ATTENTION! Policy announcement all employees. - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / ATTENTION! Policy announcement all employees. - Introvert Whisperer ATTENTION! Policy announcement all employees. From Dorothy Tannahill-Moran, www.introvertwhisperer.com Image: Photobucket Power-Influence-Office Politics: it comes down to your Strategic Relationships and understanding of how you build each one of these elements. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my video that outlines all of this and meaningful actions you can take today!  Start watching now by clicking here! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer

Ask an Admissions Expert Leah Beasley

Ask an Admissions Expert Leah Beasley Varsity Tutors brings you insider tips and advice straight from nationally recognized admissions experts. Leah Beasley received her Bachelors degree from Tufts University, her Masters from the University of Michigan, and her Ph.D. from Michigan State. Having over a decade of experience in college admissions and high school college counseling, Leah is up to date on all of the most important trends and elements in this world. She has worked in many prestigious admissions offices including those at Harvard Universityand the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. Leah has evaluated thousands of applications over the years and is now the President and Founder of Beasley College Consulting, her very own admissions counseling firm. VT: How far ahead of time should a student begin working on his or her college application? Leah: While a student may not actually begin to put pen to paper (or fingers to keys) until applications come out the summer before senior year, students should begin thinking about their applications well beforehand. First, when visiting colleges it is important to take notes about the visit and begin thinking about why the college might be a good fit. In addition, beginning to brainstorm the personal statement that is required by the Common Application, as well as many other selective colleges, can begin in the junior year. Finally, putting together a list of all extracurricular activities, community service, and work experiences should happen well before a student ever begins an application. However, the best time to actually begin to fill out applications is the summer before senior year as soon as applications become available. This allows the student plenty of time to thoughtfully fill out the application well before any deadline. VT:What are the best ways to go about selecting a terrific essay topic? Leah: It is important to remember that there is no right answer than an admissions officer is looking for in response to an essay questionthey simply want to find out a bit more about who you are as a student, person, family member, friend, etc. Think about what your preferences, values, personality traits and characteristics that make you who you are and write an essay that showcases one or two of these things. Just as you would write any other essay, its important to take time to brainstorm possible essay topics. Often times it may take several drafts of an essay to come up with the right one. After youve written a draft make sure that you have someone that knows you well, like a teacher, parent or counselor, read your essay. If you havent stayed true to yourself, such a person will know it. VT:Are there any essay topics you get tired of seeing or would warn students to stay away from? Leah: As an admissions counselor as well as an independent counselor, Ive read thousands of college essays and Ive seen the good, the bad and the ugly. Here are a couple of tips when thinking about your essay: No topic is inherently a good or bad one. Admissions people want to discover something about you that they cannot learn from your transcript or test scores, so write about something that matters to you, not what you think they want to hear. While no topics are wrong, there are wrong approaches. In general, do not dwell on specific experiences, but on your perception of or reaction to those experiences. Some topics do need to be treated with great care, and should be avoided if you cannot do so. It is very difficult, for example, to write about personal tragedies or those that affect your community or the world. If you choose one of these subjects, be sure to focus less on the events than on how they affected youand never focus on just the negatives, be sure to note how youve overcome this adversity. If you are asserting a strong opinion on a sensitive political, social, or religious issue, you may also want to point out that you are open to the opinions of others. Try to avoid writing about privilege in your essay. VT:What is the biggest mistake a student can make on a college application? Leah: Not staying true to yourself. A close second is, for instance, if you are applying to Harvard and you state that, It has been my lifelong dream to attend Yale! VT: What is the typical process an admissions officer goes through to evaluate applications? Leah: Typically, the evaluation process of a students application varies based on the selectivity of the college. Some colleges simply rely on hard numbers to assess an applicants admissibility and review only grades, courses and test scores. On