Thursday, March 26, 2020

What Is The Princeton Review?

What Is The Princeton Review?The Princeton Review is a respected resource for determining which schools and colleges to attend. They have consistently been found to be very credible, and are looked at as a guide in deciding where to get your education. The Princeton Review has been around for a while now and has been known to work as an impartial source of information on schools and colleges. They have a team of raters who go through each and every school that they rate.Since they do not have an on-campus presence, they are still in high demand to help people make the right decision. And this is just one of the many reasons why they are important to us. The Princeton Review is based in Princeton, New Jersey. This is a great place to live. It is a beautiful city full of different kinds of history and culture.They are a university that is full of education that is respected throughout the country. These advantages do not only bring fame and financial stability, but also bring students who are willing to pay good money for this kind of information.One of the benefits of visiting Princeton is that it is a popular destination to visit because of the many different things that are available for entertainment and recreation. It is just like a hub of activity in all aspects of life. People come from all around the world to visit and spend their money there. There are so many opportunities for enjoyment.Another reason why many people have started to use these guides is because they are so helpful when it comes to looking for tuition fees. They are so easy to find and the people who sell them do their research well. Their information is accurate and can tell you how much each class would cost you, as well as how long it would take to complete each one.In fact, you may want to check out more than one Princeton Review to see what you are going to get. Since the guides are independent of each other, you may want to get one for each school. This way, you are going to have so mething in all the schools, so you will know exactly what to expect.The Princeton Review is a really useful resource to use when you are searching for the best place to get your education. You just have to be aware of where you want to go, and what you are willing to pay for it.

