How To Study Smarter By Discovering Your Learning Style (Infographic) - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / How To Study Smarter By Discovering Your Learning Style (Infographic) - Introvert Whisperer How To Study Smarter By Discovering Your Learning Style (Infographic) Discovering your study style will enable you to better understand your strengths and weaknesses so you can reach your full potential as a student.   A Brief Introduction to Learning Styles The term “learning style” can be defined as the ways in which peoples’ brains process, absorb, comprehend and retain information. As such, learning styles are not really concerned with  what  learners learn, but rather  how  they prefer to learn. Your learning style is unique to you and can be influenced by a diverse range of cognitive, emotional, experiential and environmental factors. In fact, studies show that everyone uses a mix of learning styles.   The Advantages of Knowing Your Learning Style “It is better to know how to learn than to know.” Dr. Seuss   Developing an awareness and understanding of your unique learning style will empower you to boost your academic performance. Knowing your learning style may also boost your confidence when it comes to learning and this can may you achieve your goals without doubting yourself or your abilities. It will allow you to create customised study strategies, this will take some of the stress out of exam preparation and will help to make your revision sessions more fruitful. What’s more, you will also be able to communicate more effectively with your teachers about your needs. What Are Some of the Most Common Learning Styles? Style 1: Visual Learning Most people fall into the “visual learner” category. Visual learners tend to learn best by sight and prefer visual demonstrations over verbal explanations. These individuals typically find it easier to visualise things in their mind so videos, photos and diagrams can be useful learning aids. Style 2: Auditory Learning   After visual learning, auditory learning is the most common learning style. Individuals with the auditory learning style are best at processing information through sound. It is not uncommon for auditory learners to have excellent communication skills. They also show a preference for thinking aloud so they find it useful to discuss ideas in a group setting. Style 3: Kinesthetic/Tactile Learning The least common learning style, a mere 5% of all people fall into the Kinesthetic/Tactile category. These people generally absorb information most effectively when they are engaged in a hands-on activity. They usually find it easier to concentrate when moving and dislike being sedentary. For best results, those with the kinesthetic learning style should attempt to integrate some form of movement or activity into their study sessions. Learn More If you would like to find out more about the different learning styles, then you should take a look at this interesting infographic which comes courtesy of Study Medicine Europe. This useful guide explains how cultivating an awareness of your learning style can help to improve your chances of academic success. It also lays out the various styles of learning and offers specific study advice for each category. It supplements this with some more general study tips. Scroll down to the infographic below to discover the best and study techniques for each learning style.

3 Big Challenges and What You Should Do - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / 3 Big Challenges and What You Should Do - Introvert Whisperer 3 Big Challenges and What You Should Do We constantly face challenges in our life.   There are 3 big challenges I think we face almost daily. I’d like to offer up my thoughts on things to do or consider with those challenges. Here are the challenges: Making hard decisions Staying focused on your goals when life intervenes Finding balance (yes, it’s there as well) Let’s take a peek at the challenges and some things to consider:   Making hard decisions I one time heard someone says that there are no “bad” decisions; decisions are neutral.   It’s what you do and how you respond to the outcome of your decision. In general, I think that is a wholesome way to look at decisions because all decisions that arent life-threatening, illegal or immoral all can get “managed”.   By that I mean there are always unknowns that you don’t know or can’t predict at the time you make a decision. You must figure out how to handle those unpredictable things.   We have to adjust.   We have to problem-solve.   There is never a straight line between a decision and an outcome. Maybe there is an element of expectation adjustment to go with decision-making.   The expectation should lean toward realizing in order to get to the desired end result; you will have to weave around a few obstacles.   You have to keep your eye on your goal for the decision you made and recognize you still have work to do. Staying focused on your goals when life intervenes   I see this so much that it’s obvious, as humans, we can really only focus on a couple of important things at the same time.   This is especially true with our careers.   We are focused on finishing school and launching our career.   Once we do that; we get married, have kids and buy a house.   It’s big fun and very exciting but while we’re doing it, the career tends to go into autopilot.   We wake up one day in the future and wonder what happened, as we aren’t where we prefer. I think there are two things you can do to help you stay focused: Have someone dedicated to help remind you to occasionally pay attention to “other important things”. It can be a trusted mentor or a professional like a coach. Make a point out in time when you’ll restart your focus. The person I mention in number one can help you with a future restart. Finding balance   My view on finding balance is that it’s an ongoing part of life.   You have to constantly make decisions about what to do and what to delay.   It’s like your money; you can’t pay for everything all the time.   You have to decide what is most important right now and wait to do or pay for something at another point in the future. As a gal who used to work for me said: “It turns out you can’t do it all, at least not all at the same time.”   It’s true and while it might not always be fun, it’s part of keeping you functioning well. Go to top Do you know what your next career step is?  Many people don’t. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my eBook on how to construct your Career SMART Goals â€" that will help you put together your actions and keep you accountable. Get your copy now and start your action plan today! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer

How to get ahead in academics this summer

