Exercise Before Tests

Exercise Before Tests High school students annually stress over SAT and ACT test scores. Parents and other figures offer countless little tips to boost students performances. Eat a good breakfast, they say. Get a good nights sleep, they prod. Have a nice cup of coffee, they advise. These are all simple, little tips that could boost a students thought process and generate higher scores. Furthermore, exercising the morning of your big ACT or SAT test could also help increase your score, according to an article in The US News World Report. Exercise releases chemicals in the brain that sharpen ones ability to learn and think quickly. Also, exercising to increase mental processing is more effective if it is done immediately before taking a test. The article cited a study completed at a Naperville school. Students standardized reading skills significantly increased, and their math skills increased by a factor of 20 if they walked or ran for ten minutes before taking a test. Most students take SAT and ACT tests at local high schools. Students could boost performance by getting there early and running a few laps on the schools track or field. Dont be embarrassed; people wont think youre preparing for a test. They will probably assume that youre a student athlete. If youre really concerned with being embarrassed about running before a test, bring a stop watch and make a big ol spectacle about your make believe times. Lace up some fresh, new Nikes, and people will certainly think youre an athlete. Dont worry about being a stinky, sweaty mess either. Just think: you can be Harvards stinky, sweaty mess. Exercising before your test could make you Ivy League stinky and sweaty, which is a lot better than a fresh-smelling state school. Who knows, you might even have cold weather on the morning of your test, and you wont sweat. You dont need to go Richards Simmons style out there before your test. Youre not going to be training for the Olympics or anything like that. But, 10 or 15 quick minutes before your test could genuinely help your performance. Running around your neighborhood before you drive off to your test could help your scores, and you wouldnt have to worry about running at the school. But, the best improvements are caused by running/exercising immediately before the test. If anything, exercising before your test will help you clear your mind and alleviate a lot of the inevitable stress. It could even help you be more relaxed as youre taking the test, which could only improve your performance. Exercising at the site of your big ACT or SAT might seem a little bizarre to you and your fellow test-takers. But, it beats the heck out of underperforming on what could be the most important test that you have taken before.