Friday, March 6, 2020

English Listening Exercise A Tribute To Mandela

English Listening Exercise A Tribute To Mandela Our listening exercise this week is in honor of Nelson Mandela.In a very short amount of time, the video below by the New York Times  creates a portrait of a man focused on accomplishing important things, who has strong beliefs that he is willing to sacrifice everything for, a man who makes big sacrifices, but accomplishes big things.The power of language is heard in the clips of Mandelas speeches. Watching this video I also found it interesting hear about the true meaning of the word apartheid. The video illustrates the negative and positive power language and the words we choose can have in our societies.The entire video is worth watching, but the listening exercise will cover just the first 4 minutes.Fill in the gaps from the video. We will correct answers in comments.1. When a man has ______ what he considers to be his duty in his country he can ____ in peace.2. What was the central goal?3.  What does apartheid mean?4. How did Mandela arrive at his trial?5. It is an ideal for wh ich I hope to _____for; but my lord if it needs be it is an ideal for ____ Im prepared to ___. 6.  How old was Nelson Mandela when he was sentenced to life in prison?7. What was Nelson Mandelas strategy?8. How old was he when he was released from prison?9. It was an _________ moment.Writing Exercise:What are your thoughts on Nelson Mandelas life and death? Has your country had a leader like Mandela? Someone who brought great change to the country? As always well correct your answers in comments. Aleksandra Lobova 1. “When a man has done what he considers to be his duty in his country he can _rest___ in peace.”2. What was the central goal? That south Africa would be ruled by southafricans.3. What does apartheid mean? It means “apartness”.4. How did Mandela arrive at his trial? Wearing traditional … skin garb.5. “It is an ideal for which I hope to _live____for; but my lord if it needs be it is an ideal for _which___ I’m prepared to _die__. ”6. How old was Nelson Mand ela when he was sentenced to life in prison? He was 44.7. What was Nelson Mandela’s strategy? Hia strategy was to give white rulers every chance to retreat in orderly way.8. How old was he when he was released from prison? He was 719. “It was an __simbolic___ moment.” LOIEnglish Good work, excellent listening skills! You have two mistakes in your answers related to articles (a, an, the) Question #7: to retreat in AN orderly way. Remember that even when we have an adverb (orderly) we still must use an article before the verb. For example: He was driving in A reckless manner.Question #9: It was A symbolic moment. In this case we use a rather than an because symbolic begins with S We only use an when it is a vowel beginning the word (a,e,i,o,u) an elephant, an apple, an idea, an outhouse, an undercurrent. We do sometimes use an with a word beginning with h if the h is silent. For example: an honor, a huge problem. Rafa 1. When a man has done what he considers to be his duty in his country he can die in piece2. Mandela history3. Literally apartness4. He was accused of betrayal against the government5. It is an ideal for which I hope to LIVE for; but my lord if it needs be it is an ideal forwhat I am prepared to die.6. he was forty four years old7. He decided to negotiate in a secrecy with national party, ruled by white people.8. he was seventy one years old9. It was a symbolic moment LOIEnglish Rafagood work.Question #1 is: rest in peace (note the spelling, peace means no war) piece means a part or portion of something. Can I have a piece of pie. I pray for world peace everyday.Question #2: I dont understand your answer.Question #4: He arrived wearing traditional garb (tribal skins)Question #5: you have a mistake in the relative pronoun: an ideal for WHICH I am prepared to die for. You might want to check out our video on relative pronouns. Rafa Thank you very much!I am sharing your services as much as I can as thanks of your videos Francis 1. “When a man has done what he considers to be his duty in his country he can die in peace.”2. What was the central goal? Mandelas life.3. What does apartheid mean? If means that when someone discriminatates another one who has different race. (I dont know if I could use the translator, but I used it)4. How did Mandela arrive at his trial? He underscore that hes an african entering (?) a white man jurisdiction.5. “It is an ideal for which I hope to live for; but my lord if it needs be it is an ideal for which I’m prepared to die. ”6. How old was Nelson Mandela when he was sentenced to life in prison? 447. What was Nelson Mandela’s strategy? Nelson Mandelas strategy was to give (I dont understand why here there isnt TO) the white rulers any chances to retreat in an ordinary way.8. How old was he when he was released from prison? 719. “It was a clearist and an electrifying moment.”Writing exercise: First of all, I think that Im one of the few people who didnt know exactly wha t Nelson Mandela did (or have done? Im confused) in his life until few days ago that was when he died. Of course I knew that he was a black politic of a state in Africa who was looking for the freedom of his country. His death made (or has made?) me think about the injustice in this world. There are a lot of it. I hope there are other people who want to change the world as much he did. Even if there are, they are not in my country. I live in Italy, and Im telling you that every politics are selfish, they only think about theirselves. They dont help the citizen but their family. Its unfair at all. LOIEnglish Francis, Question #3: apartheid means separate or apart. It was a word used to describe the policy of South Africa which meant that there were essentially two countries not equal and that the black people were separate and lived in a separate way than the white people. Question #4: He arrived wearing traditional garb. He wore the traditional skins of his tribe. Question #7: you have a question about give and the use of to Give is a verb that doesnt need a preposition, to For example: I gave him a new key, because he lost his old one.give is direct with the object: give someone something. She gives her time to them every week.Your writing:First of all, I think that Im one of the few people who DOESNT know exactly what Nelson Mandela DID in his life until A few days ago WHEN he died.Of course I knew that he was a black POLITICIAN of a state in Africa who was looking for freedom FOR his country. (note: there is no the before freedom, we dont use articles when talking about topics or themes; freedom, justice, religion) His death made me think about the injustice in this world.I live in Italy, and Im telling you that ALL POLITICIANS are selfish, they only think about THEMSELVES.They dont help the citizenS ONLY their family.Its TOTALLY unfair. or IT ISNT FAIR AT ALL. Francis Thank you very much, Im feeling so stupid right now but Im going to keep studing hard. LOIEnglish Dont feel stupid! Learning languages is challenging but the only way to improve is to make mistakes.

