I have just submitted my second assignment for the German beginners' module L193. I am full of assignment happiness and joy.

It doesn't matter that I've already done a similar assignment two years ago, it's not relevant that I have submitted X assignments since first studying with the OU 25 years ago. It's done and it's finished, hurrah.

Except, that it's not finished is it? The hard work may be done, but some may say that the feedback, not the mark, is more important. I have a goal for the mark, to score more that before.

The feedback is what makes the OU so special. The poor tutor has to review about 20 very similar assignments and mark them according to a marking scheme making very similar constructive comments to everyone.

There is a temptation to just look at the mark, treat it as the imposter it is and download the feedback for later. I have known some students to look at the mark and not download the feedback. How must the tutor feel then?

My New Year's resolution is to acknowledge good things as they happen, so join me in my celebration of keeping to my learning schedule. Onwards to the next point in the plan, I say .

DAve

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(Harper, Smith, & Beaven, 2005)

My copy of Success with Languages (Hurd & Murphy, 2005) is second hand and has the recommendations of the previous owner in day glow yellow. For the final assignment in L193 (TMA06), it is recommended that we read over Task 5.8. Chapter 5 is about reading and listening skills (Harper, et al., 2005).

Listening and reading have two purposes. One is to understand what is being said or has been written, while the other is to gain knowledge about the language itself. There will be different strategies that could be adopted for each of these objectives.

Task 5.8 is about choosing appropriate strategies. It describes a method to be tried in order to decide how to approach a text. This takes into account what is required from the text, the amount of prior knowledge of the subject matter and the level of difficulty.

Among the approaches which I would find useful there are take margin notes of keywords, read the text quickly once and assess which approach to adopt. The decision about the purpose is key and should be first. Then there are pre-listening, listening and post-listening activities followed by a review.

In summary, reading and listening in real life and for practice are markedly different. Listening and reading can help understanding, language skill, writing and speaking, awareness of the language, and cultural aspects. It is possible to use your awareness of your own processes to decide how to proceed. These principals are transferrable (Harper, et al., 2005).

Now to absorb, relax and apply to TMA06. I have already finished the first section but have the writing section still to do.

References

Harper, F., Smith, P., & Beaven, T. (2005). Developing competence in the language (1): reading and listening skills. In S. Hurd & L. Murphy (Eds.), Success with Languages. Abingdon: Routledge.

Hurd, S., & Murphy, L. (2005). Success with Languages. Abingdon: Routledge.