The Road to Becoming a Better Singer

The Road to Becoming a Better Singer Suzy S. Learning how to sing well takes time, practice, and patience. While it may come naturally to some singers, most will need to put in some solid work to improve their skills. Read on as Saint Paul, MN teacher Justin S. offers his advice How long does it take to become a better singer? she asks, desperation grasping at her already fatigued vocal cords. I know that this is my chance to be a beacon of hope, a voice savior, if only I can find the right words to inspire her As long as it takes to become a perfect singer, I reply. Does that answer the question? Am I just giving more mystery to an already vague subject? Surely, there must be a solid answer passed down from the great singing teachers of the Old World; those Italian giants of the 18th and 19th centuries who carved the study of voice as we know it today! Great. It turns out that, of course, the answer is that there is no answer. How long does it take to learn how to sing well and become a better singer? As long as it takes. This is a scenario that I find myself treating very often, as a large portion of my studio is made up of beginners and a large portion of those beginners are middle-aged who are taking this adventure for the first time. Understandably, as a beginner, there is a certain expectation that we will be able to rapidly develop into what we hear on the radio, on the oldest and best recordings, and in the concert halls simply because we made the correct first step finding a teacher. Surely that teacher will have no problem directing a crystal clear path to success right? In reality the road is much less clear than we would like and that reality seems hard to live in sometimes by beginners and professionals alike. When you think of becoming a better singer, are you thinking of yourself paired against someone else? (Most likely Beyoncé, lets just stay honest here.) Or are you thinking in terms of self-betterment? The proper question then to ask is How do I become a better singer? The answer to this question is never measure in length of time, but always in amount of effort. Balance, flexibility, freedom, consistency, sustainability, dynamics, fluidity, musicianship, coordination, tone all of these things and more measure our capacity as a singer, as a musician, and as an artist. To physically achieve these goals takes time, but not just because thats how it is. The voice is an instrument made up of many complex muscles, tissues, and systems that need to be trained both individually and as a unit. Many of these muscles are involuntary, or reactionary, and we need to train ourselves to influence those muscles properly to produce the most efficient sound. Taken from that perspective, its no wonder that it takes quite a while to achieve the goals we want! Hopefully, the more the voice evolves and develops, the more our goals evolve and develop it is perfectly acceptable to be a greedy singer; you should want more every sound that you make. So are you doing your part? Do you practice? Remember that a teacher assigns exercises to do, not warm-ups that means they have a long-term goal, and need to be both repeated and improved upon each day. Treating vocal exercises as warm-ups is the equivalent of expecting to get stronger by only lifting 10lb weights week after week for five years youll get really good at 10lb weights but itll never get you where you want to be! How long does it take to become a better singer? she asks, desperation grasping at her already fatigued vocal cords. Im not sure, I respond, Ill let you know I get there. Its a long road, but were in it together; just remember to put one foot in front of the other, then again, and again, and again Happy singing, happy practicing, and happy betterment everyone! Justin S. teaches music performance, music theory, singing, and songwriting,  in Saint Paul, MN. He received his Bachelor of Music from  University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point, as well as his  Master of Music from  University of Minnesota.  Justin has been teaching students for over five years. Learn more about Justin S. here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo  by   J

Online Triangular Prism Surface Area Tutors

Online Triangular Prism Surface Area Tutors A triangular prism is a 3-dimensional geometric shape and it belongs to the family of prisms. There are different kinds of prisms like the square prism, rectangular prism etc., and these prisms are all 3-dimensional structures and consist of bases of different shapes. A triangular prism is a prism which has a triangle at its base and hence it consists of two congruent triangles as its bases. The triangular prism is surrounded by 3 parallelograms and the surface area can be calculated by adding the areas of all the surfaces. Example 1: Calculate the area of the triangular prism, whose base of the triangle is 5m and the remaining two sides are 6m, 7m. The height of the triangle is 9m and the length of the prism is 12m. Given: base of the triangle, b= 5m Sides, x= 6m and y= 7m Height of the triangle, h= 9m Length of the prism, l= 12m Surface area of the triangular prism, A = lx+ ly+lb+bh A = (12*6+ 12*7+ 12*5+ 5*9) = 72+ 84+ 60+ 45= 261m2 Hence the Surface area of the triangular prism, A= 261m2 Example 2: Calculate the area of the triangular prism, whose base of the triangle is 8m and the remaining two sides are 9m and 10m. The height of the triangle is 6m and the length of the prism is 13m. Given: base of the triangle, b= 8m Sides, x= 9m and y= 10m Height of the triangle, h= 6m Length of the prism, l= 13m Surface area of the triangular prism, A = lx+ ly+lb+bh A = (13*8+ 13*9+ 13*10+ 8*6) = 104+ 117+ 130+ 48= 399 Hence the Surface area of the triangular prism, A= 399m2

