How To Choose An Online English Tutor For Chinese

How To Choose An Online English Tutor For ChineseWhile some people think that the idea of having an online English tutor for Chinese is a good idea, many do not. This is because many of these services actually do not work the way they are advertised to. While some may make their advertising sound more promising than it is, most are simply just frauds.If you are a home business person who can find time to sit in front of the computer in order to communicate with clients and customers, you should consider using this method. This method is also perfect for those who want to study foreign languages without spending all their time in class. However, if you find yourself unable to be in front of your computer for long hours, then this might not be the best option for you.The online English tutor for Chinese that you will choose has a lot to do with the country in which you reside. In fact, the area that you live in may be what really makes or breaks your choice. For example, if you reside in a country that is a member of the OECD, an organization that promotes research and innovation in international business, then it may be a good idea to choose a tutor in that area. On the other hand, if you are from a country that is not a member of this organization, then it may be a bad idea to even consider getting a tutor.What this means is that if you choose an online English tutor for Chinese that is not located in the area where you reside, your chances of success are going to be really low. On the other hand, if you choose a tutor who lives in the same area as you, but is located in a different country, then you have more options.You need to be able to make the decision on which is the right tutor for you based on a few factors. One factor is if you want to go with a private or an online tutor. If you want to make sure that the tutor is truly certified, you will need to pay for this certification.When you are looking for a tutor, the last thing you want to do is waste mone y by hiring a service that is not accredited or trained to teach English to foreigners. The last thing you want to do is waste time and energy when you could have hired a qualified teacher who is in your own community.With an online English tutor for Chinese, you are given the chance to work on your own schedule, but if you decide to attend classes at a local language school, this will help keep your level of education up to date. If you decide to become a tutor for a particular country or language group, then you are able to be out there earning money while still learning the language. It is important that you understand the risks and benefits that go along with this type of job.

MAKE COLLEGE ACHIEVABLE AND AFFORDABLE

MAKE COLLEGE ACHIEVABLE AND AFFORDABLE If so, you're not alone. According to The College Board, the annual cost of tuition and fees for in-state students at public four-year colleges and universities averaged more than $5,400 for the 2005-2006 academic year - a 7.1 percent rise from last year. If you're son or daughter is hoping to attend a private four-year college you'll pay an average of over $21,000, nearly 6 percent higher than last year. Even if you started saving years ago, you're probably going to need some assistance in the form of scholarships, grants and loans. If that's the case, don't panic. While college costs have risen significantly during the past 10 years, the total amount of student aid available, including grants, loans, work-study programs and tax benefits has doubled. What's important is that you chart a course to obtain as much support as possible for the journey ahead. Here are some tips. Step One: Talk with school counselors. Advising students on financial aid options is one of the most importan t roles of school counselors. They can tell you about the different types of aid available and guide you through the application process, which can be daunting. You can also find helpful information by visiting the Web site for the National Center for College and University Admissions (NRCCUA) at www.nrccua.org. Step Two: Make sure you're eligible. To qualify for financial aid, your child must be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen. If your son would like to receive federal aid, he'll need to register with the U.S. Selective Service when he turns 18 (Selective Service registration is in fact required for all men aged 18 to 25). All students must also graduate from high school or earn a GED before receiving aid. Step Three: Order the FAFSA. Most of the available aid comes from the federal government, and to access it you need to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You'll use the information from your tax returns to complete the FAFSA, which you can submit by mail or online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. The FAFSA site is a good source of information about all of the federal aid available, and it includes a link to the financial aid offices for most states as well. Step Four: Understand the full range of federal aid options available. Grant options include The Pell Grant and the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, which are offered to students from families in the lowest income brackets. Loan options include the Federal Stafford Loan, which has a variable interest rate, capped at 8.25 percent, and the Federal Perkins Loan, which has the lowest fixed rate of any federal student loans. You can also consider Federal Work-Study programs, which provide jobs that pay minimum wage or above. If you show significant financial need, you might also qualify for a Subsidized Stafford Loan, which does not start accruing interest until after you graduate from college, saving you a considerable sum. If you don't show enough need, you may be eligible for an Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, which isn't based on need. Unsubsidized loans begin accruing interest when you sign on the bottom line, although interest rates on student loans are generally very low. Step Five: Take stock of the additional options available. Many scholarships are based on academic merit, but others - from businesses, civic and religious groups and corporate and financial organizations - are awarded based on family income or demographic factors. School counselors can also advise you on grants and loans from your state government, and those offered by the colleges and universities you're considering. Step Six: Develop a plan. The wide range of options and application deadlines might make you feel as if you're stuck in a maze, but it will be easier to navigate your way through if you begin early. While no aid will be awarded until your child is accepted into a higher education institution or program, you should start learning about your options as early as the middle school years or even before. Make a checklist of every type of grant and loan aid available. Itemize all of the forms and documentation you'll need, and create a calendar of deadlines for applying. Step Seven: Focus on high achievement. Many loans and grants are increasingly based more on academic merit than financial need. This is one more reason your child should develop good study skills and get extra help to address any issues that are impacting grades. It's also important for your son or daughter to do everything possible to prepare for the SAT and ACT - two high stakes exams that have a big impact on college admissions. Top performance on these tests can also lead to significant opportunities for scholarship money. Your child should also raise the bar as high as possible by taking Advanced Placement, honors or other advanced courses. Doing well in these courses is especially crucial if your child is hoping to receive aid from colleges and universities be cause it shows decision-makers that he or she is well-qualified for college-level work - and well positioned to ensure the institution's financial investment pays off. You'll also want to remember the power of the financial investment you're making. As noted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) college graduates earn an average of $49,000 each year, compared to high school graduates, who earn roughly $30,000. This amounts to a difference of more than $800,000 (in today's dollars) throughout your son or daughter's professional life - further proof that now, and in the future, the path to high achievement leads to rich rewards.

