Learning ESOL Heres Some Helpful English Spelling Rules

Learning ESOL Heres Some Helpful English Spelling Rules Helpful Spelling Rules to Remember When Learning English ChaptersPluralisation of NounsSilent and Ambiguous LettersHow Tenses Affect SpellingEveryone who knows how to speak English, whether it's their native language or they're aiming to learn English as a foreign language, knows how tough the spelling can be.Since the English language is a mish-mash of several tongues of people who invaded the British Isles, it is sometimes difficult for non native  speakers to spot any reliable pattern in its spelling.This means that learning to spell fluently in English can be a daunting task, as there are few examples to refer to.Another downside to this is that any rules that are made usually have plenty of exceptions, such as the ‘I before E’ rule.The rule says:I before E is always the same, except after C.Sadly, this isn’t always true.Exceptions include ‘weird’, ‘ceiling’, and ‘science’ to name a few.But it’s not all bad â€" even the trickiest of spellings can be learnt with the right methods and plenty of practice.So, let’s de lve into the world of English spelling rules, and find out which ones are most likely to help you improve your vocabulary as well as your writing fluency and accuracy so that your writing skills are close to those of a native English speaker in no time!Nota bene: this article will focus on British English spellings.Curtain ? CurtainsHowever, some phonetics do not allow this in English pronunciation, such as the word ‘church’, which is almost impossible to pronounce as ‘churchs’.For this reason, singular nouns ending in ‘s’, ‘ch’, ‘z’, ‘sh’ and ‘x’ take an extra ‘E’ when they become pluralised.Church ? ChurchesGas ? GasesBush ? BushesBox ? BoxesWaltz ? WaltzesAnother exception to the general ‘add an S’ rule is words ending in the letter ‘Y’, and since ‘Y’ can behave as both a vowel and a consonant, there are two different counter-rules.Foxes, not foxs! ¦ source: Visualhunt - rrrtemFirstly, words ending in a ‘Y’ following a vowel.These are simple, all you need to do is add an ‘S’ as usual.Boy ? BoysBut for words which have a consonant before their ending ‘Y’, the rule changes, and you have to remove the ‘Y’ and replace it with ‘i-e-s’.Dolly ? DolliesWords ending in a single letter ‘F’ also change slightly when they are pluralised.This happens by replacing the ‘F’ with ‘v-e-s’ to make pronunciation easier.Calf ? CalvesThis also goes for words ending in ‘f-e’, such as ‘knife’.Knife ? KnivesWatch out for words ending in ‘ff’, though, as these take an ‘S’ as usual.Quiff ? QuiffsGetting the hang of subtle differences such as these will make a big difference to how others view your level of English proficiency in both spoken and written English conversation.There are exceptions to these pluralisation rules, and, just like with English verbs, the exceptions affect some of the most common words.Man ? MenChild ? ChildrenTooth ? TeethOther, less common examples include:Crisis ? Cr isesCriterion ? CriteriaCactus ? CactiUnfortunately, there is no real pattern to the very irregular plurals, so you just have to learn them.Luckily, it’s easier than you think.By regularly engaging in English conversation and exposing yourself to the English language, you will get used to exceptions without necessarily realising.Silent and Ambiguous LettersLogic of English is a handy website which sets out the concrete rules of English spelling and how it relates to pronunciation.It covers all topics such as how the ‘silent E’ changes vowel sounds, and how letters such as ‘C’ and ‘G’, which have two possible pronunciations, should sound depending on their position in a word.The ‘silent E’ may seem to be silent but deadly for some English learners, but thankfully there are plenty of rules and explanations around this rule to help you get the hang of it.When the final letter in a word is ‘E’, the preceding vowel says its name.This means ‘A’ becomes ‘ay’ i nstead of ‘ah’, ‘E’ becomes ‘ee’, ‘I’ becomes ‘eye’, ‘O’ becomes ‘oh’, and ‘U’ becomes ‘yoo’.So, if you add an ‘E’ to the word ‘hat’, you get ‘hate’, pronounced ‘hayt’.And it’s not just vowels that are altered by a final ‘E’.‘C’ and ‘G’ are also pronounced a certain way when followed by an ‘E’.They may seem confusing at first, but these spellings will soon become instinctual ¦ source: Pixabay - RobinHigginsThe letter ‘C’ may be pronounced as a hard ‘K’ in some instances, and as a softer ‘S’ in others.