200 Day-in-the-Life Articles to Paraphrase with the Paraphrase Checker

200 Day-in-the-Life Articles to Paraphrase with the Paraphrase Checker A Day in the Life of a Professional in Your Field of Study Source: http://www.conceptdraw.com/solution-park/resource/images/solutions/people/Design-elements-Professions.png A Day in the Life of a Professional in Your Field of Study Click on one of the links below to open a new tab with a day in the life article related to one of these 224 professions. Paraphrase and summarize the article you choose. Try the VirtualWriting Tutors  Paraphrase Checker  to check how close your paraphrase is to the original, and then use the feedback to help you avoid plagiarism. A day in the life of an Accountant/Auditor A day in the life: Actor A day in the life: Actuary A day in the life: Advertising Executive A day in the life: Engineer A day in the life: Agent A day in the life: Air Force National Guard A day in the life: What to expect from a career as an Air Force-Enlisted A day in the life: What to expect from a career as an Air Force-Officer A day in the life: Animator A day in the life: Anthropologist A day in the life: Antiques Dealer A day in the life: Archaeologist A day in the life: Architect A day in the life: Army National Guard A day in the life: Army-Enlisted A day in the life: Army-Officer A day in the life: Art Dealer A day in the life: Artist A day in the life: Astronaut A day in the life: Astronomer A day in the life: Attorney A day in the life: Auctioneer A day in the life: Auditor A day in the life: Auto Mechanic A day in the life: Auto Salesperson A day in the life: Avionics Technician A day in the life: Bank Officer A day in the life: Bar/Club Manager A day in the life: Baseball Player A day in the life: Benefits Administrator A day in the life: Biochemist A day in the life: Biologist A day in the life: Book Publishing Professional A day in the life: Bookkeeper A day in the life: Business Valuator A day in the life: Buyer A day in the life: Career Counselor A day in the life: Carpenter A day in the life: Caterer A day in the life: Chef A day in the life: Chemical Engineer A day in the life: Chemist A day in the life: Child Care Worker A day in the life: Chiropractor A day in the life: City Planner A day in the life: Civil Engineer A day in the life: ClergyPriest, Rabbi, Minister, Imam A day in the life: Clothing/Jewelry/Cosmetics Generalist A day in the life: Coach A day in the life: Coast Guard-Enlisted A day in the life: Coast Guard-Officer A day in the life: College Administrator A day in the life: Comedian A day in the life: Computer Engineer/Systems Analyst A day in the life: Computer Operator/Programmer A day in the life: Construction Manager A day in the life: Consultant A day in the life: Corporate Lawyer A day in the life: Corrections Officer A day in the life: Cosmetologist A day in the life: Court Reporter A day in the life: Criminal Psychologist A day in the life: Criminologist A day in the life: Curator A day in the life: Dental Lab Technician A day in the life: Dentist A day in the life: Detective/Private Investigator A day in the life: Developer A day in the life: Digital Artist A day in the life: Diplomat/Foreign Service Officer/Specialist A day in the life: Disc Jockey A day in the life: Ecologist A day in the life: Economist A day in the life: Editor A day in the life: Electrical Engineer A day in the life: Electrician A day in the life: Electrophysiology Technician A day in the life: Entrepreneur A day in the life: Environmentalist/Environmental Scientist A day in the life: Farmer A day in the life: Fashion Designer A day in the life: FBI Agent A day in the life: Film Director A day in the life: Film Editor A day in the life: Financial Aid Officer A day in the life: Financial Analyst A day in the life: Financial Planner A day in the life: Firefighter A day in the life: Florist A day in the life: Food Service Manager A day in the life: Foreign Exchange Trader A day in the life: Forester A day in the life: Fundraiser/Institutional Solicitor A day in the life: Geneticist A day in the life: Geologist A day in the life: Geophysicist A day in the life: Graphic Designer A day in the life: Guidance Counselor A day in the life: Hazardous Waste Manager A day in the life: Health Care Administrator A day in the life: Hospice Nurse A day in the life: Hospital Administrator A day in the life: Hotel Manager A day in the life: Human Resources Manager A day in the life: Industrial Engineer A day in the life: Information Manager A day in the life: Insurance Agent/Broker A day in the life: Interior Designer A day in the life: Internet/Intranet Technologies Manager A day in the life: Inventor A day in the life: Investment Banker A day in the life: Journalist A day in the life: Labor Relations Specialist A day in the life: Landscape Architect A day in the life: Librarian A day in the life: Lobbyist A day in the life: Machinist A day in the life: Management Consultant A day in the life: Manufacturing Executive A day in the life: Marines-Enlisted A day in the life: Marines-Officer A day in the life: Market Researcher A day in the life: Marketing Executive A day in the life: Mathematician A day in the life: Media Planner A day in the life: Media Specialist A day in the life: Mediator A day in the life: Medical Records Management A day in the life: Military Officer A day in the life: Music Executive A day in the life: Musician A day in the life: Navy-Enlisted A day in the life: Navy-Officer A day in the life: Network Engineer A day in the life: Nuclear Engineer A day in the life: Nurse A day in the life: Nutritionist A day in the life: Occupational Therapist A day in the life: Office Manager A day in the life: Optometrist A day in the life: Organizational Developer A day in the life: Paralegal A day in the life: Paramedic A day in the life: Park Ranger A day in the life: Performing Arts Administrator A day in the life: Petroleum Engineer A day in the life: Pharmaceutical Sales Representative A day in the life: Pharmacist A day in the life: Philosopher A day in the life: Photographer A day in the life: Physical Therapist A day in the life: Physician A day in the life: Physician Assistant A day in the life: Physicist A day in the life: Pilot A day in the life: Plastics Manufacturer A day in the life: Police Officer/Manager A day in the life: Political Aide A day in the life: Political Campaign Worker A day in the life: Political Scientist A day in the life: Politician A day in the life: Power Plant Manager A day in the life: Printer A day in the life: Private Investigator A day in the life: Product Designer A day in the life: Production Manager A day in the life: Professor A day in the life: Promoter A day in the life: Property Manager A day in the life: Psychologist A day in the life: Public Health Administrator A day in the life: Public Relations A day in the life: Publicist A day in the life: Quality Assurance Engineer A day in the life: Quality Control Manager A day in the life: Radio Producer A day in the life: Real Estate Agent/Broker A day in the life: Research Technician A day in the life: Researcher A day in the life: Restauranteur A day in the life: Retail Salesperson A day in the life: Robotics Engineer A day in the life: School Administrator A day in the life: Secretary A day in the life: Service Sales Representative A day in the life: Set Designer A day in the life: Small Business Owner A day in the life: Social Worker A day in the life: Sociologist A day in the life: Software Developer A day in the life: Sommelier A day in the life: Speech Therapist A day in the life: Sports Manager A day in the life: Stage Technician A day in the life: Statistician A day in the life: Stockbroker A day in the life: Substance Abuse Counselor A day in the life: Surveyor A day in the life: Systems Administrator A day in the life: Systems Analyst A day in the life: (1) Teacher (2) Teacher A day in the life: Technical Support Specialist A day in the life: Technician A day in the life: Telecommunications Specialist A day in the life: Television Producer A day in the life: Television Reporter A day in the life: Textile Manufacturer A day in the life: Theologian A day in the life: Trader A day in the life: Training Specialist A day in the life: Translator A day in the life: Travel Agent A day in the life: Trial Lawyer A day in the life: Venture Capitalist/Investor A day in the life: Veterinarian A day in the life: Web Art Director A day in the life: Web Editor A day in the life: Web Programmer A day in the life: Webmaster A day in the life: Website Designer A day in the life: Wedding Consultant A day in the life: Writer A day in the life: Zoologist Please follow and like us:

Thursday, March 5, 2020

How to Score Foreign Language Practice on a Native Speakers Home Turf

How to Score Foreign Language Practice on a Native Speakers Home Turf Hey, can a native English speaker get a little help around here?No no, not that kind of help!The last thing you need is another eager local to tell you how to get wherever youre goingin English.Youd rather they just talk to you like they would their fellow countryfolk, so you can get some  authentic language practice!But the truth is, theyre probably used to tourists speaking English.English is a major global language that lots of people wanna pick up.As a result, many English learners consider helping out tourists good practice.And far from finding being addressed in their native language annoying, your everyday English-speaking visitor is apt to be grateful!You, on the other handwell, lets tell it like it is: Youre awesome.English simply isnt enough for you.Youve been  studying your target language daily,  working hard toward your goals.But having spent so long  learning alone in your room,  youre ready to finally rock up a whole different country and  soak up all the new words  ar ound you.Unfortunately, the world is not fully prepared for your kind.So your attempts to communicate with native speakers in their own language might end in frustration, or even misunderstanding.But dont worry! Im gonna show you real ways to get around this so you can  practice your new language.Plus, Ive got handy tips for you on how to make friends and avoid staging destructive battles with aspiring English speakers along the way.Well get you that real language practice yet. How to Prepare Yourself to Speak a Foreign Language  in a New CountryWhile  Ill be drawing on my experiences from living in the Czech Republic and trying to practice Czech, these tips are  applicable to any other location  or language.Many people will automatically try to speak English to a tongue-tied tourist. However, they wont switch to English when they meet a confident foreigner with a good grasp of their native tongue. This has less to do with your level of language than you might think. What is total ly vital is your preparation and the  impression you give.So here are a few things you can do to project the right impression.Visualize yourself as a confident speakerVisualize yourself feeling confident in your target  language. How do you stand? How do you gesticulate? How do you smile? Try to imagine yourself with a group of English-speaking friends with whom you feel comfortable, and then act out that feeling.Specifically, imagine how youll respond when a native speaker switches to English. What would a confident, competent native speaker do? Theyd probably be a little surprised, but keep on talking confidently.So thats what youll need to practice: remaining confident.Youll be surprised how often it tilts the conversation back to your target language.Find people who dont speak EnglishBelieve it or not, lots of people are very willing to speak only your target language. You just need to know how to find them. Here are a few ideas:Arrange to live with a non-English speaker. This w ill ensure you get in authentic language practice every day, and wont have to worry about escaping English when youre at home.Check out Couchsurfing  to find a pal to get  coffee with you or show you around. The cool thing about this site is that  it lists the level of languages that users speak. So if you find someone who doesnt list English  at all, or who has a very low level, youve found a winner!Get thinking about other ways to interact with locals before arriving, so you can get started right away. I used to volunteer, which once gave me the opportunity to talk to a group of active senior citizens in a nursing home. I enjoyed chatting with them and they enjoyed my company, comic accent and tales of faraway places.  Another great option is to work with kids, because  they dont expect any sophistication on your part and theyll help you communicate. Even if they laugh themselves silly at your weird wording, youll know its honest and not malicious.So why not volunteer to work with a youth group, seniors or disabled people? The opportunities are limitless and so are the improvements youll see in your speaking.  Dig your heels in as a confident speaker from  the start. This will help you establish yourself in those first few vital weeks.Talk to yourselfFind little ways to practice each day, before  leaving home. You can even practice  at home alone.You can also practice your target language using FluentU,  an online immersion platform that takes  real-world videosâ€"like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talksâ€"and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.A friend of mine makes a habit of conducting his inner dialogue in Czech every day, like this:“Where are my keys?Now, let’s see, what am I doing?It is so cold.”Slipping these little sentences into your subconscious will put you on the route to thinking foreign. So dont let yourself think in English, either!Try to increase your amount of self talk as your departure date gets closer. This will boost your confidence and motivation as well as your ability to think in a foreign language.  