronym KISS (Keep It Short and Simple). That means deciding what must go in and what might go in.

Two questions can help you decide whether any piece of information is a ‘must-go-in’ or a ‘might-go-in’.

What am I trying to tell my reader?
This question gets you to focus on why you are writing in the first place.
Will my reader understand what I am trying to say without this piece of information?
If the answer to this question is ‘no’, the information must go in. If the answer is ‘yes’, you may or may not choose to include it.

In the next two activities, you plan and write an email. Before you do so, take a look at the example below, so that you’re familiar with the main elements and the kind of wording that is appropriate.

Box _unit4.3.2 Email example

From: a.daniels@goodsgalore.com

To: d.saint@goodsgalore.com

cc: t.boss@goodsgalore.com

Date: 23 April 2019

Subject: March invoices

Dear Dave

I’ve just noticed we still haven’t received the invoices for March. The cut-off date is tomorrow and if we haven’t received them by then, they will not be paid until next month.

I’d be grateful if you could put them in the internal post before the end of the day.

Kind regards

Amy

Activity _unit4.3.3 Activity 16 Constructing an email that informs

Allow about 10 minutes

Imagine you are a supervisor in a care home. You have found that some of your cleaning staff are clocking on before they change into their uniforms. You know one team member in particular (Catrin Rogers) resents arriving five or ten minutes early to change into uniform. You suspect she has been encouraging others. This is against company regulations – in fact, it is a disciplinary matter.

Safta Iqbal, the Hygiene Manager, has asked you to deal with the problem. Safta also mentioned that the company has finally agreed to replace the existing lockers with bigger ones within the next six months.

You have been asked to write an email to inform the staff of this matter. Below are a number of statements that could go into the email. Decide which you must include (essential) and which you might include (optional) and drag and drop into the correct category.

Hint: Put yourself in your reader’s shoes. Look at the writing task and ask yourself: ‘What would I want from this if I were the reader?’ Remember, the more you question what you are doing, the better you will do it.

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Discussion

Here is one way of sorting the elements into ‘essential’ and ‘optional’:

Must include (essential):

Date: [today’s date]
To: All cleaning staff
From: [your name]
RE: Clocking on before changing into uniform
CC: Safta Iqbal, Hygiene Manager
Against company policy – must stop
Disciplinary issue – this is a warning
Kind regards [your name]

Might include (optional):

They all know it’s against company policy (told at induction).
They may not understand the reasons why – hours lost to department (5/10 minutes per person x 60 staff = 5/10 hours per day!).
Decision to order new lockers.
Anybody with any problems see me.

For this email it is essential to:

include the Date, To, From, Re and cc information
state the issue clearly
say what you want staff to do (and what will happen if they do not do it).

Activity _unit4.3.4 Activity 17 Writing an email that informs

Allow about 10 minutes

Now try writing the email that you planned in the previous activity. Use the ‘must include’ and ‘might include’ lists to help you.

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Discussion

One possible version of the email is provided below. See how it compares to yours.

Date: 12.04.19
To: All cleaning staff
From: Head of Service
Re: Clocking on before changing into uniform
cc: Safta Iqbal, Hygiene Manager
It has come to my attention that some staff have been clocking on before changing into uniform. I wish to remind you that this is strictly against company policy and must stop.
I understand the time involved amounts only to five or ten minutes per person. Please note, however, that the Hygiene department employs over 60 staff. Five or ten minutes per person for 60 people costs the company five or ten hours per day. We cannot afford this loss of time.
From now on, disciplinary action will be taken against any member of staff found clocking on before they have changed.
Thank you for your co-operation.
Kind regards
[Your name]

3.2 Writing to persuade

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

From charity leaflets that come through our door to newspaper articles that try to sway our point of view, texts to persuade are all around us.

When you write to persuade, you usually need to be more forceful than when you write to advise.

Activity _unit4.3.5 Activity 18 Your own experience of persuading

Allow about 5 minutes

Think about the last time you tried to persuade someone to do something (not necessarily in writing). Who did you try to persuade and to do what?

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Discussion

You may not realise it but we often use persuasion in everyday life! For example, you may have tried to:

persuade your friends to go on a night out
persuade your work colleagues to join a charity event
persuade your children to get ready to go to school.

Of course, you may have thought of a completely different example.

Writing to persuade is about trying to get your audience to do something. When you write to persuade, you usually need to be more forceful than when you write to advise.

Writers use a number of different techniques to do this as shown in the box below.

