Get the Right Tutor Application For Your Needs

Get the Right Tutor Application For Your NeedsAs a candidate for a student tutor in Leeds you may need to find the right tutor application. After all, this is not something that is seen as an easy decision to make and will be full of concern for both parties. To get this right, it is vital that you are fully aware of the different factors that will determine whether or not you choose the right candidate or tutor for your needs.The first step is to get a full application together. This should contain many pieces of information from which you can choose. The application will include a list of your previous achievements, particularly your qualifications and relevant job experience, as well as a contact number where you can get in touch with them. The majority of such applications will also include the names of your parents and a job reference number.Once you have the application, it is time to go through it and see what makes you the best candidate. The key to a good tutor application i s that it includes a detailed description of your qualifications and experience. A good tutor application will contain a separate section for those teaching qualifications that you hold, as well as a section for teaching experience, or the number of years you have had experience as a teacher.It is also important to remember that a tutor application is designed to help you out as a potential candidate for student teaching. It is not just about looking at your CV and being asked to fill out forms. You will need to demonstrate to them that you have an interest in teaching, and that you have all the necessary skills that they expect from their students.By looking at the courses that you have previously taught you will be able to see how much practical teaching experience you have had. This will give them a good idea of the quality of the lessons that you will provide. Having worked on a range of different subjects is of course beneficial, but having taught your own subject at school is of course going to stand out.An adequate and comprehensive application will include all of the other information that will stand out to the teaching staff. They will want to know if you can offer any insight as to why you would like to work as a tutor, how much you believe you can contribute to their staff, and if you have any special teaching skills that they would like to try out.In order to find the right candidate for your tutoring needs it is important that you do your research and start looking for the right tutor application. This is something that will be entirely dependent on the potential candidate, but by considering what they have already done in the past will help you narrow down your choices as to who will work best for you.

How to Speak up When Youre Hurt at Work - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / How to Speak up When Youre Hurt at Work - Introvert Whisperer How to Speak up When Youre Hurt at Work Sarah Landrum July 25, 2016 Communication, Dealing with Fear, Office Politics No responses Go to top If you’re naturally introverted, you might characteristically go about your job and scarcely speak up unless answering a direct question. However, when you’re injured at work, being assertive by letting someone know what happened is a necessity. Otherwise, you might end up with an untreated injury that’s more severe than you first realized. There are several reasons why people feel nervous about telling their supervisors they’ve been hurt, including: A fear that people won’t believe the injury claim Uncertainty about whether their supervisors will care and take appropriate action Being under the impression they may lose their jobs or be subject to disciplinary action by disclosing their injuries Worry about the lost income they could be subjected to if their supervisors ordered them to stay home to recover Thinking fellow coworkers might feel jealous if the injuries require them to take time off work, but are eligible for worker’s compensation These stresses are all compounded if you’re very quiet and tend to go about your business without wanting to bother anyone. By following some actionable steps, it should be easier to keep your head clear and feel more confident about letting a superior know what happened. Know Your Company’s Policy for Reporting Injuries Most companies have specific guidelines in place that instruct people how to file reports about being hurt at work. Unless the business has fewer than 10 employees or is part of an industry that’s considered exempt, it’s required to report accidents on a particular form to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA). If you’re not aware of the policy that applies to your workplace, getting educated offers a good opportunity to become more comfortable with being assertive. One easy thing to do is to speak up after getting some safety-related information at work. Simply say something like, “I think it’s great that you offer such clear instructions so everyone knows how to operate that piece of machinery safely. Out of curiosity, is there a procedure in place for reporting workplace accidents?” At the very least, you’ll learn something new that might come in handy for yourself or someone else. Plus, your decision to ask a question benefits everyone within earshot who also might need to know the answer but didn’t make that fact known. Notify the Appropriate Person Immediately As soon as the injury occurs, communicate with the designated individual who can help you file an accident report. If the injury is so severe that you are unable to notify that person yourself, send someone to do it for you. On the other hand, if you apparently aren’t badly hurt, you may be tempted to finish your shift before notifying someone about what happened. It’s essential to speak up about your injury right away rather than waiting. The timing of the accident is usually a crucial part of filling out an accident report. If you wait for days or even weeks before letting a supervisor know about the injury you’ve suffered, there’s a good chance you’ll be asked to provide a valid reason for your delay. Be Aware of Your Average Income If the injury requires you to receive worker’s compensation payments, the amount you get is calculated based on the amount you earn. Laws vary by state, but in Pennsylvania, injured workers should receive 66 ?% of their average gross weekly wages through compensation payments. Eventually, you’ll get a calculation from the worker’s compensation insurance company that describes the amount of compensation you’ll periodically get while recovering from your injuries. Check the form carefully and assertively tell your workplace if a mistake has been made. If you know the portion about your earnings isn’t accurate, it may be necessary to confirm the discrepancy by showing pay stubs to your employer. Fill out the Accident Form Thoroughly When officially documenting the injury, you may feel very timid about describing the extent of your injuries, and possibly even be tempted to downplay what happened. However, doing anything except providing an honest, full and accurate account of what occurred could negatively affect your ability to get compensation. You’ll also probably need to list the associated medical treatments you’ve received, if applicable. Be sure to follow your employer’s instructions about whether you must only get treatment from particular healthcare providers. Document How the Accident Has Affected Your Ability to Work When following up your worker’s compensation claim, make sure to keep records that discuss how being hurt has adversely influenced your ability to do your job. It may be appropriate to focus on factors such as: Whether it takes longer than normal to do certain things If you experience pain that didn’t occur before you got hurt Whether the pain has worsened, moved or otherwise changed since the accident How it’s become necessary for you to take more rest breaks than usual because of the injury By providing those kinds of details, you’ll be able to give evidence to your workplace about how your life has been since getting injured. In the same way it’s essential to be truthful and thorough when documenting the injury, don’t leave out pertinent details when describing how the injury impacts your life. Informing superiors about getting hurt at work is something that can cause even the most self-assured workers to feel uneasy. If you’re so anxious that you think it’d be better to keep quiet, reshape your perspective by remembering how your decision to disclose injuries promptly should make it easier to get the required treatment so you can get back on your feet as soon as possible, and hopefully not suffer any long-term effects. Go to top Power-Influence-Office Politics: it comes down to your Strategic Relationships and understanding of how you build each one of these elements. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my video that outlines all of this and meaningful actions you can take today!  Start watching now by clicking here! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer

Physics Glossary

Physics Glossary You Should Know These Physics Terms ChaptersNames of the Different Branches of Physics StudyPhysics TerminologyGeneral Physics VocabularyA part of the problem compounding students’ fears of physics is its vocabulary: those lofty scientists seem to speak a language all their own, with just a few words of English thrown in!With the rare exception of Stephen Hawking, who gave the world an explanation of the cosmos in everyday terms with his A Brief History of Time.But, really, the language of physics is not that hard to grasp if you know the key terms and word groupings.That is why your Superprof presents you with this physics glossary!Unlike a dictionary that might define a word but leave you no clearer on its meaning in a scientific context, we aim to put a bit of meat on each word’s bones so that you can truly sink your teeth in and get a good bite on the matter.Along the way, we’ll include a bit of extra information so you can see how each term fits within this discipline called physics.Get a physics maths tutor here.Einsteinian relativity â€" as opposed to Galilean relativity.The essence of modern physics deals with extremes: either very small particles or very large aspects or properties of matter; long distances or high speeds.The ‘middles’, as they are called, are usually addressed by classical physics.An apt way to describe this difference would be the behaviour of a gas. Studies conducted at 0 º Celsius might be a matter for the classical study but that same gas, at absolute zero â€" -273.15 º Celsius would be of interest to anyone conducting modern physics research.Absolute zero represents the total absence of heat; it is the lowest limit on the thermodynamic temperature scale.If you are an undergraduate majoring in physics, you wouldn't declare yourself a classical or modern physicist because modern physics depends heavily on classical theories.Unlike in music, where one could specialise in playing classical piano or modern jazz piano, one needn’t elect to practice classical physics or modern physics.However, as an aspiring physicist, you could choose a specific field of physics in which to apply yourself.Let’s examine some of them, now.Also, take a closer look at pioneering physicists and their discoveries!Physics TerminologyIf you are mad for The Big Bang Theory, you might aspire to follow in Sheldon’s footsteps to become a theoretical physicist:  that would call for you to use mathematical equations to predict the outcome of theories.However, if Leonard is your fav, you could emulate him by becoming an experimental physicist â€" the complement to your theoretical counterpart, you would conduct actual experiments and record your results.Raj is an astrophysicist, studying the nature of cosmic bodies rather than their position and how they move in space.Particle physics, also known as high energy physics involves the study of particles that make up matter and radiation. Note that particle, in this sense, could be anything from electrons to dust.Appl ied physics suggests you could help develop new technologies or help solve a thorny engineering problem regarding such development. Indeed, this branch of physics is the link between scientific study and engineering.Biophysics borrows methods of analysis used in physics to study any biological phenomenon.Atomic physics: you know those nifty diagrams of shells and valences and electrons in your science books? They were conceived by atomic physicians, who study the composition and structure of atoms.There is a difference between atomic physics and nuclear physics in spite of the synonymous usage in English of the words  atomic and nuclear.Nuclear physics concerns itself solely with the nucleus of an atom. Have you ever had an MRI? It and other facets of nuclear medicine such as PET scans and other spectroscopy came about through discoveries in nuclear physics!Condensed matter physics involves studying the behaviour of solids and liquids using various physical laws.This field of resear ch is a crossroads where several disciplines meet: theoretical physics, particle physics and nanotechnology blend with chemistry and all of the areas formerly known as solid state physics.It is also one of the most active fields of study in contemporary physics because of its sheer breadth and diversity of materials to study.This is generally not the image that comes to mind when a physicist thinks of quarks! Source: Pixabay Credit: RitaEGeneral Physics VocabularyNow that we’ve looked at some physics specialities you might consider for your career, let’s drill down to the verbiage used by this discipline â€" some of which might even sound familiar to you!Quark: you might know this word as the name of a dairy product but, in physics, it represents an elementary particle.However, to make matters more confusing (physical) quarks come in 6 flavours: up, down, top, bottom, charm and strange. Dairy quark is generally unflavoured!Look up for a physics maths tutor now.Quarks always feat ure in configurations of three: one up/two down; two top/one bottom and so on.A hadron is two or more quarks held together by the strong force.Any time you hear hadron, boson or fermion, you now know those names represent classes of subatomic particles.Ever heard of a hadron collider? Now you know what it was named after!A neutrino is not the hippest neutron in the atom; it is a subatomic particle with no electrical charge and very small mass. It travels very quickly; close to the speed of light!Quantum: this word is used a lot in physics, from describing discrete fields of study (quantum chromodynamics) to delineating entire branches of physics, such as quantum field theory.Used by itself, quantum represents the smallest possible unit anything can be divided into: at the quantum level, e.g.An isotope is a possible form of an element. Two or more elements may have the same number of protons but vary in the number of neutrons in the nucleus.Perhaps the most renown of such elements is uranium-235, which differs from uranium-238 because it has 3 fewer neutrons, even though they are both the element identified as uranium. (Uranium-235 is used in nuclear power stations and to make nuclear weapons).We tend to think of waves as something the ocean generates or something we do with our hands, but physicists associate waves with any disturbance that transfers energy through matter or space.Waves can be either a vibration or an oscillation, of a physical medium or of a field, around essentially fixed locations. The two main types of waves are mechanical or electromagnetic.Can you guess what type of wave your microwave oven puts out?Please feel free to discover more key concepts in physics, served up in a nutshell for your easy digestion!Theoretical physics, astrophysics or plasma physics: as you contemplate which branch of physics you would make your mark in, take comfort in knowing that, someday, through your hard work, you may get to name a vital element or particle t hat future students will have to learn about!Higgs boson, anyone?

