How to Teach English to Children with Dyslexia

How to Teach English to Children with Dyslexia Tutoring Jobs: How Can you Help a Dyslexic Student Learn Effectively as  an English Teacher? ChaptersProblems Dyslexic Students Face While Being Tutored The Issues with speech and Hearing Their issues with Motor skills and writing  Memory IssuesTips to Tutor Dyslexic studentsStudents with dyslexia can have severe difficulties keeping up in school, with the rest of their peers.They may suffer from low self-esteem due to their disability. After school, they have to struggle on their own which makes things even worst.But their problems can be solved if the teacher is aware of their condition and accepts the challenge of teaching dyslexic students.Teaching students with dyslexia is quite a challenging task because dyslexic students may struggle not only with reading but also comprehension, writing and spelling.This is a lifelong condition that affects the reading abilities of a person. It is also the most common issue students have while trying to learn. According to some experts, the percentage of kids with dyslexia is between 5 10 percent.Kids suffering from dyslexia are not in a position to answer questions about anything they have just read. They might also develop difficulty with mathematics. Many people misunderstand this condition and consider it to be a problem of intelligence which is not true.Dyslexic students can turn out to be more intelligent than their peers. ( Image Source: Unsplash)People with dyslexia will become as successful in their careers as anyone else. Their condition can improve at the college level although they might need to take summer tutoring, home tutoring and even online tutoring.With the right support of the teacher, the right methods and tools of teaching, they can thrive.There are tutoring centers that focus primarily on dyslexic students. Your tutoring services in those learning centers would be highly required.If you are providing private tuition and your tutee turns out to be dyslexic, you would need to get some training to teach that student on your own.As a home tutor, you would need to design assignments, exams, an d tests strategically, to match the needs and the condition of your student.Whether you are a biology tutor, math tutor or a language tutor such as a Spanish tutor, French tutor etc. the teaching techniques mentioned above would apply to all tutor jobs!You need to be passionate about teaching, if you are to make any real impact on the learning ability of your struggling students! With the right attitude, you will be able to create a huge difference in the life of your dyslexic students and they will be forever grateful to you.  Learn how to set your English tutoring tariffs here.

Learn How to Sing with Voice Lessons 6 New-Student FAQs

Learn How to Sing with Voice Lessons 6 New-Student FAQs Suzy S. Thinking about taking voice lessons? Getting that one-on-one guidance is key when you want to learn how to sing. Here, Saint Augustine, FL teacher Heather L.  discusses some of the FAQs she has received, to help you get started: Ive taught piano and voice lessons for the past 11 years. Over that time, many different questions, from parents,  colleagues, and students themselves,  have come my way. If youre thinking about starting voice lessons yourself, or if you have a child whos asking for lessons, then you probably have some yourself. Heres the list of questions that I get asked most as a voice teacher: Q: What ages are appropriate to start voice lessons? A: It varies from instructor to instructor, but some are willing to begin lessons teaching voice health and basic music fundamentals, like solfege syllables and note reading, at age four. And barring a voice injury or recent nerve damage, no one is too old to start! Q: What kind of things should my child bring to their first voice lesson? A: Most instructors find things like crayons (for children), staff paper, and sometimes an iPod or CD with the students favorite songs useful for the beginning lessons. A music stand is helpful, but not necessary, and songbooks and sheet music will be decided upon as the lessons progress. Q: How much practice time does a voice student need to devote to his studies? A: At the professional level, singers typically practice one hour each day, six days per week. Children should sing the songs on which theyre currently working about fifteen minutes per day. Adolescents and non-professional adults should take 30 minutes each day, six days per week, to devote to their technique and repertoire. As the student begins his or her first few months of voice study, however, endurance and stamina must be built slowly, just as an athlete slowly builds his or hers. A good voice instructor will listen at each lesson to any abnormal strain or injury in the students voice and adjust practice schedules accordingly. Q: Can you really teach anybody to learn how to sing? A: Yes! If you have a speaking voice, then you have a singing voice. That does not mean, though, that you have a huge range or a powerful sound. You might, you might not. But you can sing. And voice lessons are the first step to unveiling your true voice, and what you can ultimately achieve. Q: What should I look for in a voice instructor? A: First, listen! If a potential instructor has an unusual amount of roughness in her speaking voice, then she may not know and practice healthy voice habits. Second, a degree from a great institution or a decade of teaching experience are great, but more important is a positive and encouraging attitude. Voice lessons can be challenging enough without an instructor whos not kind and patient. Q:   What if I (or my child) begin to lose interest in the lessons or in practicing? A:   If a student has given his instructor two months of solid attention and work, and he still finds the lessons to be a chore, then try a different teacher. It could simply be a personality clash. If the student still doesnt enjoy himself, then take a break and try again in six months. As you learn how to sing, remember that voice lessons can sometimes take courage to dive into. And sometimes, they can be tough, both emotionally and physically. But with the right instructor, the right preparation, and healthy habits, they can be incredibly fun and fulfilling. Heather L. teaches singing, piano, acting, and more in Saint Augustine, FL, as well as through online lessons. She is  a graduate of the prestigious Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey, and has performed with the New York and Royal Philharmonics, the New Jersey and Virginia Symphonies, the American Boy Choir, and the internationally renowned opera star, Andrea Bocelli. Learn more about Heather here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo by Danske Kirkedage