After arriving in your new homeland, be sure to keep on speaking and thinking your daily narrations in your target language.How to Convince Native Speakers to Speak Their Language with YouBe tough at the startIts important to establish the nature of the relationship from the start.Once you chat with your new friend for the first few hours in English, theyll probably accept this as the model for your friendship. Down the line, when you want to try practicing your foreign language skills, it may seem awkward or out of the blue.Your new friend may laugh aside your attempts or talk a few minutes with you before switching back to normal.”Speak your target language as much as possible in first meetings, whatever your level. Even if you only know a few words and greetings, get them in.Make sure to nail introductionsYou want to portray yourself as something like “John the for eigner who really wants to speak Czech.” Its  a much stronger starting position than “John from England,” to whom everyone will flock to practice their English skills and talk about the Queen.Later on, youll be introduced as “John who speaks pretty good Czech.” So just make your position clear from the start!Try language exchangesGo to language exchanges, where youll meet and talk with people who want to learn your native language. The usual for a regular language exchange partner is to spend half the time speaking your target language, and the other half speaking English.Language exchanges are great because the terms are agreed upon by both parties, so  you can concentrate on speaking instead of establishing  your right to speak your target language.There are other advantages, too. You get to speak in an immersion setting, which is the quickest way to improve. You also keep some of the confidence that comes with communicating in a familiar language, since switching back t o English will make you feel reassured and in control. This stops panic and the creeping feeling of stupidity that  sometimes comes with being a foreigner. With language exchanges, one minute youre a novice, and the next, a master!And so it continues as you both learn.Ive found that some people can be a little wary of this idea, as it seems fake or contrived to them and they would rather speak naturally or as it comes. My advice for implementing language exchanges is to find people who are as excited about  the idea as you are. Or, if its with someone already in your circle of friends, like a new roommate, then stick to the rules strictly (perhaps explaining that you are now on your Czech hour and are only speaking in Czech). If you keep it lighthearted and they are aware that there is a time limit, chances are most people will be happy to go along with you.Make others the teacherEnglish speakers abroad often automatically become seen as “my English teacher,” always on hand to e xplain grammar or new words. You need to turn this around as quickly as possible.One way to do this is by asking questions about your target language as various subjects come up:“How would I say that in Czech?”“Is that the same as…?”Get yourself out of the teacher role and put them in it. This is natural, as youre in their  country.And make sure to jump on every opportunity! If they ask questions about English, turn those questions around and ask how the same scenario would work in their language.Once youre friends, the relationship can become a more laid-back two-way street. But again, beginnings are important.Pay sneaky complimentsPeople love to be flattered. So flatter people  about their countryâ€"just dont lie. Chances are high that if you want to learn their language badly enough to read this post (and travel abroad!), your flattery is genuine. Make your interest in their country clear. Tell your new friends why you want to learn their languageâ€"how beautiful, expre ssive or clever it is.Also flatter them. Tell them how good their English is and that you would love to speak Czech at that level. Or how beautiful their Czech is and how you would love to speak like that one day, too.Flatter, flatter, flatter. But try to tell the truth. People love a flatterer but can usually spot a liar.Be flexible and charmingYou need to work to make people want to indulge you.I was once in a tourist agency in Brazil waiting for some advice. In front of me, a young American backpacker marched up to the desk and started off by saying, “I refuse to speak English. I want to speak Portuguese.”This, unsurprisingly, did not create a positive atmosphere.The staff felt shouted at and were not motivated to help or understand him. It also put him in the position of having to speak well. This is an example of a linguistic power struggle. These should always be avoided.What you want is to aim for the opposite attitude: Be charming, admit your weaknesses and let your enth usiasm show through. Be a likable and flexible character, but stay firm.Being likable doesnt mean letting others walk all over you.Clearly ask for practiceIts perfectly okay to just ask something like “Could we speak Czech for a bit? I would really like to practice.”Your new companions have known from the start that this is your position and have no reason to feel surprised or offended now. This makes it harder for them to ignore your requests.But if they do, use my next tip.Use your target language as a test of peopleAs a recently arrived English speaker, you may find yourself with a lot of new friends. Everyone wants to take you out for drinks, chat about your home country (if its England, mainly about the Queen). This is nice but a little draining, especially when such new friends melt away suddenly as soon as you stop speaking English.But even this can be used to your benefit. I genuinely believe that most people have no idea that theyre using you for English. Indeed, they w ould be horrified if they realized it. These people really do want to be friends.Still, some people actually  are using you, and you dont have time for them.So, if youve  been active from the start in expressing interest in your target language and very clearly asked for practice and they