Friday, March 27, 2020

Learn Chinese From a Springfield Mandarin Chinese Tutor

Learn Chinese From a Springfield Mandarin Chinese TutorWhat can you expect from a Springfield Mandarin Chinese tutor? With the help of this important resource, you can get to learn Chinese language and culture from an instructor who will be able to teach you how to speak, read, write, and listen in Chinese. With the Springfield Mandarin Chinese Tutor Program, you can get to learn and master basic and advanced forms of the Chinese language as well as culture.With the help of the Springfield Mandarin Chinese tutor, you can understand, appreciate, and communicate with people from different cultures. You can meet new friends, help make new friends, have fun, and develop your social life through a Chinese Language and Culture program. You can also have a blast visiting the city, cultural centers, and other great places in the city while learning the Chinese language and culture.The good thing about the Springfield Mandarin Chinese tutor is that they will also give you the right Chinese fo r your application if you're a non-native speaker. This is what gives them their name. This makes it easier for people to apply for jobs as well as gain employment because they can speak with ease. You can gain an understanding of how the people from all around the world live their lives and also learn some important tips on how to use proper communication with people.The good thing about the Springfield Mandarin Chinese tutor is that they will offer tips and advice on how to overcome some common mistakes people make when they learn Chinese. They will help you learn from them and do it efficiently so that you can maximize your learning experience. You can also go to their website for more information about the tutoring sessions that they offer.The best thing about a Springfield Mandarin Chinese tutoris that they will not only work with you but they will also understand your language, culture, and personality. This is why many people are opting for their services instead of the other options they have.A Springfield Mandarin Chinese tutor is sure to give you the best learning experience that you've ever had. There is no better way to learn than by teaching yourself. It is also important to keep in mind that you need to become familiar with the various Chinese characters to properly read the Chinese language and the Chinese characters.Once you have completed the six-week English course, you can continue the lessons in the next three or four-week winter and summer sessions. And, of course, the tutoring sessions that you will do with the tutor will continue during the summer and winter months too. This is how you can learn Chinese language and culture effectively.

Friday, March 6, 2020

Starting With Bonjour Tips to Help You Learn French

Starting With Bonjour Tips to Help You Learn French Megan L. So, you want to learn French! Whatever your motivation and experience, getting started in a language is always the hard part. But good news: there are a lot of resources out there for you if you know how to find them, and a lot of ways to make the process easier and more fun. One huge key to learning any language with fluency is immersion. Now, that doesnt mean you have to head off to a foreign country right away and hope for the best. You certainly can, and it may even be a good choice if youre comfortable traveling, making new friends, and dealing with everything in a language you arent yet fluent in. But if you arent that very specific type of person, there are plenty of other ways to boost your fluency from the comfort of your home. Your goal is frequent exposure, as using French often will increase your learning speed. Most introductory language courses in schools hold classes as many as five days a week for this reason. However, if you want to learn French outside of an academic setting, thats probably not feasible for you. So what can you do instead? Play There are several phone apps that can are available to you at any time, anywhere. Play a quick language learning game whenever you have a minute, and youll keep the information fresh in your brain. Listen On a less work-oriented note, check around for TV shows or movies in French that you enjoy. Even if youre a beginner, watching them with English subtitles on gets you used to the rhythm of the language and the way people actually speak. You also might want to try listening to some French music or watching French YouTube videos like the ones below- Study No amount of casual listening, unfortunately, can replace instruction, particularly if you want to attain written fluency. Even a trip abroad may teach you  what  to say, but is unlikely to teach you  why. For that, for the grammatical mastery you need in order to express yourself clearly, you need lessons of some kind. There are workbooks and independent study courses available, but theyre not really the best choice: if youre completely on your own, theres no one you can ask if you run into trouble or the book doesnt explain a concept in a way that makes sense to you. In order to learn French reliably, you need someone who can identify and explain your errors. For a skilled instructor, you have a choice between taking group classes and hiring a private tutor. Tutoring is generally more expensive than classes, which may be a concern, but there are distinct benefits to having someone who will be able to focus on you and tailor lessons to your needs. One more often-forgotten issue: which French do you want to learn? The French spoken in France and that spoken in Canada have noticeable differences in accent and vocabulary, and those are only the two most commonly considered variations. There are Francophone countries all over the world, so you may want to think about where you plan to use your French. Whatever you choose,  bonne  chance!  Interested in studying French with a tutor? Search for a French tutor today! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo by Corey Templeton