How to get ahead in academics this summer Summer tutoring can turn you summer into a growth experienceFor most students, the school year is coming to an end sometime in the next few weeks.  A seemingly endless expanse of summer break stretches out in front of them.  Visions of beach days and sleeping in abound.  However, time goes quickly and before they know it, August is rolling around again and it’s time to head back to school.The “summer slide” is well-known, for good reason.  After taking several months off from academics, many students lose some of the achievement gains they made the year before.  While we don’t advocate devoting your entire summer to school (everyone needs a break!), it can be beneficial to weave learning into some of your free time so you’re not starting the school year at a disadvantage.Here are a few ideas to get you started:Read for fun.Aside from being an enjoyable way to pass the time, reading for fun builds your vocabulary and reading comprehension.  Students who read for fun te nd to do much better on the SAT and ACT as well.  Don’t assume that reading for fun has to mean picking up the classics like Dickens and Dostoevsky (although those are great too!).  For more reluctant readers, even magazines can do the trick.  Try magazines with well-written feature articles like ESPN The Magazine or The Atlantic Monthly.  Get a subscription and distribute the magazines around your house so you’ll pick them up when you have a free minute.   Remember, you can use a Kindle to bring books and magazines with you wherever you go!Get a head start on test prep with easy-to-use apps.Yes, there’s no substitute for old-fashioned in-person test prep for the most personalized instruction (this might be a good time to mention that current AJ Tutoring students should take practice SAT and ACT tests with us this summer!).  However, there are some great SAT and ACT prep apps out there that will help you take your test prep with you wherever you go.  Try the College Boar d’s app for SAT prep and ACT Ups app for the ACT.  Even doing a question or two each day will help you make headway in your test prep for next school year.Improve your organization and executive functioning skills.One of the most underrated contributors to academic success is the ability to stay focused, avoid procrastination, and make a study plan (and stick to it!).   A student who knows everything there is to know about US History but starts a 5-page essay the night before it’s due is probably not going to get the grade that he’s capable of achieving.  This summer, start by reading a book like The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg to learn how to automate your willpower and change your habits for good.  Then, harness modern technology for your benefit by trying a few productivity apps.  Google Calendar might be a good solution if the traditional planner has never worked for you.  Todoist is a powerful to-do list app that helps you plan out your tasks and reminds you whe n they’re due.  Finally, practice your new habits and try out your new technology on a smaller scale over the summer: use them to help you complete your summer assignments for next school year.Explore an academic interest, or work ahead for next year’s classes.Have you noticed a recurring theme yet?  Technology can help you make the most of your time this summer, allowing you to integrate learning with your summer plans.  The last few years have seen an explosion in free or low-cost online classes.  Interested in learning CSS, a foreign language, or early American history?  Coursera, Khan Academy, and Codecademy are a few options among hundreds of such websites.  However, while online courses are a great way to explore a new academic interest, many students have trouble staying motivated when they’re not meeting in-person with a teacher. For those students, AJ Tutoring offers a variety of 1-on-1 summer classes at our offices in the Bay Area.  Our summer offerings range from bridge classes to get you ready for AP Calculus to enrichment classes in subjects like Java.  To sign up for summer classes at AJ Tutoring or talk with a director about your summer plans, please fill out a consultation request or give us a call at 650.331.3251.   Wed love to work with you this summer!

Why I Volunteer - Annick and Lourdess Story

Why I Volunteer - Annick and Lourdes's Story Meet Annick S and Lourdes D, two of Tutorfair’s lovely language volunteers. As respective native French and Spanish speakers, Annick and Lourdes have used their impressive language skills to tutor Senior students at Pimlico and Paddington Academy. We help them tell their stories below. Although the two tutors volunteered in different schools and in different subjects, both Annick and Lourdes are in the unique position of learning how to teach  a group of less-than-timid teens a language that has been innate for most of their lives. “I was a bit . . . a bit shocked,” Annick begins, recalling her first day at Pimlico Academy. “[The students] don’t sit down, they’re not quiet, and they’re very tiring.” Annick reminds me of some of my own favorite High School educators: patient enough to teach, with a no-nonsense attitude that suggests that you listen. Carefully. “But,” she continues, “as they get to know you and you get to know them, you find some middle ground. You learn to take it as it comes, and if you don’t think of a solution or a way to do it better, you let [the students] get on with it. Then you go back in a few minutes and maybe they will get it. Maybe there is progress.” When I speak to Lourdes a couple weeks later, I am struck by the parallels between her and Annick’s experiences, right down to their first day. Lourdes remembers, “I went to class, and the teacher introduced me to the students who had more difficulty. The teacher said, ‘Don’t be afraid because their behavior is not so good,’ but it was fine with me because I used to work with difficult children. I understand that sometimes they’re difficult, and that’s okay. I just like to work with them.” In these few sentences, Lourdes exemplifies a quiet kind of perseverance, and immense dedication to her students. When I ask her what motivated her to reach outside of her comfort zone and become a volunteer tutor, she says simply, “The children.” “They are special, they are innocent, they are funny, and I have fun with them. Sometimes it is difficult, but you have to give your time, because it will make you feel like a better person, too. These children are the future.” Despite her earlier reservations, when I ask Annick the same question she remains focused on her pupils, too. Her favorite part? “The interaction with the students,” she says. “Opening their mind to other things, and showing them there is more around that they could explore.” It’s easy to see why these two make such fantastic volunteers, isn’t it? Thank you, Annick and Lourdes! If you're a tutor, teacher or an aspiring educator looking to make a difference, visit the Tutorfair Foundation to find out how you can join the future of tutoring.