Choosing Guitars

Choosing Guitars Advice for Choosing Your Guitar ChaptersWhat Is a Classical Guitar?What Is a Folk Guitar?The Differences Between Different GuitarsWhich Instrument Should You Choose to Start Playing the Guitar?“How is it that music can, without words, evoke our laughter, our fears, our highest aspirations?” - Jane SwanChoosing your guitar in a shop or online can seem like a herculean task at times.So how do you decide between a classical guitar and a folk guitar?Guitars, despite what many may think, are still growing in popularity.Would you like to start guitar lessons?Here’s our advice for choosing classical guitars and folk guitars. PeterGuitar Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EdgarGuitar Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PaulGuitar Teacher 5.00 (12) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DanielGuitar Teacher 5.00 (3) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToddGuitar Teacher 4.75 (4) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SamueleGuitar Teacher 5.00 (5) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KurtGuitar Teacher 5.00 (3) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RyanGuitar Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhat Is a Classical Guitar?Classical guitars, like most others, has six strings. The main difference between it and electric guitars, folk guitars, and electro-acoustic guitars is that the strings are nylon. Classical guitars play quite differently to folk guitars. (Source: josealbafotos)The three highest-pitched strings are made of nylon while the three lowest strings are made of nylon wrapped in metal. Similarly, there are 12 playable frets on the neck.The neck of a classical guitar is thicker than that of a folk guitar and there’s more space between the strings so your fingers will be farther apart when playing.Classical guitars are often also known as Spanish guitars.Why Spanish?Because the classical guitar was invented in Spain and is designed with flamenco music in mind.  Flamenco guitars are very similar to classical guitars but they have a thinner and lighter neck.  The sound is also very different. An Andalusian flamenco or gipsy guitar will have a brighter sound than a classical guitar with a sound that approaches that of a folk guitar.The strings are also very close to the fretboard which allows the guitarist to quickly move around the neck.  A lot of guitarists play classic al guitars as soloists and there are plenty of musical genres that can be played with these types of guitar.These acoustic guitars were invented at the dawn of the 19th century.Find out more about playing the guitar.What Is a Folk Guitar?A folk guitar is usually larger than a classical guitar and has six metal strings. The higher strings are often made of steel while the lower strings are wrapped in bronze. Folk guitars sound different from classical guitars. (Source: delahaye)The neck, unlike a classical guitar, has 14 playable frets. There are 7 more frets on the body.  Folk guitars have a thinner neck than classical guitars and are usually easier to play.On the other hand, this type of guitar is still quite difficult to play for beginners. After all, metal strings can hurt your fingers if you haven’t developed callouses.Folk guitars are acoustic and include several different types of guitar:Dreadnought guitarsJumbo guitarsElectro-acoustic guitarsManouche guitarsDreadnoughts are huge, imposing guitars with a big sound.  They’re often sold to beginners.Jumbo guitars are rounder with richer bass tones.Electro-acoustics are folk guitars with mics or pickups allowing you to plug them into an amp.  You can use them to play acoustic guitar at home and perform on stage with a PA system or amp.  The steel strings are good for contemporary music like pop and rock. It should be noted that t he strings provide a different sound to classical guitars.You can get different sound boxes, necks, and bridges can all provide different sounds on folk guitars.The Differences Between Different GuitarsIf you’ve never played the guitar before, you might struggle to tell the sound of two guitars apart. You’ll soon get the hang of it. Different guitars are suited to different types of music. (Source: analogicus)Each instrument has a different sound. The differences between classical and folk guitars will help you decide on which is the best for you to buy.  They can affect the comfort, playability, sound, and look of the instrument.A more experienced guitarist might even take the wood of the body and neck into account. The tone of mahogany is different from spruce and a rosewood fingerboard feels different from a maple fretboard.The NeckA classical guitar has 19 frets with 7 of them on the body. Its neck is shorter than a folk guitar.  The width of the frets makes finger placement easier, especially for beginners.A folk guitar neck, on the other hand, has 21 frets and is longer from bridge to nut.  Its neck is closer to an electric guitar’s neck than a classical guitar’s neck. There are more playable frets than on a classical or flamenco guitar. This makes them better for beginners to play.I recommend you opt for a cutaway guitar as you’ll have more accessible frets. This allows you to play the 15th to 21st frets on the guitar.The StringsThe strings on a classical guitar are made of nylon. They’re more flexible and easier on your fingers than metal strings and are recommended for beginners.  Nylon strings offer more nuance to players as you get more control over them when playing your guitar.Folk guitars have metal strings.  They can hurt your fingers if you don’t haven’t developed callouses yet.  Folk, jazz, or electro-acoustic guitars are often played with a plectrum and used for rock, pop, gipsy jazz, or blues music.Learn about the different ways to hold a guitar.Which Instrument Should You Choose to Start Playing the Guitar?So how can you choose the right guitar for the style of music you want to play?The first things to consider when buying a guitar:ComfortValue for moneyThe type of music you want to play (classical, flamenco, rock, pop, jazz, blues, etc.)Physical fitnessThe techniques you’ll be using (picking, strumming, fingerpicking, etc.)The soundWhether or not you’ll be using an amp. Think carefully about the type of music you're going to play and how you're going to play before you get your guitar. (Source: agnessatalalaev0)You should choose an entry-level guitar if you’re just starting to play. There’s no point in getting an expensive Ibanez or Gibson thinking you’ll immediately be able to play like Hendrix or Pink Floyd.In terms of sound, you can play also any type of music with these two main types of guitar.  You need to remember that classical guitars have a softer sound.  They’re good for flamenco, classical music, tango, and bossa nova.The sound of a folk guitar is more percussive. It’s better for barre chords and music like rock, blues, country, pop, manouche, etc.  At the very beginning, it can seem easier to play than a classical guitar.To learn which guitar you should get, we recommend that you go to a music store.You need to feel comfortable with the neck and the size of the body. Similarly, the body shape can affect the playability, especi ally when you're sitting down. There's a big difference between sitting with a Fender Stratocaster to a Gibson Flying V, for example.You also need to think about the weight of the instrument, especially for younger guitarists.Don't forget to keep your guitar clean.Have you chosen your guitar?Next, you can look at the wood used, the length of the neck, and the music you want to play with it.If you'd like to learn more about how to play the guitar, there are plenty of useful resources online. You can find tablature sites to show you how to play certain songs as well as video tutorials on sites like YouTube. However, if you prefer to be taught how to play, you should consider getting in touch with one of the many talented and experienced guitar tutors on Superprof.There are three types of guitar tutorial available: face-to-face, online, and group. Each of these come with their pros and cons and it's really up to you to choose which one works best with your learning style and your budge t.Generally speaking, face-to-face tutorials are the most effective as they're just between you and your tutor. Your tutor can focus all their time and energy on you during the tutorial and also plan the tutorials with you in mind. However, this bespoke service comes at a cost and while guitar tutors don't tend to charge a fortune, face-to-face tutorials are usually the most costly type of tutorial available.Online tutorials are similar to face-to-face tutorials in the respect that they're just between the tutor and the student but their main difference is that the tutor won't be there with you in the room. Instead, they'll be teaching you remotely via webcam and video conferencing software. While these types of tutorials tend to be cheaper than face-to-face tutorials, they do have the disadvantage of not being as effective for hands-on subjects.Finally, there are group tutorials. With several students in a single tutorial, you won't get as much one-on-one time with your tutor and t here's no guarantee that the tutorials will be tailored to you; there are other students that need to be taught, after all. With all the students footing the bill, these tutorials tend to work out the cheapest per student per hour.