English Expressions with GET - Intermediate Level English Vocabulary

English Expressions with GET - Intermediate Level English Vocabulary There are many simple verbs in English or verbs that are useful and frequently used in many expressions. Here we explore those English Expressions with GET.   Useful Expressions with Get GET FED UP WITHWe can get fed up with someone. To get fed up means to lose interest in or become annoyed with or frustrated with something or someone.Ex. Ivan had a good friend Misha but from time to time Misha would annoy Ivan when he was constantly rearranging their meetings or worse still not showing up at all.  In this situation Ivan could say:You know, I am really fed up with Misha. Why does he always change our time and why can he not tell me in advance if he is not going to turn up (arrive) at all?We can also get fed up with something. Perhaps an old electrical gadget is constantly breaking down.Ex. David had a coffee maker that he got as a present many years ago. However,  it wasnt working properly and the coffee had a peculiar taste. He got fed up with it one day and dumped it in the recycling bag.  Time for a new purchase!!GET IN TOUCH WITHTo get in touch with somebody means to contact them, either by message, whatsapp, email  or by calling them on your mobile.We can use it in various ways.Can you get in touch with me urgently as we need to discuss . here it is a request from someone looking for immediate contactor I was trying to get in touch with you as i am visiting your city and it is a long time since we met here an old friend colleague or relative would like to meet up when they are in town for a few daysor Ill get in touch with you in the next few days to confirm that meeting here a promise to follow up on an arrangement and confirm an appointmentScroll down, there is more to come Collocations and Expressions with GET - Infographic Enjoyed this infographic? Here’s what you can do next: GET AROUNDThis has various options and uses. To get around can mean someone travels a lot.Ex. Mary was asking John about his plans. He told her he had just returned from a trip to America and in the next few weeks he was going to Brazil, Turkey and the Lebanon.“Wow,  you certainly get around,  dont you!”  or some one might use GET AROUND to ask if you did what you promised to doEx. Did you get around to calling the electrician yet? You know that light fitting needs fixing and you cannot do it.Someone might also ask how do you usually get around in your city? How do you travel in your cityGET LOSTThis can be used in a few ways and varies depending on your stress and intonation. Quite simply to get lost means not able to identify where you are in a city or town.ex. I got lost last week in London. I got off the underground (metro) and didnt know where I was.Or if you place the emphasis on LOST and raise your voice it might be used to tell someone  (not politely)  to leave you alone .Ex. Jacob shouted to his younger brother: “Get lost, leave me alone! Get out of my room!”We can also get lost in a book or a movie we are reading or  watching.Ex. I had a wonderful night i really got lost in that book I bought last week. I cannot put it down (stop reading it).GET A MESSAGEAgain,  it can be used in several ways.Did he finally get the message? Did he finally realise? Did he understand the real meaning of what you are trying to tell him?Ex. You have been trying for a long time to break off a relationship with a boyfriend. You stopped returning his calls, you stopped texting him and refused to meet him. After 10 days he finally got the message.  (He finally understood the relationship was over).orCan you get a message to Daniel please? a common request when you phone an office to talk to a contact but he or she is not there. You ask the receptionist if they can tell the person that you will call again or you have to change the meeting etc..ex. Can you get a mess age to Daniel please and tell him that the delivery arrived.5 more collocations with GET + useful phrases are below Collocations and Expressions with Get - continued GET THE JOKEUsed positively or negatively. I got the joke but I  didnt find it funny or I didnt get the joke what was he saying? To get the joke means to understand the story or the humour in the joke.And  I  didnt get the joke means you did understand the relevance or perhaps it was a joke specific to that town or city and not so easy for outsiders to understandGET BACK FROMA little more specific which means you have recently returned from another location.I got back from Rome last night it was fantastic.Alternatively it could be a question: When did you get back from Rome?or When will you get back from Rome?If we change the preposition FROM  and use TO the meaning changes.I WILL GET BACK TO YOUmeans I  will call you again or I  will follow up on our conversation.He promised to get back to me later in the day and let me know if I  got the job.GET RID OF  When something isnt needed or wanted we try to throw it away or get rid of it.ex. Can you get rid of that empty wine bottle before my mother gets here. She will think we have been drinking all day.  A robber might want to get rid of the evidence (destroy) before the police start investigating the crime.Who is that knocking on our door? Can you get rid of them (tell them to leave) quickly and tell them I am not here.GET INTO TROUBLEUsually when we do something we shouldnt have done we will get into trouble with someone.ex. Will you get into trouble with your parents (will they be annoyed) if you are late home?Will you get into trouble (will you get a ticket or a parking fine) with the police for parking there its a no parking zone?Will you get into trouble with your boss (will he shout or complain about your time keeping)  for being late back from lunch?There are many other expressions using GET. Here are some of them: I got a nice present for my birthday. The girls in the office bought it for me. I am getting older every time I  look in the mirror. I got a call from a job agency yesterday. I have an interview on Wednesday. I get to work by bus everyday. He is getting better and better every day. The medicine seems to be working. He is getting worse really. He has been late three times this week already.

