The Open University's Nicholas Foxton explores the story of how minority voices came to enrich and save British fiction from 1970 onwards

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Please note: This is course is due to be archived on Wednesday 21st December. You can study the course up until this date. For learners who have completed the course, the Statement of Participation will remain in your learner records in your OpenLearn profile.
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What are the differences between spoken and written English? Is use of grammar more or less complex than it appears? This free course, English grammar in context, looks at the way grammar can be used as a tool for adapting our communications (both written and spoken). This OpenLearn course will help you to see how language is intertwined with both describing a view of the world and interacting with others in that world.

Teresa Cremin, Professor of Literacy in Education at The Open University explores whether we offer young writers enough opportunities for ‘writing from the heart’

Discover these free English Literature and Creative Writing courses on OpenLearn.

Renowned as one the key figures of Romanticism, William Wordsworth broke through poetic traditions and barriers to produce verse that redefined the principles underlying the writing of poetry, placing the poet's emotions and interaction with a natural, pastoral world at the centre of poetic philosophy. Wordsworth's influences are a topic of immense academic debate, and this album provides a concise and distinct introduction to the many literary, political and cultural shifts that informed and inspired one of literature's most breathtakingly beautiful movements. This material forms part of The Open University course A207 From Enlightenment to Romanticism c.1780-1830.

How does a poet represent two distinctly different cultures in their work? How did James Berry interpret his experience and those of other Jamaican’s that migrated to England in the late 1940’s into his writing? James Berry was born in Jamaica in 1924, but moved to England during the wave of immigration from the West Indies led by the Empire Windrush. From a young age Berry had an interest in language, and showed an aptitude for spoken word and through writing soon realised he could explore the world from different perspectives. He became part of a new generation of post-colonial poets who drew inspiration from their country of birth in addition to British culture. This album focuses on a selection of poems from his collection titled Windrush songs.

This material forms part of The Open University course A230 Reading and studying literature.

Poetry is a delicate and intricate art form, practised by many people but rarely mastered. In this album, poets Jackie Kay, Paul Muldoon, W.N. Herbert and Jean Breeze talk about their respective approaches and attitudes to poetry. They explore many aspects of their craft, from the initial spark of inspiration and rewriting to more technical matters such as rhyme, using real speech and narrative poetry. This material forms part of the course A175, Writing poetry.