‘C’ takes its soft pronunciation, becoming ‘ss’, so words such as ‘dance’ end with an ‘s’ sound.And ‘G’ sounds as a ‘J’ rather than a hard, glottal ‘g’ in words like ‘tonnage’.When these rules are put into writing, they can seem overly complex, however, as you progress through your English learning, spelling rules will become instinctual and you’ll have no trouble making an educated guess when in doubt.How Tenses Affect SpellingTenses are another aspect of English grammar which can have a dramatic effect on spelling â€" especially when it comes to the irregular verbs.So, the general (and simple) rule of forming the past tense in English goes like this:For regular verbs, add the ending ‘-ed’ to the word.In spoken English, this is usually pronounced as a ‘d’ or a ‘t’ sound at the end of the infinitive (basic) form of the verb.So, instead of ‘walk’, you have ‘walked’, pronounced ‘walk-t’.An important point on the difference between British and American English is to do with these verbs.In US English, the past participle of verbs such as ‘to learn’ and ‘to dream’ follows the ‘-ed’ pattern, whereas in English English there is a ‘t’ in the place of ‘-ed’, since this better reflects the pronunciation.InfinitivePast participle in US EnglishPast participle in British EnglishTo learnlearnedlearntTo dreamdreameddream tSometimes, the ‘-ed’ ending will sometimes add a new syllable to the infinitive, giving you ‘wanted’ instead of ‘want’.This is usually the case for infinitive verbs which already end with a ‘D’ or a ‘T’.Shout ? ShoutedFound ? FoundedThe English language contains at least 370 irregular verbs, and this may seem daunting, but thankfully, most of them are part of everyday language, which means any English learner can easily get used to them.The most striking examples include ‘to be’ which becomes ‘was’, ‘go’ which becomes ‘went’ and ‘do’ which becomes ‘did’.Both regular and irregular verbs are easy to learn in their imperfect or ‘simple past’ form, as they don’t change depending on who they relate to.This means you can have:I walkedYou walkedHe/she walkedThey walkedWe walkedBut you can also have:I didYou didHe/she didThey didWe didOf course, there has to be an exception to this rule, and in this case, it happens to be the verb ‘to beâ €™, which has two imperfect forms: ‘was’ and ‘were’.I wasYou wereHe/she wasThey wereWe wereProblems arise in spelling when it comes to generating the imperfect form of an irregular verb.A good example of just how much the infinitive and imperfect form can differ is the verb ‘to buy’.This is because ‘I buy’ becomes ‘I bought’ â€" which looks nothing like its infinitive.An even more striking verb is ‘to seek’, which becomes ‘sought’.It’s important not to be put off by the spelling of these verbs, and be thankful that you don’t have to conjugate them for each pronoun as you have to in so many other languages.When it comes to how to learn the forms of these verbs as well as their sometimes-ridiculous spelling, there are many methods you can use.English subtitles could be the key to learning English spelling! ¦ source: Pixabay - StockSnapSome people test themselves with online quizzes and grammar exercises in preparation for the grammar section of English exams, whereas others do their best to absorb as much information as possible through surrounding themselves with English language material.Even watching English TV and films with the subtitles on can help you get used to how pronunciation and spelling links together in English.This way, you will be able to rely on your natural instinct rather than inconsistent ‘rules’ when it comes to spelling, as well as improving your English speaking and listening skills as you study English.No matter whether English is your native or second language, English spelling is anything but a walk in the park, but improving your general language skills as you learn slang and work on your comprehension of idiomatic expressions and phrases to become fluent really is all down to practice.So if you aim to learn to speak English as a second language, you'll need to get the hang of the tricky details including spelling. Why not carry a dictionary with you to perfect your daily language.There are plenty of ways you can practice your English and improve your overall English skills including practising  speaking English and not relying on your native language as well as getting the most from your English lessons by learning grammar rules through studying English literacy and getting used to English media.With the right attitude and a good amount of motivation, you’ll soon be on your way to spelling success and 0 mistakes!