Career Guidance for Teens

Career Guidance for Teens How Can You Help Your Kids with Career Guidance? ChaptersWhat Are the Parents’ Responsibility for Educational Guidance?Mistakes to Avoid when Guiding Your ChildHow Can You Help Your Child with their Academic and Professional Choices?Are Academic Appraisals Free?“Believe in your dreams and they may come true; believe in yourself and they will come true.” - AnonymousIn 2017, 32.6% of students went onto university, which means that their A Levels aren’t the end of their education. However, many others stop after their GCSEs or A Levels.With better educational guidance, more young people could find their way in the confusing world of education. When it comes to looking for jobs, a lot of teens could do with better career resources and guidance both before and after graduation.While teachers do have a role to play, career exploration and career development start with the parents who can help their teenage child make the right choices for their future.So how can parents help their child with their career planning and career choic es? TraceyPersonal development Teacher 4.92 (9) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NatashaPersonal development Teacher 5.00 (7) £55/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AntonellaPersonal development Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors IsamPersonal development Teacher 5.00 (3) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AndriyPersonal development Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MichelePersonal development Teacher 4.73 (7) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FlloydPersonal development Teacher 5.00 (11) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliverPersonal development Teacher 4.33 (4) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhat Are the Parents’ Responsibility for Educational Guidance?Adolescence is a difficult part of a child’s life and the last thing they want to do is to think about their career options and decide upon a career path. Their bodies are changing and they’re full of hor mones, making them short-tempered. This can put stress on your relationship with your child and many parents often don't know where they stand. A child’s personality is formed during adolescence and rebellion is often part of that process.Find a good personal development course on this platform. Don't worry! You've been guiding your children their entire lives. (Source: ddimitrova)However, this transitional period is also when they need to be thinking about their professional futures and career goals. Believe it or not, they could do with your help and support.  While you mightn’t be a psychologist or guidance counsellor, you still play a vital role when it comes to educational guidance for your child.There are four main aspects of your role:Communication: discussion and dialogue with your child are essential to ensure you and your child trust one another. Listen to what they want without judgement as this could discourage them from talking to you. They must feel comfortable with opening up because this is a difficult time for the child and it’ll allow them to openly express their dreams and aspirations. You can also talk with their teachers to better understand their academic strengths and weaknesses.Encouragement: secondary school students and sixth formers need recogn ition for their achievements. Thinking that good grades are the norm won’t help or encourage them to work harder. Don’t hesitate to show them how hard work and effort are related to good results; by working on x, I improved y.Avoid blame: you don’t need to put the weight of the world on their shoulders when it comes to choosing their future. There’s a strong probability that they feel lost in all of this and that's okay. Your role is to reassure them and remind them that they can always shift careers later on in life.Support: They need to feel supported and guided. Talk to them about your experiences, show them to career and study guidance sites, student forums, and university websites. Show them that you’re by their side and supportive of their choice.As you’ll have understood, a parent plays an essential role in helping their child with educational and professional guidance.Find out more about helping your teen with career choices.Mistakes to Avoid when Guiding Your Ch ildNow that you know what your role entails, here are some mistakes you should avoid when trying to help your child. The biggest mistake is thinking that they don’t need your help. This is quite paradoxical as your child needs to make their own decisions but they also need your support. Be subtle and don’t be overbearing, show that you’re there if they need you and that you have the answers to the questions they’re asking. You need to make sure they're following the path, not choosing which path they follow. (Source: Pexels)Here are some common misconceptions:A good student doesn’t need guidanceGrades aren’t importantA child’s personality doesn’t matterThe guidance doesn’t need to take into account the student’s wantsHigher education is obligatoryYou don’t need to think about their academic and professional futureGuidance counsellors aren’t necessaryGood students can be just as lost as struggling students. Just because a student gets good results, it doesn’t mean that they know what they want to do with them. School is very different from the world of work.  Academic success is important for certain choices but it isn’t the only thing that employers take into account. Personality, aspiration, and skills are also often taken into consideration.While degrees used to almost guarantee professional success, this is no longer the case. There are fewer opportunities for those with degrees than in the past. However, the second they get to secondary school, it’s drilled into them that university is everything. By the end of their GCSEs, they need to start focusing on what they want to do.They should take a step back and think about what they’re interested in professionally and what they like and get in touch with a guidance counsellor.How Can You Help Your Child with their Academic and Professional Choices?As we mentioned previously, parents need to openly communicate with their children, listen to what they want, and help them with guidance.So how can they do this?Firstly, as soon as your child starts secondary school, slowly introduce them to the world of work. In Year 7, children have little interest or idea what work is all about and it’s just something that grown-ups do. Your job is to help them get to where they want to go. (Source: sasint)To help them to make better choices, you need to slowly open the door to the working world:Talk to them about your job and your experience.Bring them to work one day if you can.Explain to them what your job’s like: hierarchy, schedule, colleagues, tasks, etc.Ask friends and family if they can help them to discover different lines of work.This will help them choose their work experience and find something in a field that they’re interested in.Don’t hesitate to help them do their research. There are plenty of useful sites and resources you can use and student fairs and university open days that you can attend to see which universities and subjects they’re interested in.  You can also help them by encouraging them to ask questions about educational guidance, their future, their personality, and their passions. This is a great way to work out what they want and guide them towards careers that they’ll find en joyable and rewarding.Finally, suggest that they meet a career counsellor to help them.Are Academic Appraisals Free?Academic appraisals and career counselling are useful for helping students decide what’s best for them by taking several criteria into account. Their exam results, personality, and likes and dislikes are all taken into account to see what line of work is best for them. Your job is to support them and this may include paying for an academic appraisal. (Source: ljcor)Some will struggle to find a career if they don't explore career options, get career coaching, or develop interviewing skills. Job hunting is tough when you know what you want to do, they need to ask themselves “What can I do?” and “What do I want to do?” and academic appraisals will help them answer the former. Attending a career fair could be a good way to answer the latter.Not everybody's suited to academia and maybe a vocational course might be better and present them with more job opportunities.  Usually, there are career services who can get you a career counsellor can help them with this but you'll have to pay for it.This is the first step towards better understanding who they are and what they’ll be good at, even if the student already has a good idea of what they want to do. However, the point of an academic appraisal is to help put together a plan of what they can do and how they can do it.There are plenty of these online but it’s best to do one face-to-face with a career counsellor. This might take some time, so talk to the counsellor about how long it’ll take.  It’ll be worth it because they’ll have a lot of answers by the end of it. Certain students might need educational guidance or additional tutoring.You can also find academic support tutors on Superprof to help your child regain confidence in their skills and make better choices for their career. You can expect to pay anywhere between £25 and £100 per hour depending on the tutor’s qualifications and experience. Effectively, the tutor can act as a career coach, helping them come up with a career plan, develop interview skills, discover employment opportunities, writing cover letters, etc.Find out more about the cost of educational guidance.So are you ready to help your child with educational guidance?