Box _unit4.3.3 Persuasive writing techniques

Direct address Speaking directly to the audience using ‘we’ or ‘you’
Alliteration A group of words beginning with the same letter or sound
Facts Something that can be proven as true
Opinion A belief that can’t be proven
Rhetorical question A question that does not need an answer
Emotive language Words that ‘tug on the heart strings’ and create a strong response in the reader
Statistics Numerical facts and data to support a point
Triples List of three things in a sentence

Activity _unit4.3.6 Activity 19 Persuasive techniques (1)

Allow about 5 minutes

Have a look at the advert below. Drag and drop the techniques used by the writer into the appropriate slot.

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Discussion

Even a simple advert such as this involves several persuasive writing techniques. See if you can spot these techniques in other adverts.

Activity _unit4.3.7 Activity 20 Persuasive techniques (2)

Allow about 10 minutes

Match the persuasive technique with the example.

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Now try a few more.

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Activity _unit4.3.8 Activity 21 Persuasive techniques (3)

Allow about 5 minutes

You may remember the advert below from Session 2. See if you can remember the persuasive techniques used to try to influence the audience.

Figure _unit4.3.2 Figure 10 Total car madness!

Long description

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Discussion

Words like ‘madness’, ‘amazing’ and ‘mad’ grab your attention and make you read the advertisement. Words like these are called emotive words. Although they are attention grabbing, they do not really give any information and often exaggerate.
Bold type and capitals are used to emphasise words.
The phrase ‘Must end Wednesday’ suggests you have to hurry to take advantage of the offer.

Activity _unit4.3.9 Activity 22 Planning a persuasive email

Allow about 10 minutes

Imagine that you have organised a sponsored run for a local charity that provides support to older people in your area. Try to plan an email persuading your friends to take part. Make a list of the points that you must include and the points you might include.

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Discussion

See how your ideas compare to these.

Must include:

Event information: when and where it will take place.
Reason: background on the charity and where the money will go.
Why your friends should take part.
The benefits for them of taking part.
How to apply to take part.

Might include:

Other local events organised in aid of the charity.

Activity _unit4.3.10 Activity 23 Writing a persuasive email

Allow about 10 minutes

Now, using the plan from the previous activity, write an email to your friends persuading them to take part in the sponsored run.

Hint: Use at least three of the techniques learned earlier to help you persuade your audience.

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Discussion

You may have used a number of different techniques to persuade your friend. Here are a few examples:

Emotive language: ‘The event is for charity and will help to support hundreds of lonely and vulnerable older people.’
Rhetorical question: ‘Who wouldn’t want to get fit and have fun?’
Opinion: ‘Running is the best form of exercise.’
Fact: ‘The sponsored run is 5 km.’

3.3 Writing to advise

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Writing to advise is all about giving advice to your audience. Some people find this easier than others. When writing to advise, you are expected to suggest what someone should do.

Writing to advise is informative and helpful. It is a little like giving instructions, except you must adapt your tone of voice to suit the needs of your audience. For example, if you were providing your friend with advice on which dress to wear, you might use a very relaxed and informal tone, whereas if you were advising a work colleague on how to deal with a difficult customer, you would use a much more formal and serious tone.

When you write to advise, you should use words like ‘should’, ‘could’ or ‘maybe’, which change a command into a suggestion. This prevents your advice from sounding too harsh. Verbs like ‘could’ and ‘should’ are called modal verbs.

In contrast, when you give instructions, you should use imperative verbs, which are verbs, or action words, that tell a person what to do. They are usually used at the beginning of a sentence, for example ‘Slice the carrots’ rather than ‘You should slice the carrots.’

Activity _unit4.3.11 Activity 24 How to make a cup of tea

Allow about 10 minutes

Write instructions for making a cup of tea. Use imperative verbs such as ‘pour’ rather than ‘you should pour’, and use short, concise sentences.

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Discussion

Here are some examples of instructions using imperatives and short, concise sentences:

Fill the kettle.
Pour the milk.
Remove the teabag.

Activity _unit4.3.12 Activity 25 Rewriting advice

Allow about 10 minutes

Below is a note written to a friend offering advice. It is written like a set of instructions using imperative verbs which makes it sound harsh and not advisory. Rewrite the advice using words like ‘could’ and ‘should’ to modify the tone.

Dear Julie,
Dump him. Tell him that he is being foolish. Say firmly that you don’t want to see him anymore. Walk away quickly. Look straight ahead, avoid turning around.
Your friend,
Louise

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Discussion

Your revised letter may look something like this.