Inversely Proportional Symbol Online Tutoring

Inversely Proportional Symbol Online Tutoring We use the symbol show inverse proportion. is a Greek alphabet and it is pronounced as alpha. Inverse proportion is represented using the inversely proportional symbol as follows: p (1 / q) This representation shows that the variable p is inversely proportional to q. That means as the value of p increases, the value of q decreases. When the value of p decreases, the value of q increases with it. Example 1: A car starts from a point A and reaches another point B. During its journey from A to B, it covers a distance d. It takes time t to cover the distance d. Express the relation between the variable d and t using the inversely proportional symbol. Solution: For the moving car, as the time of journey increases the distance d decrease. Thus d and t have inverse proportionality relation with respect to each other. We can represent this relation using the inverse proportionality symbol as follows: d (1 / t) Example 2: A contractor takes work of painting a building. He employs n number of men to do the work. He needs to complete the work in time t. He sees that the work is running behind schedule, so he employs more men, thus increasing the number n. Express the relation between the variable n and t using the sign of inverse proportion. Solution: As the number of men (n) increases, the time taken (t) to complete the work decreases. Thus n and t are in inverse proportion. We can express the relation as: n (1 / t)

What Can I Expect From Life Coaching Sessions

What Can I Expect From Life Coaching Sessions Preparing For  Life Coaching Sessions ChaptersWhat is a Life Coach?Think About What You Want From CoachingGo In With An Open MindProcesses and TechniquesOutcome of a Life Coaching SessionWhat Your Relationship with Your Coach is LikeDo Life Coaches Have Qualifications?Once you've decided a career coach is the way to go and you've scheduled your first session you’ll want to make the most of your time and your money!Before you meet with a coach, take some time to prepare. If you don't know where to start, it's perfectly OK to show up empty-handed and let the coach guide you. However, good preparation can make the process easier and get you a closer to reaching your goals, faster.  We’ve compiled some tips to help you prepare.Think About What You Want From CoachingIdentify how you want the coach to help you. Do you need to improve your CV? Do you want to achieve a work goal, a health goal or find love? Whatever it is you need to decide what it is you want from a coach. The clearer you are the easier it will be for a co ach to help you. Do Some Self-AssessmentBefore seeing a coach to clarify your goals, do some initial self-assessment. Ask yourself the following questions and take some notes: What do you enjoy doing? What are you naturally good at? What do other people say are your greatest strengths? What's most important to you in life? What motivates you in life? Share these answers with your coach. They will serve as a good starting point for further assessment. Go In With An Open MindBy choosing to work with a life coach, you're taking a leap into an exciting opportunity that could really make a difference in your life. Remember to keep an open mind and take the guidance of your career coach seriously. Your coach will ask you to do things that are challenging or outside your comfort zone. This won’t be easy but it will be worth it when you can work towards your goals.   The coach won’t force you to decide on anything until you are capable. Sessions are confidential to enable you to investi gate your thoughts, opinions, beliefs and values.At your life coaching session, you should already have the motivation to work with the coach and be truthful concerning your aspirations for your life. Once your life coach understands your current situation, they will guide you through a positive process aimed at making internal and constructive changes. Go into coaching with an open mind (Source: avi_acl)Do Life Coaches Have Qualifications?Currently, in the UK, life coaching is an unregulated profession. This essentially means that anyone can call themselves a life coach. Because of this, it is essential you do your research.Having said that, many coaches are associated with professional affiliations that include published codes of standard set procedures and moral values. Many of the institutions offer certification to guarantee that their associates are prepared enough to be employed as life coaches. To be given their credentials, life coaches must have a mandatory number of train ing and coaching practice hours. For example, to achieve certification as a professional certified coach from the International Coach Federation (ICF), an individual must accumulate a minimum number of coaching and training hours.Make sure you find the right coach for you. Search online directories and organise a meeting before you commit to a coach. You should feel comfortable with your coach.Choosing the right life coach can make a significant difference in your outlook, energy, stability and happiness in life.

6 Bands Wed Like To Eat On Thanksgiving

6 Bands Wed Like To Eat On Thanksgiving Suzy S. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and all around the U.S. people are scrambling to get the last-minute ingredients for the big meal.   Of course, if youve already done your grocery shopping or if youre lucky enough to have someone else doing the cooking this year sit back, relax, turn on the tunes and take a look at this list we found over at Loudwire.   Here are some bands wed love to invite to our Thanksgiving feast this year: 1. Buckcherry You may think of Warrant when you think of cherry pie, but for the ultimate cherry pie we only use the best, Buckcherry. Frontman Josh Todd and his crew are as sweet as can be since not only did they tour nonstop in 2011 but they also held a charity concert earlier this year for a great cause. If Buckcherry isnt your cherry of choice, theres always Black Stone Cherry. 2. Meatloaf Forget the turkey, this Thanksgiving is all about Meat Loaf. The artist known as Meat Loaf, whose birth name is Marvin Lee Aday, is not only a successful musician but a bit of a veteran actor, making appearances in films such as The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Wayne’s World and Fight Club just to name a few. He even showed off his own cooking skills as a contestant on the most recent season of Celebrity Apprentice. 3. Pearl Jam Most people can’t have their biscuits without some sugary jam. Pearl Jam have been rocking since the early 90s and gave Nirvana a run for its money during the height of the grunge music era. PJ just celebrated their 20th anniversary with a festival in Wisconsin and a documentary film. Our list would be incomplete if we were to leave out Eddie Vedder and the rest of the sweet Jam. 4. Korn Corn is a great side dish for any feast whether it’s frozen, in a can or on a cob. But when corn becomes Korn, it turns into delish dish of nu-metal goodness. The bands upcoming album ‘The Path of Totality’ incorporates dub-step into the mix, adding a new chapter to the storied career of Korn. With a new single called Narcissistic Cannibal, we just hope Korn stick to eating a traditional meal at Thanksgiving this year. 5. Red Hot Chili Peppers For the lovers of spicy food, no meal would be complete with some Red Hot Chili Peppers, which spices up any of the dishes on this list for Thanksgiving. This band remains as flavorful today as they were when they first started out in 1983. Jump ahead to 2011 where they have released their 10th studio album ‘I’m With You.’ Let’s face it, who doesn’t like a little spice in their life â€" whether it’s on their plate or on their iPod! 6. Smashing Pumpkins Pumpkin Pie anyone? What Thanksgiving dinner is complete without a little bit of the seasons favorite dessert. And how do you get the filling for this delicious treat â€" by Smashing Pumpkins, of course. What other bands would you add to the list?   If you can think of any, stop by our Facebook page and leave a quick comment.   Have a safe, happy and filling Thanksgiving! Like these posts?   Sign up to receive daily updates right to your inbox!   Click here to subscribe.