the other hand, at more selective institutions, a more holistic approach is taken. While admissions officers at highly selective institutions carefully review grades, courses, and test scores, other factors such as activities, leadership, essays, recommendation letters and interviews play an integral part of who will ultimately be offered admission. VT:What do you think is the single most important thing a student should make sure they present in the best possible way on their application? Leah: The single most important thing a student should present is their authentic self in the application. What makes them tick, how do they think, what are they truly passionate aboutthese are the things that will shine through in an application and will make an admissions officer take notice. VT: How should students go about determining the culture of a university, and whether they would be a good fit? Leah: Visiting college campuses in person can be one of the most helpful and important activities during your college search and application process to help you determine if a college is a good fit for you. Touring the campus, talking to current students/faculty and getting a feel for the environment are crucial in helping you to make the all important decision of where youll best fit. To schedule a college visit, simply call the admissions office at an institution and inquire into the times for tours, information sessions, and interviews. Also, check the websites for tour and information session times. These visits do not typically require an appointment, but occasionally they do, so call ahead (at least two weeks in advance of your visit). VT: Early-action, early-decision, binding/non-binding, regular decisions...With so many choices when applying, what do you recommend to students? Leah: Deciding what type of application to submit is a very personal decisionand varies with each student. Some things to remember though if you are thinking about applying as an early decision applicant: Early decision simply means that you are submitting your application early (typically in Nov.-Dec.) of your senior year and will generally receive a decision in December. If you choose to apply early decision you may only apply to one college using this plan and, if accepted, you are bound to attend and must then contact any other colleges to which you apply to remove your applications from consideration. Therefore, I encourage students who use this option to do so carefullymake sure that you have visited the campus (more than once if possible) and can say that it is hands-down your #1 choice. VT: How important are grades and standardized test scores when admissions decisions are being made? Leah: Essays? Grades? Test scores? Activities? What matters most when an admissions officer sits down to review your application for admission?I often get this question from families and many are surprised by the answer. So what matters most? According to the National Association of College Admissions Counselors2011State of College Admissionreport, the three most important factors (as rated by admissions officers surveyed across the country as considerably important) are: 1) Grades in college prep courses83% 2) Strength of curriculum66% 3) Admission test scores59% Regardless of the selectivity of the college, these three factors will always be weighed most heavily in an admissions decision. However, a second set of factors including essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest were rated as moderately important in the admissions review. These factors can help admissions officers at highly selective institutions to differentiate between the often very well qualified applicants. The report also finds that interviews and AP/IB scores, while ranked of moderate to low importance, can also help to provide more information for comparing candidates of similar academic qualifications. Finally, factors such as SAT Subject Tests were rated as having little or no importance and are often simply used for placement purposes. So a word to wise studentswork hard in a rigorous curriculum while ensuring that you are prepping for standardized tests, but also ensure that you take the necessary time to research and visit colleges of interest and give your essays the time they deserve to show an admissions officer why you are a good fit for their campus. VT: What tips do you have for students asking their teachers for letters of recommendation? Leah: When asking a teacher for a letter of recommendation, do so in person. Remember that you are asking them a favor, so you want to be polite and also allow them to thoughtfully decline if they feel that they cannot write you a strong letter. If the teacher agrees to the write the letter, it can often help if you provide them with additional information about yourself as well, such as an extracurricular resume. Finally, make sure to write a handwritten thank you note after the letter has been submitted. Visit the Beasley College Consulting website for more details on Leah and her admissions consulting services.The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

What is Molecular Biology