Dear Julie,
I’m sorry to hear you are having problems. You should think about dumping him. You could tell him that you don’t want to see him again. It might be easier to walk away. If you do decide to do that, it would be best to look straight ahead and avoid turning around.
Your friend
Louise

In this section you have:

practised writing to inform
practised writing to persuade
practised writing to advise.

4 Formal or informal?

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Figure _unit4.4.1 Figure 11 Formal and informal writing

Long description

There are many types of writing style but only two that you need to recognise now: formal and informal.

Formal: a style of writing in which standard English is used because you are writing to someone you don’t know or to whom you want to give a good impression.
Informal: a style of writing where choice of words and grammar tends to be familiar rather than formal. This is used when you know, or want to get to know, the person you are writing to.

Activity _unit4.4.1 Activity 26 Which is formal and which informal?

Allow about 5 minutes

Which sentence would be found in a formal report and which in an informal discussion?

They did a brilliant job, particularly considering what a mess things were in before.
The work was completed two days ahead of schedule and achieved a Quality Control score of 95%.

Discussion

Sentence 1 is the sort of sentence you might expect to hear in a corridor. It is written in an informal, ‘spoken’ style.

Sentence 2 is the sort of sentence you might expect to read in a report. It is written in a formal, business-like style.

Activity _unit4.4.2 Activity 27 When to use formal language

Allow about 10 minutes

Consider the following situations. Five involve spoken language and five involve written language. For each, select the style of language you think it would be best to use: formal, informal or semi-formal, i.e. somewhere between the two.

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Discussion

Here is a summary of the answers.

Table _unit4.4.1

Situation
Pub discussion about football.	Informal
Short presentation to a group of teenagers about sexual health.	Semi-formal
Conversation with a friend about a party you went to.	Informal
Description in a job interview of how you handle difficult situations.	Formal
Email to a friend about arrangements for a holiday.	Semi-formal
Incident report at work.	Formal
Discussion with friends about music.	Informal
Letter to train operator complaining about cancelled services.	Formal
Telephone message from a client to your manager.	Formal
Text message to your partner to meet you after work.	Informal

If you disagreed with some of the answers, reconsider your understanding of formality and informality. Remember that communicating information clearly requires at least a degree of formality.

Some people think formal language is full of long, unfamiliar words and complicated grammar and is generally – and often unnecessarily – hard to understand. This is not the case. Good formal English is English that conveys information in clear, simple language.

Activity _unit4.4.3 Activity 28 Formal and informal sentences

Allow about 5 minutes

Look at the following sentences and for each, decide whether it is in a formal or informal style.

Hint: Remember, formal English gives precise and generally factual information.

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Discussion

In summary, formal and informal styles of writing are very different and serve two different purposes. Formal writing should be used in a professional setting, for example at work, and contains formal language. Informal writing is more likely to be used when writing to friends or relatives and contains informal language.

Once you have decided if your writing will be formal or informal, you need to think about the tone of your writing. Tone refers to the attitude that your language conveys and applies to both speaking and writing.

Imagine you bought an item from an online retailer and it has stopped working. You want to return it and you email customer services, asking what you should do. Compare the attitudes expressed in the following two responses.

‘Thank you for contacting us. We apologise for the faulty item and the inconvenience it has caused. Please return it with proof of purchase to the address below.’
‘Hiya, that’s too bad but no time to help at the mo. Boss is giving me too much to do. Wish I didn’t work here. Try next week. Soz!’

The first response is respectful and helpful. The tone is quite formal and polite. The second is disrespectful and unhelpful. The tone is informal and not appropriate for a customer service department.

The second response also expresses personal dissatisfaction. It is unprofessional. How the staff member feels about their job is nothing to do with the customer. Being professional means putting personal feelings to one side when they have no direct bearing on an interaction.

Formal writing generally requires a polite, respectful tone – especially when you are expressing dissatisfaction. People will always pay more favourable attention to a message that is polite and respectful.

In this section you have looked at:

the differences between formal and informal writing
identifying different contexts in which formal writing is needed.

5 Types of writing

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Figure _unit4.5.1 Figure 12 A letter, an email and a report

Long description

What you write and how you write it also depends on the type or format of writing, for example whether it’s a party invitation, an email, an article or a job application. Each format has a broad structure and layout that you can follow and doing so will help you to get your message across clearly and accurately.

You look here at three types of writing: emails, letters and reports.

