Thursday, March 26, 2020

Chemistry Unit 3 Test Answers

Chemistry Unit 3 Test AnswersIn the world of Chemistry Unit 3, you might be surprised to find that the questions are very vague. Because the focus of this unit is on experimentation, students have very little experience in this area and they're not experienced enough to be able to answer a lot of the specific questions they encounter. This article will help to shed some light on some of the questions you'll encounter.The first question you might encounter is 'What are oxidation states?'. This is one of the most important concepts in Chemistry Unit 3. To avoid the confusion of having confusing definitions, many teachers use several images to describe oxidation states. Here are some common images: oxidation process, oxidation state, redox reactions and the Iron-Plate cycle.For this question, we'll need to provide some examples. As an example, you might ask, 'Does oxidation mean that iron atoms form new iron atoms or does it mean that the molecules of oxygen atoms in the iron atom split off?'The best answer to this question is that oxidation means that the iron atoms change into new iron atoms. However, there is a major difference between oxidation and reduction.Reduction describes the process by which one atom dissolves in another. Oxygen atoms (reduction) give up their electrons to molecules of oxygen (oxidation). For example, water (reduction) is a gas, while steam (oxidation) is a liquid. If you have ever tried boiling water on a stovetop, you've used the chemical reaction of reduction.Other reactions have only one step, such as molecular diffusion and molecular collisions, where the nucleus of the molecule changes. A single atom can't affect another atom.Many of the chemicals that are used in the chemical reactions used to make the foods we eat, like hydrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide, are actually formed in this way. You'll also be asked about reactions like alkylation, carboxylation and amination. These reactions can take place in two different ways.

Friday, March 6, 2020

Organization Tips for High School Students - Private Tutoring

Organization Tips for High School Students BobbiM Mar 9, 2013 Organization Tips for High School Students Okay. So, I asked my daughter, Kameron, who is a Freshman in High School how she stays organized in High School. And, being the awesome daughter that she is, she went ahead and wrote this article. Now, you need to know something about Kameron: she is very organized, is a member of Key Club, is really involved in Church, and help her 8 younger siblings with everything. She pretty much rocks the house. I hope this article helps you as these tips have helped her. Do you ever have trouble staying organized with school? And with school moving so fast, do you ever feel like by Wednesday you practically dont know whats gong on? Here are some tried and true tips to help you stay organized. Tips for Getting Organized for High School Students Go through your binder after receiving every report card. Since youve already gotten your report card you can get rid of old assignments. Go through all your papers and notes and toss what you dont need. If youre not sure about something, just keep it. It wont hurt to carry that around. Clean your room weekly. Have you ever let your room get so dirty, you can hardly see the floor? How did you do that week at school? Likely not very well. If your room is cluttered, your mind will be too. Do a weekly deep clean of your room. The first time it will be rough, but after that it will just become routine. Make your bed, clear your desk, dustnow you are ready to take on the world, let alone school! Make lists. It will help you to stay organized if you make lists. Make a list of homework assignments to do, a list of after school activities, make a list of things you want to do in general. This will help you remember all you need to do at a certain time period. Get enough sleep. This will keep you more awake during the day and aware. You will be ready to do the tasks assigned to you and have a more pleasant day. It will also be easier to wake up in the morning. I know that when I wake up late it starts my day off on the wrong foot. Give yourself plenty of time to get ready in the morning and dont forget to eat breakfast! Plan your weekends during the week. Throughout the week, think about and write down all the things you wish to get done on the weekend. Then you can have that goal in mind and you are less likely to forget all about school the moment the Friday bell rings. Plan your week on the weekends. Sometime during the weekend, plan your week ahead. What do you want to get accomplished this week? What days will you be absolutely swamped with activities? What days will you actually get some time to yourself? By doing this, you can start your week off right and know what to expect. Acting on these suggestions might be difficult at first, but after awhile, these will become habit and much easier to apply to your life. And you can see your life changed as you become more organized!