Active Learners Part 1 - Private Tutoring

Active Learners Part 1 BobbiM Mar 25, 2014 Active learners reflect on information and think critically.   Being reflective is an important part of active learning because it means that you are thinking about the information. In other words, you are processing the information. You may make connections between the new information and what you already know, identify concepts that you may not understand very well, or evaluate the importance of what you are reading. An active learner reflects constantly. In contrast, passive learners may read the text and listen to lectures, and even understand most of what is read and heard, but they do not take that crucial next step of actually thinking about it. Active learners are engaged learners. They listen actively to the professor for the entire class period and they write down as much information as possible. You must think about the information before you write. Active learners know that learning involved more than simply putting in time.   Most students know about the importance of having good time-management skills and expect to invest time in studying in order to be successful. But just putting time into studying is not enough. It is the quality if that time- why you actually do with it- that makes the difference. Active learners get assistance when they are experiencing problems. Because active learners are constantly monitoring their understanding, they know when their comprehension breaks down, and they ask for help before they become lost. In addition, active learners often predict the courses that may give them trouble. They have a plan in mind for getting assistance should they need it. Active learners may hire individual tutors, take advantage of free peer tutoring, or seek assistance from their professors. Although passive learners may seek help at some point, it is often too little too late. In addition, because passive learners do not reflect and think critically, they often dont even realize that they need help. Excerpt from College Success Strategies by Sherrie L. Nist and Jodi Patrick Holschuh.

5 Essential Ingredients in Evidence Based Treatments

5 Essential Ingredients in Evidence Based Treatments Having a child or teen who struggles with ADHD can be challenging. The good news is that Evidence Based Treatments effective treatment programs and strategies that have been tested through rigorous scientific research - are available. These treatments arent going to make your childs ADHD symptoms disappear, but research findings tell us that these treatments (either alone or in combination with medication) should lead to significant improvement. Unfortunately, for many parents it can be difficult to know if the treatment being provided by their childs therapist is actually evidence-based. While I encourage all parents to have a direct conversation with their childs therapist about their training and treatment approach, there are also things parents can look for in the content of the therapy sessions themselves that will indicate whether an evidence-based treatment is being used. There are many specific evidence-based treatments available for a variety of child and adolescent mental health problems (you can find articles and videos about specific treatments here https://effectivechildtherapy.org/therapies/), and all of these treatments for children and teens share five essential ingredients that contribute to their effectiveness. Measurement of symptoms and improvement over time. All evidence-based treatments require therapists to collect initial measures of symptoms and functional impairment. These measures should be completed by the child (if they are old enough) or the teen, as well as by parents and teachers (when appropriate). Measures are administered at the start of treatment and repeated regularly to measure treatment progress. Teaching new skills. All evidence-based treatments focus on learning new skills and strategies, and the emphasis on using these skills starts early. Therapists may spend only a couple of sessions getting to know the child or teen and his or her family before quickly diving in to teaching and rehearsing new skills. As the child or teen learns and practices these skills, the relationship with the therapist continues to grow and before long the child or teen is seeing improvement in symptoms and developing a strong bond with the therapist. Practicing skills in-between sessions. All evidence-based treatments require the child or teen and the parents to use the new skills and strategies at home in-between sessions. Changing thoughts and behaviors takes time and practice, making between session homework and practice an essential component of all evidence-based treatments. Parent involvement. All evidence-based treatments for children and teens require at least some degree of parent participation (more when kids are younger and a bit less as kids get older and grow into teenagers). When it comes to ADHD treatment for younger children, research has shown that parent-focused interventions (like behavioral parent training) are the most effective treatments. They can work so well that sometimes the child never needs to attend a single therapy session! For older children and adolescents with ADHD, evidence-based approaches that combine child or teen-focused sessions with sessions that target parenting skills and the parent-child relationship are typically most effective. When it comes to treatments for other disorders, like anxiety or depression, evidence-based treatments often include more child or teen-focused sessions and fewer parent-focused sessions, however parents still spend at least some time with the therapist, so they can learn about the skills a nd strategies that their child or teen will be using at home. Improvement in a relatively short period of time. Many evidence-based treatment programs last for only 10-20 sessions, with many children and teens experiencing significant improvement after a couple of months. Since ADHD is a chronic disorder, it always requires parents and children or teens to continue to use the skills they learned in therapy even after theyve stopped working closely with their therapist. Many kids and teens also require ongoing medication to manage their symptoms, and most require ongoing booster or maintenance therapy sessions to keep their skills current. If your child or teens therapist is not providing evidence-based treatment and their ADHD symptoms at home and at school are not improving, then its probably time to find a new therapist. In next weeks post Ill share a list of questions to ask a prospective therapist that will help you learn about his or her approach to treatment before you and your child start to work with him or her. Not sure where to begin your search for a new therapist? One of the following therapist directories can be a good starting point: Society of Child and Adolescent Psychology Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies American Psychological Association Psychology Today ABOUT DR. MARY ROONEY Mary Rooney, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California San Francisco. Dr Rooney is a researcher and clinician specializing in the evaluation and treatment of ADHD and co-occurring behavioral, anxiety, and mood disorders. A strong advocate for those with attention and behavior problems, Dr. Rooney is committed to developing and providing comprehensive, cutting edge treatments tailored to meet the unique needs of each child and adolescent. Dr. Rooney's clinical interventions and research avenues emphasize working closely with parents and teachers to create supportive, structured home and school environments that enable children and adolescents to reach their full potential. In addition, Dr. Rooney serves as a consultant and ADHD expert to Huntington Learning Centers. ABOUT HUNTINGTON Huntington Learning Center is the tutoring and test prep leader. Its certified tutors provide individualized instruction in reading, phonics, writing, study skills, elementary and middle school math, Algebra through Calculus, Chemistry, and other sciences. It preps for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington programs develop the skills, confidence, and motivation to help students of all levels succeed and meet the needs of Common Core State Standards. Founded in 1977, Huntington's mission is to give every student the best education possible. Call us today at 1.800.CAN LEARN to discuss how Huntington can help your child. For franchise opportunities please visit www.huntingtonfranchise.com. This website does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The material on this site is provided for educational purposes only.