How to reach an unprecedented level of confidence - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / How to reach an unprecedented level of confidence - Introvert Whisperer How to reach an unprecedented level of confidence? Guest Author September 18, 2019 Adaptability, Communication, Dealing with Fear One response “Don’t you dare, for one more second, surround yourself with people who are not aware of the greatness that you are.”  Jo Blackwell-Preston Before starting with this blog, stop for a moment, and accept the fact that you are indeed an awesome being. Indeed, you often find your self-confidence dwindling in the face of challenges. And an inner critic forces you to visualize the failure. It makes you all set to give up. But don’t! Learn how to fight back. Speaking on a general note, we find that there are many people out there who do not have enough confidence to fight life challenges. Such individuals can be of varying age groups. However, they all have one fundamental issue â€"an uncanny level of doubts. Some of these are self-structured while others seep in through external factors. It is essential to understand that lack of confidence isn’t a genetic problem. Nor do you have to rely on others to uplift your tenacity. In fact, you can take charge of things and take concrete actions to improve your reputation, self-esteem, and competence. The only question is how determined you are? Bandura (1990) proposes that there are motivational programs that follow the goal-setting theory and attribution theory. The target of all these programs is the same. That is, help individuals overcome deflated levels of confidence. Without further ado, let’s have a look into some incredible ways that will help you reach a healthy level of confidence: Do not compare yourself with others As social media crawls into our life, its taking a toll on our mental health. You cannot ignore checking out what others are upto.   Those charming pictures and elite restaurant check-ins tend to tempt you to the core. This triggers you to compare your life with them. And upon discovering that you cant afford a lifestyle like that, you feel envious. A 2018 study published in Personality and Individual Differences demonstrated a direct relation between envy and the way an individual feels about themselves. The more you start comparing your life with others out of jealousy, the more you lose your self-esteem. So next time, you are drawing comparisons, take a break. Remind yourself that everyone has their struggles and life isn’t a piece of cake for all. Get things done Your achievements are the most significant source of confidence. Visualize a target and race towards it. Pledge to change the perception of self and overcome all the roadblocks that might create hindrances. For instance: You set a goal of doing Executive MBA from Florida, or doing some short course, but you get skeptical after thinking of a plethora of hurdles that are to come by. When such thoughts come to your mind, bid them farewell. You need to understand that the only thing that limits you is your own “negative thought.” Once you set a goal, start taking steps and keep moving. Authors Katy Kay and Claire Shipman, in their book The Confidence Code, provide extensive research on how people can increase their confidence. They summarize their findings in the following statement: “And so, fortunately, a substantial part of the confidence code is what psychologists call  volitional: our choice. With diligent effort, we can all choose to expand our confidence. But we will get there if we stop trying to be perfect and start being prepared to fail.” Therefore, we recommend you to start by setting small goals. Set a time limit and try to achieve them. Eventually, you can move on to bigger, more meaningful goals. It is all about how you train yourself â€" practice confidence-boosting activities. Read How to Build Self-Confidence to know the steps you should take. Think positively about yourself Once you tick off the second pointer of our list, it’s now time to pat yourself on the back. Succeeding through obstacles is an incredible confidence booster. Most of the time, when you are feeling low, it is because of your inner critic. It keeps bashing you and preaches you doubt self. Consequently, you start believing yourself as more economical than others. Psychologists provide a whole list of things you can do to enhance self-compassion. These bring an optimistic impact on your overall personality. Besides, a 2009 study published in the Journal of Psychology provides an experiment that self-compassion contributes to more consistent confidence. So get into the habit of complimenting yourself when the need be. As Mark Twain puts it “[A] man cannot be comfortable without his approval.” Prepare yourself Whether you work as a part-time manager in a start-up, or you are a part of a corporate chain, you must know about your field. The fact that you want to progress should compel you to learn everything about your position. Have a list of goals that you want to achieve. Make strategies on how you are going to do that. As Denis Waitley states: “To establish true self-confidence, we must concentrate on our successes and forget about the failures and the negatives in our lives.” So sit down and make a list of what you aim to achieve in your