Thursday, March 5, 2020

FAQs as a New College Student - Answered

FAQs as a New College Student - Answered ACT SAT Prep and College Admissions Blog What’s the best way to meet people? Some might suggest that the most daunting aspect of college is making friends. Out of thousands of young adults, somehow you have to find a group of like-minded people to spend your time with. I mean, who wants to be alone throughout all four years of college? Chances are, you’ll be happier the more connections you make. It’s like high school all over again, except with a larger pool to weed through. The first week of school, everyone will scramble to befriend the first few people they come in contact with. Time and again, dorm hall members and roommates, the first people you’ll see when you move in, will become the people you automatically cling to. My advice - Sure, latch on to a few people from your floor, make quick friends. But don’t get locked into that group of individuals. Most likely, as the year goes on, you will slowly find more students who share your interests and background. Be open to change in your relationships the first year of school. Later on, you’ll be happy you were. Once you make those preliminary necessary friends the first few days, check out the activities offered at your school. There are hundreds of clubs for every interest. Most universities hold “Activities Fairs” to showcase all of the opportunities available. Go. It may be overwhelming, but make sure you sign up for every club that catches your eye. Usually you’ll receive follow-up emails from each one, and later on you can sort through the clubs and decide which one(s) are best for you. Joining these groups is probably the easiest way to make friends easily and quickly, right off the bat. They’re welcoming and are usually excited about new members, and since you’re already interested in the subject matter, you’ll feel more comfortable opening up to people. Being friendly and open to others in every aspect of college life is the key to gathering acquaintances that, hopefully, grow into more. The more instances you have to meet a new person are opportunities to make a connection, possibly for life. Nowhere else will you be in the same environment as so many likeminded and like-aged people. Take advantage of it. When should I study? Hopefully you’ve taken the time in high school to determine what times you are most productive. It varies for everyone. Some do well waking up early before school, others only late at night. Whenever you seem to absorb material and focus most intensely, study then. It’s also beneficial to go over pertinent information right before going to sleep. Especially lists, facts, and dates; the data will be retained and more easily remembered in the morning. Having been the last thing to go through your brain, while you sleep your memory can process the information effectively. How do I make the most of my college experience? Make yourself busy. If you find yourself with any more than 10 hours of free time a week, get out there! There is such an array of activities, sports, and clubs to partake in; take advantage of it. Make sure you explore the community that is college. Those four years will fly by, so take the time to peruse everything you think you might be interested in. After school, there will be fewer opportunities to discover all the different sides to who you are. What courses should I take/what professors? The university you go to will determine the particular paths you’ll take to discover this information. Some colleges have underground student-run websites that honestly evaluate professors and courses, straight from students’ mouths. Although a good source of information, watch out for the subjective nature of this method. Most colleges have “Peer Advisors” in each department and will often hold office hours before the designated time for the student body to choose courses. These students are usually approved by the professors and have a great wealth of knowledge in the best course load/professors to take depending on your interests. Definitely take the time to talk to these individuals. Otherwise, don’t be afraid to speak to your advisors. No, they will not trash talk their colleagues but they will know about all of the various courses open to you and the necessary classes you have to fulfill before graduation. Sometimes semester scheduling and meeting graduation requirements can be overwhelming and your advisor can really help you manage it all. As you choose a major, you will notice that the same people are showing up in your classes. Ask them about the professors and courses they have already taken to give you first hand insight into what might be the best choice for you. How do I manage my time? (See other Studentsba.com article on Time Management here) How do I decide what my major should be? Here is my three-question theory: Figure out what you love doing, what you feel drawn towards. Ask yourself, what motivates me to wake up in the morning? Then ask, am I good at “it”? Does the world need “it” enough to be willing to pay me to do what I love? Once you get positive answers to all three questions, you’ve found what you should major in! Talk to your advisor as well. They are there to help you discover the answer to this particular question. Talk to family members, parents, employers, anyone that has made a career for themselves, and figure out if you would be interested in what they do. It is better to hear a job description from a person who does it 40 hours a week instead of through the Internet or on TV. There are hundreds of occupations out there that are so obscure, you would never know of them unless you talked to someone with that profession. Look out for people who are similar to you and then seek out what they do for a living. Getting involved in those college clubs mentioned earlier will help you determine your dream or not-so-dream job as well. How do I get firsthand experience in the field I believe I’m interested in? Internships are the way to go if you’re looking for real experience. Employers looking to hire recent graduates are interested in students who have taken the initiative to partake in relevant internships. This way, they know that you already have an idea of what the job entails and that you are a hard enough worker to not be fired from your previous internships. It is important to know if you’re actually going to enjoy your work and the only way to do that is intern or volunteer in your field of study. Take advantage of your career office and internship database at the university. They’re good places to start your search. When do I start applying for internships/jobs? There is no time too early to start looking for internships. Go for it! How do I explore career options available to my major? Talk to seniors that have been through the internship process and are applying, looking for, or already committed to jobs/starting professions. Speak to your advisor or career center. One thing most colleges are good at is knowing what comes after. Usually, the possibilities are endless. If you haven’t caught on yet, most of these common questions are answered with some sort of variation of “talk to somebody”. Don’t be afraid to seek out help, advice, and guidance. College, by definition, is a learning experience. About the Author Morgan is a graduate of Boston College and has worked with MyGuru for the past three years. Check out our home page for more information on standardized exam tutoring and helpful study materials!