5.1 Writing emails

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Figure _unit4.5.2 Figure 13 Typical email layout

Long description

Emails are used for both formal and informal communication. In the workplace, they are used internally (within an organisation) and externally (from one organisation to another). At home, they are used for social and business purposes, from arranging to meet friends to contacting a solicitor. They can be as formal as a business letter or as informal as a scribbled note to a friend; it all depends on the context.

When you write an email, there are usually From, To, cc and Subject (or Re) sections above the message section.

Your own email address is automatically shown in the From box.

Figure _unit4.5.3 Figure 14 Composing an email

Long description

Email is quick and easy to use. Messages reach the person they are addressed to almost instantly. Because email is so quick and easy, there are some special points to bear in mind when planning an email message:

Give your message a clear, informative title as many people receive dozens of emails each day.
Keep your message short and to the point.
At work, use a polite, formal style (chatty shorthand isn’t acceptable).
Be careful what you say; never assume an email is confidential.

This is the usual structure of an email, although not all will be exactly the same:

the recipient’s address
the subject of the email
the greeting
the body of the email
the closing/sign-off.

Greetings and closings

Greetings and closings in an email are more flexible than in a letter.

If you are writing a formal email (for a job application, for example), you can still use the formal ‘Dear Sir/Madam’ used in a letter. However, you are more likely to know the name of the person you are writing to, so to set a friendly tone you can address the person by name.

If the email is formal and you don’t know the person you are emailing well, use ‘Dear’. If you know the person, ‘Hi’ is often fine.

You can use ‘Yours faithfully’ to close an email, but ‘Kind regards’ or ‘Best regards’ are more common.

Activity _unit4.5.1 Activity 29 Planning an email

Allow about 10 minutes

Imagine your manager, Winston Davis, has asked you to book a room at a local hotel for a meeting on 6 January. Winston is expecting ten people to attend including someone in a wheelchair who will be giving a PowerPoint presentation. Winston said the meeting will last all day so you need to organise lunch and refreshments. He also mentioned that the last time the company used the hotel there was a very noisy private party going on that interfered with the meeting.

When you contact the hotel’s conference manager, Ms Dhami, she asks you to confirm your requirements by email.

Try planning an email to Ms Dhami. Make a list of the essential information that you must include and optional information that you might include.

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Discussion

See how your points compare with the following:

Must include:

To: Ms Dhami’s email address.
Subject: Meeting.
Cc: Winston Davis’ email address.
Purpose of email.
Date and time of meeting.
Number of people attending.
Requirements of food and refreshments.
Wheelchair access.
Powerpoint presentation facilities.

Might include:

Problem with noise at the last meeting.

The information in the first list is all essential. The only point that is not essential, as shown in the second list, is the fact that last time there was too much noise nearby.

5.2 Writing letters

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Figure _unit4.5.4 Figure 15 Typical layout of a letter

Long description

Despite the widespread use of email, the letter remains an important form of communication. We tend to use letters when it seems important to say something in writing. That might be:

for legal or official reasons, e.g. communicating with a solicitor or bank
to put a case more strongly and to have a written record, e.g. complaining about a faulty product
to deal clearly with a complicated issue, e.g. arrangements while someone is on holiday
just because it is hard to reach the person otherwise, e.g. the head teacher of a school.

Always keep formal letters short and to the point. Use a polite, formal style and clear, simple language. Where possible, use a heading to identify the topic of your letter. Use a separate paragraph for each main point.

Formal (or business) letters have a clear, three-part structure:

Why you are writing.
What the other person needs to know.
What action you want the other person to take.

Below is the usual format of a formal letter:

The writer’s address is in the top right-hand corner.
The date is underneath that address.
The address of the person/company being written to is lower down on the left-hand side.
The greeting is underneath that address.
The body of the letter follows the greeting.
The closing or sign-off is on the left-hand side, underneath main text.
Your signature (if hand-written) is underneath.
Your name is underneath that.

The usual greetings used in a formal letter are ‘Dear Sir/Madam’. If you know the person’s name, it’s ‘Dear’ and then their name.

If you use Sir/Madam, the closing should be ‘Yours faithfully’. If you use their name, the closing should be ‘Yours sincerely’. It is becoming more acceptable to break these rules and it is quite common to end even formal letters with ‘Kind regards’ or ‘Yours truly’. However, when asked to write a formal letter it is sensible to follow the traditional rules.