Taking Great Photos with Smartphones

Taking Great Photos with Smartphones How to Take Great Photos With Your Smartphone ChaptersThe Smartphones with the Best CameraWhat Are the Modes on Smartphone Cameras?Which Are the Best Smartphone Filters?10 Tips for Taking Nice Photos with Your Smartphone“You don't take a photograph, you make it.” - Ansel AdamsTaking great photos is within everyone’s reach. 95% of people in the UK own a mobile phone and an increasing number of them are smartphones meaning that anyone can now take photos whenever they want.This allows them to express their creativity as long as they understand the depth of field, framing, zoom, editing, and how to perfectly capture their subjects.So how can you take great photos with your smartphones? How can you carefully take aesthetically-pleasing photos?In this article, we’re going to take a quick look at how to get the most out of your smartphone when it comes to photography. AllanPhotography Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NatashaPhotography Teacher 5.00 (7) £55/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tuto rs TimothyPhotography Teacher 5.00 (5) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Anosh nadeemPhotography Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ZangmoPhotography Teacher 5.00 (6) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RosiePhotography Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MattPhotography Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AndyPhotography Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsThe Smartphones with the Best CameraSmartphones are quickly becoming everyone’s best friends, especially when it comes to taking great photos. Of course, if you want to take great photos, your smartphone will have to have a great camera. When it comes to taking photos with a smartphone, you need to choose the right one. Apple, Samsung, Huawei, and many others make smartphones with great cameras. (Source: laura6)You need to work out which smartphones have the best cameras on them. You can shoot photos with your smartphone using the flash or just natural light.Here are some smartphones with good cameras:Apple iPhone 11 Pro, a smartphone with a professional-grade camera built-in.Huawei P30 Pro, a versatile smartphone that takes great photos both during the day and at night.Google Pixel 4 XL, a good smartphone with a great portrait mode.Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus, a great phone with 4 cameras that take sharp pictures.Google Pixel 3A/3A XL, great value for money and a good smartphone for those wanting to start with photography.Xiaomi Mi Note 10, with 5 cameras, this smartphone will produce fantastic photos.Any of these phones will take decent photos if you know how to use them correctly.What Are the Modes on Smartphone Cameras?“A portrait is not made in the camera but on either side of it.” - Edward Steichen To get the most out of your smartphone camera, you need to be shooting in the right mode. (Source: Pexels)Have you found the perfect smartphone?  Are you ready to get some great photos?Perfect! Now you need to get to know your smartphone.A smartphone camera will have different modes with different uses and functions and you’ll need to get to know them if you want to get the most out of your photography. While each smartphone won’t have the same modes, a lot of them are commonly found on most models.Classic camera mode. This is usually the mode that’s active when you turn on your smartphone’s camera.Selfie mode. Since most smartphones have a selfie or front-facing camera, selfie mode allows you to take a photo of yourself while looking at the screen.Night mode. This mode is designed for low-light and increased contrast in the dark.HDR (High Dynamic Range) mode. This mode allows you to improve the overall quality of a photo by taking a few snaps to make into a single photo.Port rait mode. Whether you’re in the default mode or selfie mode, this mode is designed to take better pictures of people.Square mode. This mode allows you to take square photos, which is particularly useful for social networks like Instagram.Panoramic mode. This mode allows you to take super-wide or super-tall photos of landscapes, for example.Video mode. While not a photo mode, this mode will be found in the camera settings.Slow-motion or fast-motion mode. This is another video mode that alters the playback speed of recorded footage.As you’ll have understood, if you want to take good photos, you’ll need to use the right tools and modes on your smartphone’s camera. The different modes on smartphone cameras are also a great place for aspiring photographers to start. Whether you’re taking close-ups or entire landscapes, smartphone cameras are often more versatile than they look on the surface.Most smartphones have a good digital camera lens and settings that you can alter to ch ange the shutter speed, white balance, or focal length.Which Are the Best Smartphone Filters?After you’ve picked the right mode and taken your photo, you can go a step further by changing the style of your photo in just a few clicks. A filter is a quick and easy way to get the most out of your photography. (Source: Alexas_Fotos)How?With filters, most smartphone cameras can make your holiday snaps or portraits more colourful or beautiful.There are a few filters on smartphones you can apply to photos. These include:Black and white filter. This will add a greyscale filter to your photos.Sepia filter. This can give photos a dated look.Warm filter. This will increase warm colours like reds, yellows, and oranges.Cold filter. This will increase cold colours like greens and blues.High contrast filter. This will increase the saturation and contrast of the photos, making the colours more vibrant.Colour filters. These filters tend to be more for fun and apply a single colour over your photo.Depending on the brand and model of your smartphone, you may have more or fewer filters. These allow you to create great photos with little effort.10 Tips for Taking Nice Photos with Your SmartphoneIn addition to filters, we have even mo re advice for taking great photos with your smartphone. These tips are useful for most brands and models and can help you to take better photos.Here’s how to take better snaps! Since your smartphone goes with you everywhere, you should learn how to take better photos with it. (Source: reenablack)Firstly, avoid backlighting. Similarly, make sure that the lens is clean as it means you’ll have less to clean up once you’ve taken the photo. To take better photos, you can get clip-ons and accessories like fish-eye or wide-angle lenses. Similarly, it’s better to use accessories to get the desired effect when you take the photo rather than add it later.Focus on the sharpness and tones when taking your photos so you won’t have to add them in Photoshop later. You need to think carefully when taking your photos. Think about what you’re using your photos for as photos for your albums won’t be the same as your photos for social media.Of course, since it doesn’t cost anything to take photos with your smartphone, take as many photos as you like and just delete the ones you aren’t going to use. This will give you plenty of good photos to choose from.Avoid u sing the zoom as this can pixelate the image. Similarly, try not to rush your photos. Many subjects won’t be going anywhere quickly, especially if you’re taking pictures of landscapes.Make use of the HDR mode. While moving as little as possible, your smartphone will take several photos and combine them into a single photo with the best possible lighting.Finally, avoid using the flash when possible if you want natural-looking photos. If the lighting isn’t ideal, try using night mode or just taking the photo the next day.With just a few tips and tricks, you’ll see the quality of your smartphone photos greatly increase. The rest is up to you!If you'd like more help with photography, there are many talented and experienced tutors on Superprof who'd be willing to help you. There are three main types of tutorial and you can choose the one which best suits your preferred learning style and your budget.Group tutorials tend to be the cheapest and best for those on a budget as all the students in the tutorial are sharing the cost of the tutor's time and expertise. However, this does mean you'll get less one-on-one time with your tutor and the lessons won't be tailored to just you and what you want to learn.Online tutorials tend to be slightly more expensive than group tutorials but are just between you and your tutor. This means you can benefit from tailored lessons and learning programmes as well as enjoying the tutor's undivided attention throughout your tutorials. However, without the tutor physically being there with you, it can make certain hands-on aspects of learning a little bit more difficult.Finally, face-to-face tutorials have the benefits of the previous two types of tutorials without the drawbacks of the tutor not being there or there being other students in the tutorial vying for your tutor's attention. If you want to learn with these types of tutorials, however, you will have to pay more than the other two types as you'll be paying for your tutor' s expertise, travel costs, and all the time they put in outside of your tutorials to ensure that they're tailored to you and exactly what you want to learn about.Think carefully about which type is best for you and discuss all this with any potential tutors before hiring them!