So many books, so little time.

So many books, so little time. So many books, so little time. Frank Zappa Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, a talented musician and director. But he is known to all, first of all, as a very special electric guitarist and leader of the band The Mothers of Invention. The bands songs are characterized by the use of unusual sound effects, bizarre album covers, as well as a high level of mastery of the concerts. The group has never been stable and changed frequently. The only constant member throughout the period of existence of the group was Frank Zappa.  He has worked in almost all musical genres and wrote music for rock bands, jazz ensembles, synthesizers and symphony orchestra. In addition to his music recordings, he created a full-length and short films, music videos and album covers. So many books, so little time. So many books, so little time. Frank Zappa Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, a talented musician and director. But he is known to all, first of all, as a very special electric guitarist and leader of the band The Mothers of Invention. The bands songs are characterized by the use of unusual sound effects, bizarre album covers, as well as a high level of mastery of the concerts. The group has never been stable and changed frequently. The only constant member throughout the period of existence of the group was Frank Zappa.  He has worked in almost all musical genres and wrote music for rock bands, jazz ensembles, synthesizers and symphony orchestra. In addition to his music recordings, he created a full-length and short films, music videos and album covers.

Playing By the Rules 4 of the Most Logical Natural Languages

Playing By the Rules 4 of the Most Logical Natural Languages 4 of the Most Logical Natural Languages This language doesnt make any sense!Im pretty sure weve all said that at some point when trying to learn a new language.Most of the time its just out of the frustration of not being able to understand something.However, sometimes its true: Languages can be downright illogical.Sometimes spelling is convoluted, rules have more exceptions than followers and everything you learn gets thrown out the window.There has to be some language that makes sense right?Right! Believe it or not, some languages actually follow their own rules. Lets explore some of the  most logical languages you can learn today.What Do We Mean by Logical?Were looking for languages that, regardless of your mother tongue, make the most sense. What might that mean? Logical languages have:Regular grammar. Theres little more frustrating in a language than studying hard to remember verb conjugations or preposition patterns only to find that theres a list of exceptions as long as your arm. Many natural languages have develop ed irregularities from what might once have been sensible and consistent rules but were lost along the way; a logical language should be much more predictable than this.Consistent syntax (word order). Some languages structure their sentences in a very clear and regimented order, while others allow for a more flexible and inconsistent approach to building phrasesâ€"meaning it can take longer to work out what a native speaker would use.Easy-to-grasp phonology. English is one of the worst (or most interesting) offenders when it comes to pronouncing words as theyre written. A logical language should be straightforward to pronounce once you know the rules dictating it.Its worth noting at this point that logical does not mean the same as easy to learn. This is a much more subjective term, and also depends a lot on what languages you already speak. For instance, Spanish would seem comparatively easy to an Italian but completely alien to a speaker of an Asian language.Some of the languages were looking at are listed among the most difficult to understand, but once you know the rules and the vocab your journey to fluency will be smoother than something less logical.Make any languageâ€"whether its logical or notâ€"easier to learn with  FluentU.  FluentU takes real-world videosâ€"like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talksâ€"and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.  Use the interactive subtitles, flashcards and vocabulary lists to learn languages better than ever!What About Constructed Languages?Before we move on to the natural languages most of us are used to, its worth mentioning artificial or constructed languages, also known as conlangs. Believe it or not, there are dozens of these, created for all sorts of different reasons.Some of them, like  Klingon  from Star Trek or Elvish from Lord of the Rings, are designed for fictional purposes and intended to imitate natural languages. These are less likely to be what we might call logical .However, other conlangs are created with logic in mind. Here are some examples:EsperantoProbably the best known conlang, Esperanto was designed with the intention of being a universal, international language. Created in the late 1800s, it now has around two million speakers and you can even learn it on Duolingo.With ease of learning being a top priority for its creator, Esperanto has an extremely regular grammar and a vocabulary that draws from existing languages (albeit from a Eurocentric perspective.)SlovioWith some links to Esperanto, this is considered a zonal conlang. That means its created by fusing elements of existing languages from a certain region in a logical way. There are no special endings or declensions in Slovio, so clarity is communicated with as much efficiency as possible.Slovio