career. Prepare your mind for that. Confidence in your capabilities will speed up the process of achieving those milestones. Change your body image Your posture, eye contact, facial expressions, and speech combine to deliver what you are trying to convey. Every time you put your shoulders down and stammer while speaking to others, it’s evident that you have little or no confidence in self. Buck up yourself and learn how to talk with confidence. Research proves that people who take time to speak slowly have higher self-confidence and appear confident to others too. Perhaps, the aura and physique of those around you make you feel less. If that’s the case, start with a self-care program. Start taking care of your body. Go an extra mile and give essential thought to how you appear each day. Next, stop abusing your body. Make sure that you involve in some physical activity. Exercise can be the ultimate confidence booster. A 2016 study in Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment reveals that regular physical activity improves self-confidence. When people find themselves fit and in shape, they are ready to take challenges head-on. Final Thoughts Confidence is all about changing your mind. However, one must have an adequate level of confidence. If it exceeds beyond the limit, there can be opposing consequences. Like you might start feeling others being inferior to you. That, again, is a problem in itself. Find some life rules and live by them. Now the next time, your inner critic or those around you try to steal your thunder, stand tall. Prove how you have all the power to change the game. Source Author Bio:

Biology Tutoring- Understanding the Nature of Science with Biology Tutor

Biology Tutoring- Understanding the Nature of Science with Biology Tutor 0SHARESShare Many professions in the world are born out of science. It could be a scientist, a doctor, an engineer, researcher etc. but have you ever wondered what it takes to reach on such great heights and that too in such a tough phase of competition? Well the answer is a little more efforts and the proper utilization of time. All students work hard for their exams but few top because they work hard and smart at the same time! But now, with science tutor online you too can come out with flying colors in your exams! The tutors online provide you with the complete course contents and the incredible facts and figures to develop immense interest in the subject. Biology Tutoring: Why it is so important? Biology is considered as one of the most important branch of science. By learning it thoroughly in the initial years, you can develop a good sense of the subject in the later years. The biology tutor online teaches you so that you become a doctor, zoologist, microbiologist, agriculturist etc. in future. When having a deep knowledge there won’t be any stop! You can fly as high as you want and achieve the best of the industry. All this can become a reality when you learn and manage the time accordingly which is best possible with a biology online tutor. He can be reached at any point of time and will help you to in understanding the subject in the most interesting manner. Biology Tutor: How to Find Best Biology Tutor? The services of the tutor can be availed easily. Moreover with the biology Tutor you can experience the workings of online education at no initial cost! Meanwhile you can also understand the environment, services, and benefits of the tutorials. Science is indeed not a subject to be mugged from the book but it must be learned from the world with one’s own eye. So develop the vision with the online masters and get the real insight of science! [starbox id=admin]

5 Tips To Finding The Right College Tutors Online

5 Tips To Finding The Right College Tutors Online Improving Academic Performance As the web continues to become more and more of a fixture of everyday life, more and more students are looking for the convenience and accessibility of online tutoring. A wide range of college tutors for all subjects can be found online, but finding them can be overwhelming if you don’t know where to start. That’s what this post is for. If you are looking for a college tutor online, here are five places you can start your search. Join Discussion Boards There are discussion boards you can join that are related to tutoring in general as well as to specific subjects. Some of these are just online, attached to websites, and others are groups on social networking sites like Facebook and Linkedin. Similarly, discussions happen via mailing list groups as well. These can be good places to ask for leads or advice or to actually meet tutors who hang out there. Sign Up For Services An Internet search for “online tutoring services” will turn up multiple firms that provide online tutoring. These services usually hire multiple tutors and assign them to customers on an as-needed basis. Often you will buy packages of hours that you can redeem as needed. The aim of such services is to make it so you don’t have to worry about finding a tutor, but instead can rely on them to provide one. Ask Other Students Recommendations from other students tend to be reliable, so it helps to find out what your peers are doing to get extra help. If you are seeking tutoring in a particular class it is likely that other students are as well, so they can often point you in the right direction. Browse Websites Private tutors often have their own websites, so by searching for “private tutors” or “college tutors” you can often find websites for individual tutors rather than tutoring firms. One advantage of working with private tutors over firms is that they can often provide more flexibility and greater quality. They may be specialists in a particular subject and very good at what they do, and they can make their own decisions rather than having to follow company policy. Use Craigslist Despite its simplicity, Craigslist is one of the most popular and busy sites on the Internet. You will find no shortage of college tutors advertising their services there, both online and offline. It is one of the quickest and most direct ways to find a tutor. hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(215486, '6baac2ae-05a3-4610-9d1f-265c8cbd809f', {});