Spotify Language Learning Electrified!

Spotify Language Learning Electrified! 3 Ways Spotify Can Meet Your Language Learning Needs YouTube is only for watching cat videos.Amazon is all about buying Stephen King books.And Spotify is just for  music.None of these statements are anywhere near the truth.If youre a fan of cat videos and Stephen King, you might readily accept the first two statements, but Spotify?Get ready to completely change what you think about Spotify! Why Use Spotify for Language Learning?Spotify is a digital music-streaming service. In other words, it allows you to listen to millions of songs from the internet. Spotify works with most devices and since its compatible with iOS, Android and Windows, you can stream awesome music through your computer, tablet or smartphone.Theres Spotify Free, which means you don’t have to pay a single dime to listen to music (although it does come with ads and some listening limitations, of course). Then theres Spotify Premium for that total on-demand music experience. (A monthly Spotify subscription is $9.99, but students get a discount and only pay $4.99.)So, what can a service like Spotify do for language learners like you?Well, when I said earlier that Spotify is a “music-streaming service,” that’s really not all there is to it. Yes, its known for its curated playlists (and that will probably always be the first thing we think of), but they also have programs designed to teach you French, Mandarin, Vietnamese, etc.Considering this (and the fact that theyre breaking into the video market), Spotify might just be the next biggest multimedia platform since YouTube!So its time to jump on the Spotify bandwagon and take advantage of everything this technology has to offer language learners!3 Ways Spotify Can Meet Your Language Learning Needs1. Make the Most of the Spotify Music SelectionWe might have mentioned a time or two that listening to foreign language songs is a great way to learn the language.Songs have a way of getting into our long-term memory better than any other medium. They help us to hear and learn grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary naturally and have a way of making us sound fluent faster. They make language easier to remember.Yes, you can find every song by Ed Sheeran and Lady Gaga on Spotify, but why not mix it up with some cool tunes in your target language?(“Despacito,” anyone?)Songs are such great language sources that you just can’t leave them out of your learning routine.But how do you get to them?Weve got some suggestions to find the best ways to find the perfect tunes for your playlist.Forget artists and song titlesThis isn’t your run-of-the-mill Spotify search where you only need to type the title of the song or the artist. You might not even be familiar with many songs or singers in the target language.So the best thing you can do is use the target language in your search string. For example, if you’re doing a search for Italian songs, you can use the general term “Italian” or “Italy” and type in phrases like:“Italian songs”“Italian playlists”“Italian sing ers/artists”“Italian classics”“Best Italian”“Classic Italian”The idea here is to pair your target language with common search terms. Itll tease out relevant foreign language songs, artists, albums and playlists. This is really a general search, sort of acquainting you with the landscape of what’s available.Don’t worry if you feel like youre sort of simply nibbling on the sides. The next tip will take care of that.Follow the trail: Let one artist or song lead you to a thousand othersIn reality, you’ll probably only be using the previous search technique once or twice. Spotify is very proactive in offering you song after song after song related to the one you’re currently listening to. So you can simply let Spotify lead the way and automatically find songs you might be interested in. Just tap and follow the trail.Found an Italian artist that you love? Spotify will give you a list of other songs by the same artist. Itll also let you see other songs in the same alb um. And just to make your day, if you scroll down, you have the “Related Artists” section where Spotify identifies singers of the same genre.Use the “Viral 50 by Country” featureGo to Spotify’s “Browse” section, and in there you’ll see an icon labeled “Charts.” Tap on that and you’ll be presented with a page featuring the “Viral 50 by Country” option. Tap on that, and what do you get?Well, only the top 50 songs that have exploded onlineâ€"categorized by country. (Spotify has a special algorithmic to determine this list.)So you’re given the countries in alphabetical order. For the language learner, this should already alert you to scroll down to the country where the target language is spoken.If you’re learning Japanese, scroll down to Japan and tap on the square picture representing the country. You’ll then see the list of the most viral songs in Japan at the moment. Of course, the list will include your perennial and international favoritesâ€"your Br uno Mars and Beyoncéâ€"but a large part of it will be local talents; artists producing hit songs in their respective countries.The list is a goldmine for language learners! By employing the previous technique of “following the trail,” you can find plenty of songs in the target language.Create your own language learning playlistWeve already talked about finding user-generated playlists, now lets talk about creating your own language learning playlist.Spotify gives you ultimate control over your songs. While searching for foreign language music, you can make a playlist of the songs that you like as you go along. Simply long press on the song and select “Add to Playlist.” You’ll have the option of adding songs to existing ones or make a new program with just your favorite foreign language beats.A tip on titling your playlist, make sure the target language is clearly specified. So if the list is about Mandarin songs, then make sure “Mandarin” is in the title (eg. “Easy Mandarin Songs for Language Learners), so others would know what to expect.And, just as a “thank you” to all the folks who shared their own language playlists and made your life a little easier, you can make own playlist public too. Go to “Your Library” and tap on “Playlists.” Long press the program you want others to see and choose “Make Public.”You can even make a playlist collaborative, allowing your language-learning friends to add songs that they think would benefit everybody. Again, just long press on the playlist and choose “Make Collaborative.” Anybody who follows your list can make changes to it. Just another way for language learners to help each other out.Tips:Only listen to foreign language songs you actually like.  