Why A General Education - Varsity Tutors Blog

Why A General Education - Varsity Tutors Blog Every college student is forced or encouraged to take a bunch of general education classes that are unrelated to his/her major. There are administrators on both side of the argument, lobbying for their case, according to an article in the Washington Post. One group, the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, has been compiling research to argue for its case. It found that many colleges require three or fewer of the basic subjects, such as math, science, foreign language, composition, the fundaments of U.S. history, economics, literature, composition, etc. The group analyzed 1,007 colleges and found that three fifths of those schools do not require seven of the basic subjects. This was itsthird annual report, titled What Will They Learn? The group is simply trying to prove that colleges do not require students to learn essential subjects, and thus they graduate lacking a broad education. It argues that colleges are becoming too lax and letting students study whatever they want. They are no longer forcing students to learn general education classes instead they are giving students too much freedom in selecting a curriculum. According to this group, colleges only guide students through distribution requirements, in which students can select from a certain number of courses in each of the several broad areas of education. However, most students always take the easiest, lowest-level classes. Then there are administrators who do not believe in a broad general education system, and many of them have already stated that this system is flawed; however, few have made strides to improve it. They argue that the whole system of general education is tainted by politics. Department heads (a colleges head of the English Department) never want their classes to be optional. They all want to make the required list. Colleges have to make sure their department heads are happy; so every department becomes required for every major. This simply makes college less specialized to whats important for a students future career and longer/more expensive. Generally speaking, most colleges are leaning toward a more specialized education either because its more beneficial to a students career plans or because its what the student wants. The American Council of Trustees and Alumnis study found that only 5 percent of colleges surveyed required economics as a field as study, about 20 percent required U.S. government or history and 15 percent required intermediate-level foreign language. The report also found that only about 19 schools required six or more of the seven subjects. Three of which are military academies.