Tips for Staying Organized Part 1

Tips for Staying Organized Part 1 Improving Academic Performance Keeping abreast of school assignments, tests, and projects can be quite a hassle if you are not organized. Not only can good organizational skills help you complete tasks in an orderly and timely manner, good organizational skills can also help you stay focused and earn higher grades and better test scores. In this two-part article, we’ll talk about organizing your: a) things b) work space c) schoolwork and d) time. Organize your things: A first step in becoming more organized and thus effective at school (and everywhere else) could be to focus on organizing the physical things around you, like your binder, backpack, and laptop. Binder - To stay on top of all your classes, it is best to have a notebook and a binder with dividers for each class. Try to minimize losing or scattering your notes around by keeping all your notes for one class in the same notebook, preferably in chronological order. Having your notes all in one place, and organized chronologically and neatly will make locating specific notes easier. Store your notebook in a binder. Make sure to have dividers for assigned homework, documents your teacher handouts to you, completed tests, and completed homework. Having dividers for each of these sections will make it easier to review old tests and homework for test preparation, and will decrease the amount of time you spend shuffling in your backpack looking for your latest homework assignment. It is best to have a color-coded system wherein each notebook and binder for each class matches. Again, this will save you time in trying to find and identify which notebook is for what class. Label your binder and notebook with the subject of the class you are using it for. Backpack - You should never have any loose papers or documents in your backpack ever! All papers, notes, and documents should always be placed in the appropriate binder, or divider sleeve! Make sure to bring only binders, notebooks, and textbooks that you will need for your class, and store all other binders and textbooks in your locker or at home. Keep all of your pens and pencils together in a pencil bag. Also, make sure to store all of the necessary tools and implements (e.g. protractor, compass, calculator) in a case. Never have tools and pencils and pens floating around in a disorganized fashion in your backpack! By having all of your pens and pencils together in one case, and all of your tools and implements in another case, you save time having to dig and find these items that you will need in class. Having everything organized also promotes a sense of calm and minimizes stress, since you aren’t looking for necessary things, like a pencil, in a frantic frenzy. Locker - Try to keep your locker organized by creating a system of storing your notebooks, binders, and textbooks. If necessary, purchase a shelf to help you utilize the space in your locker more effectively. You can also invest in a whiteboard to hang in your locker in order to remind you of important events or upcoming due dates for tests, projects, and assignments. Also consider taping your class schedule in your locker, as well as hanging a calendar in your locker. Taking such steps will help you stay abreast of due dates for assignments, and will encourage you to prioritize tasks if you are able to see what important events are coming up every time that you open your locker. Additionally, keeping an organized locker will prevent you from losing important documents in your locker. Laptop - If you use a laptop to take notes or complete class assignments, make sure that you create a folder for each subject (color-coded of course!), and create subfolders for assignments, papers, presentations, etc. Take time to organize and clean out your folders at least once a week. If you really like taking notes on a laptop, consider a tool like Evernote for keeping virtual notes. Sometimes it may be difficult to keep or binders, notebooks, backpack, and laptop organized at all times. Try to schedule 5-10 minutes a day organizing all your notes, documents, pencils, and other implements. Another strategy is to spend 30 minutes every Friday after school organizing all of your binders, notebooks, backpack, and laptop. You can also use this time to cull and get rid of unnecessary documents, broken pencils, and leftover wrappers or junk that are in your backpack. It is very important to schedule time to clean and organize your things so that you don’t lose track of important documents or carry around unnecessary things/documents. Culling will minimize confusion and stress that may stem from losing assignments, or bringing in the wrong document/assignment to class. Organize your workspace: Many people find they are far more productive and better able to retain information and understand difficult concepts when they are working on a structured, clean environment. Try to have a designated workspace at home where you can work on completing homework assignments and studying for tests and quizzes. Always make sure that your workspace is clean and quiet. Keep your workspace stocked with note-taking paper, pencils, pens, and other school supplies that you may need to complete an assignment or project. Keep your backpack and textbooks close to your workspace. Having a clean and organized workspace will allow you to complete your assignments in a calm atmosphere and will minimize the chances of you losing assignments or important documents. Once you completed all of your homework, place your homework in the appropriate binders, and place everything you will need for the following day in your backpack. You should always take time to prepare and get everything you will need ready for tomorrow the night before.In our next article, we’ll discuss how to organize your work space, and perhaps most importantly, your time.