What is Molecular Biology Everything to Know About Studying Molecular Biology ChaptersWhat is Molecular Biology?Molecular Biologist CareersBasic Concepts of Molecular Biology?Chances are, if you’re curious about learning more about the biological sciences, you’ve already stumbled upon a field called molecular and cellular biology. While it can be confusing to find your way through the numerous branches and specializations within the discipline of bioscience, there’s no need to worry â€" especially when it comes to molecular biology.While molecular biology is a relatively young science, its importance to modern medicine is incontestable. From studying the living systems inside of our bodies, to investigating the biological systems that take place in nature â€" molecular biology is involved in finding innovative solutions to our most pressing scientific inquiries. Press on and learn more about the field that is changing today’s medicinal and environmental landscape.What are humans made of? Molecular science tries to solve this questionbasic and core topi cs within the discipline to help give you an idea of what the field is about or remind you of your basics.EukaryoticA eukaryote is any cell and organism that has a nucleus. It is composed of a nuclear membrane, defined chromosomes, and organelles such as mitochondria, golgi apparatus, and endoplasmic reticulum. The process of eukaryotic transcription, on the other hand, refers to one of the most vital processes that organism can undergo. This is the process in which DNA is converted into RNA, and enables information to be carried to different parts of the body.Gene expressionThe process by which the information held within DNA is used and converted into a functional product, such as a protein.GenomicGenomics has to do with the structure, function and inheritance of genetic material, or genome, of an organism. This is heavily involved with DNA sequencing.Nucleic acidsThis is a chemical compound that carry information of the cell and, therefore, determines its inherited characteristic s.PathogenA pathogen is a disease-causing microorganism. There are four main types of pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa and worms.MacromoleculesThis is a large molecule, with a diameter normally between 10-5 to 10-3 millimetres. For example, rubber and many synthetic materials are made up of macromolecules.LipidsLipids are organic compounds that do not react well with water. For example, fats, oils and hormones.If you want to learn some more about how you can apply scientific knowledge to conservation efforts, check out marine biology!

Give Your Child A Healthier Drive To Learn- Go For Online Tutoring

Give Your Child A Healthier Drive To Learn- Go For Online Tutoring 0SHARESShare The importance of online tutoring is the personalized attention a student receives. Sessions are planned to fit the interests and learning styles of every student. This practice is not possible in a classroom setup. The methods followed in all classroom tutorials are fairly identical, but it has been proven that there are a number of distinctive learning styles which enable some students to learn better. Looking for online homework help, online help in test preparation, online help for any specific subject; rely on Tutor Pace.   With just a small package, you can make sure your kids achieve their target instead of falling behind. In an internet tutoring session, the online tutors and students share a one-to-one environment. This helps the tutors to identify a particular student’s preferred ‘learning style’. Mention may be made of  five distinguishable learning styles; The ‘visual’ or ‘spatial’ style, The ‘Verbal’ style, The ‘Kinesthetic’ style The ‘Logical’, ‘Tactile’ or ‘Mathematical’ style and The ‘Aural’ (auditory, rhythmic) style. Significance of Online tutoring sessions: Boost motivation to learn Enhances ability to manage study strategies Increases related general knowledge Builds a dependable tutor-student relation Increases subject specific knowledge Enhances understanding of subject areas Improves attitude toward a specific subject Gradually builds self-confidence in students Tutor Pace a USA based online tutoring website proffer dependable and the most affordable learning sessions. There are highly experienced and trained experts to give you academic assistance round the clock. It is a 24/7 service that can be accessed from the comfort of home. [starbox id=admin]

Heart Math Tutoring Featured On Charlotte Talks

Heart Math Tutoring Featured On Charlotte Talks Heart Math Tutoring Featured On Charlotte Talks Heart Math Tutoring Featured On Charlotte Talks November 4, 2015 Charlotte Talks, one of the region’s top news talk programs, featured Heart Math Tutoring and other innovative math programs in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in its Nov. 3 broadcast. The hourlong show featured Emily Elliott, Heart’s Executive Director, host Mike Collins and guests Tim Chartier, associate professor of mathematics and computer science at Davidson College, and Kaneka Turner, an elementary math specialist at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. Click here to listen to the broadcast. Since 1998, Charlotte Talks has become the regions exclusive forum for the discussion of politics, education, arts/culture, social issues, the environment and more. The show is on WFAE, 90.7 FM, Charlotte’s NPR news source.

