Open University « Third Language Blog

Getting good quality teaching and resources

The information I am going to share is an honest account of what I have tried over the past year and my opinions are just that. . opinions. I will share my likes and dislikes, what works for me and what doesn't. This is a personal experience, I am not an expert but if you share my ambition of learning to communicate in a third, foreign language, then maybe we can help each other along the way.

Getting good quality teaching and resources is vital to success: encouraged by an influential book by Harry Ferber I now view language acquisition as a military campaign, I need to use my resources efficiently to overcome all resistance, I need to capture vocabulary and not let it escape. I need to wear down the opposition by attacking daily and not allowing it time to regroup. I need to learn the predictable tricks that the new language will play on me and be ready for them (this means learning grammar). Like any military campaign good quality intelligence is vital.

22 July 2010

Open University - an update

It’s late July and suddenly the end of L140 is in sight. The 4th TMA is due in 4 weeks time then soon after is the end of course assessment – an essay and a telephone interview. And that’s it. I think I’ve reached the end of the line with OU for now. The next [...]

3 May 2010

The dreaded TMA

If you have ever studied with the OU (Open University) you will know what I mean. The TMA (tutor marked assignment) is something that is capable of reducing a sensible, mature adult to tears of grief, rage or frustration.

SECTION 1 STUDENT INFORMATION
SECTION 2 TUTOR INFORMATION

Name

Address

OUCU

Personal
[...]

26 January 2010

Where have all the Spanish Classes Gone

I’m getting started on the L140 Open University course, one of the suggestions is that students arrange some conversation practice with native Spanish speakers. No problem you might think. I put out lots of feelers but so far I haven’t found anyone to practice with, so I started looking for conversation classes.

According to Wikipedia, Spanish [...]

12 January 2010

L140 Open University Course Materials

The L140 course materials from the Open University arrived today. I haven’t done much with it yet apart from open the box. Inside there are three books, a couple of DVD things, a calendar, a study guide and a letter of encouragement. Don’t know why but I feel like a nervous teenager . . . [...]

16 December 2009

Open University - L194 Portales

At last the results are here. I am very happy to have passed with a distinction! So far so good. My next Open University course is due to start in February, this is L140 En Rumbo and I am already concerned that it doesn’t have any tutorials with it. The course team suggest that students [...]

1 October 2009

Open University L194 Portales

My Open University course L194 “Portales” has officially finished. I have to wait until February next year before L140 “En [...]

14 August 2009

Open University Spanish Course L194

Open University

The Open University (OU) has been the backbone of my strategy this year. I am following the entry level Spanish course L194 Portales. I chose this course because I wanted some structure to my study and having studied French L120 a few years ago I knew roughly what to expect.

The course arrived [...]

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