Geishas at a Glance

Geishas at a Glance The Japanese Artistry of the Geisha ChaptersWhat Is a Geisha?The Birth of Geishas in Medieval JapanThe Golden Age of the Geisha in the 19th and 20th CenturiesGeishas in Contemporary JapanJapanese culture is among the most fascinating in the world for Europeans and it’s hardly surprising as to why. With samurai, martial arts, manga, etc., there are plenty of ways to learn about traditional and modern Japanese life, rituals, and customs.The Japanese government has also done a lot to ensure that the West is familiar with Japanese culture through the “Cool Japan” campaign. Among all the folklore and tradition in Japan, geishas have fascinated the western world and these young ladies’ professions remain a mystery to many Europeans.In this article, we’re going to look at exactly what geishas are, the discipline, the clothing, and the famed tea ceremony. Far too often, geishas are thought of as Japanese prostitutes, so we’re here to lift the veil on the myths surrounding this traditional Japanese vocation. NanaJap anese Teacher 5.00 (3) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YukoJapanese Teacher 5.00 (3) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EllyJapanese Teacher 5.00 (1) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MomokoJapanese Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MelanieJapanese Teacher £14/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JamesJapanese Teacher 5.00 (5) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PippaJapanese Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarikoJapanese Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhat Is a Geisha?Most Westerners think of a geisha as a pretty Japanese woman in white makeup, wearing a kimono, and having sexual encounters with Japanese men. In fact, a geisha is often much more than that and the latter point is often wrong! Geishas are expected to be familiar with various types of traditional Japanese entertainment. (Source: albertobelenguer)The term “geisha” literally means “person of art” or “artist”. While it’s true that geishas often wear a wig and extravagant kimonos, it’s because their job is to entertain male clients through a variety of different art forms including:Playing the shamisen, a three-stringed instrument.Types of traditional Japanese danceCalligraphyKabuki theatrePlaying the Tsutsumi, a small drum placed on the shoulder or between the legs.The Tea Ceremony (Chanoyu).Floral arrangements (Ikebana).In short, the Japanese geisha is an entertainer. You can find geishas at banquets where they move around in their yukata to the music. While the prostitution aspect is exaggerated, some geishas do have sexual relations with their clients, though these relations are not obligatory.Geishas live in an Okiya (which literally means a house for geishas) and only young women and girls . On the inside, there are managers, women known as “Okasan” or “mothers” surrounded by 5 or 6 geishas, future geishas, servents, and an official prostitute (until 1957).The Birth of Geishas in Medieval JapanBeing a geisha was an official profession in Japan in the 18th century but its origins go way back. In fact, you need to go as far back as the 13th century to really understand what geishas are. However, you could go as far back as the 8th century and look at the dancers for the emperor Kammu. These women danced along to Buddhist prayers and soon started having sexual relations with their clients, the nobility and the warriors in the court at Kyoto.However, the real history of geishas to Gion, Kyoto’s traditional quarter. It wasn’t just women who entertained the lords; the taikomochi, masters of the tea ceremony, as well as dancers and artists. They also wore white makeup (oshiroi), which at the time was just for men.Bit by bit, women replaced men in this role and by the end of the 17th century (the Tokugawa period), leading to the terms geisha and geiko (“women of the arts”). The Japanese government quickly set up rules for authorised sexual acts. Thus, geishas were not allowed to offer sexual services, only prostitutes were.Geishas became increasingly popular in tea rooms and ryokan (traditional hostels), creating an industry between entertainment and pleasure. In fact, just because prostitution was illegal for geishas, this didn’t mean that the virginity of some geishas was sold at a high price.The artistic aspect of being a geisha was celebrated all over Japan.“We don't become geisha because we want our lives to be happy; we become geisha because we have no choice.” - Memoirs of a GeishaGeishas were under strict rules, like having to live in a particular neighbourhood, called a hanamachi or kagai. While these neighbourhoods were initially frequented by both geishas and prostitutes (yujos), they quickly became exclusive those in the traditional clothing and makeup.If you'd like to learn more about Japanese culture, check out our article on Japanese weapons.The Golden Age of the Geisha in the 19th and 20th CenturiesThe golden age of geishas was from the 19th century until the start of the Second World War. The role and popularity of the geisha changed drastically during the 20th century. (Source: patrik671)There were thousands of these living dolls from Kanazawa to Asakusa. The Meiji government promoted the profession and each tea room or house was regularly frequented by samurai that were fans of the geishas.Thus, the industry became hugely profitable, so much so that prestigious guests were often in attendance and a geisha could earn the equivalent of thousands of pounds for her Okiya.The geishas, during this period of prosperity, were considered as fashionable purveyors of Japanese traditions as well as being at the forefront of fashion through their hairstyles (often in buns) and their outfits, which often consisted of a hakama or a Japanese style tunic.By the start of the 20th century, the geishas were inspired by the western world as they discovered it. However, due to the opposition from many traditional geishas, this style didn’t last.The golden age of geishas ended with the start of the Second World War. In fact, in 1944, the Japanese government closed the geisha neighbourhoods in favour of serving the war effort by making them work in factories. The next year, after the end of the war, the neighbourhoods reopened.This is the time when a new type of geisha came about; the onsen geisha, women free to look for work themselves in the areas near the Japanese hot springs (onsen). They were closer to prostitutes than traditional geishas, looking for work from American soldiers.In 1957, prostitution in Japan was made illegal, so the Japanese people started distinguishing between geishas and prostitution. Furthermore, young girls had to be in education until they were 16 (and 18 in Tokyo). Thus, the number of geishas decreased as there were fewer ways to get into it.Find out more about Japanese culture and sumo wrestling.Geishas in Contemporary JapanGeishas still exist in Japan but in far fewer numbers than in the past. In 1965, the Kyoto dento gigei shinko za idan or the “Kyoto Foundation for the Development of Traditional Arts and Music” only had 65 apprentices. Ten years later, it had dropped to 28. Nowadays, geishas are more a symbol of Japanese culture and history. (Source: joiito)By the 1990s, the number of geishas was back up to 60 in Kyoto. In fact, being a geisha isn’t as popular because it’s just not as lucrative as it once was. Furthermore, young girls in Japan have more choices than they did in the past.  Furthermore, a genuine geisha kimono can cost around £5,000, making it not very accessible.However, there has been a recent increase in interest for geishas with over 100 apprentices in Kyoto in 2008. The information available about being a geisha has played an important role in how to become one.Similarly, being a geisha has changed a lot during the 21st century. The rituals are still there but their meaning has changed. For example, the mizuage ritual, which meant a geisha had lost her virginity, is now a ceremony that judges a maiko wishing to become a geisha, allowing her to change her collar from red to white.Similarly, while the haircuts are the same, geisha s can now wear wigs. In fact, this type of hairstyle pulled on a geisha’s hair, meaning that they would end their careers almost bald.It’s easy to understand why they changed.Today, a lot of young Japanese girls dress up as geishas. If you head to Harajuku in Tokyo, you’ll probably run into geisha cosplayers. Of course, if you want to see a real geisha, you have to go to Kyoto.There are around 200 geishas practising the art and tradition in Japan and keeping the cultural heritage of Japan alive.Now you should know a little more about geishas, the history, rituals, and their profession. If you want to learn more about Japan, we recommend reading our other articles on Japan or getting a Japanese private tutor!There are three distinct types of private tutorial on offer for Japanese students: face-to-face tutorials, online tutorials, and group tutorials. Each type is different in terms of learning styles and cost, so what may be right for one student may not be right for another.F ace-to-face tutorials involve just a single student and tutor and will include a bespoke programme or course that's being taught to the student. However, you will be getting a tailored service which is very cost-effective!Online tutorials also involve one student with a tutor but the two aren't physically in the same place. Thanks to the internet, you can be taught Japanese online via webcam. With fewer travel costs and the ability to schedule more tutorials each week, the tutor doesn't need to charge as much for their tutorials.Group tutorials are more like the classes you would've had in school with one teacher and multiple students. With each student footing the bill, the cost per student per hour tends to be less than the other two types of tutorial.Don't forget that a lot of tutors on Superprof offer the first hour of tuition for free, too!