Teaching Students to Write Well

Teaching Students to Write Well Teaching Students to Write Well To build a foundation for college and career readiness, students need to learn to use writing as a way of offering and supporting opinions, demonstrating understanding of the subjects they are studying, and conveying real and imagined experiences and events. They learn to appreciate that a key purpose of writing is to communicate clearly to an external, sometimes unfamiliar audience, and they begin to adapt the form and content of their writing to accomplish a particular task and purpose. They develop the capacity to build knowledge on a subject through research projects and to respond analytically to literary and informational sources. To meet these goals, students must devote significant time and effort to writing, producing numerous pieces over short and extended time frames throughout the year. Common Core State Standards One of the biggest changes put forth by the Common Core State Standards is an elevated focus on writing and overall literacy. More than ever before, students are now expected to: Write logical arguments based on substantive claims, sound reasoning and relevant evidence. Write arguments and opinion pieces from the earliest grades. Conduct focused and in-depth research for written analyses and presentations. Specifically, the standards state that students must build their writing abilities in three areas: argument/opinion writing, informative/explanatory writing, and narrative writing. Student Achievement Partners, a nonprofit organization founded by three lead writers of the Common Core State Standards, offers a variety of resources for teachers to get familiar with the Common Core State Standards and understand how to put them into action. As you have your students work on more rigorous and in-depth writing assignments, here are a few key points to keep in mind about different types of writing, as derived from writing samples provided on Student Achievement Partners website, www.achievethecore.org: Argument/opinion writing Students are provided (and read) texts and a writing prompt that asks them to form an opinion or claim about a focusing question. For students in the early elementary grades, opinion writing should offer a brief introduction, state the opinion, provide one or a few reasons for the opinion expressed, and provide a simple concluding statement. As students progress through elementary school, their opinion essays should become more robust and should have an introduction, clear statement of an opinion, evidence from the text to support that opinion and explain the students thinking, several paragraphs and a conclusion. Middle school students opinion writing should introduce a claim, acknowledge competing claims and rebut them with credible evidence and reasoning, organize reasoning and evidence logically, support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence, and provide a concluding section that supports the initial argument presented. In early high school, students argument/opinion writing must introduce a precise claim with context and distinguish that claim from alternate claims, establish a formal style and objective tone, develop the claim with supporting evidence and reasoning, develop counterclaims fairly, and provide a concluding statement. Informative/explanatory writing Students are given a set of texts (or a video and a text, if younger) and a writing prompt that requests them to convey complex ideas and information. For students early in elementary school, informative/explanatory writing should introduce a topic, supply facts about it and end with a reflective concluding sentence. As students approach the later elementary school years, informative/explanatory writing should introduce a topic, provide a general observation and focus, use precise language to explain the topic, develop the topic with details, facts and examples, link ideas using words and phrases, and structure the essay to make it easy to follow. In middle school, informative/explanatory writing must introduce the topic, name the work about which the student is writing (and the synopsis of the story), offer relevant facts and details, give examples from the text, clarify the relationship among the ideas presented, give examples, establish a formal style and use precise language. In high school, students must give context to set the stage for an essay, use precise language to delve into the complexity of the topic, transition smoothly to clarify relationships among ideas and concepts, organize complex ideas and information to make connections, develop the topic with facts and details, establish a formal style and objective tone, and analyze ideas and information to make connections. Narrative writing Students write from a writing prompt and stimulating idea to develop narrative about experiences or events. In early elementary school, students must use temporal words or phrases (once, every week) to signal event order, recount sequenced events and include some details. Later in elementary school, students write narratives by first orienting the reader and introducing a narrator, using a variety of transitional words to maintain sequence, use narrative techniques to develop events and show characters response, use concrete details to convey experiences and provide a conclusion. In middle school, students engage and orient the reader by establishing context for narrative and introducing main characters, use dialogue to develop characters and events, use transitional clauses, use dialogue to develop character, use precise words and phrases and descriptive details, use description and reflection to build toward an outcome, and provide a conclusion.