How my trips to Iceland have enhanced my tutoring

How my trips to Iceland have enhanced my tutoring Following his trips to Iceland every summer, Chemistry tutor Andrew M has been able to imbue his lessons with fantastic examples and anecdotes from his time there.   Here, Andrew recounts his trips, discusses how it has benefited his tutoring, and, most importantly, shows how he has used his experience in Iceland to engage students: Students perform better at subjects they enjoy and have a genuine interest in. That is a well-known fact. However, one subject in particular does seem to have a problem stoking the imagination of its students: Science. “Why are we studying this?” “What relevance does this have for me?” “This is boring!” These are all questions science teachers dread to hear. Classroom teachers can often turn to the classic classroom demonstration:   alkali metals in a water bath to watch it fizz and pop, ester synthesis to smell the fruity aroma.  Students want to see science, touch it, hold it their hands! From personal experience, these demos do make a difference…for some.  But what can the science home tutor do to spark an interest in the subject? Iceland, the global science class room 3 years ago, I took a summer job leading large groups of students on scientific tours around Iceland.  As well as exploring all 4 corners of this mystical land, I have had the honour of meeting the president of Iceland, NASA scientists and even Barack Obama’s Chief Science Advisor, Harvard physicist John P. Holdren. Nature really has had a field day with the so called ‘land of fire and ice’. The science behind its awe-inspiring landscapes has provided the perfect educational resource to rouse an interest from my home tuition students.    Therefore, a quick anecdote, a video clip or even a basalt rock sample to supplement the curriculum teaching really does work wonders! Engaging students through experiences For example, take climate change.  This is such a hot topic but seems to be taught in an unnecessarily dry way.   The greenhouse effect, carbon dioxide, rising global temperatures â€" you can just imagine a student flicking to the next page of the textbook and yawning. However, show them a clip you took of a gigantic glacier melting in front of your eyes, the roar as a huge chunk of brilliant blue ice tears away and crashes into the sea, and the questions will come flooding in: “Why is that happening? How big is the largest glacier, why is the ice blue?” To answer these questions the tutor must talk of hydrogen bonding, ideal gas laws, the vibration of molecules and refraction. “By the way did you know Iceland, a country just outside the arctic circle, grows all its own coffee, bananas and tomatoes?” Cue the explanation of green houses and geothermic activity. Linking in topics In essence, we are covering a lot of GCSE content, and dare I say, enjoying doing so! I could go on and on about the Northern Lights, geothermal power stations, bubbling sulphur mud pots, exploding geysers, tectonic plates…the list is endless. But all of these can be linked to what the student has learned in class and give context to otherwise abstract concepts. I once took a sample of the ash produced by the infamous 2010 volcanic eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull to a student who hated science with a passion. As soon as I explained what this strange dark power was, his eyes lit up. “This is the stuff that stopped all the planes?” he asked. That lesson we covered kinetic, thermal and mechanical energy. That same student magically seemed to lose his hatred for science and even persuaded his parents to take a short family holiday to Reykjavik. There has been quite a lot of talk recently about the decline in the studying of science by young people. For me, the solution is simple: take them to Iceland! Let them see science, touch it, taste it and smell it! Andrew M is one of our top Chemistry tutors on Tutorfair. An experienced tutor and teacher, in the summer he also leads science-based tutors around Iceland. You can find out more about him and contact him  by visiting his Tutorfair profile.