still  insist on speaking in English, then walk away. You have better people waiting to meet you.Play language tennisFinally, make this whole process fun for yourself! Dont look at the world’s desire to practice their English on you as a stumbling block or a huge injustice. Its part of your unique journey, and a challenge to be overcome. Like tricky grammar or that word you just can never quite pronounce.So take the same light-hearted approach.I see this as language tennis. They keep aiming English at me, I keep swatting it back.The above tips will help you swat back and have fun getting to your language goal.Deeper Bonds: How to Keep Practicing  in Your  FriendshipsIn my experience, living abroa d really is very different once youve been in the country a while and are dealing with real relationships with people you work with, live with and care about.The best preparation for this next step is to stick to the policy above of being strict from  the start. This puts you in a stronger position by doing the following:1. Ensuring you have a good grasp of the language so people will want to speak to you (and are able to do so).2. Filtering  out those people who will inevitably use you for English practice.Both these considerations put you in a great position to make real, lasting relationships while improving all the time.So now youre ready to take your language learning into a new phase. The advice in this next section will help you navigate these slightly murkier but ultimately very deep and rewarding waters.Balance language learning with friendship needsA friend of mine, who has always gracefully allowed me to speak only in Czech to her, recently fell in love with a Finnish man with whom she communicates only in English. So to me its clear that as a good friend, I should help her improve her English instead of strictly sticking to  our previous agreement.This is a classic example of how your original tough stance can flow and evolve once youre more settled.You dont want it to be all them. Or you. Absolute rules dont work between friends. You may end up being that person you hated and your friend may end up feeling used.Picture this: Its Wednesday at 2 p.m. on a sunny afternoon. Youre out for a walk. You want to speak one language and your friend replies in the other. What to do?Were not talking for the rest of your friendship. Just right now, in this moment.Weigh up how important this is for you today. Maybe its time to let them have this round. Or maybe today youre pumped up and really want some practice. Just tell them. At worst, you can still plan a language exchange. With friends, every situation is floatable. So keep it open and keep it varied.Find a system that  works best for each friendYouve bravely refused to speak English for your first few months, and have a good group of friends who respect your desire to learn their language. Now you can think in more detail about how to really use each relationship for maximum learning and enjoyment.You both want to enjoy communicating, so you just need to find the mode that best allows that to happen. For example, you may have the following:A friend  fluent in English:  You talk in both languages and have occasional intensive learning spots where they correct you a lot or you correct them. Make use of their ability to explain things. Raise your level and experience the joy of speaking English at a high level.A friend of similar level to you:  You vary the language and sometimes have  language exchanges. You feel secure that they, too, are far from perfect and can talk naturally with them.A total beginner in English:  You normally talk in their language but also occasionally speak Engl ish slowly to help them along, too.All these variations will  prevent you  from feeling frustrated or stuck. And the great thing is that these arrangements are open to change as everybody’s level improves.Think about what learning English means to your friendWhen I feel myself  getting angry when people wont let me talk in my target language, I try to keep calm and remember times I have done the exact same thing when desperate to practice a language. Ill also  stop and realize  what English means for young people everywhere.For them, this could be a path to a future job (in many countries even to work in McDonalds requires at least one second language). Or this could be vital practice to make them more confident in that Erasmus stay or au pair position theyre so nervous about. They may also adore English or American (or Australian, Canadian, etc.) culture and want to be close to it through you.All these thoughts chip away at  your frustration and allow the other person to be human again, not an ogre keeping you from your dreams.Deal with  your frustration, as itll bring bitterness into your relationships if you let it fester.Release your frustration and move onSometimes youll get really frustrated. Its important to work with these feelings, or they can embitter your stay abroad and spoil the fun of learning. You may start seeing English-speaking foreigners as the enemy. You may fear that familiar kick in the stomach when you work up all your courage to speak only to be answered yet again in English.Find whatever works for you. Rant to people in the same position, or people at home who find it amusing. Be supported.  Run or play sports. If the situation ever gets really infuriating, you can hit pillows in your bedroom. Make sure the negative feelings flow onward and youll be left with the joy of learning and the excitement of discovery.Dont lose heart. Have fun.And be tough!Remember, youre doing a great and brave thing. You deserve a little help along the way .