Language Learning Programs The 9 Smartest Online Options

Language Learning Programs The 9 Smartest Online Options Language Learning Programs: The 9 Smartest Online Options At some point, most of us have failed horribly at learning a language.Why?Because for most of us, that language was just another subject we had to take in school.And we really didnt have the motivation to do it.Even if we passed the course, we may have still bombed at learning the language to any degree of real usefulness.However, just because weve already had this experience of failure doesnt mean the need for language learning itself is  going away anytime soon.What if you want to not just survive but really enjoy your vacation to Paris?What if youre interested in opening a business in Beijing?What if you play soccer with people who dont speak English, and you want to chat with them?Or what if youre heading off to college now and you want to actually learn a language for real while youre there?When the desire to learn a language is real, the stakes are different.And luckily, your learning options can be different, too.Learning a language with online programs gives you the opportuni ty to customize your process, goals and the timeframe in which you accomplish those goalsâ€"whether or not youre taking an academic or in-person course, too.In addition to being able to choose your own pace and learning style, studying languages online and with apps also gives you the added advantage of having tons of course options.All these factors give you the ability to actively guide yourself towards real success in language learning, whatever that means to you.To help you further towards that success, weve compiled a list of the best programs for achieving your language learning goals that are currently available.These programs use highly effective methods that have been proven to bring learners great results. If you dont want to settle for second-rate language programs, the nine options below are perfect for you.But before we get to the list, lets look at how to effectively use online resources and how to get the most out of the time you spend using them. How to Effectively Use Online Language Learning ProgramsI know its tempting to find a language program that you like and start studying without really thinking about how it works. However, here are a few things you can do to greatly increase your chances of success at online language learning.Find an accountability partnerFirst, find an accountability partner so you can stay motivated!This strategy allows two people to share their goals with each other and to keep at them. People use accountability partners in different ways, but there are some things you should definitely do with yours.Specifically, share your goals, victories and failures.Doing so keeps you motivated to keep moving forward. It also allows both you and your partner to grow your knowledge base of learning strategies that work and those that don’t.Set realistic goalsSecond, make sure you and your partner set realistic goals for yourselves without asking too much or too little.A good way to do this is to set achievable daily goals ra ther than long-term goals. An example of an appropriate goal would be, I want to learn ten Russian words a day. This is much more achievable than saying, I want to learn Russian in a year.By making your goals small and short-term, you set yourself up to succeed, because you can have a small success every day.To really accomplish these daily goals, you need to set a reasonable daily schedule and aim to work on your language study every day. Its also helpful to set your language study at the same time every day, as this establishes a routine thats easier for you to follow.Diversify your learningFinally, to really take advantage of these fantastic online resources, you need to diversify your learning by not using only one resource all the time.This will help you to broaden your knowledge of the language and round out your abilities. This doesnt mean you necessarily need to use more than one main learning programâ€"this depends on the program itself as they have different strengths and weaknesses. But no matter what program youre using, you should always try to supplement it with authentic materials (in other words, articles, videos, radio, etc. intended for native speakers rather than learners).Now that you know some of the ways to effectively use our list of the top language learning resources, lets look at the resources themselves.Language Learning Programs: The 9 Smartest Online OptionsPimsleurPimsleur uses a mix of science and good planning to make a genuinely good audio system for learning the core of any language offeredâ€"and there are lots offered.This innovative system is based on the research of Dr. Pimsleur, which covered very important functions of the brain like anticipation and graduated recall.These scientific principles allowed him to create a system to help push a language deep into your memory in a shorter time through memory hooks and reviewing the right vocabulary at the right time.If youre not interested in the science behind why Pimsleur wor ks, thats okay. Just understand that by listening for 30 minutes a day, you can start building a foundation for a language inside your brain with this system.Pimsleur focuses on important basic vocabulary and sentence structures to push you to a conversational level in a short amount of time.View available languages and get started here.FluentUHave you ever searched around the internet for hours looking for real content in your target language?Maybe if I change my YouTube search just a little, Ill find something thatll