The Truth about Willy Wonka - English Listening Exercise

The Truth about Willy Wonka - English Listening Exercise As long as a href=http://blankonblank.org/Blank on Blank/a  keeps producing these great videos, well keep making English listening exercises with them. Theyre great!This weeks video features an interview with Gene Wilder, an American actor who has played many roles, perhaps most famously as the original Willy Wonka from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. In the video below he talks about how and why he started acting, and reveals some interesting information about how he influenced the Willy Wonka film. iframe src=//www.youtube.com/embed/8PUW2POEjX4 width=560 height=315 frameborder=0 allowfullscreen=allowfullscreen/iframeListening Questions. Answer the questions below in comments, and well respond.1. He looked ___ in it.2. What does the word above mean?3. What joke does Mel Brooks make?4. Dont ever get angry with your mother, because you might kill her. He was not very _______ _______. 5.  How did Wilder know when hed said something really funny to his mom?6. Why does Wilder act ? (He doesnt actually give the reason, but he implies it.)7. Why did he want to change the beginning of Willy Wonka?nbsp;Thanks! Below youll find the part of Willy Wonka that Gene Wilder references in the interview. iframe src=//www.youtube.com/embed/sz9jc5blzRM width=420 height=315 frameborder=0 allowfullscreen=allowfullscreen/iframe

Thursday, March 5, 2020

11 Job Application Mistakes And How To Fix Them

11 Job Application Mistakes And How To Fix Them Image: Glenn Carstens-Peters via https://unsplash.com/photos/npxXWgQ33ZQ Objective statements: too long, to use? If you opt to include an objective statement on your resume, make sure you keep it short and concise. These statements let hiring managers know what you are looking for in a specific position. However, it is crucial that you keep it short since it is supposed to be an overview. There are debates as to whether or not you should even use an objective statement. Choosing not to use one can free up some space for you to add more to your resume without going over the one-page limit. How to fix this mistake: If you choose to use an objective statement, make sure it is short, sweet, and to the point. If you are having doubts as to whether or not you should use one, it may be better to skip it altogether. Listing responsibilities of a job When you are applying for a job, you should be showing how previous job experiences have helped make you qualified for the job you are applying for. Simply listing a previous job or experience without explaining what you did on a daily basis does not show hiring managers how the experience or position will help you be successful in the position you are applying for. When listing responsibilities, make sure you use specific achievements and quantifications of your duties. Using numbers to showcase your duties and experience can help prove that you have been successful. How to fix this mistake: Make sure you list your daily responsibilities as well as any accomplishments that you had at a previous experience or position. Using high school experience in an entry-level position application When applying for college, you likely used the experiences you had in high school to help bolster your application. However, when applying for a professional job, it is important that you focus on what you accomplished during college, including student organizations and internships. Even if you were involved with relevant organizations in high school, hiring managers expect applicants to have experience from their college years that can translate into the job they are applying for. How to fix this mistake: Go through your resume and remove anything that you did in high school. Think of experiences that you had while in college and beyond to help bolster your resume with these things. Going on a tangent in your cover letter Like your resume, it is important to keep your cover letter short and sweet, ideally to one page since hiring managers have a ton of applications to sort through. While you should give specific examples of how you would be great for the job, it is important to keep your letter concise and to the point of what is in the job posting. You should also have a good opener and conclusion, but, again, keep these as short and clear as possible. How to fix this mistake: After writing your cover letter, go through and