21 Righteous Reasons You Should Start Learning Languages with Video

21 Righteous Reasons You Should Start Learning Languages with Video 21 Righteous Reasons You Should Start Learning Languages with Video How many videos have you watched so far today?Video is a huge part of our everyday lives now.Its extremely personal. We often feel like our favorite video games, movies and shows are pieces of our identities.Its also as diverse as the human experience  itself, including everything from comedy sketches and drama series to news broadcasts, live interviews, commercials and YouTube clips.So, of all the countless ways to learn a language, using video is the one dearest to our hearts.Its not that there arent other enjoyable and effective ways to learn a language, or that video is the one single best way to learn, but for most of us, its the most practical.When you get down to it, for those of us living in the real world with all its real demands on our time and attention, effectively using video content is the strategy thats most likely to propel us  from linguistically aspirational to confidently multilingual.Its flexible, accessible, multipurpose, multisensory and scientifically proven t o be one of the most effective approaches to learning a language.So whats all the fuss about?We could go on forever, but today well cap it at 21 reasons you need more video content in your language learning life. 21 Righteous Reasons You Should Start Learning Languages with Video1. 21st century language learning has gone digital.In this day and age, weve got more options than worksheets and sentence diagrams.Digital technology offers us an ever-expanding list of language hacks, but  video is unique in  that, when used right, it can offer most of the same benefits as  real language use.The language classrooms of yesteryear were stocked with endless books and worksheets about  a language, but had little trace of the language itself. Now you can get pretty authentic exposure to native speakers wielding their language by watching the same video  content that they watch at home.In 1986, hunting down some good tapes of TV shows or movies in a foreign language wouldve been an ordeal, but today video content featuring live native speakers  couldnt be further from scarce.2. Videos are like talking, only not.Social situations can induce a lot of anxiety, especially for beginners and early-stage learners.Sometimes the stress of a real social situation can be counterproductive. Instead of focusing on the conversation and the language use, youre internally screaming at yourself not to say something stupid.Conversation is important, but watching videos is a safer way of building up to more conversation. Watching people use the language should help you get used to its sound, rhythm and the way people gesture or the expressions they make when they use it. Youll get a great idea of what a more or less normal conversation looks and sounds like.One way to dip your feet in before taking the plunge into real-life conversation is to sign up for a course like FluentU, which uses everyday video content featuring  native speakers of the language youre learning. All the videos there are ones that natives are watching at home on TV and on their laptops.Youll be amazed at what just a bit of exposure to native speech from the safety of your computer screen can do to minimize the anxiety  of the real thing!3. You focus on the speaker instead of formulating a response.Its hard to be a good listener in any language when youre always  busy  thinking up your responses to the sentences someone hasnt even finished saying.But the truth is, to learn any language well, listening is key.To learn and progress in your language, youll need to take the time to attentively listen to native speakers and observe how they use their language. Watching your target language video material gives you the luxury of devoting 100% of your attention to listeningâ€"you can even pause to ponder those rules and phrases you almost understood the first time around but needed a second to think about.4. Language is more than just the words coming out of your mouth.The vowel and consonant sounds wer e stringing together in everyday speech are only part of the story of communication. Peoples expressions, hand gestures and interactions with their environment (like gesturing towards an object while talking about it) all contribute to the whole picture of communicating in any language.Audio recordings and chats on the phone  are good language learning tools, but movies and Skype calls are better.Thats because looking at all the parts of language and communication as a whole help you not only to better understand  the meaning of what you hear, but also to better retain your understanding of what youve learned longer and use it more intuitively.5. Learning a language is learning a skill, not memorizing facts.We tend to think of our advances  in learning a language as being like a progress bar that we can eventually fill up, but its not quite that black-and-white. You can memorize all your times-tables or the periodic table of elements, but languages arent facts that you can rememberâ €"in fact, memorization can even get in the way of real learning.Instead, languages are  more like skills that you need to develop and practice.If you wanted to learn to ride a bike, would you start by memorizing the names of all its parts? Nopeâ€"the adventurous among us might just hop on and give it a try, but the handiest thing short of jumping in the deep end would be first watching a few  videos  of what this cycling thing looks like in action.Language is similar. Learning about its rules and origins is  important, but  a few clips from a sitcom or nightly news report make for better linguistic training wheels than verb conjugation charts and sentence diagrams.6. Watching videos helps prompt your brain to imitate the learning styles of children.Being exposed to enough real-life language use can signal to your