It’s interesting how language learners abandon their preferences when it comes to language learning content and just make do with what comes their way. Thats understandable for hard-to-find content and minor languages, but when you’re studying a popular language like French, Spanish, German or Italian, you really have a surplus of options available to you.Sing along!  There’s something funny about a guy on a train, headphones on, singing  â€œLa Mer”  (The Sea) out of tune. But this is exactly what you should be doing. Pronouncing the words and the phrases and learning how specific words make your mouth, tongue, palate and throat undulate is an important part of being fluent.Loop it!  Spotify actually makes it very easy for you to loop the songs or an entire playlist. Click on the title that’s playing and tap on the icon that looks like a Recycle icon once to make the whole playlist loop. Tap on it again and you’ll loop just the one song. You’ll know you’re just repeating one song because there’ll be a small “1” sign on the icon.Use the Musixmatch app.  Don’t you just wish that while you listened to that German pop song that you had the accompanying lyrics? (Because sometimes you can’t quite make out the actual words.) Well, that wish comes true with an awesome app called Musixmatch. It works perfectly with Spotify and gives you the synchronized lyrics to whatever is playing on your Spotify.Listen to different versions of the same song. If you find a song you really like, dont just rely on the Top Result. Always tap See all songs or See all artists. Youll find lots of covers of the same song. (The Spanish hit Despacito, for example, has close to two hundred different versions and covers, from acoustic to reggae and remix.)2. Find Your Perfect Spotify Language CourseJust to prove that the platform goes beyond music, believe it or not, Spotify itself sponsors language learning programs.Go to “Browse.” You know, that’s where you usually go when you want to search for songs via genre. You’ll get sections on pop, rock, hip-hop, Christian and RB. Spotify also arranges them via mood, like chill, party or sleep.Scroll down to the bottom and you’ll get a section called “Word.” Tap on it and you’ll get selections on spoken word tracks like poems, audiobooks, scary stories and guided meditation.You’ll also find language programs that teach you not only the basic greetings but the structure, pronunciation and grammar that make a language work. And these arent just your “token” language courses that teach very little. They mean business here. (French, for example has 45 hours worth of free audio lessons. Swedish has six hours.)Other languages include: Spanish, Chinese, German, Arabic, Italian, Irish, Russian and Portuguese.So head on over now to the “Word” section of “Browse” and listen to your heart’s content. Spotify courses are there waiting for you!Here are some other options you should check out.Coffee Break Languages (by Radio Lingua Network)The Radio Lingua Network, producer of Coffee Break Languages, was launched in 2006. Their podcasts, both densely informative and professional, have won a string of European Podcast Awa rds and is continually upping the language podcast game.Coffee Break Spanish, hosted by Mark and Kara, is particularly popular. Their passion for teaching shines through and when you listen to them, you immediately feel a kind of connection with those voicesâ€"which by the way, have a Scottish accent. (The company is headquartered in Scotland.)The programs take you beyond the “listen-and-repeat” track, although it does give you plenty of time to practice the target language. In addition to language lessons, you also get interesting cultural asides, which make the programs more robust for faithful listeners. You get more than you bargain for with their podcasts, and it’ll feel like listening to friends who really want you to succeed with languages.Presently, they have podcasts for Italian, German, Spanish and French.Learn In Your Car (by Penton Overseas, Inc.)As suggested by the title, these programs were created to be consumed while driving to or from work. But don’t worry, you don’t need to get a car for this one. You can be on a train platform or on a restroom queue during halftime and still engage in a little language learning.Penton Overseas Inc. offers a slew of programs that are specifically targeted to vocabulary and verbs. In addition to the “Learn in Your Car” series, they also have the “Vocabulearn” series which teaches you words, nouns, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions and expressions in the language. Their “Verbs 101” programs teach you conjugation principles and patterns as well as tenses.Penton offers free lessons for Spanish, French, German, Italian, Mandarin, Korean, Vietnamese, Arabic, Japanese, Hebrew, Swedish, Tagalog, Ukrainian, Polish, Portuguese and Swahili.Learning Language CompanyOf the language programs offered here, this one has the slimmest of pickingsâ€"offering just three languages: French, Spanish and English.The three programs do have different flavors and approaches, probably due to that fact that differen t folks developed these courses. The French program has a more grammatical approach, with tracks tackling lessons on nouns, regular and irregular verbs, adverbs and conjunctions. The Spanish program is more topically arranged, with tracks that teach vocabulary related to animals, clothes, days of the week, numbers, etc.The English course, for its part, is quite advanced and would be perfect for those learning the subtleties of written English, having tracks that explain the uses and nuances of the comma, colon and semi-colon, for example.Complete Language LessonsIf you’re learning