make sure it is one page or less. If it is longer, see what details you may have included that are not directly related to the job posting. Also, if you have gone on a tangent, even if it is related to a job posting, cut it down a bit. Image: Lee Campbell via https://unsplash.com/photos/6njoEbtarec Rushing through your application As a college student, you are busy with classes, organizations, and possibly part-time jobs. However, it is important that you take your time when you are writing your application. Hiring managers can tell if something was rushed through, and this sends the message that you do not want the job. Also, rushing through your application gives you a higher chance of grammatical errors. How to fix this mistake: Set aside time each week to apply for jobs. That way, you have a designated time to work on applications and you can avoid rushing through. This also gives you a chance to proofread your application and have someone else look over it once you edit it. Simply repeating information from your resume in your cover letter While your resume and cover letter should be consistent with much of the same information, avoid stating information from your resume in your cover letter word for word. Your cover letter the place for you to give examples of how your experiences and positions will help you in the position you are applying for. How to fix this mistake: Look at your resume and cover letter simultaneously. If you just rehashed the bullet points from your resume in your cover letter, shift your focus to how your previous experiences and positions will help you in the role you are applying for. Give specific examples of projects you worked on that relate to the job posting. Making formatting errors in your resume and cover letter When you are writing your cover letter, it is easy to be confused about how to write a professional cover letter, especially if it is your first time. Luckily, there are online resources that can help you out. Also, going to your school’s career center to get advice can be useful. Likewise, making your first resume can seem daunting, especially since there are so many examples online for a variety of careers. How to fix this mistake: Write your cover letter in the standard business letter format. If you look online, you can find examples of how to write in this way. For resumes, many word processing programs have templates that include resume formats. You may also be able to find an online template to download and use. Saving the template allows you to use it for future applications as well. Lying, intentionally or unintentionally Even if you make it through the application and interview process and end up with a job offer, lying on your resume will eventually bite you in the butt. When you are actually unable to do something you said or could or worked at a place you never have, the company you are applying with will find out and if you were offered the position, you will likely be fired. If the lie is unintentional and you catch it before the interview, be honest in the interview and tell the interviewer that you are sorry for making the mistake. How to fix the mistake: Be honest about your abilities upfront. It will be much more gratifying to get a job for what you can actually do than for what you lied about. If you make an unintentional mistake about a date or other detail, be honest upfront. The hiring managers will be grateful for your honesty and if not, it is not worth working there. To avoid unintentional mistakes altogether, give yourself plenty of time to apply. Proofread before submitting, and have someone you know and trust look over it as well. Other general fixes for your job application errors Most colleges and universities have career centers that help students with their resumes and cover letters for their applications. Individual majors or sections of your university might have career counselors for your specific major or career type, which will give you advice specific to your field. Make an appointment to have your documents checked out. Bring drafts of your document as well as the specific job posting so that the career counselor can look to make sure your application fits in with what the job posting is looking for. Job applications can be intimidating, especially when you are applying for your first major job. Knowing how to avoid common mistakes can help you stand out and boost your confidence in yourself and your application.