Yahoo News Presents Tutorfair

Yahoo News Presents Tutorfair Mum. Mum! We’re on TV! Yahoo News presents Tutorfair as the company intent on helping those in need of education at a time when private tuition is booming. As Yahoo News explains, private tuition is booming as competition in the classroom is fiercer than ever. Parents naturally want to give their children the edge and as one-to-one tuition has been proven to really make a difference in a child’s education, lots of parents are turning to this different model of teaching. It builds a child’s confidence whilst reinforcing and broadening their knowledge. However, does this tuition boom risk tutoring becoming a ‘middle class arms race’? Conor Ryan, Research Director of the Sutton Trust says that, double the amount of children from better off homes are getting private tuition than ones from less advantaged families. As a solution to this, he proposes that “we would like to see more initiatives where young people from disadvantaged homes get access to the sort of one to one tuition that others are able to pay for.” This is Tutorfair! ‘For every student who pays, we give tutoring to a child who can’t’   That’s the fair bit of Tutorfair. We partner with schools where a high proportion of students are on free school meals. The class teachers then choose the pupils who will benefit the most. Tutorfair’s tutors then go into these schools to help the students and we have had very positive feedback so far: Alexander Lee from Wilbury School said, “[the tutors] have been fantastic â€" really committed to helping the children in their progress. Thank you again for all you’ve done.” Karen Meers (IOE tutor) and Lisa Wise (DHT) said, ‘Children made outstanding progress over the course of lessons. All tutors showed an excellent relationship with the children.” Globe Academy said, “It has been fantastic having the tutors here, so thank you.” The Department for Education wants to support disadvantaged pupils and close the attainment gap because at the moment there really is a noticeable difference in education between the two ends of the socio-economic spectrum. Nearly half of children claiming free school meals  achieve no GCSE passes above a D-grade (1); about a quarter get 5 good GCSEs (2); and only a sixth get to university (3) whereas   96% of pupils from independent schools make it to university(4).  [1] This is what Tutorfair is trying to address. We believe that tutoring can benefit everyone. It’s not about tutors versus teachers though. As Edd Stockwell, a co-founder of Tutorfair explains, “whole class learning simply can’t be the complete answer in education, tutoring should augment and support teachers.” Schools themselves realise that as the tutoring industry is booming, both parties should communicate so that children are supported in their learning as best as possible. Mark Maclaine, who has been a tutor for fourteen years recounts how when he first started tutoring, it was treated like a “dirty little secret” but now things are changing and he attends parents-teacher evenings. This is the way forward. Everyone needs to work together to get the best from education. As Andrew Ground, another co-founder of Tutorfair explained, “feeling confident in yourself really is the key thing” and if tutors can help install this in children, that can only be a good thing. [1] (1) Cassen and Kingdon, 2007.   (2) Department for Education, 2008.   (3) Sutton Trust, 2010.   (4) Sutton Trust, 2010

Job Advice From the Editor-In-Chief of Seventeen Magazine

Job Advice From the Editor-In-Chief of Seventeen Magazine Ann Shoket, Editor-In-Chief of Seventeen Magazine, Flickr photo courtesy of Jason Meredith Landing an entry level position in the media industry can be delicate â€"  especially when aiming for a spot with a notable company like CNN,  ABC, Hearst, Seventeen Magazine, and etc. In a career field that is competitive and constantly changing, it is important to stand out from other job candidates when journeying through the application and interview process. Job advice is redundantly shoved down the throats of college students and graduates constantly, yet qualified  applicants  continue to fall short of landing jobs. Fortunately, the Editor-In-Chief of Seventeen Magazine, Ann Shoket, graced the stage this weekend at the first ever Her Campus National Intercollegiette Conference in New York , NY. With  approximately  300 young inspired students,  professionals, and media lovers under the sound of her voice, she delivered what she precisely called, Ann Shokets Plan to Getting a Job. This 3-step plan  emphasizes  the importance of making the small gestures count. 1. Write a letter to the Editor. Whether its the the E-I-C or a managing editor, find their information and send them a letter. Write a letter about your connection and what youre going to do for the magazine, Shoket emphasized. While she  acknowledged  that there is no guarantee that your letter will get a response, its vital to let them know your ideas and what you can bring to the company. Dont just say you read the magazine all of your life,  she added. Its about showing what you can actually put into action. 2. Sit on the edge of your seat. Youve managed to land a meeting or interview with the company of your liking. You know when to show up, what to wear, and how to smile like your life depends upon it. Youre invited into the interview space, but now what? Stop!  Dont you dare sit comfortably with your back against the chair. Sit on the edge of your seat, Shoket says. You have to earn the right to sit back in your seat. Its all about engagement. Dont make it  monologue; make it conversation, she added. Its okay to bring your notepad filled with questions. Make yourself memorable by not waiting to have the information pried out of you.  Just start talking. 3. Write a thank you letter. Yes, youve probably heard this more than a couple of times, but its time for you to actually start doing it. With the  convenience  of emails, not many people take the time to write handwritten letters anymore. Shoket suggests using plain paper. You dont need anything fancy with flowers, rainbows, and swirls. Ensure that your letter is not generic by including something discussed in the interview, while keeping it short and sweet. We know the economy isnt the best right now and school is expensive. But there are steps that job seekers can take to improve the process. Sometimes it just takes someone influential to say something for people to understand its importance.