The 10 Best Language Learning Books to Take on Your Linguistic Journey

The 10 Best Language Learning Books to Take on Your Linguistic Journey The 10 Best Language Learning Books to Take on Your Linguistic Journey So you’ve decided to learn a new language.The last time you did that was probably 20 to 40 years ago.You know, when you were still a toddler.Or maybe you took some language classes in high school for a requirement.Either way, you didnt really have to track down learning tools. They were handed to you.You know how  important it is to learn a new language these days. Theres no point to me making the case that a second language can have tremendous impacts on your physical, mental and financial healthâ€"since youve already made the big decision to start studying.Now youre really at the initial stages of your language acquisition journey.So, what to do? What to do?Lucky for you, this post deals with how to start your language journey right. And let me tell you right nowâ€"your journey should begin with the books that I’m going to be introducing to you.You might want to say, “Whoa, books? Aren’t I better off with some cool app or an online immersion course or something?”And to th at  Id say, “Yes, books. Because they’re going to put everythingâ€"the online course, the app, the practice sessionsâ€"into proper perspective.”In fact, why don’t I tell you right now why it’s important to read the best language learning books out there. Why Read General Language Learning Books?Why not read something directly related to your target language instead?Let’s say you want to  learn German. Why not go ahead and read a book that specifically deals with German? That would certainly save time.  Why a general language learning book as the opening salvo?  Is it really necessary?Um, yes. And here’s why:  A general language book, at least a good one, will show you the big picture and take you behind the scenes so you can understand what’s going on during your language acquisition process.Itll  tell you ahead of time what you might go through during your language quest. It’s like saying, “Hey, you might encounter this dragon along the way. If you take the pr oper weapon, then youll have an easier time.”Theres a set of fundamental theories, tools and techniques which are effective across languages. These come in the form of learning approaches, memory-enhancing techniques or useful mindsets that blast through the hurdles along the way.A general language learning book is a distillation of decades of scientific language acquisition  research and practical experience from people who made the journey before. Its a record of their insights and lessons learned. More importantly, it recounts the mistakes others have made  so those who follow don’t waste their time committing them.You’re going to  need all these foundational concepts as you begin that quest for a new language. That way, in the future, you’ll know exactly what’s going on. And knowing what’s going on, especially in language learning, is awfully important.Imagine going about learning French and not knowing why one particular  technique is working for you while another i s not. Or imagine that youve spent five hours studying but youre nowhere near memorizing that measly list of 20 words. Why cant you make that happen?Imagine how unnerving it would be to not know why things are the way they are.The  books below will demystify the whole process for you. Theyll  take things apart, much like a clockmaker does, and explain to you the working parts.In this way, a general language book can make everything so much clearer. You will, by leaps and bounds, become a more effective learner when you see the big picture and know the  answers to questions like:What difficulties are encountered by most language learners when they’re starting out and how can you avoid them?Which types of practice exercises should you spend your time on and why?What tricks will make your brain retain what youve learned?Beyond this, starting off with a general language learning book can provide cushioning for the rollercoaster ride that is language learning.When youre having bouts of discouragement, doubt and fatigue, you’ll have something in your head that says, “Ah, so this is what those books referred to as the Plateau Stage. I’m cool with it. I’m not gonna go down. I have a strategy for this.”Okay, now you have an idea of just how crucial these types of books  can be. That means its time to  go through the best books out there for learners. Coming up next are the 10 titles that are the most fitting companions for you on your language quests.The 10 Best Language Learning Books to Take on Your Linguistic JourneyHow to Learn a Foreign Languageby  Paul Pimsleur Ph.D.Let’s start off with the granddaddy of foreign language learningâ€"Dr. Paul Pimsleurâ€"creator of the renowned audio-based language system that has helped millions of language learners.This book of his was originally published in 1980 but was republished in 2013 and remains as relevant today as it was decades ago. Thats because the lessons are timeless.Focusing on the three elements of l anguageâ€"pronunciation, grammar and vocabularyâ€"the book debunks many standard teaching approaches and considers them unnecessary or even harmful to the goal of learning. Dr. Pimsleur understood the struggles experienced by beginners and sought to write a text that teaches how anyone can learn a foreign language without the painful classroom drills that don’t really work.He focuses instead on the listening and responding part of the language acquisition process, which is very much like how babies listen to their environment and imitate the linguistic tones and rhythms that they hear.He also gets into some very effective vocabulary exercises that are specially targeted for long-term memory storage. This makes sure that what has been learned will always stay with  you, very much unlike what sometimes happens in the classroom situationâ€"where the lessons magically disappear as soon as the bell rings.Dr. Pimsleur’s Method has stood the test of time and is one of the most effectiv e foreign language approaches to date. Get this book and start your journey with one of the most renowned language teachers of all time.Learn Any Language FAST! The Ultimate Guide to Speed Up Your Language Learning Curve By Tricking Your Brainby  Dagny TaggartThis one’s written by a hyper-traveler who has gone to the trouble of learning a language fast. Taggart shares the insights and techniques she picked up from crisscrossing the globe and learning the languages of the people she meets.From the very beginning, the purpose of this book, as the author demonstrates, is to learn a new language faster than you thought possible. Think of yourself as being in a foreign land and badly  needing a  bathroom. How can you pick up the language in  as few ticks of the clock as possible? Thats the spirit of this book.In order to do just that, traditional and time-consuming approaches are eschewed in favor of creative and fun ways to remember language. This book will open your eyes to the mass ive learning opportunities in your immediate environment. Itll also give you an understanding of how to use different multimedia channels (radio, movies and books) in order to align all of them with purposeful learningThis book counsels you on the right strategies of language acquisition and makes for a light reading. So for the beginner who fears to take that first step, this book will nudge you a bit so you can make one of the best decisions of your life: learn a new language.Fluent Forever: How to Learn Any Language Fast and Never Forget Itby  Gabriel WynerWhatever language youve got your sights on, don’t you want to have fun while learning it? Gabriel Wyner thought so too. So much so that when he was 30 years old, he was already having fun with six languagesâ€"fluently.This book works on both your ears and tongue in ways not thought of before. Itll attune your ears to the natural symphonies of your target language so the next time you hear them, they’ll sound familiar to you . Youll contort your tongue to the same degree that opera singers and actors do while rehearsing. You, a beginner 15 minutes ago, will be able produce the same sounds and tones as the natives.With these techniques and more, you’ll get over those linguistic hurdles and land safely on the zone of fluency. Get this book. Its worth every second of your attention span.This book and lots of others that are useful for language learners are available on VitalSource, a great place to check out if youre into e-books. Their Bookshelf app works for Kindle, iPad, Android and Chromebook, and can save you time and money with your language book habit.Words and Rules: The Ingredients of Language  by  Steven PinkerThis work by Pinker, like his other works, The Language Instinct and The Stuff of Thought, goes deeper than most general language learning books.The MIT linguist dives into an explanation of how human beings learn languages and how we use them to create experiences and all kinds of produc