How to Pick The Perfect Biology Tutors for you

How to Pick The Perfect Biology Tutors for you How To Choose The Right Biology Tutor ChaptersCheck On Qualifications And CredentialsRead Testimonials And Feedback From Other StudentsBear In Mind Location And AvailabilityMeet Them FirstHiring a tutor is not necessary for pupils struggling with their Biology studies; you don’t have to be failing in the subject to benefit from some extra help. Nor do you need to know what you want to do in the future (academically or professionally), as getting the best possible start in your education will only contribute to opening up more opportunities for you.Even if you aren't set on a career in the sciences, there are many reasons to love Biology.Success can mean different things to different people, but having the best start in life in terms of your education can open up many doors for the future. Photo credit: José Morcillo Valenciano via Visualhunt.comTutors are a very worthwhile investment as they are able to offer you one-on-one teaching assistance, which means benefiting from teaching techniques that are better suited to your learning needs and the pace at which you work. Plus, a tutor can really help to build your confidence in the subject.So, even if you feel that you are not a strong biologist, a good tutor can help you to see that you can in fact succeed in the subject. You might even be surprised at how effective the extra sessions are and how much more you enjoy the subject than before. They will be able to exemplify how, by breaking the challenging topics down into smaller and easier chunks, you can begin to understand the complicated concepts of Biology.To gain as much as you can from your tutor, you need to make sure that you choose the perfect tutor for you. While that is easy enough to say, how do you know who is the best person to choose? And what if you hire a tutor and then come to realise that the relationship just isn’t working out? Here are a few tips to help you to pick the right tutor.See where you can take A level biology courses. MahimaBiology Teacher 5.00 (10) £30/h1st less on free!Discover all our tutors AndyBiology Teacher 5.00 (2) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlishaBiology Teacher 5.00 (10) £9/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SaifBiology Teacher 5.00 (9) £22/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FrankBiology Teacher 5.00 (8) £90/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HeavenliBiology Teacher £9/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SiobhanBiology Teacher £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MackenzieBiology Teacher 5.00 (2) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsCheck On Qualifications And CredentialsOne of the main things to consider is your prospective tutor’s educational background. For instance, if you know or find a tutor who specialises in Chemistry, they may not have the precise skills and knowledge required to successfully tutor you to a really good grade in Biology.That said, many tutors specialise in multiple related fields so don’t be hasty in ruling someone out before you've dis covered their interests. Someone with a Masters degree in Chemistry may well have studied combined sciences at Bachelor level and thus be perfectly able to tutor you in the field of Biology.Whst's important is knowing that your tutor has themselves taken the exam that you are currently studying for, and is therefore fully aware of the level of knowledge required to pass the exam and how to reach those higher grades (i.e. if you are enrolled on an A Level Biology course, you ideally want your tutor to be educated to at least A Level or equivalent in Biology).In addition, it is very useful for the tutor to be familiar with your particular syllabus, whether this be as a result of their past teaching experience, through having taught numerous other candidates on the same course, or thanks to their own children recently having completed the same modules. Tutors are able to pass on knowledge but they can also give you tips and tricks on how to maximise your score in exams!Finally, you sho uld always check that your tutor is genuine. The  best method for doing so is to choose someone who has been highly recommended by peers, parents or teachers at your school or, alternatively, to select someone from a professional agency. Tutors found via tutoring agencies will have undergone checks to ensure that they are as qualified as they state they are but also to be sure that they don't have a criminal record which prevents them from working with children under the age of 18.Read Testimonials And Feedback From Other StudentsWhile hiring a tutor from an agency means that they are suitably qualified on paper for the role, how do you know if they are actually any good at their job?References are a very good way of discovering who are the most influential and talented tutors available for your chosen subject. Ideally, you want someone who is passionate about Biology as it will make their teaching so much more effective.Most experienced tutors, whether they work through an agency o r independently, will have taught enough pupils to be able to provide some feedback on their tutoring service, including a great track record when it comes to their past pupils' grades. Seeing those high scores will often be proof enough of their ability as a tutor!If you found your tutor by word of mouth, be sure to ask questions to the person who referred them and find out if they have a website or profile you can look at online before booking in to see them.If, however, you happen to come across what appears to be the perfect tutor all by yourself on the Internet, then take into account any testimonials and don’t be afraid to call them or even request to meet with them before you enter any financial agreements.Discover this A level biology online course on Superprof.Searching for a tutor online doesn't mean you have to take a chance on a stranger. Photo via VisualHuntIt is a good idea to meet or interview your chosen candidate, especially if you have no mutual connections, to m ake sure that they are real, in the first instance (it is always good to be certain!), as well as genuine, and that they are the right  fit for you and your educational needs.Bear In Mind Location And AvailabilityRemember that, to keep the momentum going, you should ideally be having at least a two-hour session once a week (or perhaps just an hour if you are under 14 and not studying towards a mainstream qualification). If your preferred tutor can only fit in one or two short classes in a month, then you may have to consider looking for someone who can spare more time to accommodate your needs.With tutoring being a relatively short-term service, you should be seeking maximum impact to ensure long-term gain.It may seem obvious but when you start your search for a tutor, particularly when searching online, be sure to filter your search to professionals working in your area.In some cases, the best tutors might be located a bit further out than you’d like, but you will need to weigh u p the pros and cons of a long-distance tutor.Ask yourself these questions, for example: Are they willing to travel to you or will you need to find a means of transportation to meet closer to them? If they will be doing the travelling, do they have enough time to dedicate to your learning needs on top of that? If using petrol and mileage to reach you regularly, will they charge you for these extras? And, would they agree to tutor you via Skype or using other technology?Will your tutor come to you or will you need to travel to them? Photo via Visual huntIn an ideal situation, your tutor will live or work close by so that you can fit in regular catch up sessions to keep the momentum of learning up, while also giving you the opportunity to schedule more classes in the run up to your exams.Meet Them FirstFinally, as briefly touched upon above, it is really important to make sure you have a rapport with your tutor. Nothing can be worse (for you and the tutor in question!) than dreading yo ur next appointment and hating every minute of your time together.This is why, in some ways, a personal recommendation is one of the best ways to discover a tutor. If they have done a great job with someone that you know, and you have heard nothing but praise about their methods, then the chances are that you too will profit from and even enjoy their tutoring service.However, as not everyone is lucky enough to know somebody with this level of skill in Biology, many people turn to the Internet to find a local Science tutor.This, however, does not mean that you have to take a chance on a biology tutor that you have never met before, as you always have the opportunity to meet with a tutor before committing to hiring them.Most tutors will be used to meeting with pupils and their parents, and are usually equally keen to meet face to face so that they can gain a mutual understanding of what they are needed for and what level you are currently working at. That way, they can be better equip ped to confirm how regular your meet ups need to be.So, when hiring a tutor for the very first tine, try to organise a meeting with the tutor in person, accompanied by your parent or guardian, to get a feel for their teaching methods and how they might be able to motivate you.Meetings such as these can have a positive impact on your attitude towards tuition and can cement the relationship between tutor and pupil from the offset, giving you confidence in your ability to improve and making you look forward to those extra lessons.