Spanish, French, German, Italian, Mandarin, Cantonese, Japanese, Portuguese, Norwegian, Swedish, Russian, Polish, Arabic, Vietnamese, Finnish, Czech, Bengali, Turkish, Swahili, Nepali, Cambodian, Tagalog, Thai, Bulgarian, Hebrew or Farsiâ€"then you’re in luck.Complete Language Lessons has you covered! And theyre all free! Admittedly, they’re not the full-blown programs like a paid course, but they do a mighty job of starting you off right. You learn the basics for each of the languages mentioned. You get the fundamentals, the basic grammar rules and the most words and expressions.With today’s technology, there’s really very little stopping you from learning that second or third language. The material is there. You just have to do the work.So the next question would be, how do you make the most out of the courses and programs on Spotify?That’s what we’ll tackle next.Tips:Do download. And here’s why  Did you notice that when you have WiFi on your phone it’s actually very difficult to get some serious language learning done? Notifications from other apps are flooding in, messages from all your friends come every other second, apps are begging to be updated. So many things are begging for your attention. If you’re always online, why not try thisâ€"temporarily and purposely disconnect yourself. Be free from distractions. Youll find that your productivity will jump and target language fluency suddenly and strangely becomes achievable.Do one course at a time.  Spotify has multiple courses for each language, which means you have loads of options. Language learners often cope with the situation by downloading as many courses as possible, thinking the more programs they take, the better. (Ugh, not good!) Don’t fall for FOMO, the fear of missing outâ€"thinking there’s a program that’s better than the one you’re currently on. Pick one, and run with it.Don’t be a shy headphone jock. Speak!  In order to learn how to speak German, you have to speak German. Albeit, quite funky at first. But you have to speak the language that youre learning. There’s just no way around it! Talk to yourself. Record yourself speaking. Itll be one of the most educational and eye-opening language experience ever. Listen carefully and compare your pronunciations with that of a native speaker. Better yet, ask a native speaker how you’re doing.Mix it up.  Spotify is f illed with language learning courses that you could listen to, but you really shouldn’t limit yourself. Tap into all other sources of language learning content like textbooks, novels or childrens books during the journey.3. Take Advantage of Other Authentic Spotify ContentLast but not the least, Spotify can be an excellent source for other types of authentic content.Authentic content is defined as material that native speakers of the language consume. Programs for language learners tend to be at a slower speed and have modified content to increase the comprehension of the listener.This isnt the case for authentic materials. Since the resource is geared towards native speakers, its a great opportunity to tune your ears to the language spoken at a natural speed and hear vocabulary in context.Find the perfect podcastTo search for podcasts in your target language, simply type the language in Search. Spotify will then generate everything from songs, playlists, artists and albums that c ontain your search term.Scroll down to the podcast section and take your pick. For example, a Spanish search will get you HabloGeekâ€"a Spanish-language podcast that discusses everything technology-related. A German search would give you Machenâ€"a German podcast on business and startups.A great resource for foreign language podcasts is the Australia-based SBS (Special Broadcasting Service) Radio, which has programs, news and interviews in a whopping number of languages. Just type SBS plus the language you want to listen to. They have tracks for 74 languages, including Finnish, Dutch, even Somali and Khmer!Podcasts can really get those linguistic muscles of yours stretched and pushed to the next level. They immerse you in the language and you get to work with it the same way native speakers do.Browse the selection of audiobooksBesides podcasts, another type of authentic material on Spotify are those  audiobooks  in the target language.English learners will have an awesome time with classics like “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” “The Great Gatsby,” “Pride Prejudice” and “Great Expectations.”To search, simply use the target language as a search term (e.g. German) and add the term audiobooks. For example, searching for German audiobooks will show you a playlist that includes Der kleine Prinz (The Little Prince).There are also audiobooks in Spanish like El gato con botas (Puss in Boots) and  Le Petit Prince (The Little Prince) in French.To get the most out of these foreign language audio, try to get hold of a digital or printed copy so you can read along.Read along and read aloud so your mouth and ears can get accustomed to the language. You’re going to look and sound like a fool again, but do it anyway.Tips:Dont try to understand everything. Don’t fret if you miss a few words or phrases. But give it a try and negotiate meaning using context clues. You’re really not supposed to understand everything. Some things will go over your head. Cut yourself some slack and give yourself a pat on the back instead.Listen in small chunks. If you feel your mind wandering, its better to stop listening to that podcast or audiobook until you can really focus. Whether thats for 10 minutes or an hour, know when youve reached your limit. Its best to listen again when your mind is fresh and you can really absorb the content.Repeat after the speaker. Podcasts and audiobooks are great opportunities to practice your pronunciation. Throughout your listening session, repeat what the speaker is saying. This gives you a chance to practice the vocabulary in context and gauge your pronunciation.  Try to copy the rise and fall of the tone, the inflections, etc. Itll seem awkward at first, but itll come more naturally as you progress.Didn’t think there would be so much language learning stuff on Spotify, did you?So download the app now and find out why this resource is your dream come true.Spotify is indeed language learning electrified!