June Language Challenge Tracys update learning Esperanto AND time management

June Language Challenge Tracys update learning Esperanto AND time management Tracy is taking the Language Challenge with the goal of learning Esperanto, but shes got a long way to go. Does this apply to you as well?  Dont give up! A photo posted by Italki (@italki) on May 22, 2015 at 6:12am PDT What’s your goal? I want to talk with others about  language learning in Esperanto (and to see how quickly  I can learn it). Ive heard that a large proportion of the people at the Berlin Polyglot Gathering speak Esperanto, and that it’s very easy. I’m curious to see how much I can learn in a short period of time, and  Id really like to be able to have a 15-minute long conversation with an Esperanto speaker, especially about languages, language learning, and their reasons for learning Esperanto. I’m still not sure if I’ll be able to make it, but this is my goal. At the beginning of my first class, the only words I knew were “saluton”, “dankon”, and “lernu” (because of the Esperanto community lernu.net), so this will be a fun test to see how far I can go after starting with practically nothing. After my first hour of class, Id already gained a reasonable understanding of basic grammar and phrases for asking basic information about another person (and how many languages they are learning)! A secondary goal is to learn Esperanto  through my second language (Chinese). All of the languages I’ve studied previously, I learned through my native language, English. So, my Esperanto classes are a no-English zone. Just in the first hour of class, I was already very amused by the ways that the 3 languages I’m most familiar with: English, Chinese, and Spanish, are variously influencing my attempts at Esperanto! How’s it going? Esperanto is great! It’s been a long time since I started a new language, and I love it! It’s like giving my brain a shiny new toy. I’ve heard that someone else in the office has studied Esperanto before and I’m already excited to try out my 1 hour of learning on him. As for the 12 hours… Between my family visiting, a music festival, going-away parties, a generally demanding schedule, and the fact that at the beginning of the Challenge, there was only one Esperanto teacher, I knew that I’d have a hard time scheduling lessons. I was, sadly,  correct. That being said, I really do want to learn as much Esperanto this month as I can, so I’m glad that now I just have to figure out a way to fit my next …11.5 hours into 1/2 a month. Deadlines make things happen. Im still committed to finding a way to fit my hours into  the next  two weeks. The fact that my classes are so fun is definitely going to help me put in the time. However, if I have trouble scheduling Esperanto hours, I might fall back on scheduling more time to practice Chinese or maybe even start dabbling in other languages that Id like to focus on later. How are your classes? Really fun! My teacher Teddy Nee has an obvious passion for languages and language learning. I’m very fortunate in that he’s also fluent in Chinese so I can avoid using English (my native language) during my lessons. I’m really looking forward being able to talk with him (and others!) about language learning in Esperanto! Someone commented before that Esperanto was so easy that you can learn quickly without a teacher. But, the way I see it, if Esperanto is that easy, then I should be able to learn EVEN FASTER with a teacher! Since my goal is to talk others, then I might as well jump into practicing that! What are you doing outside of class? At first, my daily goal was to write one question and answer pair that I want to be able to say in Esperanto. I’ve been discovering that actually, a better way to do this might be to write out my questions and answers for the week all at once and then make sure I look at at least one every day. This method would let me get all of the “thinking” done in bulk and then during each day of the week, I can just relax and follow my own instructions. So, I might change that to have a weekly goal of generating my desired questions and answers for each day of the week and then a daily goal of reviewing my notes on the way to and from work + before bed. Duolingo has recently opened an  Esperanto section, and I’m excited to start using  it as a supplement, but (this is embarrassing) it actually seems to be incompatible with the device that I have right now ?? (an old iPod that is incompatible with the current iOS). So, I’ll have to either use it on my computer or hurry up and get a new device. [Edit: Actually, its because the Esperanto Duolingo is still in beta version, and was unavailable on mobile devices. ] Other than that, I just discovered some old videos for Chinese speakers learning Esperanto on Youku, and I walk around on my commute to and from work, reading from my notes and asking myself questions out loud, mumbling like a crazy person.  