How 10 Amazing Polyglots Learn Languages (and You Can Too)

How 10 Amazing Polyglots Learn Languages (and You Can Too) Ever wondered how polyglots do it?Does your mouth water every time you read about  Luca Lampariello, who speaks more languages than he has fingers, or  Donovan Nagel who can order good food in practically any restaurant on this planet while engaging in playful banter with the waiter?You ask yourself, “How do these guys do it? How do they learn all these languages and stay sane at the same time?”More importantly, in the inner recesses of your head, you’re also asking that one hopeful  question: Can a mere mortal like me be like them?Well you’re in luck, because in this post, well take a look at 9 of the most famous polyglots online. We’ll get  a candid  peek inside their processes and techniques so that you, a mere mortal, can apply them in your own journey and become like the gods of language learning.But before we do that, let’s briefly answer the initial  question: is it even really possible to become a polyglot? Or is it within the reach of only the freaky few?Read on. Is It Possible to Be a Polyglot?Learning Language as a Child: The Formative YearsChildren didn’t learn their first language by logging into Paypal and paying for an online course. Nor did they borrow books from the language learning section of the library.Nope, the very first language acquisition technique was not reading. Not even imitation.It was listening.We are often impressed by the linguistic sophistication displayed by children. We marvel at how they are like sponges, observing and absorbing everything they hear.A one-year old is really no newbie when it comes to listening. He’s a veteran because he’s been doing that for over a year! In fact, even inside the womb, before birth, the listening started.And when they are born, they prefer the familiar voice of their mother over any soothing female voice in the room. They also prefer the language that  their parents speak. And as early as 4 months, its been shown that they are able to distinguish between French and English. In one study, 16 pregnant mothers were asked to read The Cat in the Hat to their unborn child twice a day for the final 7 weeks of pregnancy. (It was estimated that the infants were exposed to the story for approximately 5 hours.) After birth, the infants were found to display clear preference for The Cat in the Hat over another children’s classic: The King, the Mice, and the Cheeseâ€"a story-poem with a different meter and beat.Now what does that tell you about the simple effectiveness of consistent exposure when learning a language? Because really, each language is just a collection of different  tones, sounds, timbres, and rhythms.Incidentally, in today’s vaunted language programs, how many absolutely stress the importance of listening?What Brain Studies Say About You and MeBut if youre thinking language is just about lips and tongue vibrating to make distinctive sounds, you are quite off the mark. Go higher than the mouth a few inches, and you hit the motherload.Language is a brain thing.We are born with a language instinct. Our brains are naturally wired for language. They have the innate ability to process complex information in the form of sounds, gestures and context.This capacity for language extends throughout life. Which means, you can learn any language, at any age. This is possible because the brain is plastic. And no, I don’t mean plastic like those toys from China.Plasticity is the brain’s ability to make new neural connections. Continued research has found that this happens all  throughout a person’s lifetime. Your brain today is not the same one as it was last month.Neural connections are created regardless of age. You’ve heard about Grandma Moses, right? She started painting in her seventies. Why? Because she felt  there was nothing else to do! And from there, her own paintings showed her how much she still had to offer, even into old age.So yes, it is possible to be a polyglot. We have enough processing power in our brains for it .And if I were you, I’d really make a point of learning a new language ASAP. Not just because it can lead to  employment and earning opportunities, but because of its implications on aging. Studies have found that just by learning a second language, you can delay the onset of Alzheimer’s. Bilinguals are diagnosed 4 years later than monolinguals.If learning just one extra language can do  such good, can you imagine the host of other benefits a multilingual can have? (That is, in addition to doubling or tripling one’s romantic possibilities.)The Explosion of Language Resources OnlineAs we speak, the web is exploding with language learning tools such as  apps, translators, flashcards and ebooks. Many of them free. You owe it to yourself  to take full advantage.  