What About Online Tutoring

What About Online Tutoring Can Online Tutoring Be an Effective Learning Resource? ChaptersThe Advantages of Online Academic SupportThe Limitations of Online Academic SupportOnline Academic Support Tools and ResourcesMOOCs: The New Way to LearnOnline tutoring is helping students with their studies.It’s a great way to improve their grades at any time during the year:Before an examDuring the school holidaysAt the end of the yearFor brushing up on everything they learnt during classAs a result, there are plenty of sites popping up offering materials and resources for all levels.Primary school, secondary school, and university students all have plenty of free and paid-for resources at their fingertips.  However, there are a few questions we need to ask ourselves about them:Can we trust online academic support resources?Should we trust them?In this article, Superprof’s is getting to the bottom of it. CalumDrama School Entrance Teacher 5.00 (15) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToriSpanish Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliviaSchool support Teacher 5.00 (2) £21/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarkESOL (English) Teacher 4.76 (17) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JenniferMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LouiseAutoCAD Teacher 5.00 (3) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyPercussion Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolasGuitar Teacher 5.00 (2) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MyriamOrganic chemistry Teacher 5.00 (13) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JonathanEconomics Teacher 5.00 (9) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Oluwakemi imoleMaths Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexPhysics Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdamSinging Teacher 5.00 (14) £48/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValentiniMusic readi ng Teacher 5.00 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MilenaMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RashmiEconomics Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsThe Advantages of Online Academic SupportThere are plenty of good reasons for taking online classes.There are plenty of great reasons for kids to learn online. (Source: StartupStockPhotos)Here are 6 of the best ones.1. A Decent PriceGenerally, an online tutor costs about £20 per hour. This price varies in terms of the tutor’s experience, the level being taught, the subjects, etc.You’ll find plenty of different types of academic coaching, learning resources, and revision help.  In any case, the online option is usually cheaper than the one on one tutoring services.2. Lessons and Exercises that Are Accessible at any TimeYou can read over lessons, watch videos, listen to podcasts, or submit an assignment as long as you have an internet connection.  At home, you c an use your computer or your tablet. When you’re out and about, you can use your smartphone.This is a great way to make the most of the time spent travelling or when you’re on holiday before school starts back up in September, for example.3. Perfect for Revision after ClassSometimes it’s just not coming together and other times you’re on a roll.Don’t worry: your online lessons will still be there tomorrow if you’re not feeling it.  While you can lose your notes, it’s much harder to lose a web address (especially if you save it to your favourites).In just a few clicks, you can find a maths class, study physics or chemistry, do a few online grammar and spelling exercises, or whatever you fancy.If you're struggling with calculus, algebra, geometry, or statistics, you can find plenty of resources online.There are so many free online tutoring resources.4. Motivate Yourself to LearnThe great thing about these types of lessons is that they tend to focus on having fun while yo u learn.Take video games, for example. You can enjoy fun activities with rewards and medals for doing well that encourage you to learn even more.You’ll soon start enjoying those maths or French classes!5. Specialists at the Ends of Your FingertipsYou might struggle to concentrate at the end of the day. This is normal. However, it does mean that you can’t remember a single thing from your German class.No problem! On the internet, you can ask experienced tutors to help you find academic success.  You can do this on forums or via webcam (if you pay a private tutor). It all depends on what you need and what your budget is.6. Useful and Effective Homework HelpIf your grades aren’t great, you can easily find lessons to fill in the gaps.  Similarly, if you’re struggling to understand a certain concept, online resources like videos and exercises can help you to see things in a different way.In any case, you get to focus on the specific topic that’s causing you trouble.The Limitati ons of Online Academic SupportThere are pros and cons to everything.We’ve already mentioned the advantages. Now let’s look at some of the disadvantages of online academic support...Artificial Intelligence vs. Human IntelligenceIt’s a fact that you’d be able to learn much more with a dedicated teacher. A child who struggles to work on their own won’t get a lot out of studying or doing their homework online.Thus, a computer won’t be able to help them that much.If a student isn’t motivated or can’t concentrate, there’s no online quiz that can help.The Dangers of the InternetVery young children run the risk of finding content that’s not suitable for them.Parents with children in primary school should probably keep an eye on their kids when using the internet even if you do have parental controls.Of course, there are sites on the internet that children shouldn't visit. (Source: Matwor29)When it comes to secondary school students, they can be granted more autonomy when using the internet.You should check that they’re actually using the internet for their work.It’s very easy on sites like YouTube to get distracted by the other content available. Don’t forget to remain critical of the information you find on the internet, especially what you read on forums.Too Much ChoiceLots of sites have absolutely tonnes of resources.  This is so that anyone can find the English, French, history, geography, or maths resources they’re looking for.Of course, you should ask yourself whether your child should be studying physics or chemistry if they’re doing just fine in school.With so much choice, some students struggle to separate the wheat from the chaff and inevitably get demotivated. Encourage them to work little and often and give their study some structure.What About Free Sites?The web is the future of free content.  That’s also true for content on the national curriculum. There are plenty of free sites that can help students study for their SATs, GCSEs, or A Levels.It’s also a great way for students to regularly study for their exams. Of course, these resources are rarely good enough to fully replace their classes. Without assistance, even the best students run the risk of their grades going down if they’re only using free online resources.Online Academic Support Tools and ResourcesIf you’ve started tutoring yourself, you’re probably wondering which of these resources you could use to help your students in their studies.Just like with everything else, you need to use the right tools. (Source: picjumbo_com)The internet could help you refine your teaching methods.Here are the top 3 types of tools to use for academic support.#1: SharingEvery tutor needs somewhere they can share important documents and files with their students.Here are 3 platforms you can use:DropBoxGoogle DriveWeTransferYou can share and transfer all types of file formats and on some platforms, you can even modify them live.#2: VideoconferencingImagin e being able to still teach your  students from the other side of the world.You can do so thanks to video conferencing and video chat. Skype is one of the most popular programmes for this.If you want to teach a whole auditorium, we recommend using BigBlueButton.#3: Multiple-Choice TestsTo test your students, multiple-choice tests are a great way to complement your lessons.They’re easy to set up and easy to correct. You can use them to check what your students have learnt and what they need to study.While you can use Excel, you can also use:Google FormsLimeSurveyKwikSurveyOther Programmes to UseDepending on your IT skills, there are a few other programmes that you can use to improve your webcam tutorials or private tutorials.  Some of the most important include:Digital notepadsVirtual Learning EnvironmentsDigital whiteboardsAudio and video equipment for podcasts or videosDigital TextbooksMOOCs: The New Way to LearnAlthough MOOCs were created in 2002, it wouldn’t be until 2008 tha t they’d start resembling the platforms we know today.These courses (MOOC is short for Massive Open Online Course) are free, accessible to everyone, and mainly aimed at university-level students. You just have to sign up.Thanks to video conferencing, whether you're an English tutor, chemistry tutor, or a writing tutor, you can broadcast your lessons to internet users. These users can ask them questions on forums and chats, too.Are prerecorded lessons the classes of the future? (Source: 350543)While most of the courses are at a university level, there are MOOCs popping up for secondary and primary school pupils.In fact, Khan Academy, one of the most popular MOOCs, offers video courses on maths and science to primary school and secondary school kids.Not forgetting:UdemyCourseraUdacityEdXSome students learn better by watching videos.MOOCs can be a formidable academic support tool for those studying at university or doing their A Levels.You’ve probably gathered that we’re big fans of online academic support. However, it can never fully replace an actual teacher. Don’t forget that it exists and is a great way to get supplemental instruction in a number of subjects. While most of the courses are at an undergraduate level, there are more and more courses to help with secondary school studies.For students struggling, it’s probably a better idea for their parents to work with them and even consider hiring a qualified private tutor to help them succeed at school. Even if they're not struggling, private tutoring can help a learner with exam preparation, doing their homework, or writing an essay.If you're looking for writing tutors, physics tutors, or whatever, you can find the best tutors near me on dedicated sites and platforms like Superprof. To find a tutor, you just need to search either the subject (biology, economics, accounting, psychology, etc.) or a topic (study skills, test prep, etc.) and say whether you want online tutoring services via webcam or on e to one tutoring.