brain that its time for a change.With the right resourcesâ€"like lots of video and audio contentâ€"you can help promote the kind of brain plasticity thats required to real ly learn a language like your younger self.Immersing your brain in the sounds of a new language can help your brain reset itself to a more childlike state, giving a boost to your ability to hear and recognize unfamiliar speech sounds from other languages.By consistently exposing yourself to native language use with  video, you can gradually teach your brain to recognize the new sounds of the language youre learning,  eventually increasing your ability not only to hear and understand but also to use the new sounds and words youre learning.7. Learning a language with video can help you to process that language like a native speaker.One of the more uplifting discoveries of recent neuro-linguistic science is that, contrary to previously long-held beliefs, you can actually learn a language to advanced  proficiency even later life.Under the best circumstances, some learners even achieve native-like brain processing of their second language!Common wisdom holds that immersion gives you the best chance of achieving near-native linguistic glory, but if you cant move abroad tomorrow, dont despair: try creating an immersion environment at home with video!8. Spanish telenovelas, French films  and the rest of the worlds cultural offerings are  too good to miss.Its impossible to separate any language from the cultural heritage that transmits that language to us.One of the biggest components of contemporary culture in most parts of the world today is the TV and movies people consume. Watching the same programs that  native speakers of your target language are watching in their everyday lives not only allows you to observe the language as its used every day, but it also lets you expose yourself to learning about cultural norms and values that influence how people use language every day.When youre practicing your Spanish with  telenovelas and an actress reacts with an ¡hay dios! and open-mouthed outrage, you can assume the name her co-star just called her was one youd better n ot use in polite company.When you catch this years futuristic sci-fi blockbuster, you might be getting a view of that cultures hopes for and anxieties about the future, as well as how people  talk about them.9. Video teaches you to talk like natives do every day.As they say, the camera doesnt lie.TV and movie scripts are generally written to sound like real-life people talking in real-life scenarios, so you can bet that whats on prime time is likely a reflection of the times.If somebody studied an English textbook from the 1970s and took their social cues from there, theyd probably make for an awkward conversation partner in 2016. But tuning  into a couple episodes of NCIS or Parks and Recreation, on the other hand, would give a learner a pretty up-to-date sampling of the way native speakers are talking outside of foreign language classrooms.10. Native speakers talk fast.If youve never actually interacted with native speakers of your target language before, youre in for an unpleasan t surprise: they talk way faster and less articulately than the carefully-pronounced sentences youve been transcribing in your language learning app.Adjusting to the speed of actual native speech can be a discouraging shock if youre not ready for it. Watching videos (especially with target language subtitles) is a good way to start making the mental connections between the neatly-typed words youve written out on your vocabulary list and the way they actually sound when spoken in the middle of a natural native sentence.You can pause, rewind and fast forward, and a video clip is usually willing to repeat itself for you as many times as you need!11. And they use a lot of slang.Its not just speed and clarity that can pose challenges, but also the very words and expressions native speakers of any language use in their daily lives. But truthfully, learning slang has to be one of the most exciting parts of learning a new language.The words people are really using on the street vary between regions and generations in any language, but one thing is sure: most of them dont make it into standard instruction mediums meant for foreigners.Accessing authentic video content in your target languageâ€"anything from teen sensations YouTube channels to everybodys favorite weeknight sitcomâ€"is a good way to get exposure to these different slang words and regional vocabularies.You not only get to hear these new words in context, but you can also get a feel for whats appropriate for whom and in what context before trying it out in sensitive social situations.12. Videos are easier to incorporate into your routine than grammar books.One reason people end up not following through on learning languages is because its annoying. Trying to squeeze flashcards or lessons into your daily grind can be an enormous hurdle, because theres really no natural space for these things in your day.With video, on the other hand, making time for language practice is a breeze: most of us consume plenty of video content already every day between our newsfeeds, idle YouTubing on the way home from work or school, and letting our guts out on the couch to relax at the end of the day.These are all perfect places to slip in some autopilot language learning, by swapping your cute cat  videos  for videos of cute cats with German people exclaiming over their cuteness in German from behind the camera.13. Writing off movie night as language practice is the absolute best.When you do succeed in making language study time synonymous with chill time, youll know true happiness.Thats why were thrilled to tell you that learning a language by watching  movies is definitely a thing, and a thing you should be incorporating into your learning routine.Following extensive storylines and complex discourses is like a gym session for the language learning centers in your