You are living in an age where education and information are literally at  your fingertips.It used to be that youd need to travel to Europe or Asia, or Latin America and spend some months talking to locals in order to  ge t a feel for a  language.Not anymore. Today’s technology can get you in contact with (willing!) native speakers, who find it a joy to teach you their mother tongue. And best of all, you can learn your target  language  without spending a single cent, taking a single step or waiting a single minute.You can take that road to being a polyglot right this instant. It will be one of the best decisions you will ever make.In the next section, I will introduce you to 9 people who made that decision and never looked back.How Polyglots Do It: A Survey of Tips and TechniquesHere I’m going to  present to you 10 modern polyglots and we’re going to  look briefly at their core language learning techniques, processes and mindsets. How were they able to do it?Let’s begin:Olly Richards (I Will Teach You A Language)This champ  has 8 languages under his beltâ€"and counting!If this survey of polyglots is making you think that you need to travel widely and wildly to become one, then Olly should be a good example of how you can acquire languages without setting foot in  its country of origin.Although he learned in France, Brazil, Argentina and Japanâ€"he also learned Spanish, Portuguese and Cantonese without visiting those countries. (In fact, he was learning Cantonese in Quatar! Go figure.)A big part of Olly’s method is founded in psychology. He talks about mindsets so much because it can determine the success or failure of any language expedition. The moment things get tough, people with different mindsets react differently. He understands that language learning  is very difficult to start but very easy to drop. So he makes sure that his students are in tune with  the psychological and motivational aspects of learning a language.One  of the “ language hacks” Olly himself uses is the “No English For 1 Hour Rule.” It is pretty self-explanatory. In that span of 60 minutes (which could be shortened to even  5 minutes for absolute beginners), you abandon your first lan guage. It is definitely disconcerting at first, but it works because it forces you not only to use the language but also to think in the language.Another technique he uses to smoothly learn a paragraph in  the target language is  writing mini-speeches and rehearsing them over and over. So for example, you could be memorizing a whole paragraph about your hobbies in French.The advantage of studying a coherent paragraph is that you can put everything in context. You are able to remember more of the vocabulary and notice the grammar rules better. On top of that, you are learning to converse in longer forms, rather than in single sentences.To benefit from more of Ollys wisdom directly, you can jump on board with his Language Learning Foundations video course, in which he helps you get set up with specific methods for learning a language.He also shares his insights about how to learn foreign language grammar faster in his Grammar Hero series and how to become conversational in a snap via his Conversations courses.John Fotheringham (Language Mastery)John Fotheringham, who describes himself as a “languaholic”, hails from Seattle but has zipped through Japan, Bangladesh, China, and Taiwan learning, speaking and teaching languages.John is a distinguished contributor to FluentU, whose engaging videos resonate with Language Mastery’s tenet of “learning the languages in a fun way.”One of the things he believes in is that nothing in language should be learned out of context. Rote memorization won’t work. Beyond reading and speaking the words many, many times, vocabulary should be memorized in meaningful context. If your brain is going to have any chance of making neural connections and maintaining  them, you  should involve the 5 senses to imprint the language into your long-term memory. (Use mnemonics if you have to. The crazier, the better.)Speaking of memory, John believes in the Spaced Repetition System. It is an automatic memory-enhancing software that ensu res past vocabulary lessons are always fresh in your mind. By intermittently reminding you of them, words that you found difficult will be brought to your attention many times over, while words that you found easy will be displayed less.Finally, John also believes in the importance of using audio materials. And for you to get the most out of them, you have to listen to lessons that are just a little bit above your level. Overreaching can result in you getting discouraged, while materials that are too easy can quickly  become boring. By working on materials that are just slightly above your current level, you are giving yourself an enjoyable challenge that’s highly doable and highly motivating.Benny Lewis (Fluent in 3 Months)Benny runs the largest language learning blog on the web. He is fluent in 7 languages and even gestures the American Sign Language. For a fellow  who claims not to have the language learning “gene”, that is such a rockin’ accomplishment.Hes a globetrottin g Irishman who tells everyone he meets his language learning secret: It’s okay to make mistakes. Go out and  make them! As many and as fast as possible.So he challenges his students to actually try and practice speaking their target language from  day one. He finds it interesting that people say they want to  speak a new languageâ€"then they set out to do activities that have nothing at all to do with talking!They keep themselves busy with language drills, grammar books and vocabulary-building when the only thing that matters is to actually speak the language. So he shuns orthodox methods and instead promote techniques like role playing where the learners actually get to talk.His “language hacking” method starts by demolishing all the mental blocks and psychological limitations that scare people away from fluency. Benny believes that once you get these handled, nothing can stop you from being the confident speaker that you ought to be.Fluent in 3 Months recommends skipping the mind-numbing grammar drills and instead focusing on the most useful and the most used words in the target language. With memory-enhancing activities like language games and word association, anyone can be fluent in a very short time.Donovan Nagel (The Mezzofanti Guild)Donovan is a polyglot from Australia  who firmly believes that you don’t need to