Activity _unit4.5.2 Activity 30 Identifying the features of a letter

Allow about 5 minutes

Below is a letter with pointers to various features. Drag and drop each label to the appropriate slot.

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Discussion

Another example of a letter – this time with a heading – is given in the discussion of Activity 32.

Activity _unit4.5.3 Activity 31 Planning a letter

Allow about 10 minutes

Imagine you have signed a contract to work on a cruise ship for 18 months. The job starts in six weeks and you are excited about seeing places like the Greek islands, the Caribbean, Hong Kong and the Far East!

To help pay the mortgage (£450 a month), you plan to let your house while you are away. Several estate agents say it will be easy to find a tenant among staff at the nearby hospital or university. They think you can get at least £550 a month, perhaps more from a group of students.

Your only worry is whether the terms of your mortgage allow you to let your house. When you contact your bank, the manager, Mrs Knightsbridge, asks you to make a formal request in writing.

Try planning a letter to your bank, to inform them of your plans and to check that they have no objection to you letting your house. Make a list of the essential information that you must include and optional information that you might include.

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Discussion

Here are points you may have wanted to include.

Must include:

your address
Mrs Knightsbridge’s name and job title
the name and address of the bank
the date
why you are writing – you want to let your house
what the bank needs to know:
- you have signed an 18-month contract to work on the cruise ship
- your salary is able to cover the mortgage of £450
- you would like to let the house
- you have been advised the likely rental value is £550 or more
what action you want the bank to take:
- to confirm that this arrangement is acceptable.

Might include:

strong rental demand locally due to the hospital and university
your plans in 18 months’ time, after the contract ends (what happens if you renew the contract?).

Activity _unit4.5.4 Activity 32 Writing a letter

Allow about 10 minutes

Now try writing a letter to Mrs Knightsbridge formally requesting permission to let your house while you are away. Use your plan from the previous activity to help you.

Hint: When you are writing the letter, try to imagine the dialogue (or conversation) you are having with Mrs Knightsbridge, especially the questions she might want answered.

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Discussion

Below you will see one version of the letter to Mrs Knightsbridge. Yours will be a little different. Take a look at it in relation to the following points.

First, examine the layout:

Have you placed names and addresses in the correct places? The sender’s name and address is shown on the left below but is usually positioned on the right.
Is your letter properly paragraphed?

Second, look at the content:

Does your letter follow the structure for a formal letter?
Does it first explain why you are writing, then give the reader (in this case Mrs Knightsbridge) the information they need to understand the situation?

Finally, have you explained what action you want your reader, Mrs Knightsbridge, to take?

Here’s the letter.

Pat Smith
14 Acacia Avenue
Trumpton Medley
Herts TM2 4SD
[Today’s date]
Mrs Knightsbridge
Branch Manager
Oxford and Cambridge Bank
14 The Crescent
London NW1 3RR

Dear Mrs Knightsbridge
Re: account number H122345EE request to let property
I am writing further to my telephone call yesterday to request permission to let 14 Acacia Avenue.
I have recently accepted an appointment as On-board Entertainment Co-ordinator with Deluxe Cruise Lines. My contract is for 18 months (I enclose a copy for your information) and I am due to take up my new post at the end of next month. The job requires me to live on board ship and I will be away from 14 Acacia Avenue for the length of the contract. During this period, I propose to let the property.
I have already spoken to several local estate agents who assure me it will be easy to find suitable tenants from the university or nearby hospital. To protect the property in my absence I would use the services of a managing agent.
I understand that, in the current market, the property will command a monthly rental of £550. Please note that whether I let the property or not, I shall continue making mortgage payments (£450 a month) by direct debit.
I would be grateful if you could confirm that you have no objection to my letting 14 Acacia Avenue while I am abroad.
Yours sincerely
Pat Smith

5.3 Writing reports

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Figure _unit4.5.5 Figure 16 Typical report layout

Long description

Reports are formal documents presenting information based on facts. They are structured as follows:

The title should be short and informative, e.g. ‘New Product Sales, October–December’.
In the Introduction, explain why the report has been written and what it covers (and, if appropriate, what it does not). For example, ‘This report has been written at the request of the marketing department and looks at sales of new products between October and December. The report does not cover sales of other products.’
In the main body, present the information you want to pass on.
In the Conclusions, summarise what you believe the information shows, e.g. ‘The figures indicate that products promoted online have enjoyed higher sales than products promoted through trade journals.’
In the Recommendations, make any recommendations for action (based on your conclusions), e.g. ‘This report recommends increasing online promotion of new products.’