The British School of Costa Rica

The British School of Costa Rica The British School of Costa Rica The British School of Costa Rica is an independent day school offering academic levels from Early Years 1 (4.5 years) up to Year 13 (12th Grade). The School’s mission is to provide an excellent, “all-round”, bilingual (English/Spanish) education whereby British and International methods and programmes are employed and integrated into the Costa Rican Ministry of Education Programmes.Founded in 1981, the school is now : i) accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC); ii) recognized and authorized by the Costa Rican Ministry of Education (during sessions 126-84 and 24-92 of the Superior Council of Education); iii) a member of the International Baccalaureate Organization (Code No.0608); iv) Centre CR002 for the University of Cambridge IGCSE Examinations; v) licensed by the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Scheme; vi) the Costa Rican Centre for “Philosophy for Children” and vii) a Charter Member of the International Primary Curriculum progr amme.In preparation for the demands of the IGCSE and IB courses, there is a strong emphasis throughout the whole school on experimental science, investigation and language development towards reading skills and Literature; ultimately students in Senior school can study up to 4 different Sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Physics or Environmental Systems) and4 different languages (English, Spanish, French and Latin). The School is completely bilingual in that, throughout the whole School, the majority of classes are taught in English and the remainder in Spanish (or French). It is one of the principal aims of the School that the students are sufficiently bilingual to work, with equal facility, in both English and Spanish before they enter Primary 3. In all levels there is a strong emphasis on learning through the experience of practical activities, many of which are realized outside of the classroom. In the Primary School, the excellent “International Primary Curriculum” developed by Fieldwork U.K. for the schools of Shell Oil company has been incorporated in Early Years and Primary levels. In 9th and 10th grades, we offer the curricula of the “International General Certificate of Secondary Education” (IGCSE) examinations from the University of Cambridge, England: most of this programme is taught in English. As the best pre-University preparation available, the School offers, in 11th and 12th Grades, the excellent curriculum of the International Baccalaureate