actually help me learn German!Well, youre not the only one. Weve all been there.FluentU solves this problem by painstakingly selecting authentic videos from around the webâ€"like movie trailers, music videos, news, vlogs, speeches and moreâ€"adding helpful subtitles and publishing them according to difficulty, so you can always find a video to help you learn.Not only does FluentU end your days of endlessly searching for new content on the web, but it also gives you a complete learning system in the form of powerful tools that make learning the content you find in the videos easier than everâ€"like interactive captions and custom quizzes.Plus, the database of videos is constantly being updated, so youll always have something new to watch. As Fluent is based around real-world videos, youll also be able to absorb all kinds of cultural details and understanding as you learn.FluentU also continues to add new languages, and here are the programs that are currently available:ChineseEnglishFrenchGermanItalianJapaneseKoreanRussianSpanishTheres also an accompanying app for  iOS or Android devices  that syncs with the online platform, so youll never have to struggle to find where you left off.  Your videos, flashcards and quizzes will be with you on the go, which means youll have no excuse not to learn a language!Plus, FluentU has content for all levels and interests. Whether youre a beginner or advanced language studentâ€"and whether youre into beauty vlo gging, travel videos or the most recent superhero filmsâ€"FluentU was made and continues to be updated with you in mind.FluentU has a wide variety of videos, including funny commercials and web series, as you can see here:FluentU App Browse Screen.FluentU has interactive captions that let you tap on any word to see an image, definition, audio and useful examples. Now native language content is within reach with interactive transcripts.Didnt catch something? Go back and listen again. Missed a word? Hover over or tap on the subtitles to instantly view definitions.FluentU Interactive Transcripts You can learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentUs quiz mode. Swipe left or right to see  more examples for the word you’re learning.FluentU Has Quizzes for Every VideoAnd FluentU always keeps track of vocabulary that you’re learning. It uses that vocab to give you a 100% personalized experience by recommending videos and examples.You can try any FluentU subscription with a free 15 -day trial, and one subscription covers all languages, so you can learn multiple languages with one account.Rocket LanguagesRocket Languages is  based on interactive audio that you can listen to anywhere you want. Do you have a long commute to work every day? Why not take advantage of that free time to accomplish your daily goal of learning a new language?Rocket Languages also incorporates cultural lessons into their units, so you can simultaneously learn the functions of the language and the culture of the people who use it.For every language, there are three Premium levels that take you from beginner to advanced.Here are the different programs offered by language:ArabicChineseFrenchGermanItalianJapaneseKoreanPortugueseRussianSpanishAlso, Rocket Languages supplies you with a host of motivational tools to keep you from getting discouraged and giving upâ€"which can be very useful as a supplement to your accountability partner or language learning friends.BabbelIf youve ever seen thos e online videos of the twin polyglots, youve at least heard of Babbel. But many people dont know about the wide variety of features that Babbel offers.This is a great system for people who dont have a lot of time in their schedules but still want to jam pack their spare time with learning. Babbels flexible system allows you to learn in bite-sized chunks of 15-20 minutes throughout the day.With their innovative app, you can create powerful memory hooks with pictures, sounds and words to retain new vocabulary and sentence structures longer than with traditional learning methods.Babbel is known for innovation, which is why you can sync your progress between your devices and pick up on your computer where you left off on your phone. That means you can use Babbel on your phone on the bus during your commute, on your tablet on a plane or on your computer at home.Customizable, flexible language learning means that you can reach your goals on your own schedule with Babbel.And the best part is, Babbel starts by gauging your level, so you can be sure of being set up with the right material. View the languages Babbel offers and start learning here.Innovative LanguageInnovative Language uses audio and video language lessons to keep pushing your language learning further.Their database is updated weekly with even more lessons, and it allows you to choose content that interests you.Their content is created by real teachers and native speakers, and they focus on learning practical, actionable language skills from day one.Youll be having real conversations soon after starting to expose yourself to the native content on the website.One thing that makes Innovative Language so innovative is that they offer in-depth progress reports that allow you to monitor your own progress and stay motivated along the way.Here are the different language courses you can subscribe to:ArabicChineseEnglishFrenchGermanItalianJapaneseKoreanPortugueseRussianSpanishIn addition to their subscriptions, Innovative Language also offers many free online resources to give you help in your language learning journey.With Innovative Language, youll be exposed to real, native content that will push you and grow your