study grammar in order to learn a language. Well, that may be good news for many, but its sure to get the goat of grammar Nazis who insist on the importance of grammar rules.He says: Grammar rules are what fluent speakers use to describe what they already know.He argues that, as children, we were already quite fluent in our first language even before we sat for our first grammar lesson. We learned by listening and copying adults.However, instead of individual words, we copied them in  â€œprefabricated chunks”â€"or, we copied their  phrases. For example, we learned the phrase “Come here” as a chunk, not as two individual words. And hearing those chunks  from our parents, we began to slowly understand what they actually meant.Nagel believes that repeated exposure repeated usage are key in learning the languages. Because of this belief, you can find him zipping across the globe and spending  months immersing in the target language and culture (recently, he’s been to Korea and Russia).And do you know what language products he recommends the most?Phrasebooks! He considers them the best investments in language learning, as theyre a great provider of your prefabricated chunks.Conor Clyne (Language Tsar)Conor Clyne is another Irish polyglot who came out of the school system knowing very little about effective language learning methods. School was so awful he even had trouble with his first language.But ten years on, we find him  fluent in French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Russian, Romanian and Catalan.How exactly did he do it?Through personal trial-and-error, Conor found that what worked for hi m was “integrative learning.”  It was about aligning all his routine and daily activities into learning the target language.  You might recognize this as a kind of immersion. He integrated the language in many ways. He would watch the shows in  the language he was studying. He would also read (level-appropriate) books. And he would do everything to keep contact with native speakers via Skype or via written correspondence.You see? He makes the language a whole lifestyle. He even travels to the countries that speak the language in order get a feel and ear for it.Now, you don’t have to go  globetrotting in order to imitate what Conor has done. FluentU can take you to other countries without even leaving your seat. With FluentU’s videos, you can get a feel and an ear for what it’s like in that country by listening to actual native material. FluentU takes real-world videosâ€"like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talksâ€"and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.  You’ll get to hear how native speakers actually speak, and solidify your learning with interactive flashcards that use spaced repetition practice. Try it! Learning turns into a whole different ballgame with FluentU.And one final tip from the Language Tsar Conor Clyne: Identify patterns in the language.He says it as one of his maxims of learning. A language is basically a group of people’s patterned way of communicating. If you are able to unlock many of those patterns, you’ll become an insiderâ€"fluent in their way of communicating.Luca Lampariello (The Polyglot Dream)Luca is one of the most famous and admired polyglots around. He’s Italian and is eminently likable because of his down-to-earth attitude and his passion for sharing his techniques with others.Ask Luca and he’ll tell you that quality trumps quantityâ€"or rather, quality should come before quantity. Most learners go for broke and buckle down to memorize a hundred-word vocabulary list in a day or two. (Expect them to also forget all those words in a day or two.)Luca believes in “snippets not buckets”. That’s why he encourages his students to work on learning the language every dayâ€"from a measly 15 minutes to an hour, tops. What is important is that you work on it on a daily basis (or 5x a week).Cramming won’t do the job. The man behind “The Polyglot Dream” says: The faster one learns a language, the faster one forgets. So don’t learn in haste.What you should be doing however is finding an audio course  that includes  accompanying written materials. Digest the lessons in this particular sequence:1) Listen to the audio material.2) Practice pronouncing the words and speaking the dialogue.3) Read the materials with audio, and then without audio4) Repeat numbers 1-3 several times over several days.5) Translate the dialogues into English (or your first language).6) Translate your English translations back to the original target languageBy translating your trans lation back to the target language, you learn to pick up the nuances between the two languages better. You notice how the two languages interact, what makes them different. This results in a kind of learning that has  more substance and impact than a mere memorization of grammar rules and vocabulary words.Simon Ager (Omniglot Blog)Behind the successful Omniglot Blog is the unassuming British fellow, Simon Ager. He was exposed to languages at a very young age as his mother was also into learning the languages.Unlike other polyglots, Simon learned French, German, Chinese and Japanese formally. He went to school or to University for them.But this is not to say that Simon doesn’t believe in the virtues of unorthodox learning. In fact, he is a proponent of Spaced Repetition, learning via Skype, watching foreign shows, listening to foreign podcasts, singing foreign songs.In an interview, he was asked: If you  could  give just one piece of advice to language learners, what would that be? His answer was “consistency”. He stresses that  learners should study regularlyâ€"everyday