Strategies for Smartphone Success

Strategies for Smartphone Success In last weeks post, I discussed guidelines for deciding if your teen is ready for a smartphone. While as a rule of thumb, experts recommend waiting until your teen is at least 14 years old before giving them a smartphone of their own, many teens with ADHD may not have the maturity or social skills needed until they are well into high school (or beyond). With that in mind, if you think you have a teen with ADHD who is ready for a smartphone, then plan carefully before handing over the phone. Create Ground Rules. The organization Wait Until 8th, which advocates for healthy and safe smartphone use, recommends laying out ground rules in three categories: how to use a phone 1) safely, (2) appropriately, and (3) moderately. The ground rules recommended by Wait Until 8th are excellent but are too detailed for most kids with ADHD to keep in mind. I recommend focusing on the three rules in each category that are most important for your family. Choosing a single rule that covers multiple topics and situations can help limit the number of rules needed. For example, the rule I will not text or post anything that I would not say to my grandmother/father/mother/pastor/rabbi, covers many smaller, more specific rules that can be left off the list. Post the Ground Rules in Your Home. Having a conversation about the ground rules is not enough for teens with ADHD. Also, post them in your house in a location that can be seen by everyone. Here they will serve as a subtle reminder for your teen and will be easy to reference if questions or conflicts come up around your teens smartphone use. Plan Consequences to Use if Rules are Broken. If your teen violates one of the ground rules, then put a consequence in place immediately. If a rule-break does not lead to unsafe behavior, then you can consider planning to give your teen one warning before issuing the consequence. Just remember to let your teen know in advance which rules will not come with a warning and will lead straight to a consequence. If your teen breaks the rule again after a warning, then be consistent about using consequences. Taking away the phone for a period of time, around one or two days, is usually an appropriate consequence. Tell Your Teen that You Will Be Monitoring their Phone. Install parental monitoring software on your teens phone and let them know that you will be monitoring their phone regularly. Also, create profiles on any social media sites used by your teen, and make it a rule that your child must add you as a friend or contact on these sites so you can monitor their social media activity. This may feel like an invasion of their privacy, but in fact, its necessary to make sure your teen is using social media safely. Talk about ADHD and Smartphones. Having ADHD makes it harder to use smartphones safely, appropriately, and moderately. Struggles with attention make it harder for them to put the phone down when they need to, and their impulsive tendencies may make them more likely to do or share something they will regret later. Talk to your teen about these challenges to help increase their own awareness. If you think your teen will not be receptive to having this conversation with you, then ask a school counselor, pediatrician, psychologist, or other professional to talk with your teen. Plan a Trial Period. Institute a 30-day trial period. During this period, closely monitor their phone activity using parental monitoring apps on the phone. Make sure they are following all of the ground rules. Before the trial period starts, let your teen know specifically what would result in losing their phone privileges. For example, breaking three ground rules (or the same ground rule three times) during the trial period may result in your teen losing their phone indefinitely. Education, consistent monitoring, and consistent consequences are essential when it comes to helping your teen use their smartphone in a healthy way. While it will take extra effort on your part, like all other aspects of parenting kids and teens with ADHD, this effort will pay off and will make life easier for everyone in the long run. ABOUT DR. MARY ROONEY Mary Rooney, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California San Francisco. Dr Rooney is a researcher and clinician specializing in the evaluation and treatment of ADHD and co-occurring behavioral, anxiety, and mood disorders. A strong advocate for those with attention and behavior problems, Dr. Rooney is committed to developing and providing comprehensive, cutting edge treatments tailored to meet the unique needs of each child and adolescent. Dr. Rooney's clinical interventions and research avenues emphasize working closely with parents and teachers to create supportive, structured home and school environments that enable children and adolescents to reach their full potential. In addition, Dr. Rooney serves as a consultant and ADHD expert to Huntington Learning Centers. ABOUT HUNTINGTON Huntington Learning Center is the tutoring and test prep leader. Its certified tutors provide individualized instruction in reading, phonics, writing, study skills, elementary and middle school math, Algebra through Calculus, Chemistry, and other sciences. It preps for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington programs develop the skills, confidence, and motivation to help students of all levels succeed and meet the needs of Common Core State Standards. Founded in 1977, Huntington's mission is to give every student the best education possible. Call us today at 1.800.CAN LEARN to discuss how Huntington can help your child. For franchise opportunities please visit www.huntingtonfranchise.com. This website does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The material on this site is provided for educational purposes only.