I should also start making use of the lernu! community and resources. Tell us more about Esperanto: Even though Esperanto doesn’t have a country, I’m learning that it does have a sort of culture. For example, I learned that since almost everyone who speaks Esperanto does so as a second or third language, Esperanto speakers are attentive to taking into account each others’ native languages and how different native languages may influence the way a person speaks Esperanto. I appreciate that level of consideration for others! I’ve also heard that some people have suggested learning Esperanto before learning other languages. After the very little bit that I’ve learned so far, I already agree with this for 2 reasons: Since Esperanto is a “Conlang” a ‘constructed language’, it’s very well organized. There are no exceptions that I know of. There is a pattern to the vocabulary and to the grammar that just snaps into place (it was designed to). It’s very elegant. Since Esperanto IS so well-organized, the basics can be learned very quickly. This means you wouldn’t have to spend much time training your language learning skills on Esperanto before moving on to a different language. If you’ve never studied a language before, I think learning Esperanto would be a great way to make it very plain to yourself how a language is structured. Then, when you begin learning other languages, you will already have a sort of abstract language “blueprint” in mind that I think would make it much easier for you to approach learning other languages. Esperanto seems it could be a kind of training wheels for mastering the process of language acquisition. Maybe I’m just a little over-enthusiastic about my classes right now, but I’m on the verge of saying that everyone (at least, English speakers or Europeans) should try Esperanto before they learn any other languages, even if just as a sort of language learning boot camp. Tips for other Challengers? Really, I think the hardest part (for me, anyway) is scheduling the lessons. I often get anxious about scheduling my time because I try to anticipate what else might be going on. I easily over-plan things. But, once I just bite the bullet and put the time on my schedule, it actually is easier than I think, and I actually feel much better knowing that the hours are there on the calendar. Its actually kind of a relief. I would highly recommend just buying packages for the amount of time you need to finish and then just requesting the sessions all at once and getting them on your calendar. Its so much easier than having to decide hour by hour when to have class. Get the decisions out of the way and then just do it. This is actually very good time management practice for me, so not only am I learning Esperanto on italki, but I’m learning some good life skills as well! I’m also very glad to be reminded how much fun it is to start a new language this is definitely a positive addition to my life. June Language Challenge Tracys update learning Esperanto AND time management Tracy is taking the Language Challenge with the goal of learning Esperanto, but shes got a long way to go. Does this apply to you as well?  Dont give up! A photo posted by Italki (@italki) on May 22, 2015 at 6:12am PDT What’s your goal? I want to talk with others about  language learning in Esperanto (and to see how quickly  I can learn it). Ive heard that a large proportion of the people at the Berlin Polyglot Gathering speak Esperanto, and that it’s very easy. I’m curious to see how much I can learn in a short period of time, and  Id really like to be able to have a 15-minute long conversation with an Esperanto speaker, especially about languages, language learning, and their reasons for learning Esperanto. I’m still not sure if I’ll be able to make it, but this is my goal. At the beginning of my first class, the only words I knew were “saluton”, “dankon”, and “lernu” (because of the Esperanto community lernu.net), so this will be a fun test to see how far I can go after starting with practically nothing. After my first hour of class, Id already gained a reasonable understanding of basic grammar and phrases for asking basic information about another person (and how many languages they are learning)! A secondary goal is to learn Esperanto  through my second language (Chinese). All of the languages I’ve studied previously, I learned through my native language, English. So, my Esperanto classes are a no-English zone. Just in the first hour of class, I was already very amused by the ways that the 3 languages I’m most familiar with: English, Chinese, and Spanish, are variously influencing my attempts at Esperanto! How’s it going? Esperanto is great! It’s been a long time since I started a new language, and I love it! It’s like giving my brain a shiny new toy. I’ve heard that someone else in the office has studied Esperanto before and I’m already excited to try out my 1 hour of learning on him. As for the 12 hours… Between my family visiting, a music festival, going-away parties, a generally demanding schedule, and the fact that at the beginning of the Challenge, there was only one Esperanto teacher, I knew that I’d have a hard time scheduling lessons. I was, sadly,  correct. That being said, I really do want to learn as much Esperanto this month as I can, so I’m glad that now I just have to figure out a way to fit my next …11.5 hours into 1/2 a month. Deadlines make things happen. Im still committed to finding a way to fit my hours into  the next  two weeks. The fact that my classes are so fun is definitely going to help me put in the time. However, if I have trouble scheduling Esperanto hours, I might fall back on scheduling more time to practice Chinese or maybe even start dabbling in other languages that Id like to focus on later. How are your classes? Really fun! My teacher Teddy Nee has an obvious passion for languages and language learning. I’m very fortunate in that he’s also fluent in Chinese so I can avoid using English (my native language) during my lessons. I’m really looking forward being able to talk with him (and others!) about language learning in Esperanto! Someone commented before that Esperanto was so easy that you can learn quickly without a teacher. But, the way I see it, if Esperanto is that easy, then I should be able to learn EVEN FASTER with a teacher! Since my goal is to talk others, then I might as well jump into practicing that! What are you doing outside of class? At first, my daily goal was to write one question and answer pair that I want to be able to say in Esperanto. I’ve been discovering that actually, a better way to do