Reports should:

use formal language
be brief and to the point
use short paragraphs
make use of headings, bullet points, numbered lists, charts and graphs where appropriate
avoid technical jargon if possible
explain any technical terms that must be used but that readers may not understand.

Report writing tends to focus on ‘what’ not ‘who’. You might say to a colleague:

‘I told my supervisor what happened.’

In a report, however, it would be better to write:

The incident was reported to a supervisor.

Note that in addition to using a passive verb form, other words have been changed without altering the sense.

Active and passive verbs: Many verbs can be active or passive. Take ‘bite’, for example:

The dog bit Ben. (Active)
Ben was bitten by the dog. (Passive)

In the active sentence, the subject (the dog) performs the action. In the passive sentence, the subject (Ben) is on the receiving end of the action.

Here are two more examples.

What you might say:

They all find the machines on the new line difficult to operate.

What you would write:

Operating difficulties are being experienced with the machines on the new line.

What you might say:

No one I spoke to could tell me anything about it.

What you would write:

No information was available.

Here is an example of a paragraph in the active and passive voice:

Active voice
For my end-of-year project, I prepared a poll of public transport use in my street. I interviewed my neighbours in their homes and created a spreadsheet to record and analyse the data. I completed the project by the due date and achieved a pass.

Passive voice
A poll on public transport use in my street was prepared by me for my end-of-year project. My neighbours were interviewed in their homes and a spreadsheet was created to record and analyse the data. The project was completed by the due date and a pass was achieved.

Activity _unit4.5.5 Activity 33 Focusing on the ‘what’, not the ‘who’

Allow about 10 minutes

Use the text boxes to rephrase the sentences below to focus attention on the ‘what’, not the ‘who’. The first has been done as an example.

I told the team what the new arrangements are. Rephrased: The new arrangements have been explained to the team.

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I’ve had several customers complaining about the new system.

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I found a number of problems with the machine.

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I keep telling the line manager but she has not done anything. No action has been taken although the issue has been reported.

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Everyone agrees the new canteen is a big improvement.

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Discussion

Compare your sentences with the ones below. Examine any differences carefully and note anything you learn from them. Where there are differences, look back at the original sentences and identify the words that tell you what the sentence is about.

The new arrangements have been explained to the team.
Complaints about the new system have been received.
Problems with the machine were experienced.
The line manager has been informed but no action has yet been taken.
The new canteen has been welcomed.

Activity _unit4.5.6 Activity 34 Planning a report

Allow about 15 minutes

Imagine you work for a company that wants to start a staff award scheme to support recruitment and retention. Your manager has asked you to produce a report for senior management on the available options. You have obtained details from the Chamber of Commerce of schemes run by other local employers. You have spoken to some of the managers involved in those schemes and asked them what impact the schemes have had on recruitment and retention of staff, and whether the managers believe the schemes represent good value for money to the organisation.

Two schemes in particular sound promising. One of these schemes would link in with local shops and restaurants. If local businesses were co-operative, this would offer good value. When you contacted local shops and restaurants they expressed interest, but wanted more details.

When you interviewed staff in your own company to find out what they would like, they expressed little interest in the idea of staff awards. Several people, however, said they were sick of the drinks machine breaking down and two others complained that the staff canteen was disgustingly dirty.

Try planning your report, which will describe what you have done and make recommendations. Use the following headings:

Title
Introduction
Findings
Conclusion
Recommendations

Discussion

Your plan may look something like this.

Title: Staff Award Scheme

Introduction

Report on staff award scheme to support recruitment and retention

Findings

Details of other schemes in use locally
Cost of schemes
Effect of schemes on recruitment and retention
Response of own staff to scheme idea

Conclusion

Two schemes offer good value but staff not enthusiastic about concept of awards.

Recommendations

Trial scheme involving local businesses

5.4 Writing articles

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Articles are commonly found in newspapers and magazines. They can be formal or informal and often include elements of the writer’s own opinion. Articles are structured as follows:

The headline or heading tells the reader what the article is about. It often includes emotive language, alliteration (words that start with the same letter) or rhetorical questions (questions that are asked to make a point rather than get an answer) to grab the reader’s attention and set the tone of the article.
The opening paragraph should identify the main points of the article and include who and what the article is about. The opening should be brief but should ensure that the topic of the article is explained.
The main body of the article should expand on the information already provided in the opening paragraph. It should provide the most important information first.
The closing paragraph should conclude the article and summarise the key points.