10 tips for teaching in ESL classrooms

10 tips for teaching in ESL classrooms Are you gearing up for a new adventure as an ESL teacher abroad? An experienced educator heading overseas to teach looking to learn some teaching strategies for the ESL classroom? If you fall into either of these categories, this blog post is for you! I’ve been in your shoes before - I lived in the UAE for six years, teaching English language learners (ELLs). While teaching students who have a limited understanding of the English language can feel like a daunting task, at its core, teaching ELLs isn’t really all that fundamentally different from teaching native speakers. The same basic principles should apply as in all good classrooms - a lesson should be organized, engaging and cater to students’ different learning needs. However, there are certain unique challenges - teaching students from an array of cultures, learning styles, education backgrounds, along with a language barrier - that come with teaching in a foreign language classroom. So, before you walk into that classroom on the first day of school, here are 10 top tips every new ESL/ELL teacher needs to know. 1. Bond with your students Picture yourself as a student, sitting in a classroom, with a person at the front of the classroom that comes from a completely different place, has a different culture and speaks a completely different language. That’s intimidating! Simply addressing students by name, greeting each student, physically getting down to their level and making a genuine effort to getting to know them will go a long way in building strong relationships. It’s important to remember, kids don’t learn from people that they don’t like and respect. 2. Create a safe learning environment Students need to feel safe and secure in order to fully express themselves. By creating a positive learning environment, not just physically but emotionally as well, students will be more willing to try new things and, more importantly, practice their English language skills. Correct errors with compassion. ELL students are bound to make mistakes - that’s how they learn! Positive reinforcement strategies, such as rewarding good work and effort, is a great way to not only make students feel safe but also build a rapport with their teacher. It’s also very important to give students time to finish their work and answer questions 0 be patient! ELL students will most likely need to translate a question you’ve asked in their head to their native language, formulate an answer and then translate it back to English. That whole process can take a bit of time, so it’s important when asking questions to give students a chance to think it through rather than demanding a quick immediate answer. Using teaching strategies like Think-Pair-Share will give students the time they require to process information and answer confidently effectively increasing student participation. If you’re considering getting TEFL certified as part of your application for teaching jobs abroad, then check out TEFL certifications that offer additional specializations in teaching English to young learners. 3. Establish routines Children thrive in an environment with routines. Writing a daily agenda, having circle time or a sit-down activity for students when they enter the classroom will help students to find meaning in your lesson plans. Make sure as well to post clear objectives, using “kid-friendly” language. ELL students need to understand the purpose or end goal of the activity or lesson to help them comprehend the content of the lesson. Using exemplars is a great way to bridge the gap between communicating objectives and student comprehension. 4. Make things visual It’s really important to enforce curriculum content with visuals in an ELL classroom. Providing students with easy access to the English language is essential to increasing vocabulary awareness and building confidence. Using bilingual labels to label everyday classroom resources (like chairs, doors, desks, computers, pencils, etc.) will help students absorb new English vocabulary and make it easier for them to communicate with you. Also, word walls are a great way to create print-rich environments. I highly recommend building a visual wall where words are accompanied by a picture to help students match meanings with words. 5. Be adaptable Teaching in an ELL classroom can be unpredictable. I remember working so hard on preparing a lesson plan only to arrive into my classroom, explain the activity and...cue a series of blank faces. OK, I thought, maybe the point of the activity wasn’t clear, so I adjusted my explanation and still...blank faces. It’s important to bear in mind that lesson activities can (and will) fall flat on a number of occasions. As a result, I had to become flexible within my lessons and prepare multiple ways to teach a certain concept in advance. Preparation is key! Quick aside: The phrase, “do you understand?” should never, in my opinion, be uttered in an ESL/ELL classroom. Students are frequently eager to please their teacher and will almost always answer this question in the affirmative. 6. Teach by doing Small practices that we, as native English speakers, can take for granted, can make learning English a whole lot easier. Do everything out loud (think think alouds!) and make sure to demonstrate concepts multiple ways to increase student understanding and reach multiple learning styles. Using visuals, close activities and graphic organizers can all aid ELL students in their learning. I would often teach the same concept multiple times using different strategies such as singing, videos, actions, stories, etc. By the time I had returned home from teaching abroad, I was no longer just a teacher - I was an actress, singer and author, too! 7. Introduce new vocabulary before use in lesson plans As part of my regular classroom routine, I created a list of words that were related to the weekly themes. At the beginning of each week, we’d go through each word, discussing the meaning and practicing its use in sentences. Each word was posted for the week at the front of the classroom, along with a visual conveying its meaning. I found that allowing students to