this might be to write out my questions and answers for the week all at once and then make sure I look at at least one every day. This method would let me get all of the “thinking” done in bulk and then during each day of the week, I can just relax and follow my own instructions. So, I might change that to have a weekly goal of generating my desired questions and answers for each day of the week and then a daily goal of reviewing my notes on the way to and from work + before bed. Duolingo has recently opened an  Esperanto section, and I’m excited to start using  it as a supplement, but (this is embarrassing) it actually seems to be incompatible with the device that I have right now ?? (an old iPod that is incompatible with the current iOS). So, I’ll have to either use it on my computer or hurry up and get a new device. [Edit: Actually, its because the Esperanto Duolingo is still in beta version, and was unavailable on mobile devices. ] Other than that, I just discovered some old videos for Chinese speakers learning Esperanto on Youku, and I walk around on my commute to and from work, reading from my notes and asking myself questions out loud, mumbling like a crazy person.  I should also start making use of the lernu! community and resources. Tell us more about Esperanto: Even though Esperanto doesn’t have a country, I’m learning that it does have a sort of culture. For example, I learned that since almost everyone who speaks Esperanto does so as a second or third language, Esperanto speakers are attentive to taking into account each others’ native languages and how different native languages may influence the way a person speaks Esperanto. I appreciate that level of consideration for others! I’ve also heard that some people have suggested learning Esperanto before learning other languages. After the very little bit that I’ve learned so far, I already agree with this for 2 reasons: Since Esperanto is a “Conlang” a ‘constructed language’, it’s very well organized. There are no exceptions that I know of. There is a pattern to the vocabulary and to the grammar that just snaps into place (it was designed to). It’s very elegant. Since Esperanto IS so well-organized, the basics can be learned very quickly. This means you wouldn’t have to spend much time training your language learning skills on Esperanto before moving on to a different language. If you’ve never studied a language before, I think learning Esperanto would be a great way to make it very plain to yourself how a language is structured. Then, when you begin learning other languages, you will already have a sort of abstract language “blueprint” in mind that I think would make it much easier for you to approach learning other languages. Esperanto seems it could be a kind of training wheels for mastering the process of language acquisition. Maybe I’m just a little over-enthusiastic about my classes right now, but I’m on the verge of saying that everyone (at least, English speakers or Europeans) should try Esperanto before they learn any other languages, even if just as a sort of language learning boot camp. Tips for other Challengers? Really, I think the hardest part (for me, anyway) is scheduling the lessons. I often get anxious about scheduling my time because I try to anticipate what else might be going on. I easily over-plan things. But, once I just bite the bullet and put the time on my schedule, it actually is easier than I think, and I actually feel much better knowing that the hours are there on the calendar. Its actually kind of a relief. I would highly recommend just buying packages for the amount of time you need to finish and then just requesting the sessions all at once and getting them on your calendar. Its so much easier than having to decide hour by hour when to have class. Get the decisions out of the way and then just do it. This is actually very good time management practice for me, so not only am I learning Esperanto on italki, but I’m learning some good life skills as well! I’m also very glad to be reminded how much fun it is to start a new language this is definitely a positive addition to my life. June Language Challenge Tracys update learning Esperanto AND time management Tracy is taking the Language Challenge with the goal of learning Esperanto, but shes got a long way to go. Does this apply to you as well?  Dont give up! A photo posted by Italki (@italki) on May 22, 2015 at 6:12am PDT What’s your goal? I want to talk with others about  language learning in Esperanto (and to see how quickly  I can learn it). Ive heard that a large proportion of the people at the Berlin Polyglot Gathering speak Esperanto, and that it’s very easy. I’m curious to see how much I can learn in a short period of time, and  Id really like to be able to have a 15-minute long conversation with an Esperanto speaker, especially about languages, language learning, and their reasons for learning Esperanto. I’m still not sure if I’ll be able to make it, but this is my goal. At the beginning of my first class, the only words I knew were “saluton”, “dankon”, and “lernu” (because of the Esperanto community lernu.net), so this will be a fun test to see how far I can go after starting with practically nothing. After my first hour of class, Id already gained a reasonable understanding of basic grammar and phrases for asking basic information about another person (and how many languages they are learning)! A secondary goal is to learn Esperanto  through my second language (Chinese). All of the languages I’ve studied previously, I learned through my native language, English. So, my Esperanto classes are a no-English zone. Just in the first hour of class, I was already very amused by the ways that the 3 languages I’m most familiar with: English, Chinese, and Spanish, are variously influencing my attempts at Esperanto! How’s it going? Esperanto is great! It’s been a long time since I started a new language, and I love it! It’s like giving my brain a shiny new toy. I’ve heard that someone else in the office has