language abilities from the very first day.Rosetta StoneRosetta Stone is what you may think of as the classic computer-based language learning program, but theres more to it than meets the eye (plus, they now offer online subscriptions in addition to software).With this program, youll learn a language the way a baby learns his or her first languageâ€"with images. Throughout the program, youll never be exposed to your native language. Instead, youll learn new words by being introduced to them through pictures.This helps your brain think in your target language rather than translating everything from your native language.Over the years, Rosetta Stone has had the chance to perfect their approach and add many key features that allow them to push your language learning to the next level.For example, Rosetta Stone takes advantage of voice recognition technology to help you perfect your accent, audio lessons to help you master comprehension, native literature to perfect your reading abilities and live tutor support to allow you to dive into real conversations with native speakers.Will handling yourself in another country be difficult after all of that practice? Probably not.Rosetta Stone can take you from zero to hero, as they have programs for all levels.Check out the links below to see what Rosetta Stone has to offer for the following target language(s):ArabicChineseFrenchGermanItalianKoreanJapanesePortugueseSpanishDuolingoDuolingo is one of the most innovative language learning platforms online. Their game-like lessons help you develop various skills in your target language in a convenient and flexible way.Once your level is high enough, Duolingo can help you further enhance your language skills with articles from around the web in your target language that have never been translated into English. While youre practicing your language comprehension by reading and translating these articles, youre actually translating the web!Duolingo started out small with only a few languages, but they have grown very rapidly and now offer over 25 languages, including some artificial languages from popular TV series!By using this innovative service, you can pick up a new language and start from zero, or you can take a placement test and pick up where you left off. The test is generally pretty accurate and allows you to skip lessons that would be too easy for you.The gamification of the entire website and app makes learning a fun competition between you and your friends, so take a look around and start studying a language!You can check out their available language courses here.Transparent LanguageIf youre learning an obscure language, a common language or any language in between, chances are good that you can find it on Transparent Language.Transparent Language offers a unique platform that touches on all aspects of learning a foreign languageâ€"even some that you may not have thought of!Do you want to make sure your spelling is perfect? Try some of the spelling exercises. Do you want a native accent? Make use of the voice recognition features to compare your accent to real natives.Not sure if you can figure out how to type in another language with a different alphabet? They have fully mapped on-screen keyboards that allow you to learn to type quickly and accurately in another language.Along with these truly innovative tools, Transparent Language offers grammar exercises and tons of supplemental material to help you learn the culture and function of each language.With tools to cover any skill that you can think of, Transparent Language is a great way to pick up a new language and develop your skills from day one, especially for beginners.Their innovative tools to improve accent, comprehension and grammar will help you handle yours elf with confidence in your target languageâ€"whatever that language may be.You can view their list of available languages and programs here.Living LanguageLiving Language functions on the principle that building blocks are established at every point in the language learning process.Every learner will start with words and phrases that are actually useful and progress to real sentences.Finally, after sentences, words and phrases can be combined naturally, and the learner will easily advance to conversations and expressions.This system is designed to give learners the real ability to create language in their heads, not simply listen and regurgitate what theyve already heard.Living Language takes advantage of a multi-sensory approach that combines audio, visual, interactive and written practice. At each level in the program, retention of the previous levels is stressed, and building blocks are added to the foundation that has already been laid.Not only does Living Language have a relia ble and trusted language learning system, but they also have free online resources and an online language lab that accompanies the program.View available languages and get started here.With this wealth of resources at your disposal, you can progress to conversing in a new language with confidence.No matter what program you choose, its important to keep a few details in mind at every step in your language learning journey:Create goals and share them with an accountability partner.Create a daily schedule and stick to it.Dont give up, because that’s ultimately the only way not to succeed.If you keep these three tips in mind and stick to them, youll breeze through a second language like you never thought possible.Best of luck to you on this exciting journey!Yassir Sahnoun is a content strategist, writer, polyglot and co-founder of WriteWorldwide. You can learn more about Yassir at YassirSahnoun.com.