has an official website if you want to find out more.LojbanLojbans name is formed from the roots of its own words for logical languageâ€"so you can see why it might get a place on this li st! Its an obvious contender for the most logical language.Primarily built for the purpose of linguistic research, Lojbans unambiguous grammar is based on the principles of formal logic. There are no exceptions to any of its rules, and its culturally neutral, meaning there should be no difference in difficulty of learning and speaking regardless of where you come from (although it does use the Latin alphabet.)You can find resources to learn Lojban on its website.4 of the Most Logical Natural LanguagesConlangs are fascinating and definitely an adventure for an experienced polyglot. However, other speakers can be hard to find so their utility is limited. In terms of natural languages, then, what are the most logical ones?Basque: Complex but StraightforwardRemember we said earlier that  logical  and  easy are not the same thing?Basque, the language of the Basque Country which straddles northern Spain and southern France, is regularly listed as one of the most difficult languages to lea rn. It has complex grammar and, although it has some loanwords from Spanish, its considered a language isolateâ€"meaning that its unrelated to any other known language.But despite its complexity and isolation, Basque speakers will still say that its a logical language. Once you get your head around its many rules, theres very little irregularity in verbs and syntax compared with other European languages. This means you can predict  much more consistently how sentences ought to be created as long as youve studied the basics.One word of caution: Despite the small size of the Basque Country, there are several different dialects. However logical the standard language might be, there are still a number of idiomatic tendencies that youll have to learn. Check out Euskal Kultura to get started.German: Efficient and LogicalCould you have guessed this one? The stereotype of the German people is that theyre efficient and logical, so its no surprise that the language spoken mainly hereâ€"as wel l as in Switzerland, Austria and parts of Namibia and the north of Italyâ€"lives up to the stereotype.Like other European languages, German does have some irregularities in verb and plural forms, so it might not get as many logic points as other languages. However, the syntax is fairly rigid, meaning German sentences are extremely consistently structured.Meanwhile, although some very long German compound words can appear intimidating, theyre constructed in a satisfyingly logical wayâ€"helping hugely with comprehension. Consider the daunting  Naturwissenschaftenlehrer. A 25-letter monster. But break it up:  Natur means nature;  Wissenschaften is knowledge;  Lehrer is teacher. The word means science teacher!German is widely taught and learned, and you could even start with FluentU to pick it up! Take a look at our German-learning blog for lots of tips, or visit the German-learning section of the FluentU videos to get started.Turkish: Phonetic and ConsistentLike with Basque, the Turkic languages might be a language family you havent come across before. Nevertheless, time and time again you will hear that Turkish is a very logical language.Despite its  diacritics, which can make it look alien to English speakersâ€"consider the consonants in a word like  açigiâ€"the language is phonetically written. Once you know how to read each character out loud, youll have  no problem reading words and sentences.There are also suffixes that change the meanings of words and can appear confusing, but theyre very consistent. With Turkey being an important country on the global scene as well as a great tourist destination, it would be a great language to pick up.The Fluent in 3 Months blog recommends  Colloquial as a great resource for beginners.Chinese: Daunting but StraightforwardScary, right? Another one of those languages which is notoriously hard to learn, at least for speakers of English and other European languages.Having said that, I cant help but get the feeling that a lo t of this is because people are put off by the script. Sure, the vocabulary is tough, but isnt that true in any language?Chinese has a lot going for it from a logical perspective. Words dont change their forms, and meaning is assigned simply by combining different words together. For example, a sign you see everywhere in China is  ??, meaning exit. This is created by combining the character  ? (out) with ? (opening or mouth). Its literally an opening you go out of. Straightforward, right?It does have a disadvantage compared to some of the others on this list since the characters bear no phonetic resemblance to the wordsâ€"exacerbated by the fact that many Chinese characters have multiple pronunciations, especially when dialectical variations are factored in. But once you start building sentences in Chinese, you see how logical this widely spoken language can be.BBC Languages is a great place to start learning Chinese if youre interested!Which of these is  the most logical? Well, tha ts hard to say: Ultimately theyre all natural languages and millennia of development have left them with illogical quirks. Try one out and see how you find it. And, if you cant master it, theres always Lojban!And One More ThingSince youve read this far, youre obviously serious about learning languages, so you may just love FluentU.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 t o 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.