studied Esperanto before and I’m already excited to try out my 1 hour of learning on him. As for the 12 hours… Between my family visiting, a music festival, going-away parties, a generally demanding schedule, and the fact that at the beginning of the Challenge, there was only one Esperanto teacher, I knew that I’d have a hard time scheduling lessons. I was, sadly,  correct. That being said, I really do want to learn as much Esperanto this month as I can, so I’m glad that now I just have to figure out a way to fit my next …11.5 hours into 1/2 a month. Deadlines make things happen. Im still committed to finding a way to fit my hours into  the next  two weeks. The fact that my classes are so fun is definitely going to help me put in the time. However, if I have trouble scheduling Esperanto hours, I might fall back on scheduling more time to practice Chinese or maybe even start dabbling in other languages that Id like to focus on later. How are your classes? Really fun! My teacher Teddy Nee has an obvious passion for languages and language learning. I’m very fortunate in that he’s also fluent in Chinese so I can avoid using English (my native language) during my lessons. I’m really looking forward being able to talk with him (and others!) about language learning in Esperanto! Someone commented before that Esperanto was so easy that you can learn quickly without a teacher. But, the way I see it, if Esperanto is that easy, then I should be able to learn EVEN FASTER with a teacher! Since my goal is to talk others, then I might as well jump into practicing that! What are you doing outside of class? At first, my daily goal was to write one question and answer pair that I want to be able to say in Esperanto. I’ve been discovering that actually, a better way to do this might be to write out my questions and answers for the week all at once and then make sure I look at at least one every day. This method would let me get all of the “thinking” done in bulk and then during each day of the week, I can just relax and follow my own instructions. So, I might change that to have a weekly goal of generating my desired questions and answers for each day of the week and then a daily goal of reviewing my notes on the way to and from work + before bed. Duolingo has recently opened an  Esperanto section, and I’m excited to start using  it as a supplement, but (this is embarrassing) it actually seems to be incompatible with the device that I have right now ?? (an old iPod that is incompatible with the current iOS). So, I’ll have to either use it on my computer or hurry up and get a new device. [Edit: Actually, its because the Esperanto Duolingo is still in beta version, and was unavailable on mobile devices. ] Other than that, I just discovered some old videos for Chinese speakers learning Esperanto on Youku, and I walk around on my commute to and from work, reading from my notes and asking myself questions out loud, mumbling like a crazy person.  I should also start making use of the lernu! community and resources. Tell us more about Esperanto: Even though Esperanto doesn’t have a country, I’m learning that it does have a sort of culture. For example, I learned that since almost everyone who speaks Esperanto does so as a second or third language, Esperanto speakers are attentive to taking into account each others’ native languages and how different native languages may influence the way a person speaks Esperanto. I appreciate that level of consideration for others! I’ve also heard that some people have suggested learning Esperanto before learning other languages. After the very little bit that I’ve learned so far, I already agree with this for 2 reasons: Since Esperanto is a “Conlang” a ‘constructed language’, it’s very well organized. There are no exceptions that I know of. There is a pattern to the vocabulary and to the grammar that just snaps into place (it was designed to). It’s very elegant. Since Esperanto IS so well-organized, the basics can be learned very quickly. This means you wouldn’t have to spend much time training your language learning skills on Esperanto before moving on to a different language. If you’ve never studied a language before, I think learning Esperanto would be a great way to make it very plain to yourself how a language is structured. Then, when you begin learning other languages, you will already have a sort of abstract language “blueprint” in mind that I think would make it much easier for you to approach learning other languages. Esperanto seems it could be a kind of training wheels for mastering the process of language acquisition. Maybe I’m just a little over-enthusiastic about my classes right now, but I’m on the verge of saying that everyone (at least, English speakers or Europeans) should try Esperanto before they learn any other languages, even if just as a sort of language learning boot camp. Tips for other Challengers? Really, I think the hardest part (for me, anyway) is scheduling the lessons. I often get anxious about scheduling my time because I try to anticipate what else might be going on. I easily over-plan things. But, once I just bite the bullet and put the time on my schedule, it actually is easier than I think, and I actually feel much better knowing that the hours are there on the calendar. Its actually kind of a relief. I would highly recommend just buying packages for the amount of time you need to finish and then just requesting the sessions all at once and getting them on your calendar. Its so much easier than having to decide hour by hour when to have class. Get the decisions out of the way and then just do it. This is actually very good time management practice for me, so not only am I learning Esperanto on italki, but I’m learning some good life skills as well! I’m also very glad to be reminded how much fun it is to start a new language this is definitely a positive addition to my life.

Participation Points Fake It Till You Make It - TutorNerds