MyGuru Announces Partnership with Elemental Learning

MyGuru Announces Partnership with Elemental Learning Improving Academic Performance MyGuru recently signed a partnership with Elemental Learning, a Naperville-based tutoring company that shares its vision for high quality, affordable 1-1 tutoring. Unlike MyGuru, Elemental Learning focuses on meeting the educational needs of K-8 students. It accomplishes this by using only certified teachers, who it screens by requesting references and discussing previous tutoring experiences and teaching philosophies. This is a perfect fit with MyGuru, which focuses on older high school students (particularly for ACT and SAT prep) through graduate school students with 1-1 tutoring and test prep. Elemental Learning’s typical student might be in 5th grade â€" while many of MyGuru’s students are in college or graduate school taking advanced statistics, business, or science courses. MyGuru also maintains an active focus on GMAT, LSAT, MCAT, and GRE tutoring solutions.Details of the partnership include the following: All of MyGuru’s appropriate tutors (i.e., those who are certified teachers), will be available to work with Elemental Learning students when needed MyGuru will be Elemental Learning’s exclusive test prep provider in the city of Chicago and its Northwestern and Northern suburbs The companies will be able to refer students to one another whenever tutor location or availability becomes an issue for either one Elemental Learning is a women-owned company with branches in several states. Visit www.elemental-learning.com to learn more.