ts, from an effervescent love letter to a technical tax code. He believes that language production is rule-based and proceeds to prove this by focusing on irregular verbs. (Who knew irregular verbs could be that interesting?)When you want to  get serious about pulling aside the veils from language, you can be sure that Pinker is always the person holding the brightest lantern to illuminate your many questions.Fluent in 3 Months: How Anyone at Any Age Can Learn to Speak Any Language from Anywhere in the Worldby  Benny LewisThis one’s from the guy behind the largest language learning blog on the Internet, Fluent in 3 Months. A self-described  average fellow, he preaches “language hacking” where learners acquire fluency quickly.The book gets you into a proper state of mind to learn a new language. It covers most of the fears and excuses a person may have and motivates its readers to reach their linguistic potential. It also promotes the most useful  technological tools available that can help them achieve their goals.Using methods not found in classrooms, Benny turns traditional language learning on its head and comes up with tips, techniques and exercises that make learning a natural, almost inevitable, experience. (And nope, grammar drills arent included. Role playing activities, yes.)For non-beginners who want to be re-energized to continue  their language quests, read the book’s first part and feel the spirit of curiosity and motivation returning, filling every cell of your body. Then move forward with your enthusiasm renewed.Language MythsEdited by  Laurie Bauer  Peter TrudgillThis one is unique in  the bunch because its a collection of 21 essays from leading linguists debunking some of the long-held, traditional views on language. This bookâ€"containing  essays like “Some Languages Are Spoken More Quickly Than Others,” “Italian Is Beautiful, German Is Ugly” and “Women Talk Too Much”â€"does go into pretty contentious issues.I’ve includ ed this one on the list because the last thing a language learner needs is to get stuck in the language acquisition process because he or she is holding onto some language myth, like this language is super hard.The best way to sweep away  all the cobwebs from the learner’s mind is to round them up and  blast them all away before even  beginning the journey.Ironically, by talking about what language is not, you learn more about what it actually is, giving you power to wield it more effectively.How to Learn Any Languageby  Barry M. FarberThe book reveals Farber’s system for  learning 25 different languages. His system is composed of four elements: The Multiple Track Attack, The Hidden Moments, Harry Lorayne’s Memory Aids and The Plunge In.The author believes that, when learning a new language, one shouldn’t be limited in the number of tools and technologies one uses. In The Multiple Track Attack, Farber gives his special blend of tools that every learner needs.In  The Hidden M oments, the author points out those unseen minutes or seconds in the day when one could have learned a new language. Waiting for the elevator or waiting in line might take only a few minutes, but by taking advantage of these  hidden moments in the course of the day, the language learning hours pile up to your benefit.Harry Lorayne’s Memory Techniques are what help our author breeze through memorizing copious amounts of vocabulary. Lorayne’s techniques are novel, creative and have a way of telling the learner “You’re having difficulty memorizing a list of 100 words? Maybe it’s because of the way you memorize it.”The Plunge In is where the rubber meets the road. Immersion. This is when you leave the pages of your books, meet native speakers and get into experiences where you practice your  target language.The author believes that these four elements are the very keys to unlocking any language on the face of the Earth. His conviction and enthusiasm is contagiousâ€"you might just end up leaving with a new perspective on life, language and learning.How Languages Are Learned (4th  edition) by  Patsy Lightbown  and Nina SpadaThis is a prize-winning title that gets into the different theories of first and second language acquisition.This book is originally intended as a handbook for language teachers. But why not leave out the middle man and get yourself a copy, right? This ones chock-full of insights on the difference between first and second language learning. It gets into the nitty-gritty of the different theories of the behaviorist, cognitive and social approaches.When you’re a few weeks into learning Spanish  or Japanese, for example, being  grounded by a comprehensive book will allow you to make sense of your learning experiences. As the insights from this book percolate in the back of your mind, youll be aided in absorbing the lessons and observing how you learn.And heres the kicker. When you know how you learn, you learn a whole lot better.How to Learn Any Language in a Few Months While Enjoying Yourself: 45 Proven Tips for Language Learners  by  Nate NicholsonNot only will you have fun while learning, but the author claims that youll learn up to 10 times  faster than other people with these methods. Would you like that?Instead of toiling away with tedious  grammar drills, would you like to know the nine common mistakes to avoid when learning languages?  Would you like to discover a five-step process for improving your reading skills?How about the five biggest  challenges youll face and how to effectively deal with them?  Well, theyre all in this book.Nate Nicholson believes that language learners should carefully choose the things they study and drop everything thats unnecessary. Included in the unnecessary category are esoteric grammar rules, vocabulary words that even native speakers dont use and topics that native speakers never really talk about.If you study effectively, focusing on vocabulary words and phrases that ar e useful to your situation, youll gain fluency very rapidly. You may not know every grammar rule there is to know, but youll have meaningful conversations with delighted speakers of your target language.How to Learn a New Language with a Used Brainby  Lynn McBrideFinally, to round off our selection of books, well end with one written by a writer who moved to Europe (more specifically, France) and learned that “soaking up the language” even when youre overseas is easier said than done.So she scrounged up every language learning resource she could  find and was able to come up with the program: six steps to leading the bilingual life. This serves as a detailed road map for adult language learners.A chapter in her book is entitled the “Voices of Experiences,” where other language learners and teachers share their secrets to benefit readers.In addition, her book also contains “best of class” reviews on the different tools available online today. Inundated with sites, courses , programs, apps  and books  that all claim to help teach a language, she wades through the muck and gives her stamp of approval on those worthy few that truly deliver on their promises.Get this short and fun read to start yourself off on the road to your second language. You know you want to.And hey, speaking  of online resources, there’s one that always delivers as promised. FluentU is the most awesome place on the Internet when it comes to language learning videos. It takes  real-world videosâ€"like vlogs, cartoons, inspiring talks, movie trailers and newsâ€"and transforms them into personalized language lessons. Take a look once youve had a chance to track down these great books.Ready to feel fully prepared and capable when it comes to language learning?Then check out the best language learning books listed here and order your favorites.You wont be sorry when youre fluent faster than you ever thought possible!And One More ThingTo reach fluency even faster, youll love using Flu entU. FluentU makes it possible to learn languages  from music videos, commercials, news and inspiring talks.With FluentU, you learn real languagesâ€"the same way that natives  speak them. FluentU has a wide variety of videos like movie trailers, funny commercials and web series, as you can see here:FluentU App Browse Screen.FluentU has interactive captions that let you tap on any word to see an image, definition, audio and useful examples. Now native language content is within reach with interactive transcripts.Didnt catch something? Go back and listen again. Missed a word? Hover your mouse over the subtitles to instantly view definitions.Interactive transcript for Carlos Baute song.You can learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentUs learn mode. Swipe left or right to see  more examples for the word you’re learning.FluentU Has Quizzes for Every VideoAnd FluentU always keeps track of vocabulary that you’re learning. It uses that vocab to give you a 100% personalized expe rience by recommending videos and examples.Start using FluentU on the website with your computer or tablet  or, better yet,  download the FluentU app from  the iTunes store  or Google Play store.