ConversaSpain

ConversaSpain ConversaSpain ConversaSpain is a Spanish organization that cooperates with more than 300 public schools in different regions in Spain. It offers inspiring, challenging and rewarding opportunities to potential English language assistants from all over the world who want to teach in Spain. With ConversaSpain, native English speakers can teach their mother tongue as language and cultural ambassadors in public schools in Madrid or Murcia (Auxiliares de Conversacion program). With ConversaSpain, participants teach English in Spain to students in Elementary, Middle, and/or High Schools in the public system. Tasks and teaching activities will vary from day-to-day, but it is a supportive role. Indeed, participants arent in charge of an entire class, nor are they responsible for students final grades or any serious disciplinary action. ConversaSpain are looking for truly dedicated ESL teachers who can fully embrace their role in Spain. Teaching English in Spain with this program is a great opportunity to live in Spain, discover a new culture, gain valuable experience, make a change in life, and influence in others lives.

Blow the Lid Off Your Language Learning Program with a Bullet Journal

Blow the Lid Off Your Language Learning Program with a Bullet Journal Blow the Lid Off Your Language Learning Program with a Bullet Journal I’ve got a secret.It’s a good one, too.Curious? Of course you are, so I’m going to spill it.There’s a new BFF for language learnersâ€"a method to intensify, organize and customize language learning.Anyone can do it, it’s beneficial right from the very first page and the only things you need to bring to the table are a pen and notebook.So what is it, this method of ramping up any language program?Two words: Bullet journal. Blow the Lid Off Your Language Learning Program with a Bullet JournalA bullet journal, often called BuJo for short, is a customizable notebook. Ryder Carroll, the creator of the bullet journal technique, calls it a method to “track the past, organize the present and plan for the future.”But how do you start?How to Set Up a Bullet JournalA bullet journal can be as minimal or fancy as its owner. Some are bare-bones, with the four main parts and little else. Others are artistic playgrounds, filled with drawings and detailed lists.Lets start with the pri mary components every journal will need first.Main parts youll needA basic bullet journal has four main parts:Index â€" This is a listing, by page numbers, of what’s in the journal. The index makes it a breeze to locate a particular section without any fuss.Future planner” section  â€" This portion helps you organize and plan upcoming tasks or events, such as language lessons or cultural activities.A monthly calendar (for obvious reasons)Daily task list â€" A task list keeps the focus on what’s happening on a given day. It’s basically a daily to-do list.You’re probably having an “aha! moment,” aren’t you? You’re realizing that this is a brilliant addition to any language learning program!But waitâ€"there’s more!Dont forget the progress trackersMost BuJos have goal listsâ€"both short-and long-term (and well discuss those later on).But how do you keep track of your progress?Thats when a tracker comes in handy. Its a page set up as a graph, with the dates of a month written down the edge of the page and the daily items you want to focus on written as the other axis of the graph.The point is to mark every day that you accomplish a particular task. Ideally, the end of the month will show that most days, most items were addressed. Its the perfect place for language learners to see their progress. Many BuJo keepers use colored pens to make this portion of a journal an attractive spot!Items to put on your tracker page can include writing practice, vocabulary list-making, time with flashcards, watching videos or reading. Checking off coursework or study time shows not only the big picture but the smaller stepsâ€"the ones that will get you from beginner to advanced.Tracking progress is a good motivator!Possible additionAs I said before, the complexity of a bullet journal depends on the learner.Me? I go somewhere in the middle with my bullet journal. In addition to the four must-haves, I added a section to up the journal’s efficiency as a learning t ool.A “weekly spread” is typically a two-page deal that breaks the week up into sections for the seven days. I just count the lines on the page, divide it into sections with a ruler and write the day and date at the top of each section.Then I note what language learning I’m doing on each day. And at the end of every day I mark items that I’ve accomplished. It’s an excellent way to see that tasks are being completed!How to Apply a Bullet Journal to Language LearningJournal completely in the target languageThe most obvious way to empower your language program with a bullet journal is to journal in the target language. As in, keep the entire journal in the language you’re studying. Write the daily, weekly and yearly spreads in the language. Fill in all the journal pages in the target language.Sound challenging? That’s not a bad thingâ€"part of learning a new skill is being challenged. Don’t back down. You might surprise yourself with how much you learn by keeping an acc ount of your activities and goals in your new language.And a bonus? Bullet journaling in another language forces you to think in that language! That’s a hard-core language learners goal, isn’t it? We all yearn to think in our newly-acquired language!Write specific topics in only the target languageIt would be ideal to keep the entire bullet journal in your target language, as mentioned above. But for most people that just isnt possible. Lets face it, not everyone is at that stage in their language journey.Language is a step-by-step endeavor. Sometimes, bullet journaling is, too.Maybe youre beyond just writing the headings in your target language, but