The January Blues Where Did My Vacation Go

The January Blues Where Did My Vacation Go The January Blues Students will soon be dealing with the difficulty of going back to school full-time. The two weeks of winter break are very important for students to revive, recharge, and relax yet many students still feel tired when they walk back into their classroom at 7:30 on Monday morning. This is entirely understandable as most students, especially college prep students, spend well more than the normal 6-8 hours per day studying. So how does one survive that first week back at school? 1. Ease back into it Students are advised to, of course, attend all of their classes and take appropriate notes but perhaps hold off on intense after school or volunteer activities during the first week back if possible. Of course, students who are taking the SAT or ACT in February will not have this option but they will be able to alleviate the stress by getting the test over and done with (READ: 5 Awesome SAT Apps). 2. Write down your schedule Its easy for a student to forget all of the things that they had to do during the two weeks of winter break. Actually, its good for a student to get off schedule and have the chance to sleep in or socialize more, but its important to get back on schedule in January. Students who have forgotten their schedule entirely should write it down using either an electronic planner or a good old-fashioned paper calendar. Students can set up reminders on their phone to let them know that their tutor is coming over in an hour or that they have to Skype chat with their study group on Wednesday at 5 pm. 3. Beware of due dates Many teachers give out exams or have large assignments due the week after coming back from break. Regardless of how students we feel about this, its important to keep track of these dates. For many students in Southern California, the grading period ends the last week of January, giving them just three short weeks to either improve their grade or stay on track. Its essential for students to remember when their important assignments are due. They can either ask a parent, a responsible member of their study group, or a personal tutor to help them remember and stay on track. 4. Eat healthy food and drink lots of water Almost everybody, regardless of age, enjoyed their fair share of sweets and goodies over the winter holidays. Its important for students to get back to a healthy eating routine the first week back at school. The more healthy energy a student has, the more likely they will be to get through the day. Following the nutrition guide, including eating plenty of fruits and veggies and getting enough protein, is very important for students to maintain a regimented daily schedule. Its also extremely important for students to drink plenty of water throughout the day to prevent mental dehydration. If the brain is thirsty it doesn’t work as well (READ: Superfoods and Testing). 5. Make a social date with friends Many students will feel slightly bummed out after returning to school because they find that they dont have nearly as much time to socialize as they did during winter break. Students should try to make social plans the weekend after their first week back at school or arrange to work with a study group of friends so they can talk about how everybody is dealing with adjusting to school. 6. Set a goal and work towards it For some, the goal will simply be to survive until February break, for others the goal will be to get an excellent score on their February SAT or ACT. Regardless of a personal or academic goal, its important for students to have something to look forward. Having a specific goal will force students to maintain an academic schedule in order to reach that goal by a certain date. High school students who are behind on their volunteer hours may set a personal goal to complete 20 volunteer hours by April 1. Goals help us keep on track and encourage self-regulation. As we say goodbye to 2014 and welcome 2015 we also are welcomed back to school (READ: A Timeline Study Guide for the SAT). All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by TutorNerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at pr@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us post about.