Tips from an Irvine Tutor Youre Using Flashcards Wrong

Tips from an Irvine Tutor Youre Using Flashcards Wrong Studying with Flashcards: Why you’re doing it wrong Studying with Flashcards: Why you’re doing it wrong Flashcards are a quintessential tool for students looking to memorize a significant amount of material in a short amount of time. Whether it’s for vocabulary words, parts of a cell, or trigonometric derivatives, flash cards are used by students everywhere to learn the material and pass an exam book your private Irvine tutor for finals. And using flashcards is an incredibly effective study strategy â€" if they are used correctly and with purpose. For such a ubiquitous and straightforward tool, it’s surprising how few students are taught how to use flashcards. Consequently, flashcards tend to be misused and misunderstood. If you are using flashcards, keep reading to make sure that you are getting the most out of your studying. Looking and Flipping The least effective, yet most pervasive, flashcard strategy is to just read them like you would read anything else. Students will look at one side, flip it over and read the next side, then move on to the next card. They’ll go through their whole deck this way â€" essentially just read the list of things they should know. Sure, you might learn your words this way just by reading them over and over, but there are better ways. The Right Way Instead of just looking and flipping, the process should be more like this: Look, think, test yourself, then flip. One of the main benefits of flashcards is that they allow you to test yourself. Look at one side of the card, then see if you know the other side before you flip it. Think of the answer, say it out loud, or write it down. I recommend doing all three to make sure you really know the material. Do not just read through the cards and flip through them without testing your knowledge. Keeping the deck unchanged Once the deck of flashcards is made, many students just stick with it. They go through the same deck, start to finish until they feel like they know all of the cards. This method is very time consuming and not conducive to really learning the terms you are studying. The Right Way Separate the deck into two piles as you study. You should be testing yourself before you flip the card; if you know the other side of the card correctly, then put it in one pile â€" if not, then put it in a second pile. Even if you got the answer partly correct, put it in the second pile. This will create two decks for you: one with cards you know, and one with cards you don’t. Focus your studying on the “don’t know” cards, putting the ones you master into the “know” pile until the “don’t know” deck is empty. Then, shuffle all of the cards together and go through the whole deck again. Make sure you still know all of the cards even when they’re all together and shuffled. Studying this way will prevent you from having to go through the whole deck every time instead of focusing on what you need to learn. Only Using Words and Definitions Many students think flashcards can only be used for learning vocabulary words, key terms, or other simple concepts with definitions. This leads to simple flashcard decks with dictionary definitions that might not be best preparing you for your test. The Right Way Flashcards can be used for so much more than just vocabulary! You can use flashcards for pictures, for example, problems for equations, and more. Anything that you need to have memorized you can consider using a flash card (READ: OC Tutoring Tips: Four Tips for a Better Study Session). For classes where you need to know diagrams or identify pictures, consider drawing/printing what you need to know on one side of the flashcard. For complicated diagrams, processes, or pictures (anything that you’ll have to label/identify several parts in the same image) you can have multiple flashcards with the same picture but different “blanks” that you have to fill in. This way you can memorize complex concepts without being overwhelmed. You can use flashcards in math or equation-based subjects, too. Equations that need to be memorized can be flashcards. You can also use example problems and their solutions for complicated problems. For the solutions, considering numbering the steps to get to the answer. When you study with the cards, you can test yourself on what the steps to the solution are. Now if you see a similar problem later, you will know how to approach it. Other Common Mistakes and Solutions Sometimes, students will use flashcards in a way similar to a PowerPoint presentation: a title or heading on one side and a list of bullet points on the other. While this isn’t a bad way to write and organize your notes, it isn’t an optimal way to study the information on the card. Break up your larger flashcards into smaller facts and associations if you can. This will make the information more digestible and easier to test yourself on when you’re studying. Paraphrasing and putting things in your own words are good practices in this process as well. Another common study mistake that students make is studying in only one direction. That is, they’ll always look at side “A” and test themselves by flipping to side “B.” You should always be trying to learn your terms and recognize associations in both directions when possible. A Final Mistake The final mistake is not having variety in your flashcard decks. Many students will make their own flashcards and use dictionary definitions or textbook syntax to memorize. Other students will exclusively use pre-made flashcards online or on apps on their phone. In both cases, you want to be able to write flashcards in your own words to promote your understanding. It is good to use other decks in combination with your own to have a more well-rounded understanding. Flashcards are a valuable tool that can help you memorize and study for virtually any subject. If you haven’t been getting the most out of your studying, or you think flashcards aren’t helpful, try some of these tips and watch your results improve. Michael C. is currently a private math, science, and standardized test tutor with TutorNerds in Irvine and Anaheim. All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at pr@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us write.

New English Tutor in Charlotte, NC

New English Tutor in Charlotte, NC Meet our new Tutor Mr. Ulysses H. He lives in Charlotte, NC and specializes in English as 2nd Language, ESL, TOEFL. Ulysses is currently a certified ESL teacher in Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools. He received his certification in TESOL from UNC Charlotte (2012). Ulysses is currently attending UNC Charlotte to obtain his M.A.T. in TESOL. Ulysses  has an undergraduate degree in Economics from North Carolina AT State University. He  loves working with people from other nations and cultures. In the process of teaching people from other cultures, Ulysses  learns new things that he  would have not known. Ulysses has worked with young children to adults in ESL. He  is flexible and willing to teach you what you need. Ulysses  and other English Tutors on TutorZ  are  here to help you become successful in your acquisition of the English Language. They  look forward to meeting you and beginning a journey in the English language.