brain, and the detailed problem-solving youll naturally apply to gaining an understanding of the plot is about as applied as applied language learning gets.The increasingly detailed context and visual cues in the movies environment are great for learning new vocabulary in context, and its a way better way to pass your evening than worksheets and grammar drills.14. You can learn languages with video games.If watching movies is a solid gym session, then playing video games for language learning is like a triathlon.Video games almost seem like they must have been made for language learning, with their unique audiovisual immersion that makes you participate in a world and solve problems in it. Theres a reason why there are so many educational games for children out there.The cognitive cartwheels you have to turn to play a video game in another language are similar to those you turn  formulating conversational speech, and the in-context learning environment promotes maximum understanding and  retention.15. Because Netflix.Netflix is the media industrys gift to language learners everywhere.Not only can you find shows and movie s in a ton of different languages there, but most of the content is also genuinely engaging and interesting. This means that, once you find the right shows, youll eventually be like every other Netflixing couch potato, only your binges will be in another language.Plus, theres just something deeply gratifying about writing off a six-hour binge as language practice, like a giant nana-nana-boo-boo to the parents who scolded you for wasting your life away in front of the boob tube.16. Getting inappropriately emotionally invested in a show and its characters is actually good for your language learning.Your desperate need for Ross and Rachel to end up together might seem silly, but its actually a way to tap into next-level language learning.Try hard to find good shows with good characters, because theyre actually really good for you.The parasocial relationships we have with fictional charactersâ€"we consciously know that theyre made-up, but they still look and act like real humans, and we often feel as if theyre speaking to  us  personallyâ€"are crucial for childrens acquisition of language, but adults can also benefit from a little make-believe.Our parasocial TV interactions stimulate the parts of our brain that promote empathy and social learning, which allows us to better and more organically learn the language from the characters were watching.Taking sincere interest with something unfolding in a foreign language helps you think about the content, whats actually going on, rather than fixating on the language. You start to follow storylines and characters, not words, just like in the shows you love in your mother tongue. Thats the definition of immersion.17. It gives you something to talk to the locals about when traveling.Not only does watching all your new favorite shows contribute to your understanding and retention of the language, it also gives you great conversation fodder.For those traveling abroad or Skyping from overseas, have you seen the latest episode ? is a great way to start a conversation thats genuinely interesting to you both.Even better, youll usually be able to learn and use all kinds of new vocabulary quickly when it comes to discussing your shows, since your obsessive understanding of the shows plot gives you a great context for learning new words and phrases used by the native speakers you discuss it with.18. We cant always jump on a plane today, but video can always bring languages to us.The fact that you cant drop everything and move overseas is a totally surmountable obstacle.Video content can fill the void in those times when native speakers and frequent conversation just arent reasonable options.Being able to hop on a platform like FluentU or stream news in your target language in the background helps keep your brain as immersed in the language as possible, while still living in your hometown.19. Streaming news in a foreign language is the best way to stay informed.Speaking of watching the news, its another seamles s way to tie a language into your day and to connect studying language with studying contemporary culture.The days headlines seem tedious sometimes, but watching and listening to them tells you whats actually happening  on the ground where your language is spoken, which can have an impact on the way people use language and certain words every day.As a bonus, this will help you learn things like names of countries and geographic features in context, adding  even more to your repertoire of conversation options for the next time you bump into a native speaker.20. The best polyglots have their own YouTube channels.Aside from the ton of language-specific YouTube channels out there providing content for your language learning, the coolest polyglots on the web are also curating YouTube channels with lots of video content to help you learn your target language.Follow your favorite blogs and vlogs to get personalized tips and recommendations for more video content in your target language.21. The web is full of video content in every foreign language you can imagine.In a time when 500 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube alone every day, the Internet is exploding with digital video content.As the Internet continues to penetrate more corners of the world and other languages assert their presence online, language learners are only going to have more and more options for video content in the foreign languages theyre studying.We tend to think learning a language with video is the best way to go.Sprinkle in summers abroad and private tutors here and there if you can and want to, and experiment with other ways to learn a language to your hearts content.But remember that, at the end of the day, if you wanna get the most bang for your buck in terms of maximizing cognitive benefits and learning a language in a natural, fun way, video is the way to go!