Participation Points Fake It Till You Make It - TutorNerds Tips From a Private Orange County Tutor: Participation Points Fake It Till You Make It Tips From a Private Orange County Tutor: Participation Points Fake It Till You Make It Whether you are in high school or college, you are likely to have classes with grades that incorporate some type of class participation credit. More and more teachers are including this factor to help incentivize students to speak up, ask questions, and contribute to communal discussion while in the classroom. It is also commonly included in online or hybrid-style classes where there is a requirement to post comments or reply to others in an online discussion book your private Orange County summer tutor today. Your participation grade may be well-defined (two required comments in class per week for full credit, participation in a designated group discussion for credit, total discussions tracked throughout the semester, etc.) or it may be more arbitrary where the teacher simply assigns a grade based on how much they feel youve been contributing during the class. This grade is usually around 5 â€" 10% of your grade, but Ive seen grades as high as 20 and 25%. Regardless, it should be easy points that you can get. As a student myself, I despised participation grades. In high school, they were typically the well-defined variety, and I struggled when I did not have any questions or what I thought were interesting comments during class. In college, the participation grades transitioned mostly to the arbitrary group, and I never knew what my grade would be until the end of the class. Ive found that many students voice similar concerns. Maybe you consider yourself to be shy and dont like speaking up in class. Maybe you just never have any questions that need answers. Maybe youre embarrassed by your questions and dont want to look like you dont understand. Maybe you feel like theres never a good opportunity or opening in the conversation for you to contribute something. These are all common issues, and it is okay to feel this way. The advice that I give is simple: fake it. An easy and effective tactic to solve any of these issues is to come up with a question that you already know the answer to. Take something from the beginning of the lesson, or something you already understood, and ask about it anyway. This might seem counterintuitive, but heres how it benefits you: If youre shy or anxious, it takes a lot of the stress away by asking something you already know. Now, instead of having the anticipation of not knowing the answer and the pressure of having to try to understand and learn something new, you will know that you just need to ask the questions and allow your teacher to give a response you already understand. And, importantly, you will also be getting good practice at making yourself speak up. Its okay to have anxiety or feel shy in class, but you will need to be comfortable asking questions for when you do need help in the future. If you feel like you dont have any real questions, this allows you to get your participation points without the stress. You can ask simple questions that you know, or you can challenge yourself to come up with more complex questions. This can show off your knowledge by still being a question that gets you credit. Remember, the class participation points will help your grade, so you need to treat participating just like any other required assignment: make yourself do it. If youre embarrassed by the questions you have, this tactic will allow you to ask questions that you consider less embarrassing. If you feel embarrassed by easy questions, then ask something complicated that you do understand. Better yet, ask something complicated that you dont understand. Dont worry about the answers your teacher gives and dont worry about understanding. Remember that you are doing this for the experience and the participation grade. Consider listening to some of your classmates questions and mimicking the same types of questions they have. Doing this too, you will hopefully also start to recognize that theres no need to be embarrassed by your questions and that many of your classmates either dont care, have the same confusions themselves, or wont ever think about your question later. If you dont know how to speak up and find an opening in a class discussion, this can make the process easier. Often, a student will listen to the previous point and spend some time thinking about a related comment or question. In the meantime, however, the discussion has already changed topics and moved to something else. Now the student has to think of something new, only for the conversation to change again. Combat this by taking something straightforward that you understood and make up your mind to ask it early. Questions and comments like so it sounds like youre saying… do you mean that… and that seems similar to… are good roots. Similarly, you can purposefully misunderstand someone and ask about it. Remember, you need credit and practice. Your comments and questions dont need to be profound â€" they need to get you your points and make you more comfortable in the setting. Treat your class participation grade like the assignment that it is and get it done. This strategy of coming up with fake questions can make the task easier regardless of what you felt was holding you back before. It can also give you good practice with speaking up in class for when you do need to ask questions and get feedback. Remember, many students struggle with participation grades and thats okay if you feel that its difficult. To get a perfect participation grade and learn how to speak up in class we can apply the classic adage about confidence: fake it ‘til you make it. Our private Orange County tutors are full of great tips for students. Book your private Irvine tutor for the summer. Michael C. is currently a private math, science, and standardized test tutor with TutorNerds in Irvine and Anaheim. All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at pr@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us write.