How to Keep a Language Journal 6 Ideas for Endless Entries

How to Keep a Language Journal 6 Ideas for Endless Entries How to Keep a Language Journal: 6 Ideas for Endless Entries What did Albert Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci and Mark Twain have in common?Well, besides the hideous facial hair.They all kept journals! They wrote regularly about their thoughts, plans and experiences.And its safe to say they were all pretty smart, successful people.Why not take after them?In this post, well walk you through the virtues of keeping a language journal. Why should you do it and what are its best practices?Then well give you six inspiring ideas for  effective journaling every day, without writers block. Why Should I Keep a Language Journal?First of all, a language journal gives you a space to express your anxieties,  thoughts and insights as youre learning. The language learning path is never a straight one. It has hairpin curves, rough patches and humps from time to time. Writing is cathartic and your journal can become your emotional outlet during the ups and downs.Deathly afraid of talking to native speakers? Well, why don’t you write about it? And when you know t hat the fear is there, maybe you can then do something positive about it.Second, a journal is great for language review. Besides serving as a written record of your day and your musings (very much like a diary) a journal can also be topical in nature. A scientist can write about what happens in the lab. For example, Marie Curie’s journals are full of notes on her discoveries about radioactivity. (In fact, her notebooks are kept in lead-lined boxes because theyre highly radioactive. You need special suits and a waiver to peruse them!)For our use, it need not be so dramatic. You’ll be doing language-related entries, writing about words and phrases you find interesting, grammar rules that defy explanation or cultural tidbits that push the limits on what you thought was normal. When you read the entries at a later date, theyll serve as a great review for everything youve learned.Third,  the very act of writing itself serves as a memory-enhancing exercise. It gives you a closer relat ionship to the material and it’s an extra layer of processing that your brain goes through.When Should I Write?Should you write daily? Three times a week? Or only when the mood strikes you?Ultimately, its a personal decision based on your goals and schedule. That said, there’s an argument for treating journal entries like fresh breadâ€"made daily.We just talked about the benefits of keeping a journal. Now, wouldn’t you want to enjoy those benefits on a daily basis, instead of just once or twice a week? Daily journaling lets you grapple with language concepts when theyre still fresh.The danger of waiting for the writing bug to bite you is that it may never come. And once it comes, you mayve already forgotten what you wanted to write about. Doing short daily entries gives you a more detailed record of your progress.What did you learn today? Write about it! Even for just five minutes. Don’t worry if it seems insignificant. Seven seemingly insignificant entries a week will snowb all quickly.Daily journaling also builds positive study habits. If you’re writing five minutes everyday, you’re also telling yourself on some level, “Man, I need some study time!” Because whatll you write about when you haven’t even cracked that German book in weeks?!Tips for Effective JournalingDon’t forget the title and the date.You already know why its important to date your entries, right? If you don’t, you’ll never be able to piece together your language journey, especially if you decide not to write every day. Dates are important because theyre timestamps of your progress. They let you know the chronology and pace of your learning.While you’re at it, why not include the exact time you started writing? When you read the entry later, the time will take you back to that moment. (It’ll make you feel warm and fuzzy inside.)Many dont bother with titles, but they actually make your entries more interesting. An entry titled: Why I Hate the Spanish Word Con  (With) will clickbait you into re-reading your experience and re-learning along the way. Plus, titles really come in handy when youre looking for a specific entry. They’re great time savers, so you should make your titles highly descriptive of the content for that day.Write fast!Silence the inner critic, the grammar fascist, the perfectionist who wants every word and every line to be perfect. Dont get sidetracked with making the words fancy or thinking up a synonym for a common phrase. Get in there and write!Writing fast, without regard for aesthetics, allows you to capture those thought bubbles before they burst and disappear. Know that theres no judge, no penalty and no contest. Erasures are fine. Scribbling almost cryptic fonts can be forgiven.Plus, a fast first draft gives you a great opportunity to self-correct afterwards and catch your bad habits.If you want a clean copy of your work, you might want to start with a loose piece of paper to write the draft. Transfer it to your journa l once you’ve made your corrections.For those of you who decide to keep things digital in the first place, muddled scribblings might never be an issue. Check out LifeJournal and Day One for some online journaling options.Read what you’ve written in the past.As noted earlier,  writing is just the first part of the process. You need to review your entries, and often! Each time you leaf through the pages, something new will jump out at youâ€"a mistake you didnt catch before, different words youd use this time, or just a new way of looking at thingsâ€"much like how watching “Titanic” gives you an ever growing admiration for Kate Winslet. (Ahem!)Dont wait for three months before you start re-reading what youve written. You might even write a reaction to what youd written, say, a week ago.Or, did you journal about a language question or point of confusion previously? Address it in a different entry now that you know better!Write for two audiences: you and future you.Writing a jour nal is like talking to yourself.Therell come a time when you re-read some of your entries and you wont know what the heck youre talking about. So you need to give your future self some context on the issue or topic youre dealing with.If the entry is about why you’re changing your French tutor, for example, then give some clear reasons why you’re doing so. Because future you will have forgotten just how frustrating it felt when he failed to show up on Skype.If your entry is about a grammar question, try to state your question as explicitly as possibleâ€"not just a broad complaint like, the past tense is so confusing!Spit the details.Make your entries highly immersive. That means talking about what you see, hear, feel, taste and smell.Let’s say you’re talking about the productive time you’ve had learning Italian while in line for coffee. Write how devastatingly cold it was while you waited in line, flipping through your FluentU flashcards. Then talk about how warm and toasty it felt once you finally got in and were greeted by the rich aroma of your favorite brew.These lines dont directly correlate with language learning, but they do punch up your entries. Better yet, write the whole entry in your target language to test your vocabulary and stretch your writing skills.Commit!This ones a biggie! A journal is a commitment.I don’t want to scare you from starting one. Instead, I want to let you know that this is one of life’s activities that always gives back.The time you put into maintaining a journal will always be worth the benefits youll get. The rewards come in the form of a better understanding of yourself, a better understanding of the target language and a better idea of what works for you as a language learner.Let’s say two people decide to learn Mandarin. Theyre both starting from scratch and both use the same learning material. But one decides to maintain a journal, while the other doesnt. I’ll wager my final dollar and say that the forme r will have a faster, more rewarding language learning experience.How to Keep a Language Journal: 6 Ideas for Endless EntriesOkay, you’re sold! You’re going to keep a language journal. Then comes the vital question: whatll you write about?1. Record milestones on your learning journey.What topics have you learned so far? What areas of the language do you have difficulty with?  