understand the meaning behind key vocabulary prior to reading a story or starting a science lesson helped students focus less on understanding the meaning of the words, freeing them up to focus on the overall learning objectives of the lesson. After the week was up, I’d post each new word on the word wall that built up throughout the entire school year. 8. Practice differentiated teaching strategies Teaching abroad taught me the importance of differentiation - not just for students that have special needs or individualized educational plans but also for mainstream students that find themselves below, at and above grade level. Differentiation goes so much further than having high, medium and low leveled worksheets and activities. I was able to successfully differentiate by product (allowing students to choose how to display their own learning), process (creating activities that appealed to multiple learning styles) and content (leveling outcomes and activities based on ability). Providing students with choice in learning increased student engagement in my classroom. I used a lot of center-based, hands-on learning activities. I also found grouping students in mixed ability and ability groupings helped them work more independently. For more ideas, check out websites that provide lesson plans and resources for teachers, including Education.com, Scholastic, Share My Lesson and Learning Games For Kids, all designed to help enhance student learning experience in your classroom. 9. Learn about your students’ cultural background ELL students need to retain recently acquired English vocabulary by relating it to their own real-life experiences in order to store it in their long-term memory. Make sure to do some research before going to your international teaching destination and familiarize yourself with the culture, customs and everyday life of your students. Use that knowledge in your classroom to help students retain vocabulary and abstract concepts. If you’re looking for practical ways to help create a more culturally responsive classroom, check out Teach Away’s professional development course for teachers, Culturally Responsive Teaching: Connecting with students and parents of different cultures. 10. Incorporate technology Welcome to the 21st century! We live in a digital world - kids nowadays are growing up in a world dominated by technology tools and apps. Incorporating digital tools and technologies into your curriculum and lesson plans is a great way to reach and engage digitally-savvy students in more creative ways. So, how can you grow your own digital skills as well as those of your students? Get started by trying out some free classroom apps like ClassDojo and Quizlet. Teach Away also recently launched an online course for teachers to help bring digital literacy and learning into the classroom, Digital Learning for the K-8 Classroom, in partnership with Teachers College, Columbia University. So there you have it - our top 10 essential tips for navigating the foreign language classroom. Now that you’re an ESL classroom pro, head on over to the Teach Away job board to apply for the latest teaching job abroad!

MOOC It Up 5 Top Sources for Language Learning MOOCs

MOOC It Up 5 Top Sources for Language Learning MOOCs 5 Top Sources for Language Learning MOOCs Language courses can be daunting.Whether its the price, the convenience or even just the uncomfortable plastic chairs, taking a language course can have its drawbacks.But when youre learning a language as an adult, sometimes you need a structured approach. If you want the benefit of more conventional coursework but want to be able to do it anywhere,  online courses  and  private language lessons  can give you what you need.Additionally,  free language learning websites  and  free e-learning language courses  offer powerful money-saving potential.When youre looking for an incomparable combination of value and conventional coursework, though, nothing has your back quite like a MOOC. Whats a MOOC?MOOC stands for massive open online course. Theyre a form of distance learning delivered online. Unlike conventional courses, MOOCs can often have an unlimited number of students. They often provide plenty of course material like texts, activities and videos. Some even offer forums to allow y ou to interact with other students.Since 2012, MOOCs have taken off, with millions of students enjoying these courses.Harvard Business Review  notes that in some fields, using MOOCs to develop targeted skills may give you a competitive edge.But why should language learners use MOOCs? There are a number of good reasons to welcome a MOOC into your life.Why Use a MOOC to Learn a Language?First of all, MOOCs are usually much more affordable than conventional classes. Since MOOCs can accommodate huge numbers of students, MOOC providers can afford to offer lower prices than a conventional class could ever possibly offer. Some MOOCs are even offered for freeâ€"its hard to beat that!Additionally, MOOCs are flexible. Since theyre meant to be used by a wide array of students, the courses are usually self-paced, meaning materials are available for you to use at whatever time of day works best for you.While there may be a set time frame in which you need to be done with the course, you can usua lly choose whether youd rather rush through the material in just a week, delay until your time frame is almost up or spread the material out evenly.Plus, MOOCs allow you to learn from expert teachers. Since many MOOCs are offered by conventional universities, you have the option to learn from teachers who are truly experts in the language.Finally, you can access MOOCs even from remote locations. If you live somewhere where there arent many language classes available, MOOCs may very well be as close as you can get to a conventional course.Plus, being able to access courses from remote locations also means you can learn a language wherever you can get internet access, whether thats at your local coffee shop or villa on an undisclosed tropical island.5 Top Sources for Language Learning MOOCsedXEdXs pedigree is as strong as its MOOCs. It was founded in 2012 by Harvard University and MIT, and nowadays, many top