Starting an English Conversation

Starting an English Conversation English Conversation classes are one of the best ways to improve your English. This can sometimes be a daunting task. Today we are going to show you some easy ways to have conversations, so you can speak to anyone, anywhere. Before you become the conversation initiating expert, lets look at something you should not do when trying to learn a language:Starting an English ConversationAs you can see, these guys could do with practicing some English. How do you begin a conversation in English? Well, the best way is often to simply ask a question. Here are some examples to get the conversation going:Do you know what time it is?Is this seat taken?/ Do you mind if I sit here?What time is this place open until?What is your name?As you can see, most of these questions are a little direct. Do you know how we could make them more polite? Write your comments below on how to make these questions sound more friendly.Compliment in EnglishInstead of making the above questions sound nicer, you can als o simply comment on another person. For example, you could say something friendly about their appearance or a possession they have, and follow this with a question. Lets look at these examples:That is a really nice hat. Can I ask where you got it?Thats a really cool phone! Is it easy to use?Look at these images. Can you think of a way to begin a conversation? First try to compliment the person/their possession, and then ask a question. Wed love to hear your  ideas, so make sure to write them in the comments section! This is a great way to practice your English conversation skills.2.Comment on surroundings in English ConversationAnother way to start a conversation is to simply comment on what is around you. For example, if you are at a party and you want to start talking to the person next to you, you could say, Hi, this is a great party isnt it? As you can see, this is another question to invite the other person to have a conversation. It doesnt need to be a question every time to s tart a chat. Take a  look at this next sentence:I love this fish! Its so tasty.As you can see here, a simple statement can invite the other person to give you their opinion/ feeling/ interest, which can then lead to a conversation. Easy, right? As you look at these next images, write a way to begin an English conversation.2.  Now, lets try to  add a question to these comments in order to invite the other person to engage in conversation. Use the previous example above:  I love this fish! Its so tasty. How could we add a question to this? Well, we could ask Do you like fish? What is your favorite seafood? Are you a seafood lover? There are many possibilities. Try to think of a question to add to your statements above.Likes and dislikes in English ConversationWe have begun a conversation with all of these comments. The next step is to have a more interesting, in-depth conversation. By doing this, your vocabulary will improve whilst allowing you to really show your personality-the best way to make friends. Well  begin with likes and dislikes.To ask questions about someones likes or dislikes, we can use words such as like, dislike, dont like, prefer and enjoy. Look at these examples below:Do you prefer  going on vacation to the beach or to the mountains?Do you enjoy speaking English?Are there any sports that you dislike?Now, to make your English even more advanced, we can add adverbs to these sentences. Adverbs are words that can modify verbs, adjectives or other adverbs. We commonly use adverbs such as quite, really, much and mostly, which often go before your like/dislike word:Do you really  enjoy speaking English?Are there any sports that you mostly  dislike?Habits in English ConversationAnother way to engage someone in conversation is to discuss habits. Habits are things  that you do regularly. We often use the present tense to talk about habits. Lets look at the sentences below:I occasionally go hiking.Typically, I wake up around 8am.Normally, I go to that re staurant for breakfast on Sunday mornings.So, how can we start talking about habits in a conversation? Thats right-we can ask questions! As you can see above, Ive added some adverbs to my questions (occasionally, typically, always), so we can ask questions using adverbs to find out how often someone does something. For example, How often do you go hiking? Can you think of questions for the last two sentences above?Changing topics in English ConversationSometimes a conversation can start to fade, and maybe the other person is beginning to lose interest. This means that it is time to change the topic. Here are some phrases we can use to switch things around:That reminds me.Example: .. I didnt like that restaurant either. That reminds me, there is a big game on TV tonightOh! Did you hear about/ that.Example: .the weather is always bad here. Oh! Did you hear the news about ?Speaking of (topic), I found out that.Example: . I agree that Brad Pitt is a great actor. Speaking of movies, I fo und out that.Can you give us any examples of you changing topics when someone is becoming bored/ uninterested? Write your comments below so we can see your switching skills!Closing the conversationSo, weve taught you lots of tricks and tips to start an English conversation and how to keep a conversation going. However, sometimes you might run out of time, the conversation might be really boring, or maybe you just want to talk to as many people as possible. For one of these reasons, youll need to stop the conversation. Here are  some ways to do that:“Feel free to call me if you want to hang out. Here, I’ll give you my number.”“Well, if you ever want to chat again, I’m usually here on Mondays“It was really nice meeting you.”“I had a great time talking with you. Hope to see you again soon.”Its always a good idea to be as nice as possible when ending the conversation. The other person will feel much more appreciated if you end with phrases like these.So that wraps it u p for today. We hope  you will go out and start having  conversations to improve your English.To continue your development, sign up here for a free trial class with a native English speaker, and practice your newfound skills today! LOI English offers great English conversation classes focused on the communicative approach.