Top 10 Reasons to Try Summer Enrichment Programs

Top 10 Reasons to Try Summer Enrichment Programs Ahh, summer. The time of rest, relaxation, and hot weather. Not so hot during the summer as it turns out? Remembering all those valuable lessons from the past school year. Many studies have shown that students’ retention decreases significantly during the summer months, and there’s also evidence that once the new school year starts students have a hard time regaining their momentum. It takes on average two to three months for students to mentally adjust to being back in an academic mindset and recover the material that they learned the previous school year. It takes longer for students to be able to move forward with the curriculum, which may set them back or put them at a disadvantage for the following school year. Summer enrichment programs help keep the mind active and reduce the risk of a lower retention rate throughout the summer months.Check out our top ten reasons to enter your child in a one-on-one Summer Enrichment Program!1- Knowledge RetentionMaking a series of appoint ments with a tutor for students sets them up for success in the future. Continuing to work on academics, even for only a few hours a week decreases the chances that students will forget the material from the past school year. Not only will they have a better chance to retain the material from the past school year, but they’ll also be better equipped for the year to come!2- FocusThe homework that tutors will give your child will help them to focus on one area of study for a short time every day. While this may not seem like a lot- trust us, a little bit can go a long way when it comes to keeping up that academic momentum. Practicing focus increases the retention of all material learned in the past school year.3- Summarizing LessonsFollowing a lesson, all good tutors ask their students to summarize what they just learned. Not only is this excellent practice in verbal communication, but it also allows students to remember information through more than one channel! By summarizing with a tutor, students will be able to evaluate their strengths and weaknesses and be better prepared when the new school year starts.4- CustomizationIn summer enrichment programs, tutors can really focus on helping their students hone and develop their learning styles. There are all different types, and it’s not one size fits all. When students understand how they can best process and retain the knowledge presented to them in school will make them wildly more successful and encourage independent thinking and evaluation.5- Studying is fun!Good tutors are able to help their students rethink the concept of studying. It doesn’t have to be a chore all the time! By stimulating their curiosity, tutors encourage students to develop a genuine love for learning and thirst for knowledge. Summer is also a great time to really delve into subjects we find interesting! Focusing on a subject that a student finds fascinating can really help them learn how to best study for those subjects they may f ind not-so-interesting when the school year comes around. 6- Cultivation of safe spacesIn summer enrichment programs with one-on-one sessions, tutors are able to create a safe, nurturing environment where students and children can be open to understanding what their academic strengths and weaknesses are, which can make prepping for the upcoming school year much easier!7- Preparation for the new school yearStudents who take part in summer tutoring will be far more likely to not only remember the curriculum of the previous year but to have a head start for the following semester!8- ConsistencyMeeting a with a tutor every week for an hour or two can help students to keep a regular schedule, which not only makes the transition between summer and the school year much easier but fosters good organization and can help get priorities in order!9- AdaptationOne-on-one tutoring can be incredibly helpful when it comes to developing, personalizing, and customizing a student’s academic needs. S tudents will have an easier time adapting to their new classes, new teachers, and new curriculum when they have had a chance to learn what they are capable of and what needs more work.10- IndependenceTutoring can be instrumental for students developing a sense of independence and independent learning. In tutoring, students learn to study and figure things out on their own. No matter what the subject, teacher, or type of class they will be able to adjust, adapt and be successful.We’re looking forward to helping students of all ages keep up the good work during the summer as part of our Summer Enrichment Programs! Contact us today for more information or to get started!