youre not up for writing the whole journal in the target language. So why not BuJo on just specific topics using your target language. No English allowed!Maybe add a couple of “how to” sections and jot notes in those areas using only your target language. Do you write, draw, sing or cook? Keep a journal of your special interestâ €"using your language skills.Eventually, you may find that these special sections become larger. Or that youre not only keeping these parts in the target language, but others, as well.Steps, remember?Headers in the target language work, tooIf you’re not proficient enough to even partially journal in the language youre learning, then just focus on writing the headers in the target language. Working on writing the days of the week, all the calendar months, to-do lists, exercise and language trackers will provide tons of writing practice.And, repetition makes those words and phrases you use on each page part of your core vocabulary.Organize, organize, organize!It goes without sayingâ€"but I’ll say it anywayâ€"all of your learning program components should be a prominent part of the journal. Your goals for your language journey, the tasks you complete (and even the ones you don’t) and certainly your language trackers all help customize your language plan. They should be part of yo ur journal.Organizing everything in one place streamlines a program. You’ll see just what you’re doing well and what you need to work on. If you don’t consistently hit all of the tasks on your language to-do lists, youll see that at a glance. You’ll be able to adjust your schedule to accommodate those items.Or maybe you’re trying to do too many things, and that’s why they’re not getting checked off. A bullet journal will show you thatâ€"and again, you’ll be able to restructure your program to suit your needs.One part of bullet journaling that’s especially helpful is the idea of “migrating” tasks. If you’ve got something on this week’s list that doesnt get accomplishedâ€"for whatever reasonâ€"it’s possible to migrate that to the next week. You’ll see (because its not marked as completed) what needs to be migrated.How to Set Goals with a Bullet JournalGoal-setting is a big component of language learning.Some thought on goals might be:Where do you want to be on your language learning journey?What do you want to know and which skills do you plan to master?And dates for these tasks?That all goes on the goal lists. Youll just need to decide whether theyre long-term or short-term goals. Lets flush this out a little bit.Yearly goalsGoals vary from learner to learner because language learning is a personal journey, but most of us have some idea of where we’d like to be speaking in, say, a year. With that in mind, your yearly goal might be based on the CEFR (Common European Framework Reference for Languages) language scale.A B2 proficiency in a year will take commitment, but it’s doable. Maybe you’re not as motivated, so a different level on the scale might be what you write in your bullet journal on the Yearly Goals page. It’s all up to you! The point is to decide, then commit to paper.Monthly goalsMonthly goals are short term and those kinds of goals typically feel pretty concrete. They’re the ones you’ll be ticking off your m onthly trackers. Doing that, filling in the daily spreads so you see what you’re doing language-wise, is an exercise that not only encourages consistency but is also a great motivator.Reading two books in your target language, attending two language lectures, watching one film, practicing grammar daily and adding a pre-determined number of words to a vocabulary journal are good examples of monthly goals.Weekly goalsA weekly spread for a language learning bullet journal is even more customized than either the monthly goal or yearly goal section. The weekly spread breaks down the week into days and provides a spot for each component of a language learning program.An example of a weekly spread might look like this:Monday  â€"  FluentU videos and grammar exercises in textbook.Tuesday  â€" Watch foreign film and read two chapters in a foreign language book.Wednesday  â€" Attend language lecture.Thursday  â€" Listen to two  podcasts in target language and read two chapters in the foreig n language book.Friday  â€" Work on vocabulary list and do coursework from textbook.Saturday and Sunday  â€" Review, plan new week and migrate items not accomplished.Whats FluentU? FluentU makes it possible to learn languages from music videos, commercials, news, inspiring talks and more.With FluentU, you hear languages in real-world contextsâ€"the way that native speakers actually use them. Just a quick look will give you an idea of the variety of FluentU videos on offer:FluentU really takes the grunt work out of learning languages, leaving you with nothing but engaging, effective and efficient learning. It’s already hand-picked the best videos for you and organized them by level and topic. All you have to do is choose any video that strikes your fancy to get started!Each word in the interactive captions comes with a definition, audio, image, example sentences and more.Access a complete interactive transcript of every video under the Dialogue tab, and easily review words and phra ses from the video under Vocab.You can use FluentU’s unique adaptive quizzes to learn the vocabulary and phrases from the video through fun questions and exercises. Just swipe left or right to see more examples of the word youre studying.The program even keeps track of what you’re learning and tells you exactly when it’s time for review, giving you a 100% personalized experience.Start using FluentU on the website with your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes store or Google Play store.Consistency is key with a bullet journal. Set goals. Crush them. Set new goals.Language learning by the book can work for everyoneâ€"if the book is a bullet journal. Good luck!