universities contribute courses.Language courses include English, Spanish, Fr ench, Chinese, Japanese and Italian.One thing that sets edXs language MOOCs apart is that they come from universities from around the world. For instance, you can study Japanese with a course from Waseda University in Tokyo. Looking to learn Spanish? Universitat Politécnica de Valencia in Spain offers courses. If you want to improve your Chinese, you can choose between several options, including Tsinghua University and Peking University in Beijing.Time commitment is usually about four hours per week per course, and most courses last six to eight weeks.Course levels range from beginning to advanced, and descriptions usually provide clear insight into what each course will cover, allowing you to judge which is best for you. Plus, you can see what instructor/instructors teach the course ahead of time to give you a better idea of his/her/their qualifications.Courses are usually free, though you may also purchase a certificate of completion when you finish.FutureLearnFutureLearn is owne d by The Open University, a British-based university that has long specialized in distance education. FutureLearn partners with dozens of universities and cultural institutions around the world to provide courses.Courses offered cover some popular languages, like Spanish, English, Italian and Korean along with some less common options, like Norwegian, Dutch and Frisian. Language courses are usually offered by international universities.Several language courses are also highly specialized, including topics like English in early childhood  and studying law and economics in Italian.Courses contain video, audio and articles. Plus, discussion topics are meant to stimulate conversation between learners.Most courses offer the option of learning for free or upgrading. If you learn for free, you have access to all the course material except for tests for the duration of the course plus two more weeks. If you upgrade, you have unlimited access to course materials during and after the course, have access to tests and receive a certificate upon completion.Courses are usually six to ten weeks long and require two to five hours of work per week.CourseraCoursera was founded by two Stanford professors. Currently, it hosts courses from a number of major universities, including Stanford, Duke and Johns Hopkins.Language offerings include English, Spanish, Chinese and Korean.Courseras Spanish courses are often more specific than what youll find in other MOOCs. For instance, instead of just taking a course on basic Spanish vocabulary, you can choose to study Spanish vocabulary related to careers and social events!Coursera courses feature video lectures, assignments and forums to help you connect with other students. You can also see profiles of your instructors ahead of time.Plus, with Coursera, you can take individual courses, earn a Specialization Certificate or even complete an online degree.Most courses provide some free material but require purchase to unlock all the material and/or earn a certificate.Courses usually require about four hours of work per week and last four to six weeks.OfCourseThis London-based company is concerned about learners as a whole and focuses on all types of skills, from nutrition to finance. They also offer a good selection of language courses.As of right now, they offer language courses in Arabic, English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese, Vietnamese and Chinese. A couple of courses that might entice the aspiring polyglots are the  European Languages Bundle  course that teaches the basics of German, Spanish and French and an Exotic Language Bundle  that focuses on Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese and Arabic.The courses are a combination of lectures, videos, slides and assessment so you always know where you stand. Prices are in pounds and range anywhere from approximately $27 to over $200, depending on the course. The type of course teachers vary between professional instructors to production companies that specialize in creating quality content for learners.If youre just getting started with learning a language, this might be the perfect resource for you!UdemyIf you are looking to learn a less common language, Udemy is a strong contender.Udemy has a slightly different approach than other MOOC providers. Instead of being created by universities, Udemys courses are created by individuals in topics they are passionate about. While this means some of the instructors are not always established experts, it also means that there is a much wider selection of courses available.Language courses cover common languages, like English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Russian, Chinese, Japanese and Arabic. Youll also find courses for less common offerings like American Sign Language, Maltese, Thai, Vietnamese, Hebrew and more.Perhaps best of all, because courses are generated by individuals, you might even be able to pick up some language skills you wouldnt acquire in many other language classes. For instanc e, if your language skills come along with an artistic bend, you might study Arabic calligraphy or Japanese calligraphy.Courses usually feature video and supplemental resources. Clear curriculum lists (essentially syllabi) make it easy to peruse the topics covered and how long each topic takes before you sign up for the course.The length of the courses varies pretty wildlyâ€"some are just a couple hours long, while others are over 20 hours. Similarly, the price point varies. A few courses are free, but most do charge an affordable fee. Once youve signed up for the course, you have lifetime access to the material so you can always go back for a refresher. Certificates of completion are also available.The next time youre looking to improve your language skills or learn a new language, look no further than a MOOC! nbsp nbspAnd One More ThingIf you like learning languages online, youll love FluentU!FluentU makes it possible to learn languages from music videos, commercials, news, inspi ring 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 phrases 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.