The headline

Article headlines often use techniques such as emotive language, alliteration, puns and rhymes to attract the reader’s attention.

The tone of the headline can also give you an idea of the tone or mood of the article. For example:

‘Four Die in Brighton House Fire’ is serious. It tells you what the article is about.
‘Electric Cars Spark Sales’ is humorous. The writer has used a pun (a play on words) to engage the audience. ‘Spark’ could mean a spark of electricity or something that starts off the sales.

Activity _unit4.5.7 Activity 35 What’s in a headline?

Match the technique used to the article headline.

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Opening paragraph

The opening paragraph should identify the main points of the article. It should include information on:

What has happened? What is the situation?
Who is or was involved?
When did it or will it take place?
Where did it or will it take place?

Activity _unit4.5.8 Activity 36 Who, what, where and when?

Allow about 10 minutes

Read the news article below and write down who did what, where and when.

BENEFIT FRAUDSTER IS FINED

Walkland District Council issued a warning this week after a mail order clerk was fined for fraudulently obtaining benefits.
Thomas Wilkinson, aged 64 of south London, admitted three charges at the Magistrates Court of fraudulently obtaining benefits amounting to £7,500.
He admitted failing to disclose income from distributing mail order goods during part-time employment.
Wilkinson was sentenced to 200 hours Community Service and is currently repaying the money.
John Stevens of the Walkland District Council Finance Office said ‘genuine’ claimants have nothing to fear, but the Council takes a very serious view of housing benefit fraud. Any changes in circumstances should be referred to the District Council immediately.

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Discussion

Check your answers against these:

Who: Walkland District Council
What: issued a warning over fraudulent benefits claims
Where: Walkland
When: this week

You may also have answered the questions in relation to the man who was fined:

Who: Thomas Wilkinson
What: was fined for fraudulently obtaining benefits
Where: Walkland
When: this week

The main body

The main body of the text should expand on the information provided in the opening paragraph. It should explain in detail what the article is about.

When writing the main body of the article, you should provide the most important information first:

Crucial information
Supporting information
Background information

You should use language that suits the audience and tone or mood of the piece. You may include quotes from people involved, such as experts and witnesses, to back up the story. When you include quotes, you should use quotation marks.

Using quotation marks

Quotation marks (also known as speech marks and inverted commas) look like this ‘ ’ or this: “ ”. They are used to separate one group of words from another. Here are two examples:

The book is called ‘Silver Poets of the Seventeenth Century’.
My exact words to him were, ‘If I were you, I would watch out.’

In sentence 1, the quotation marks show exactly what the book’s title is.

In sentence 2, the quotation marks show exactly what was said.

Activity _unit4.5.9 Activity 37 Where do the quotation marks go?

Allow about 10 minnutes

In the sentences below, insert quotation marks where needed.

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Discussion

Compare your answers with these. If your answers are different, look again at the explanation. Remember, when used to show direct speech, quotation marks enclose the words actually spoken. When used to show a title or quotation, they enclose just the title or quotation.

a.Steve turned with a look of annoyance. ‘Oh, honestly,’ he said. ‘Don’t be so ridiculous.’
b.To which Paula replied, ‘I don’t know what you are talking about.’ Then a moment later she added, ‘And don’t take that tone with me.’
c.In the words of the Immortal Bard, ‘If music be the food of love, play on!’
d.The title of the group’s new release is ‘Yummy! Yummy! Yummy!’
e.‘You swine! You unspeakable swine!’ he said. Fletcher only laughed.
f.‘Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness’, from Keats’ ‘Ode to Autumn’, must be one of the most famous lines in English literature.

The closing paragraph

You should not end the article too suddenly. The best endings finish with a closing sentence or quote that provides a conclusion.

Checking and layout

Once the article is finished, it is crucial that you check that it is factually correct and does not contain spelling or grammatical errors.

You also need to decide on an appropriate layout for text and pictures.

This session has covered a number of different structured writing tasks: emails, formal letters and reports. There are, of course, many other writing tasks, such as lists, notices, messages, informal letters, faxes, CVs, and all sorts of official forms.

Part of planning is choosing the right format for a writing task. Format means the way in which something is arranged or set out.

Activity _unit4.5.10 Activity 38 Which format?

Allow about 5 minutes

Which format would you choose for the following writing tasks?

Read the examples below and pick the correct format from the examples below.

1. Ask a colleague in another department for some information.

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2. Send another company a copy of a missing invoice.

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3. Tell colleagues about a Christmas party.