New Planets and New Knowledge

New Planets and New Knowledge pexels.com Also interested in new life is Thomas Zurbuchen, an associate administrator at NASA, who says “you can just imagine how many worlds are out there that have a shot to becoming a habitable ecosystem … Are we alone out there? We’re making a step forward with this a leap forward, in fact towards answering that question.” But really, it isn’t all about alien life. In fact, these planets might not have life whatsoever but we would even learn something from that. One of the big takeaways if alien life isn’t present is what makes planets hospitable and what prevents life. These seven planets were found orbiting Trappist-1, a dwarf star 40 light-years away from us. (For those of you that aren’t sure what a light-year is, that’s over 200 trillion miles away from us.) According to Michael Gillon, an astronomer, “This is the first time so many planets of this kind are found around the same star.” However, Trappist-1 and our sun are quite different, which begs the question: what about the planets orbiting it are different? In comparative terms, our sun would be the size of a basketball and the Trappist-1 star would be the size of a golf ball. Interestingly, in order to determine there were planets orbiting the star, scientists noticed a dimming of light from the star, as if a planet was passing in front of it. They recorded this process meticulously, calculating both the size of the star and the number of planets in its orbit. Apparently, all seven planets are very near the dwarf star, one of which only takes 1.5 days to orbit it. According to Dr. Gillon, “They form a very compact system, the planets being pulled close to each other and very close to the star.” Another interesting observation is that originally, the planets may have been formed much further from the star, pulled in over time by the gravitational pull. So what has everyone so excited over these planets? For one thing, it’s believed that the surfaces are at the proper temperature for water flow, as the star nearest to them is rather cool. If this is the case, the planets might have one of the most essential ingredients for sustaining life. Of course, this is all speculation. But it’s exciting, nonetheless. There are still debates and a lot of questions to be answered, and most of the information we have at this point is speculation. But science has also come a long way; decades ago, we didn’t know much at all about the other planets in the solar system. Now, we have over 3,400 confirmed planets out there. So it only stands to reason that we might not have more answers until a few more decades from now. Apparently, astronomers believe that technological advancements are needed before more planets will be discovered around brighter stars out there. So the fact that they have found these planets is really spectacular  and could be extremely informative as to what else is in the solar system that we aren’t even aware of at this point. And of course, it’s easy to get excited about the potential for alien life, as it’s an interesting (albeit scary) thought that there are extraterrestrial beings out there we didn’t even know existed. And for those of us that aren’t so onboard the alien train, this discovery could bring with it scientific information regarding what it takes for a planet to sustain life and whether or not other planets could potentially be as hospitable as Earth. Again, right now, it’s all speculation grounded in scientific knowledge. But this discovery is still one to pay attention to, even if you aren’t an avid believer in aliens. Science is home to some groundbreaking discoveries that may just shape our future, so pay attention to what’s going on around you. This is big news for many reasons, and might just be the key to understanding what else is out there because if science agrees on anything, it’s that we aren’t alone. There’s plenty more out there to be discovered, just waiting on our technological advancement to reach it. So here’s to the scientific discoveries of the next few decades we can’t wait to learn what you have in store for us.