Teaching Children Internet Safety

Teaching Children Internet Safety The internet opens up a world of educational opportunities, but its important for parents to err on the side of caution in todays uber-connected world. Todays students have grown up with technology and are very aware of the internets many avenues to discover and learn, says Eileen Huntington of Huntington Learning Center. However, its essential that parents are up on best practices in digital safety and that they educate their children on the dangers of the internet. Huntington offers parents these internet safety tips: Talk about the risks. Naivety online can be downright dangerous. Its important for parents to make sure their children know that some people on the internet might pretend to be helpful or nice when they are not. They need to understand why they should never share personal information with anyone online. And its also essential that children recognize that their online behavior is just as important as their real world behavior. Parents and children need to talk about the risks of sharing too much on social media and the fact that embarrassing themselves online could come back to haunt them when it comes time to apply to colleges. Avoid playing spy. Its tempting for parents to want to control their childrens every move and spy on what they do online. Eventually, however, this only promotes a household culture of mistrust. Also, as children grow older, they will become savvy enough to figure out how to hide what theyre doing. A better approach is one where parents communicate with their children about house rules and expectations regarding technology and cyber safety. Even when monitoring their childrens online activity, parents should respect their privacy. Invest in parental control software. Its a smart idea to install a parental control tool that monitors all of your familys internet-connected devices. There are lots of options out there (check out Qustodio, Net Nanny, and Norton Family for starters), but make sure whatever you choose lets you control device usage, filter content to block access to inappropriate websites and keep a detailed log of web activity. Create a contract. Setting expectations is an important step toward holding children accountable, and a contract can help do that. Make sure your internet/digital safety contract addresses the following: Never giving out personal information (including name, phone number, address and school name) online Rules for online use (time limits and times of day) Never giving out passwords to anyone, even friends Never sending people pictures without checking with parents first Being a good online citizen and never doing anything unethical or mean online Never making plans to meet someone in person that your child met online Talking to mom and dad about any inappropriate or uncomfortable online interactions that your child is a part of or witnesses Lastly, Huntington urges parents to keep the lines of communication open. We live in a time when people get hurt and scammed online every day and even damage their lives by making poor choices online, she says. Parents, teach your children internet safety from an early age and talk about it often. The more you educate your child now, the better equipped he or she will be to stay safe online as a teen and young adult. About Huntington Huntington is the tutoring and test prep leader.Its certified tutors provide individualized instruction in reading, phonics, writing, study skills, elementary and middle school math, Algebra through Calculus, Chemistry, and other sciences. It preps for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington programs develop the skills, confidence, and motivation to help students succeed and meet the needs of Common Core State Standards. Founded in 1977, Huntingtons mission is to give every student the best education possible. Learn how Huntington can help at www.huntingtonhelps.com. For franchise opportunities please visit www.huntingtonfranchise.com.