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4. Ask your bank for an overdraft.

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5. Provide feedback on how well a new staff rota is working.

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6. Tell the general public in your local area about a new affordable housing scheme.

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Discussion

When you choose a format in which to write something, make sure it represents a good use of time and effort and that your reader(s) will consider it appropriate. It is always important to take your readers’ expectations into account.

In this section you have looked at:

how to structure emails, letters and reports
when to use these three different formats.

6 End-of-course quiz

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

It’s now time to try the end-of-course quiz and earn yourself a digital badge.

End-of-course quiz

Remember this quiz counts towards your badge. If you are not successful the first time, you can attempt the quiz again in 24 hours.

Open the quiz in a new tab or window and come back here when you are done.

7 Summary of Session 3

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Well done for completing the third and final session of the course. Here are the key learning points from this session.

Following the six steps of writing – preparing, planning, drafting, editing, redrafting and proofreading – for longer or more important texts will help you to write more effectively.
Understanding when your writing needs to be formal and when it can be informal enables you to communicate well.
Following some basic principles of grammar, punctuation and spelling helps you to express yourself in writing clearly and accurately.
Emails, letters and reports need different structures and layouts.
Knowing how to build compound and complex sentences helps you to develop your writing beyond simple sentences.
Paragraphs are a useful way of organising your ideas and making sure your readers don’t get lost.
Recognising the syllables in a word and where the word stress falls can help with spelling.
When you write for different purposes and audiences – such as writing to inform, persuade or advise – you should use different techniques and styles of writing.
When you write a report, you should use the standard structure and headings, for example Introduction, Methodology, Findings, Conclusions, Recommendations.

End-of-course summary

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

Bringing it all together

Congratulations on completing Everyday English 2. Hopefully you have enjoyed the experience and now feel inspired to develop your English skills further.

Through this course you have developed your skills in the following areas:

speaking clearly and confidently, at a pace and volume appropriate to the situation
adapting your language style to formal and informal situations, and understanding when to use standard and non-standard English in both speaking and writing
understanding the role body language plays in effective communication
preparing for a discussion and moving it on with constructive contributions when it gets stuck or goes wrong
structuring and delivering a talk, and checking your audience is listening and understands what you say
identifying the purpose and intended audience of a range of texts
skimming, scanning and detailed reading, and knowing when to use one or the other
recognising prejudice and bias in texts and understanding the difference between fact and opinion
recognising the writing styles and layout features associated with different kinds of text
understanding the different structures of emails, letters and reports
following the steps in the writing process that enable you to produce a clear and accurate piece of writing
using aspects of spelling, punctuation and grammar to express yourself clearly and accurately in writing
constructing simple, compound and complex sentences
counting the syllables in a word and using word stress to support accurate spelling
understanding the techniques that can be used when writing a text that informs, persuades or advises.

Next steps

If you would like to achieve a more formal qualification, please contact one of the centres listed below and explain that you have done this course and gained an OpenLearn badge. They’ll help you to find the best way to achieve the Level 2 Functional Skills English qualification or the Level 2 Essential Skills Wales Communication qualification, which will enhance your CV.

England

Middlesbrough College, Dock St, Middlesbrough, TS2 1AD

https://www.mbro.ac.uk/

01642 333333

Tresham College (Part of The Bedford College Group), Windmill Avenue, Kettering, Northants NN15 6ER

https://www.tresham.ac.uk

01536 413123

West Herts College, Watford Campus, Hempstead Rd, Watford, WD17 3EZ

https://www.westherts.ac.uk/

01923 812345

Wales

Coleg Cambria

https://www.cambria.ac.uk/

Addysg Oedolion Cymru | Adult Learning Wales

https://www.adultlearning.wales/

Coleg Gwent

https://www.coleggwent.ac.uk/

NPTC Group of Colleges

https://www.nptcgroup.ac.uk/

Acknowledgements

The Open University — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:48:02 GMT

This free course was written by Kate Burgess of Middlesbrough College using materials belonging to The Open School Trust Ltd. (trading as the National Extension College), in partnership with Bedford College Group, West Herts College and The Open University and in collaboration with Coleg Cambria, Addysg Oedolion Cymru | Adult Learning Wales, Coleg Gwent and the NPTC Group of Colleges. Copyright in this material belongs to The Open University, 2019.

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.

Every effort has been made to contact copyright owners. If any have been inadvertently overlooked, the publishers will be pleased to make the necessary arrangements at the first opportunity.

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