Would you like to improve your current English skills or perhaps remember areas you may have forgotten? Do you work, or are you preparing to work, in the health and social care sector? This free course is an introduction to Level 1 Functional Skills in English with tips and techniques to help you communicate more effectively in everyday life.

The content of the course is linked to the health and social care sector so that you will be developing your English skills through activities and using resources that are more likely to be familiar.

Enrolling on this course will give you the opportunity to earn an Open University digital badge. The badge is a great way to demonstrate your interest in the subject. What you learn by completing the course will really help if you wish to enrol on a formal qualification.

Once you are signed in, you can manage your digital badges online from your OpenLearn Profile. In addition, you can download and print your OpenLearn Statement of participation – which also displays your badge.

This course has been produced as part of the Department for Education’s Flexible Learning Fund   and with the kind support of Dangoor Education  , the educational arm of The Exilarch’s Foundation.

This course was written by Bedford College Group in partnership with Middlesbrough College, West Herts College and The Open University.

Course learning outcomes

After studying this course, you should be able to:

• Understand how to make a range of relevant and extended contributions to formal and informal discussions
• Read and understand the main points and ideas in a range of straightforward texts
• Utilise information contained in various texts and identify suitable responses
• Construct a range of texts to communicate information, ideas and opinions
• Utilise accurate spelling, punctuation and grammar to communicate clearly in writing.