Start Fixing Your Grades After Halloween - TutorNerds

Start Fixing Your Grades After Halloween - TutorNerds Tips From a Private Irvine Tutor: Start Fixing Your Grades After Halloween Tips From a Private Irvine Tutor: Start Fixing Your Grades After Halloween Halloween is a fun holiday that presents a nice reprieve from school work (even if most students still have school on October 31st).   However, it is also useful to recognize it as a turning point in your grades for the semester or quarter.   Halloween marks the end of October, meaning that there is only November and some percentage of December left for your classes and grades this period book your private Irvine tutor today. This means that your time is limited to achieve the grades that you want â€" but not so limited that you can’t make an effective change.   Halloween gives you a mental break and stress relief to then focus on making a change afterward.   Here are some things you can do to start fixing your grades after Halloween: Talk to Your Teachers One first step you should take in improving your grades is to talk to the teachers or professors in the classes where you are struggling.   Ideally, you would do this in a meeting or during office hours rather than just a few minutes after class or over email.   Your teacher is the one who knows the assignments and grading policy and is the best equipped to give you practical resources. Your teacher can tell you what grades are possible for you to achieve, what grade you are on track for, what assignments you will need to do well on, and what you should be doing now.   If you are going to improve your grades, then you need to know where you’re at now and where you can realistically get to in the next two months. Make an Early Finals Study Plan If your class has a final â€" especially if it is a cumulative final â€" then you can get a head start on preparation now while you are motivated and not overwhelmed with end of semester stress.   Make a clear and concise study material now.   Make flashcards, outlines, or practice questions.   My ideal approach is to pretend you are the teacher and make a test for yourself based on what you’ve learned so far.   You don’t even have to take the test you make; the act of making it helps your learning, and you can save it for the final time to take it again. Get Started on Final Projects or Papers NOW This is advice that everyone knows, and no one takes it.   If you have a significant final project or paper for the end of your semester, then you should start it early.   Don’t tell yourself that you have plenty of time.   Don’t tell yourself that you haven’t learned enough yet to finish it.   Start something and make a contribution now while you are motivated and ready to make a change. It can be as small as a simple paragraph or a title and a few notes.   Just put some amount of work in now, and you will thank yourself for it later.   It can also help you find areas of confusion that you can bring up to your teacher while you still have plenty of time.   The only way for your teacher to help you with a big project that is a large part of your grade is if you make an effort to start it early, so you have time to ask. Hire a Private Irvine Tutor These tips all require you to hold yourself accountable and be motivated enough to realize change.   Having someone else there to help and keep you on track can be a huge incentive actually to making the change happen without being on your own.   A tutor can make sure you start studying early, make sure that you reach out to your teacher and help you conceptualize your syllabus, and make sure you are on track with big projects or papers. A tutor can also help you catch up at old material or excel at new material.   While starting and early and being focused can be effective in improving your grade, it can only help so much if you simply don’t understand what you’re learning in class or fell too far behind.   A tutor can help remedy these problems in a way that you likely couldn’t achieve on your own.   Make sure to look for an experienced tutor and be clear about what your goals are and what you want to get out of the experience. Let Halloween be more than just a fun holiday and use it as a catalyst to make a real and effective change in your academic career.   You’ll thank yourself for it when you get your final grades if you just put in the effort to start now. Dont wait until the last minute to book your experienced Irvine tutor. Michael C. is currently a private math, science, and standardized test tutor with TutorNerds in Irvine and Anaheim. All blog entries, except for 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.