Better Pedagogy and Time-Savings through Automated Feedback

Better Pedagogy and Time-Savings through Automated Feedback Automated Feedback Solutions Chichikovs teacher looks miserable about all the corrections he has to do If you teach ESL, you may have encountered any number of disparaging remarks from students and teachers alike about language instruction. For example, when I challenged my students a couple of weeks ago to spend a little more time on their English homework, one of my college students said to me, No  offense, but it is ONLY English. I countered, Isnt English the most important language in the world for business, travel, and research? Yes, came the reply, but I live in St-Jerome.  There was some nodding and general agreement that followed.  Apparently, in St-Jerome, Quebec, English does not seem to be a pressing need for some eighteen-year-old Francophones. Years earlier, in South Korea, during a department meeting about adding a writing component to our Freshman English Program, a colleague declared with a grin, Whats the point? They dont learn anything away. There was some nodding. General agreement that followed that remark, also. Apparently, adding writing correction to the list of ESL teachers duties does not always seem like a particularly effective use of time in all contexts. Obviously, motivation can ebb and flow on both sides of the teachers desk. Learning, for example, when to use the  Present Perfect Progressive can seem like more trouble than it is worth. Also, correcting the same error in a students writing multiple times can be disheartening to even the most patient of teachers. Such problems! Are ESL teachers doomed forevermore to be the workhorses of the academic world? Automated Feedback Solutions Computers can provide solutions to some of the problems one encounters in ESL. If you think English is irrelevant to your day-to-day life, YouTube and Facebook might persuade you otherwise. If you are starting to feel that correcting quizzes and writing assignments is getting tedious,  Moodle and Virtual Writing Tutor can help. Lately, I have been using Bokomaru Publications  Moodle-Assisted English Language Learning site called Labo danglais. I do almost all of my testing online with automatically graded quizzes and peer-reviewed writing assignments. As a result, students get scores quicker than they did when I did all correction by hand, and I notice a significant reduction in the amount of tedium in my job. To provide my students with faster corrective feedback on writing errors, I use  Virtual Writing Tutor. When my colleagues complain that they spent the weekend giving corrective feedback on student essays, I sympathize, a little. I think back to the years when my weekends were gobbled up by stacks of writing corrections, and then I smile at how the most repetitive and tedious aspects of providing corrective feedback are now handled by a machine. Correction without Tears Step 1 To illustrate one way that my job has gotten easier without sacrificing good pedagogy in the process, I would like to share a little about my approach to teaching Francophone College students the Present Perfect Progressive. In week one of a fifteen-week semester, I ask my students to find and correct the errors in a short introduction forum post written by a former student. This is the text: my name is sophie Gagnon. i am born in laval. i live at Montreal. i have 17 years. i study in sciences humans since 2 years. Me, i like to do party with my friends. My best friend make me smile. This text contains some pretty common errors made by Francophones writing in English.    In French, you are born somewhere. In English, you were born somewhere.  In French, you live at a city. In English, you live in a city.    In French, you have so many years. In English, you are so many years old.    In French, you study in a program since so many years. In English, you have been studying a subject area for so many years, and so on. Back to my method Step 2 Then, I ask students to introduce themselves to the class using an online forum.  Of course, despite having done the correction exercise, they still make many of the same kinds of errors, so I  ask them to check their own introduction for errors using the  Virtual Writing Tutor. They get the same amount of corrective feedback (or more) on errors as they would get from me if I were to collect the paragraphs on paper, bring them home and return them the next week covered in red ink, but they get the feedback in in less than a second from the machine. Here is what you get when you submit the above text into the  Virtual Writing Tutor: You wrote:  my  name is sophie Gagnon. i am born in lavFeedback:  This sentence does not start with an uppercase letter You wrote:  my name is  sophie  Gagnon. i am born in laval. i live at MFeedback:  Proper names, days of the week, months, cities, provinces, countries, languages, and nationalities all begin with a capital letter. For this reason, the word sophie should probably be uppercase: Sophie.      Link:  Capitalization error-correction practice activity You wrote:  my name is sophie Gagnon.  i  am born in laval. i live at Montreal. iFeedback:  This sentence does not start with an uppercase letter You wrote:  my name is sophie Gagnon.  i  am born in laval. i live at Montreal. iFeedback:  This should be written in uppercase: I.     Link:  Capitalization error-correction practice activity You wrote:  my name is sophie Gagnon. i am born in  laval.  i live at Montreal. i have 17 years. iFeedback:  Proper names, days of the week, months, cities, provinces, countries, languages, and nationalities all begin with a capital letter. For this reason, the word laval should probably be uppercase: Laval.       Link:  Capitalization error-correction practice activity You wrote:  e is sophie Gagnon. i am born in laval.  