French @ Italki Challenge halfway there!

French @ Italki Challenge halfway there! Siskia L. runs a popular language learning blog called The Polyglotist and is taking part in our New Years Language Challenge to learn French. We found this great post about her experiences with the language challenge and wanted to share this with other Challengers!  Reprinted with permission. Original post here. Incredibly, last Thursday I did my 12th hour of French for the italki Language Challenge (out of 20 required to complete it). More incredibly, I also got pretty sick this very week, so I didn’t actually do as many hours as I had expected to. Anyway, here’s… A QUICK UPDATE I think it’s the first time I’ve put such intensity into one language. I don’t mean to say I’m more interested in French than I’ve been in any of my other languages (both serious attemps and light dabbling), but since I started this language I’ve progressed in a very natural way. Putting in one hour of conversation and anywhere between 30 min and 3 hours of self-study into this project just feels right. This reminds me that as of late, I’ve been more conscious about my study hours than usual. This is not because I suddenly felt I should be more mathematical about my study methods, but rather because I am currently participating in the 6 Week Challenge, which requires its participants to log their study hours through a Twitter bot. In the beginning I thought this wouldn’t really influence me to study any more or any less than I was in the first place, but the effect of participating in what’s in essence a “race” has been quite interesting in the sense that knowing I’m in this with other people stimulates me to try harder. I’m not so interested in knowing in what place I am currently (although it’s fun to race other people learning my language as well, haha) rather than knowing how I’m distributing my study hours, doing what, and how. All these things one can keep track of through the challenge, so it’s good statistical data. Partly because of participating in this challenge, partly because I’ve realized structure and form lead to better results, I’ve been trying to improve the way in which I administer my time and agenda. (Not that I did a very good job at that this week, what with work and school and more work and feeling pretty damn under the weather, but anyhoo…) TALKING THE TALK! I’m actually talking in French for about 75-80% of my italki sessions, only going back into Spanish or English when I am absolutely at a loss for words: I’ve noticed that this isn’t when I try to use regular words: for the most part, it’s when my mind tries to translate a colloquial expression from English into French. Unless I’ve heard that expression before and know its French equivalent, my brain’s language monitoring center usually goes on full blown red alert and tells me not to use that expression. I have got to stop being so cautious and just dive in. I know better than anyone that making these particular mistakes is essential for the learning process, but old habits die hard. The funny part is, this doesn’t happen with regular words, only with expressions where I mean to imply something figuratively or where cultural references come into play. Speaking of words, I’ve noticed two interesting things about my French: my source for words I haven’t heard before tends to be English (knowing that a good deal of the English lexicon derived from French), while my reference for correct French grammar tends to be Italian. By this I mean that when I speak in French and try a new word I haven’t used before, my first impulse is to look for it in my mental English database, and only when I notice the word doesn’t sound French, do I look for it in a dictionary. While I’m hard pressed to say this always works, several English words have turned to be the same in French, so while I build a better lexicon in this language, this may not be a bad method to keep the conversation in French territory (instead of jumping back into English every so often) . My theory now is that as a language student, one will use whatever one’s got in the pantry to hold on to the language while at the same time creating a more accurate linguistic base through classes, study, tutoring, etc. Maybe that’s the reason why we tend to translate our thoughts literally? SO MANY RESOURCES, SO LITTLE TIME… After some hits and misses, I’ve run into incredibly good teachers that focus on monitoring both my vocabulary and pronunciation. Getting the pronunciation right has been a gruelling task, and I’m incredibly far from having it down pat, but at least I’m being pointed in the right direction all the time. Probably one of the things I’m enjoying the most about this language project is the HUGE resources gap between French and my last language, Nahuatl. After spending most of 2014 pretty much doing detective work, looking everywhere for hints of where to learn Nahuatl and how, finding self-study resources in French is turning out to be a walk in the park. Right now I’m enjoying several different listening-comprehension resources. I’m planning to summarize the best and most effective ones in a later post, but here’s just a little bite of what I would recommend to anybody wanting an ear-workout in French: Apprendre le français avec TV5MONDE and 7 jours sur la planète: level-graded videos, with transcripts, exercises and explanations of recent, up-to-date and useful vocabulary. 7 jours has an app (available for both iOS and Android), excellent for taking your comprehension exercises on the road. FluentU: although officially in beta right now, it’s an excellent video-based resource to listen to French (also available for Chinese, Japanese, German, Spanish and English). It’s based on phrase-by-phrase video segments, using a type of “subtitle” technology that stops the video when you hover over a word you don’t know. It also has vocabulary exercises available, and when you use these, the system remembers what words you remember and what you don’t. Since these are saved in your account, your word database applies to all the videos in the system, meaning that the system is able to suggest videos perfect for your vocabulary level! Français Authentique: this is a very complete site and I honestly recommend Johan’s learning materials to ANYONE, but the part that I use the most is his podcasts. In these, he explains complex concepts and ideas in slow, easy-to-understand French, and they’re available completely free of charge in his website and in the Podcast section of Itunes. Well, that’s it for now. I have several very interesting ideas and projects lined up for The Polyglotist, and I’d love to share them with you… but not yet! ;D French @ Italki Challenge halfway there! Siskia L. runs a popular language learning blog called The Polyglotist and is taking part in our New Years Language Challenge to learn French. We found this great post about her experiences with the language challenge and wanted to share this with other Challengers!  