if possible. And not just in isolation, but by  practicing speaking in the presence of others, any chance you can get. By doing this, they will be able to correct their mistakes and have a better command of the language.He also advises them to put the language into writing, as often as possible. Simon is huge on writing. He is one of the few polyglots who gives the written word as much importance as the spoken word.Although he understands that writing and speaking differ in many ways, he believes that certain types of writing closely resembles speech: “Some forms of written language, such as instant messages and email, are closer to spoken language.”Writing will help root out common mistakes because “written material can be read repeatedly and closely analysed, and notes can be made on the writing surface”â€"thus making  your learning more efficient.Well, one  can expect nothing le ss from the guy behind one of the most successful language learning portals on the internet.Aaron Myers (The Everyday Language Learner)Aaron Myers, the Kansas native who now finds himself raising a family in Istanbul, Turkey is the man behind The Everyday Language Learner.“Comprehensible Input” is what EDLL is all about. The concept is borrowed from Stephen Krashen, a linguistics professor who forwarded The Theory of Second Language Acquisition in the 1980’s.Aaron Myers now champions “comprehensible input”â€"which is really more for language teachers than learnersâ€"but knowing about it helps learners choose the kinds of materials they will use in language acquisition.Of all the methods that linguists have played around withâ€"grammar drills, vocabulary lists â€"only comprehensible input effectively facilitates second language acquisition.  So what is it, anyway?It is the idea that learners only really learn when they are given material  that they can actually understand (or, comprehend). This might seem obvious enough, but you’ll never believe the number of teachers who don’t get this.So it’s not about rote memorizationâ€"memorizing without understanding. It’s not about observing a bunch of meaningless grammar rules. It’s not about having a podcast playing in the background in the hopes of absorbing the language unconsciously. It’s about comprehension.But take it from the man himself: The Everyday Language Learner gives plenty of ways to find or create “comprehensible input”. Have a peek.Ron (Language Surfer)Language Surfer was founded by a guy who just  calls himself “Ron”. He is an English degree-holding, mixed martial arts-watching, video game-playing dude who once worked as a professional translator and is presently a technical writer. He lives in the U.S.  and considers Florida home.For you to understand what Ron is all about, you have to understand how he sees language. For him, one can never really master a languageâ€"for how can one master something that’s so expansive, dynamic and fluid.“When I pause and think about a language, it’s like I’m looking out at the ocean. I can’t own the ocean. I can’t make the water do what I want.”So what does he do with language?Like a surfer, he rides it!A central tenet of Language Surfer is that language is not something to be conquered but something to be enjoyed. A surfer enjoys the waves and rides it. Sometimes he wipes out, other times he stands gloriously as the waves carry him. In both instances, he is having a jolly good time.Ask Ron what the missing ingredient is in many language programs and he’ll tell you that it’s  listening.There’s too much  grammar drilling, too much memorizing, even too much speaking in language programs, and too little listening. They don’t really address it adequately. This is detrimental for the language learner because the human brain is hardwired to understand and process spoken language. Hearing the sounds , utterances, rhythms and tones is the engine of language acquisition.  After all, what good is being able to say something if you cant understand the response?So according to  Ron, language learners should drop their flashcards  and learn to listen actively. Its the key that unlocks the door to fluency.So that’s it! 10 of the best-of-the-best sharing with  you their core beliefs and secrets. Take their techniques and beliefs and make them your own. It is my hope that years from now, next time a post like this is made, YOUR name will be among them.Wouldn’t that be something?Happy learning! And One More ThingIf youre digging these strategies, youll love using FluentU. FluentU makes it possible to learn languages  from music videos, commercials, news and inspiring talks.With FluentU, you learn real languagesâ€"the same way that natives  speak them. FluentU has a wide variety of videos like movie trailers, funny commercials and web series, as you can see here:FluentU App Browse Scr een.FluentU has interactive captions that let you tap on any word to see an image, definition, audio and useful examples. Now native language content is within reach with interactive transcripts.Didnt catch something? Go back and listen again. Missed a word? Hover your mouse over the subtitles to instantly view definitions.Interactive transcript for Carlos Baute song.You can learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentUs learn mode. Swipe left or right to see  more examples for the word you’re learning.FluentU Has Quizzes for Every VideoAnd FluentU always keeps track of vocabulary that you’re learning. It uses that vocab to give you a 100% personalized experience by recommending videos and examples.Start using FluentU on the website with your computer or tablet  or, better yet,  download the FluentU app from  the iTunes store.