Are there achievements that you should be celebrating with a cone of strawberry ice cream? Write about them no matter how trivial they might seem. They can serve as your entry for the day and encourage you to move forward.In addition to updates of what’s happened, talk about the milestones youre working towards. What are your language goals? So you want to tackle prepositions next? Why and how soon?The simple act of recording these plans can prevent procrastination.2. Play with new words.The best way to remember new vocabulary is to use it. Here are some ideas to play with new words in your journal entrie s:Write a story or daily diary entry that naturally uses the word(s) you learned that day.Collect word families  or words that are related to a certain topicâ€"beverages, for example. For Spanish, you can easily create a chart or vocabulary list for words like cerveza  (beer), botella  (bottle) and jugo  (juice).Research a single word or phrase that particularly interests you. Maybe it has a nice ring to it and you like how it’s pronounced. Make that one the topic of a whole entry. Research its etymology, usage, synonyms and the different contexts its used in.3. Look for activities thatll turn into journal entries.Go to a local restaurant where they speak your target language and serve its cuisine. Go to a foreign language bookstore and pick something up.  Have coffee with a native speaker. Then write about the experience.In short, put yourself on the language learning train and watch as future entries present themselves to you.Theres an added benefit here. Not only will this give you more to write about in your journal, but itll also get you immersed in your target language in your day-to-day life. You might already know that immersion (surrounding yourself with the written and spoken language) is one of the most effective and fastest ways to get fluent.Thats what makes FluentU an especially useful tool here. FluentU provides authentic foreign language videos, like movie trailers, music videos, inspiring talks and more, thatve been transformed into language learning experiences. Each video has interactive captions, flashcards and exercises so you actively learn new words while absorbing the native sounds of the language.Just like your journal, its totally personalizedâ€"choose videos based on genre and learning level, and FluentU will also suggest new ones based on what youve watched.Want to watch the full movie of that trailer FluentU showed you? Keep tripping up on the same word in different videos?  Its the perfect bite-sized, fun and immersive learning practice that you can journal about every day. Check out how it works for free with a FluentU trial.4. Compare grammar rules to your native language.Yes, even grammar can be an interesting topic for your journal.How?You can compare the rules with those of your first language. How are they similar or different? Does your native language have an equivalent grammatical mechanism? Are there exceptions to the rules that surprise you?For example, a Chinese learner might write about how plurals are expressed very differently than they are in English. Or a Romance language learner might simply complain for a page and a half about all the grammatical genders that need to be memorized for every noun.While standard grammar rules are definitely useful, this act of comparison makes the grammar seem more relevant, more immediate. Its just a different way of doing things that youll master before too long.5. Write about your thoughts and feelings.What did you think about your new language partner? Did you feel a connection between you two? Or how about that new textbook you bought onlineâ€"was it everything you thought it would be? Think about the movie you just watched in your target language. Did you like how it ended?Write about your feelings and you’ll quickly find out, after a sentence or two, that you only have a cursory knowledge of what youre actually thinking and feeling. Yeah, you know you don’t like the book you bought  but then ask “why?”Maybe youll realize that you dont like the book because the vocabulary isnt relevant to your life. Write down that insight! Youre now in a better position to pick materials that actually bring you closer to your goals.As you get more and more advanced, try to write these entries at least partially in your target language. Dont be afraid to stop and look up the new words you need to express your full thoughts.6. Write about cultural customs.How many cheek kisses are appropriate when greeting friends in Barcelona? What are t he mechanics of bowing in Korea?  What gestures should I never make in Italy?Studying language is tied to learning about culture. So what elements of the target culture surprise you? Do you agree with them? Do you think theyre possible to adopt in your everyday life?No matter the language you’re studying, its associated culture(s) will have some interesting nuggets that are worthy of a journal entry.Writing about these things will help you widen your cultural horizon and melt your biases, making you more appreciative of others. And if that’s the only benefit you get while maintaining a journal, itll still be worth it. But you already know there’s more to it than that.Just knowing there’s a wonderful culture and an awesome group of native speakers behind the language gives you more motivation to work towards fluency.So go right ahead, start keeping a journal today! Albert Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, Mark Twain and Marie Curie did it to their profound benefit. So should you!J ournaling is your partner in language learning. The time and effort you put into it will be richly rewarded. You have to trust the greats on this one. And One More ThingLet FluentU inspire your journaling starting today. FluentU makes it possible to learn languages  from music videos, commercials, news and inspiring talks.With FluentU, you learn real languagesâ€"the same way that real people speak them. FluentU has a wide variety of videos, like movie trailers, funny commercials and web series, as you can see here:FluentU App Browse ScreenFluentU has interactive captions that let you tap on any word to see an image, definition, audio and useful examples. Now native language content is within reach with interactive transcripts.Didnt catch something? Go back and listen again. Missed a word? Hover over or tap on the subtitles to instantly view definitions.FluentU Interactive TranscriptsYou can learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentUs quiz mode. Swipe left or right to see   more examples for the word you’re learning.FluentU Has Quizzes for Every VideoAnd FluentU always keeps track of vocabulary that you’re learning. It uses that vocab to give you a 100% personalized experience by recommending videos and examples.