6 Twitter Strategies for the High-flying Language Learner

6 Twitter Strategies for the High-flying Language Learner 6 Twitter Strategies for the High-flying Language Learner Twitter.It sounds innocent enough.But the staggering view from your timeline will show you its anything but.And regular use will have you so addicted  youll soon be checking it from the remotest areas where you can get service.If youve been paying attention for the last few years, you know that Twitter can accomplish unimaginable things. It can change the world!And make no mistake, Twitter is a one-of-a-kind tool that language learners everywhere can use to achieve fluency.In this post, well look into techniques that language learners like you can use to make the most out of the platform.So get ready to transform those simple tweets into serious learning! What Makes Twitter Perfect for Language Learners?Its short-form.With only 140 characters a tweet, the platform was virtually made for language learners. Even when the limit was doubled to 280 characters in 2017, the average tweet length, according to CEO Jack Dorsey, remained the same.Twitter is short and simple enough that langua ge learners are able to study and mine tweets for language gems. Its bite-sized nature makes it very digestible. It lives right in that vocabulary sweet-spot where you have just enough context to make out what words might mean in a foreign language.Everybodys already there.The language learning website youre subscribed to is probably on Twitter. The language teachers and target-language vloggers whose YouTube videos you love probably also have Twitter accounts. They might even be dishing out unique content there. Everybody, including regular native speakers who have some very interesting things to say, is available for the Follow.Youll not run out of language material on this platform. Many people are tweeting daily. Active users are tweeting multiple times a day. What you get is authentic material that mirrors how native speakers actually use their language. Very often, how people tweet is also how they would speak in real life.Plus, you get material thats fresh and relevant to the news or trending topics of the day.Its multimedia.What began as a text-based phenomenon has exploded into a multimedia domain. Twitter isnt just a place to post your thoughts as text. You can also post images, GIFs, podcasts and videos. You can practically link to any content from anywhere on the internet.And if you follow the right people, your feed will be fat with multimedia goodies that are a language learners dream. On Twitter, you have the best of all worlds, linguistically speaking. You have the most interesting stories curated by a community of users all in a language that youre learning.This makes it a great tool to use with FluentU. FluentU takes real-world videosâ€"like movie trailers, music videos and inspiring talksâ€"and turns them into personalized language lessons.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 tak es 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 fr om the iTunes store or Google Play store.You can easily find current stories in the news or entertainment worlds on FluentU and then go see what people are saying about those stories on Twitterâ€"you can also follow trending topics on Twitter and search for related videos on FluentU.Twitter should be part of a whole rich repertoire of tools that you use for learning a second language. With that being said, lets now turn to six very powerful strategies that will make your Twitter account (or your future Twitter account) a language learning machine.6 Twitter Strategies for the High-flying Language Learner1) Follow the right accounts.First of all, with the things that youre going to do here, it would be best to have a dedicated Twitter account for the purpose of language study. Its not optimal to have your language feed get mixed with tweets in your native language from Miley Cyrus, that football team you follow and that late night show host who posts video clips of comedy sketches.Tha t said, here are some of the accounts that you should follow:The accounts of native speakers.Whether youre learning Spanish, French, German, Italian or whatever, there are likely plenty of native speakers whose tweets you can learn from. This is really not a big commitment thing. You can follow a couple of accounts that you think would be interesting. If you later find out theyre not up to snuff, then you can simply unfollow and pick somebody else. Youll probably have no shortage of native speakers who can give you an authentic taste of your target language.Accounts related to language learning.Like I said, everybody is on Twitter. Well, practically everybody. So youll be able to easily find accounts run by known language bloggers, polyglots, teachers, tutors, language exchange sites and people who simply love learning languages. Their tweets are a goldmine of lessons and insights.Twitter is also a great way to see the latest FluentU postsâ€"follow us and well keep you in the loop!A ccounts related to your hobbies but in the relevant language.Say youre a foodie. Well, you can still be that and have second helpings with a second language, and you can indulge your other passions with your love for languages, too. If youre a motorcar enthusiast who also happens to be learning German, then follow relevant accounts so youre hitting two birds with one stone.Humorous accounts that tweet in the target language.Humor is a powerful language learning tool. So if you can find funny accounts in the target language, tail them like a police officer tracking a stolen car. These accounts will not only give you access to memorable quotes, wit and quips, they’ll also be regularly serving you funny videos that feature the target language in a more authentic setting.To find any of the above for your target language, do some Google research on what youre looking for, for example, professional comedians who speak the language youre interested in. Any account you follow and read reg ularly in the language will make for good memory anchors and help you pick up the language quicker.2) Utilize advanced search to its full potential.Grab your laptop and use Twitters advanced search.You can get there by first doing a regular search.Click on advanced search and youll be taken to a page where you can further refine your search requirements. The most relevant filter will be Written in, where you can direct Twitter to search items in your target language.If you want to search for a specific phrase or expression in the target language, you can use This exact phrase to look for instances it has been used by others.3) Change the language settings.Besides searching for tweets in the target language, another thing you can do is change the language in which you use Twitter. This means the Twitter interface will appear to you in your target language.Again, youll have to use your desktop or laptop for this one.Click on your profile pic to open a pull-down menu. Click on Settings and privacy. This will give you a page that allows you to change your profile preferences. In the Account section, choose which Language you want Twitter to be in.Scroll down to Save changes and voilà! You’re doing Twitter in French.4) Google the trending hashtags in the target country.You can also use Google to find the trending hashtags in the country or countries where your target language is spoken. If youre learning Italian, search trending hashtags in Italy and youll get results for the most recent topics that are sweeping the nation.Curating trending hashtags by country will let you meet native speakers who are tweeting about burning issues. Youll also undoubtedly see videos and linked articles about those issues. This strategy will easily fill your feed with more language material than you know what to do with.5) Mine the tweets for language lessons.So, you now have an account that regularly serves you up with tweets in the target language. What do you do?Read the tweets aloud.This may come as a surprise, but you wont pick up the language just by reading with your eyes. You need to get that mouth moving and that tongue wagging. Read the tweets aloud, over and over. The advantage of reading tweets out loud over other written material is that tweets often sound more authentic. Native speakers often tweet the way they speak, so what you’re able to practice may closely resemble spoken language.Figure out what the tweets mean.This is fun. Youre staring at something thats foreign to you, so how do you figure out what the words mean? A little sleuthing will be required on your part, but it will explode your vocabulary.Copy the tweet and ask Google to translate it for you. Or, make it even more fun by doing it in parts. Its best to  get a few choice words translated and try to guess the meaning of the whole tweet. This develops your context reading skills, which is very important in learning a language.Use emojis to help you suss out a tweets meaning. If a video comes with a text intro, watch the video first and use it to figure out what the tweet says. Language learning becomes fun when youre able to make a simple game out of it.Dont worry about getting the most accurate translations. The important thing here is that youre working with the language and becoming more and more familiar with it.Study grammar and sentence construction.Tweets can be a good way of learning not just vocab, but grammar. Grammatical rules and structures can be gleaned from how sentences are formed. Because of the inherent limits in length, youll often see simple sentences in tweets that are easily digestible.However, because of the inherent limits, people have also developed lots of ways to pack information into little packages. So even if sentences are short, theyre still often fat with content and meaning.On Twitter, you have the chance to see complex sentences, compound sentences, nested clauses, etc. Watch for complex elements in those tweets that get close to the 280 character limit. If a thought or sentiment is spread over several tweets, then chances are, it will contain some more complicated thoughts and sentences. Twitter threads are perfect material for intermediate and advanced language learners.Studying tweets can be a good way of looking into how words relate to and support each other. The vocab sticks in your memory because it doesnt exist in a vacuum, but as part of a meaningful tweet.Follow dialogues, conversations and discussions.Sometimes, tweets go viral or become controversial. These get not only retweeted but also replied to. Emotional conversations, fat with context, can be like candy to a language learner. If you can learn from a single tweet, imagine how much youll learn from a series of tweets where theres a healthy back-and-forth volley of words between people who are incapable of backing down.As you figure out what each tweet and counter-tweet means, it will feel like youre piecing together an unfolding sto ry.Youll get emotionally charged dialogues when you click on or search for trending hashtags. Politics and religion are two examples of hot topics that can encourage these animated discussions. (Hey, it’s also a good way to learn some slang!) Just be aware that since theres all kinds of content and interactions on Twitter, you may want to adjust your settings to control what you see and whos able to interact with you personally.6) Tweet in the target language regularly.The only thought that can stop you from doing this is What if I get the tweet wrong? Then everyone will laugh at me!Hardly. Native speakers will barely care about your grammar, theyll likely assume youre a native speaker like them. Theyll be more interested in what you have to say and respond to that. Besides, if youre using a dedicated account for second language learning, you can give yourself some degree of anonymity, if that helps.To use Twitter for language learning, commit to tweeting at least three times a da y.You dont have to write long and complicated tweets. Start with simple expressions. If you find a video funny, share it and say the equivalent of This is funny! in your target language.Ask a question if you want. Say Agree! if you do. Start a friendly conversation. Support someone. Get in there. Your tweets need not be perfect, you just have to tweet. Thats it.Its all about you working with the languageâ€"composing your tweet, checking translators and looking for synonymsâ€"thats what develops your skills and hones your insights.So, what are you waiting for?!Create that new account and start taking advantage of Twitter for language learning.It really is a powerful tool that can bring you closer to your language goals.Good luck!