Reprinted with permission. Original post here. Incredibly, last Thursday I did my 12th hour of French for the italki Language Challenge (out of 20 required to complete it). More incredibly, I also got pretty sick this very week, so I didn’t actually do as many hours as I had expected to. Anyway, here’s… A QUICK UPDATE I think it’s the first time I’ve put such intensity into one language. I don’t mean to say I’m more interested in French than I’ve been in any of my other languages (both serious attemps and light dabbling), but since I started this language I’ve progressed in a very natural way. Putting in one hour of conversation and anywhere between 30 min and 3 hours of self-study into this project just feels right. This reminds me that as of late, I’ve been more conscious about my study hours than usual. This is not because I suddenly felt I should be more mathematical about my study methods, but rather because I am currently participating in the 6 Week Challenge, which requires its participants to log their study hours through a Twitter bot. In the beginning I thought this wouldn’t really influence me to study any more or any less than I was in the first place, but the effect of participating in what’s in essence a “race” has been quite interesting in the sense that knowing I’m in this with other people stimulates me to try harder. I’m not so interested in knowing in what place I am currently (although it’s fun to race other people learning my language as well, haha) rather than knowing how I’m distributing my study hours, doing what, and how. All these things one can keep track of through the challenge, so it’s good statistical data. Partly because of participating in this challenge, partly because I’ve realized structure and form lead to better results, I’ve been trying to improve the way in which I administer my time and agenda. (Not that I did a very good job at that this week, what with work and school and more work and feeling pretty damn under the weather, but anyhoo…) TALKING THE TALK! I’m actually talking in French for about 75-80% of my italki sessions, only going back into Spanish or English when I am absolutely at a loss for words: I’ve noticed that this isn’t when I try to use regular words: for the most part, it’s when my mind tries to translate a colloquial expression from English into French. Unless I’ve heard that expression before and know its French equivalent, my brain’s language monitoring center usually goes on full blown red alert and tells me not to use that expression. I have got to stop being so cautious and just dive in. I know better than anyone that making these particular mistakes is essential for the learning process, but old habits die hard. The funny part is, this doesn’t happen with regular words, only with expressions where I mean to imply something figuratively or where cultural references come into play. Speaking of words, I’ve noticed two interesting things about my French: my source for words I haven’t heard before tends to be English (knowing that a good deal of the English lexicon derived from French), while my reference for correct French grammar tends to be Italian. By this I mean that when I speak in French and try a new word I haven’t used before, my first impulse is to look for it in my mental English database, and only when I notice the word doesn’t sound French, do I look for it in a dictionary. While I’m hard pressed to say this always works, several English words have turned to be the same in French, so while I build a better lexicon in this language, this may not be a bad method to keep the conversation in French territory (instead of jumping back into English every so often) . My theory now is that as a language student, one will use whatever one’s got in the pantry to hold on to the language while at the same time creating a more accurate linguistic base through classes, study, tutoring, etc. Maybe that’s the reason why we tend to translate our thoughts literally? SO MANY RESOURCES, SO LITTLE TIME… After some hits and misses, I’ve run into incredibly good teachers that focus on monitoring both my vocabulary and pronunciation. Getting the pronunciation right has been a gruelling task, and I’m incredibly far from having it down pat, but at least I’m being pointed in the right direction all the time. Probably one of the things I’m enjoying the most about this language project is the HUGE resources gap between French and my last language, Nahuatl. After spending most of 2014 pretty much doing detective work, looking everywhere for hints of where to learn Nahuatl and how, finding self-study resources in French is turning out to be a walk in the park. Right now I’m enjoying several different listening-comprehension resources. I’m planning to summarize the best and most effective ones in a later post, but here’s just a little bite of what I would recommend to anybody wanting an ear-workout in French: Apprendre le français avec TV5MONDE and 7 jours sur la planète: level-graded videos, with transcripts, exercises and explanations of recent, up-to-date and useful vocabulary. 7 jours has an app (available for both iOS and Android), excellent for taking your comprehension exercises on the road. FluentU: although officially in beta right now, it’s an excellent video-based resource to listen to French (also available for Chinese, Japanese, German, Spanish and English). It’s based on phrase-by-phrase video segments, using a type of “subtitle” technology that stops the video when you hover over a word you don’t know. It also has vocabulary exercises available, and when you use these, the system remembers what words you remember and what you don’t. Since these are saved in your account, your word database applies to all the videos in the system, meaning that the system is able to suggest videos perfect for your vocabulary level! Français Authentique: this is a very complete site and I honestly recommend Johan’s learning materials to ANYONE, but the part that I use the most is his podcasts. In these, he explains complex concepts and ideas in slow, easy-to-understand French, and they’re available completely free of charge in his website and in the Podcast section of Itunes. Well, that’s it for now. I have several very interesting ideas and projects lined up for The Polyglotist, and I’d love to share them with you… but not yet! ;D

The Basics of Learning Activities in English

The Basics of Learning Activities in EnglishThe fact that the English language is one of the most beautiful languages, makes it extremely important to know how to learn English example of learning activities in English. Many students find it difficult to master English as a second language. One thing that they should remember is that there are many different ways to learn, and there are also many different methods that one can use for accomplishing this task.This is just one example of learning activities in English. There are also learning activities in English in which the students will learn words and phrases, and even learn to read. Below we will discuss the more basic types of methods that one can use.One way to get started with learning the English language is to use a book. If you already have a book or other book which you would like to learn, you can read it, and read as much as you would like, and then you can practice by speaking and writing the words which you have read. This is one of the simplest ways to start with learning English example of learning activities in English.Another way to get started with learning the English language is to use a software program. A good example of this is a software program known as FASTAT, which is available online.A FASTAT software program will allow you to learn an unlimited number of words. There are also different programs for different languages available. This software program can help you learn a variety of different languages easily.Another way to get started with learning a new language, is to use a course designed specifically for beginners in a different language. These are available in different languages, and they have been designed to help people who would like to learn a new language.These are just a few examples of learning activities in English. There are many others, which you can use to get started with your own plan. It is important that you first try out the methods which you have chosen, so that you will be able to pick the right one for you.