i  live at Montreal. i have 17 years. i stFeedback:  This sentence does not start with an uppercase letter You wrote:  e is sophie Gagnon. i am born in laval.  i  live at Montreal. i have 17 years. i stFeedback:  This should be written in uppercase: I.      Link:  Capitalization error-correction practice activity You wrote:  phie Gagnon. i am born in laval. i live  at Montreal.  i have 17 years. i study in sciences hFeedback:  The usual preposition used before town, city and region names is in. Did you mean in Montreal ?      Link:  Preposition error-correction practice activity You wrote:  i am born in laval. i live at Montreal.  i  have 17 years. i study in sciences humaFeedback:  This sentence does not start with an uppercase letter You wrote:  i am born in laval. i live at Montreal.  i  have 17 years. i study in sciences humaFeedback:  Three successive sentences begin with the same word. Reword the sentence or use a thesaurus to find a synonym. You wrote:  i am born in laval. i live at Montreal.  i have 17 years.  i study in sciences humans since 2 yearFeedback:  Did you mean I am 17 years old? You wrote:  i am born in laval. i live at Montreal.  i  have 17 years. i study in sciences humaFeedback:  This should be written in uppercase: I.      Link:  Capitalization error-correction practice activity You wrote:  l. i live at Montreal. i have 17 years.  i  study in sciences humans since 2 years.Feedback:  This sentence does not start with an uppercase letter You wrote:  l. i live at Montreal. i have 17 years.  i  study in sciences humans since 2 years.Feedback:  Three successive sentences begin with the same word. Reword the sentence or use a thesaurus to find a synonym. You wrote:  l. i live at Montreal. i have 17 years.  i  study in sciences humans since 2 years.Feedback:  This should be written in uppercase: I.      Link:  Capitalization error-correction practice activity You wrote:   i live at Montreal. i have 17 years. i  study  in sciences humans since 2 years. Me, iFeedback:  Use the Present Perfect to express durations of time that include the present. Did you mean i have been studying Social Sciences for 2 years? You wrote:  t Montreal. i have 17 years. i study in  sciences humans  since 2 years. Me, i like to do party wFeedback:  In English, plural nouns do not require plural adjectives. Adjectives and noun modifiers must remain singular. Did you mean ? You wrote:  t Montreal. i have 17 years. i study in  sciences humans  since 2 years. Me, i like to do party wFeedback:  You have used the French name of college program. You wrote sciences humans, but in English it is Social Sciences.Link:  Program name translation activity You wrote:  ve 17 years. i study in sciences humans  since 2 years.  Me, i like to do party with my friendsFeedback:  Use for not since for a duration of time. Did you mean for 2 years?Link:  Preposition error-correction practice activity You wrote:  study in sciences humans since 2 years.  Me, i  like to do party with my friends. My beFeedback:  Please choose either me or I not both. Its awkward.Link:  Pronoun error-correction practice activity You wrote: y in sciences humans since 2 years. Me,  i  like to do party with my friends. My beFeedback:  This should be written in uppercase: I.      Link:  Capitalization error-correction practice activity Step 3 Later in the course, I ask my students to create an unusual character and write an introduction for that character using the first person. Again, I ask them to share it online and then check it for errors using the  Virtual Writing Tutor. Step 4 On the final exam, one of the six sections of the exam asks them to write a paragraph where they introduce themselves. This time, it is me who uses the  Virtual Writing Tutor  to check for errors. By the end of a semester with me, most of my students will write a paragraph containing a correct instance of the Present Perfect Progressive in response to the following writing prompt: Introduce yourself. Say where you are from, where you live, how long you have been living there, the name of your program, how long you have been in the program. Also, describe your usual weekly routine, your job, and how long you have been doing it. The Virtual Writing Tutor Makes Good Pedagogy Possible All in all, the students get much more corrective feedback on errors than I would be willing to give without the help of a machine. The goal is to throw so much negative evidence at an error that the interlanguage rule in students heads that produces the error will begin to destabilize. Once that happens, they might then be able to resist the urge to map English words on the French structures, and finally introduce themselves in Standard Written English. To provide that much feedback by hand might negatively affect my motivation as a teacher. The Virtual Writing Tutor Saves Time Just consider how long it would take you to provide the same amount of corrective feedback as the  Virtual Writing Tutor  can provide  on 125 students paragraphs. Assuming you are a well-rested teacher with a two day weekend ahead of you and assuming you could correct one error every 15 seconds, and assuming each text has 21 errors like the one above, it would take you only about 5 minutes per student. Not so bad. Assuming you had five groups of 25 students (my groups have between 27 and 29 students this semester) and spent five minutes on each text without any interruptions, meals, or breaks, it would take you 625 minutes, or 10 and a half hours to correct them all. Your weekend is gone, and your kids are now complaining to their mother/your wife that you never make time to play with them. Your motivation to provide corrective feedback might start to wain by week two of the semester. Now, times that 10 and a half hours by three. I have learned, as I hope you will too, that the  Virtual Writing Tutor  saves ESL teachers time. How much time do you spend on providing corrective feedback on ESL students writing? Leave a comment. Please follow and like us:

Kumon Program Completer Earns Perfect SAT Math Score as a 7th Grader

Kumon Program Completer Earns Perfect SAT Math Score as a 7th Grader Kumon Program Completer Earns Perfect SAT Math Score as a 7th Grader Harita, 14, a Math and Reading Program Completer, hiking the Skagway Glacier in Alaska At 14 years old, Harita loves to be challenged. Whether she’s on adventurous vacations with her family, practicing the violin or playing volleyball, she loves to be tested both mentally and physically. That’s a big reason why she decided to take the SAT as a 7th grader. It’s also why she’s currently studying the elective Level X after completing the standard Kumon Math Program. Harita tells us how she discovered a love for learning new topics with Kumon and how that positively impacted her SAT scores. What does it mean to be a Kumon Program Completer, and what was your biggest obstacle? To me, being a Kumon Program Completer shows that all of my hard work and dedication paid off. The biggest obstacle that I overcame was remembering all of the different math formulas. I personally decided to create a book of formulas that I could consistently review and study. Why did you decide to complete Level X of the Kumon Math Program? I have a burning passion for math, so it was a natural tendency for me to want to continue learning. Not only this, but Level X enabled me to go beyond my boundaries into a world of math that I had never imagined. What was your initial reaction when you saw the perfect 800 SAT math score? When I saw that I received a perfect 800 on the math portion of the SAT as a 7th grader, I was both amazed and astonished. I knew that this success was only possible because of Kumon and my family’s support. Why did you decide to take the SAT as a 7th grader? The main reason why I decided to take the SAT as a 7th grader was because I wanted to experience what it was like to take the real SAT before I would need to take it again as a junior. I wanted to feel comfortable and prepared with the format. I also love to be challenged, and I knew that the test would push me out of my comfort zone. How has Kumon impacted your academics? Kumon has helped me develop a better understanding of topics learned at school, but because of Kumon, I have also developed better study habits, resulting in better grades. Kumon has taught me that you can achieve anything if you put your heart and mind into it. What advice would you give to kids just starting Kumon? The biggest piece of advice that I have for students is to trust in the process of Kumon. Anyone can become successful and pursue their dreams if they are willing to work hard and put their heart into the process. Discover even more student success stories. You might also be interested in: Kumon Program Completer Conquers Tennis on the National Stage This Kumon Math Program Completer Wants to Save Lives This Math Program Completer is Driven by Perseverance Inspired by a Kumon Program Completer, This Student Became One Himself Kumon Program Completer Earns Perfect SAT Math Score as a 7th Grader Kumon Program Completer Earns Perfect SAT Math Score as a 7th Grader Harita, 14, a Math and Reading Program Completer, hiking the Skagway Glacier in Alaska At 14 years old, Harita loves to be challenged. Whether she’s on adventurous vacations with her family, practicing the violin or playing volleyball, she loves to be tested both mentally and physically. That’s a big reason why she decided to take the SAT as a 7th grader. It’s also why she’s currently studying the elective Level X after completing the standard Kumon Math Program. Harita tells us how she discovered a love for learning new topics with Kumon and how that positively impacted her SAT scores. What does it mean to be a Kumon Program Completer, and what was your biggest obstacle? To me, being a Kumon Program Completer shows that all of my hard work and dedication paid off. The biggest obstacle that I overcame was remembering all of the different math formulas. I personally decided to create a book of formulas that I could consistently review and study. Why did you decide to complete Level X of the Kumon Math Program? I have a burning passion for math, so it was a natural tendency for me to want to continue learning. Not only this, but Level X enabled me to go beyond my boundaries into a world of math that I had never imagined. What was your initial reaction when you saw the perfect 800 SAT math score? When I saw that I received a perfect 800 on the math portion of the SAT as a 7th grader, I was both amazed and astonished. I knew that this success was only possible because of Kumon and my family’s support. Why did you decide to take the SAT as a 7th grader? The main reason why I decided to take the SAT as a 7th grader was because I wanted to experience what it was like to take the real SAT before I would need to take it again as a junior. I wanted to feel comfortable and prepared with the format. I also love to be challenged, and I knew that the test would push me out of my comfort zone. How has Kumon impacted your academics? Kumon has helped me develop a better understanding of topics learned at school, but because of Kumon, I have also developed better study habits, resulting in better grades. Kumon has taught me that you can achieve anything if you put your heart and mind into it. What advice would you give to kids just starting Kumon? The biggest piece of advice that I have for students is to trust in the process of Kumon. Anyone can become successful and pursue their dreams if they are willing to work hard and put their heart into the process. Discover even more student success stories. You might also be interested in: Kumon Program Completer Conquers Tennis on the National Stage This Kumon Math Program Completer Wants to Save Lives This Math Program Completer is Driven by Perseverance Inspired by a Kumon Program Completer, This Student Became One Himself