What Is MMT in Chemistry?

What Is MMT in Chemistry?What is MMT in Chemistry? It is the subject of the course but not of a subject. It's a term used to describe a common framework for teaching. MMT stands for Mathematics For Non-Maths Teachers.Teaching Math to children doesn't have to be all about memorizing facts. In fact, it doesn't even have to involve facts. For many years, science teachers taught students facts because that's what science teachers were expected to do. And it worked well. Until computers came along.Now we have chemistry programs that don't require students to memorize facts or numbers. How can teaching chemistry in this new environment is different? Well, instead of having students simply memorize facts and numbers, they can be taught methods that teach through images and methods. These new programs teach from an approach called Content Based Instruction (CBI). This is a style of teaching that looks at teaching not just facts, but also how methods affect the learning process.According to C BSI, these new approaches are creating new models for education. They're creating ways to connect science with the experiences of students. In a way, the content of the program matters more than the facts or numbers.Of course, there's a problem with changing what works. Students can spend more time memorizing facts and numbers rather than getting the new concepts out of the way. In this instance, you need to design a program that motivates students to take action. Then you need to design the program so that it prepares students for the new concepts. You need to use a number of strategies to get this done.The new programs that focus on teaching through images are especially good for Math. For one thing, they're really interactive. It doesn't matter whether you're using images that come from nature or the computer. Whether your students are looking at a rock or a mountain or a tree or a flower, they're interacting with the image. They're connecting concepts to images. What's more, the images are used in a natural setting which allows students to relate to them.Using CBI to teach Math has been a success for both College Level Math and Online MMLM. The content is interesting and engaging. The image and the tool are fun and easy to use. What's more, teachers can get real time feedback from their students as they use the tools. When you combine a curriculum that motivates students to interact with pictures and ideas and a program that prepares students for the new concepts, you have a program that's effective and highly effective.