Online learning, whats the right option for you

Online learning, whats the right option for you What is online tuition? Although online tuition has been around for some time now, it has become increasingly popular over the past few years. Tutors have brushed up their IT skills so they can comfortably use software programs and tools that online tuition requires such as VOIP (Skype), interactive whiteboards, cloud sharing platforms, video, etc. What are the technical requirements? You basic requirements will be a computer, headphones and a good broadband connection. Most children from the age of 13 upwards will have sufficient PC skills to be able to receive online tuition and with a few clicks a tutor can help pupils with the setup during the first lesson. Is online tuition only between a tutor and a pupil? Certainly not! All online tuition is similar but some methods are more suited to young adults rather than children. Below are the three most popular ways of learning online. Online courses These are live interactive classes that allow the student to communicate and interact directly with the tutor and other students within a face to face online classroom. Ongoing assessment and feedback is provided. Classes are structured and scheduled at set times during the week. Online distance learning Although online distance learning can offer some live sessions either within a classroom environment or directly with a tutor, most of the time the student will study alone and upload their work to be corrected. Students normally have access to online videos and forums so they can interact with other students. This option is popular with adults that are committed to independent study and aim to obtain a degree during their spare time. One to one online tuition Lessons are only between the tutor and the tutee via video conference. A popular tool is an electronic pen that the student connects to their computer via USB and provides shared access to the tutor's white board. What are the benefits of online tuition? Students that live in remote areas or are unable to travel can find the perfect solution receiving ongoing help from a private tutor. With no travel arrangements necessary, both tutors and tutees can save time and money. Parents can monitor lessons from home and with the tutor's permission these could also be recorded for study purposes. Lessons can be booked to fit in around family life. If you are looking for online courses or one to one private online tuition, we invite you to register with us today. It's free to contact as many tutors or companies as you wish.

Teach Away FAQ Column Your Questions and Answers!

Teach Away FAQ Column Your Questions and Answers! Teach Away always welcomes any questions you may have about teaching abroad or our application process on social media and over email.We receive so many queries every day that we thought we’d share some of the most commonly asked questions and answers with you in a new weekly column. Please feel free to submit your teach abroad questions on Facebook and Twitter, or in the comments section below and we’ll answer as many as we can. Remember, if you have questions specific to your application, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with your Placement Coordinator.Q: I applied for a job about 3 weeks ago, but I haven’t heard from anyone at Teach Away. When will I hear back? Will I get an email?We wish we could respond personally to everyone who applies for a job, but unfortunately, we receive such a high number of applications that this just isn’t possible. You can always check the status of your application, though:Log in to your personal Dashboard: www.teachaway.com/user/login Click on “My Jobs” near the top right of your Dashboard. You’ll see a list of your applications and their statuses.If you are being considered as a potential candidate, a Placement Coordinator will email you to discuss your next steps and the possibility of setting up a phone interview. Response times can vary, but as a general rule of thumb, you will usually hear back from someone within 1-2 weeks if you are being considered. If you haven’t heard back, there is a good chance that unfortunately you are not being considered for the next steps. However, check your Spam folder to be sure you haven’t missed an email! Be sure to mark “teachaway.com” as an allowed domain so that you don’t miss any communication.Q: How often do you post new jobs? What days do you usually add them to your site?We post new jobs as soon as the position opens up. This means that there’s no set schedule: there may be 2 new jobs on Monday, another one on Tuesday, and 5 more on Friday, for examp le. In a typical week, we will usually have anywhere from 5-20 new jobs open up, so we encourage you to check back every few days to see what’s new!We do also post notifications about new jobs on Twitter, so if you follow us, you won’t miss anything.Q: I’m thinking about applying for some teaching jobs in Abu Dhabi, but I’d like to get in touch with teachers that are currently living there to ask them some questions. In particular, I’m interested in speaking to other teachers with young children to ask for their advice and hear their situations. Is it possible to get in touch with some of your current teachers by email?We can’t give out teachers’ emails, unfortunately, as this would violate their privacy. However, we have created Google Communities to give teachers a chance to talk to each other and ask questions. The community for teachers in Abu Dhabi is particularly active, so check it out! There are lots of teachers in various stages: some are in the application pr ocess, some are currently in Abu Dhabi, and others are teachers who were formerly in Abu Dhabi who are just happy to provide support and answers.There are also a number of other communities, including one that’s about teaching abroad in general. You can find them all on our G+ page: plus.google.com/+teachaway. Alternatively, you can check out the “Discussions” tab on our Facebook page (just under the cover photo).