6 Traits of Successful Adult Learners

6 Traits of Successful Adult Learners Adults are returning to school in growing numbers in order to meet the demands of an increasingly competitive job market. Your success or failure as an adult learner depends on traits you may already possess. Those who succeed often display the following characteristics. 1. Goal-oriented Be aware of what you want and how you want to complete a goal. Whether the goal is a certificate or degree, that goal should receive your entire focus until it is achieved. Having a written list of short- and long-terms goals, with an accompanying road map to their achievement, has been cited as a consistent indicator of success. Research the continuing education program you are considering and evaluate the school. Make certain that the institution is accredited. Determine that the programme meets the standards of your employer and profession at large. Be aware of the financial resources available and establish how your education will be paid for. Adult learners who know how their continuing education is covered are saved a considerable source of worry and distraction. 2. Focused If you are easily frustrated or sidetracked you decrease your odds of success. Adult learners who graduate on schedule share the ability to block out distractions and interruptions and stay on task during scheduled study periods. For example, they may have the discipline to turn down social invitations that conflict with the time that they have dedicated to course work. 3. Proactive If you procrastinate, writing papers the night before they're due or trying to cram for all tests, you are much more likely to fail. Scheduling when and how to finish your work allows you to complete it at your own pace with plenty of time for revisions. 4. Self-motivating Students who can hold themselves accountable can flourish. If you set your own goals, stay on schedule, and maintain routine work habits, your continuing education will likely go well. Self-motivated students are not dependent on positive feedback and set high standards for themselves. 5. Well-read Successful adult learners have above average literacy. The multiple commitments of work and family mean that they have less time to linger over textbooks. These students have high comprehension levels, pick up details quickly, and require minimal guidance from teachers/lecturers. 6. Can do attitude Adult learners with positive outlooks consistently outperform those with negative responses to situations. Traits of positive people include the ability to look for solutions, failure to blame others, and the ability to interact with peers constructively despite frustration. These common characteristics of adult learners lead them to complete their programs through determination and will. They take responsibility for the outcome and do not seek rationalisations when they do not meet their own expectations, which are high. The ability to make short-term sacrifices for long-term goals truly indicates their likelihood of success.