What is Chemistry? Concept Review Section Or the Book?

What is Chemistry? Concept Review Section Or the Book?We are all familiar with the concept review section of the textbook. This section is where the professor or author reviews his/her own work and explains its relevance to the course being taken. However, what you are probably not aware of is that this section is also an important component of an effective chemistry textbook. Although this is often covered in the chapter that discusses the subject, students rarely pay much attention to it during the course.However, what is Chemistry? Is it the same as chemistry? In other words, is the concept review section a review of the concept or is it a review of the content of the textbook? In other words, is the concept review section used to review concepts or is it used to review the book? Are you using the concepts or the book in the way that you should?If you study chemistry on your own, you may find that the concept review section is not quite enough. It can actually be a hindrance to yo ur learning because you find it hard to remember the name of a compound or the meaning of a chemical symbol. Even worse, you will find yourself dropping some of the content, especially if you found the subject boring.For this reason, it is advisable to use the textbooks to reference the chemical formula of the chemical compound or the historical relationship between the compound and its parent compound. In some cases, it may be better to use the research paper and reference it as well. This will ensure that you understand everything and retain the information.But should you use a textbook as a study guide? It is important to look at it in the same way that you look at your textbook when you are in school. When you are studying at school, you are expected to study on your own and, if you fail to do so, you will be penalized. So, should you apply the same rules to a book?A good question to ask yourself is why should you take this approach? Is the book only for self-study or is it also for taking the class seriously? Do you really want to build up a good habit of reading and rereading the material rather than skipping the concept review section and reading the textbook only once?If you know the answer to this question, then you should read the concept review section and review the book. It is also a good idea to make sure that the texts are similar in content so that you will not get confused about the information that you have learned. The idea of reviewing your book after each reading session is one of the best ones, because it forces you to review the material every time you want to read the book.

The Best Tools for Learning Chinese

The Best Tools for Learning Chinese Apps, Sites, and Books for Learning Standard Mandarin Chinese. ChaptersLearning Chinese: The Apps for Getting AheadLearning Chinese: The Best WebsitesLearn Chinese by Watching VideosLearning Chinese: Which Books Should I Get?The digital age has completely changed the way we learn foreign languages and learning to speak Chinese is no exception.  There are now plenty of people who are now using their computer, smartphone, tablet or television to learn more about the Middle Kingdom’s most popular language and Chinese culture.Mobile e-learning apps are also innovative and exciting ways to learn Chinese Mandarin  when you compare them to dusty old tomes and textbooks.Learning Chinese isn't always free. (Source: Peter Griffin)Chinese Characters First Steps  currently has a rating of 4.0 out of 5.0 stars on Google Play. The app will teach you about the characters and also help you practise writing them.  It includes over 400 different Mandarin Chinese characters for you to practise from the Open University’s Beginners’ Chinese module which was ba sed on the People’s Republic of China’s Ministry of Education’s frequently used words list.It’s perfect for getting started with Chinese characters and once you’ve learnt them all, you can actually start combining them in order to make over 200 extra new words. This will help you both learn and remember Chinese characters, making your language learning process a little bit easier.Pleco English-Chinese DictionaryThere are plenty of Chinese students from around the world who recommend using Pleco. This is probably why the app is so highly rated both on Android  (4.6 out of 5) and iTunes  (5 out of 5 for the current version).“Pleco is alone in it's class of products for excellence and they offer many add-on features, dictionaries, and it has a good flash card system. I highly recommend it.” - Josh DillonThere are nearly 130,000 Mandarin words, 22,000 Cantonese words, and 20,000 examples of expressions in Pinyin,  a writing system that uses the Latin Alphabet to transcribe Chinese words.The Pleco Dictionary App also offers a number of useful functions and features:Practise writing the Chinese characters. A great way to become a pro in Chinese calligraphy.Scan Chinese characters on your smartphone and get a real-time translations.Listen to Mandarin, Pinyin, or Cantonese audio clips from native speakers.Say a Chinese word or phrase into the app and it’ll tell you the Chinese character.Try it yourself!Learning Chinese: The Best WebsitesForvoLearning Chinese on the Internet couldn’t be simpler and learning Standard Mandarin Chinese online is becoming increasingly popular..The Confucius Institute promotes the Chinese language and Chinese culture around the world. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)If you’re learning Chinese, you have to add the pronunciation dictionary “Forvo” to your browser favourites.  Just type whatever Chinese word you’d like to pronounce into the search bar and the website will tell you exactly how it’s pronounced.However, thi s isn’t just a website for those learning Chinese. Forvo claims to have pronunciations for every word in the world! While this probably isn’t true, there are still tonnes of different languages available with multiple examples of pronunciations for each word.In addition to words, there are also examples of full sentences, expressions, and idioms for you to listen to as well.JukuuWhile dictionaries are great for looking up words, you’ll understand a word much better if you can see it being used in context or in a sentence.  This is where Jukuu comes into play. Jukuu is more than a dictionary, it’s a search engine for Chinese-English sentences and translations so that you can see both what the word means and how you’d use it in a sentence.Personally, I find that these kinds of websites are far more useful than dictionaries since an out-of-context translation of a word can result in you completely misunderstanding a word or a whole sentence.Chinese ForumsIf you want to improv e you Chinese from the comfort of your own home, you need to get involved with communities of other language learners, too.  Chinese Forums is one of the best places to go if you have any questions about learning Chinese or are having a problem.There are plenty of very active users who are happy to help absolute beginners as well as more experienced students. You can find the answers to almost all of your questions on Chinese here as well as meet other forum users who are just as interested in Chinese as you.The best thing, though? It’s completely free!Learn Chinese by Watching VideosWhen we mention e-learning and videos, we can’t not mention YouTube, which is home to plenty of language learning resources that are completely free.Chinese is often considered one of the most difficult languages to learn. (Source: Peter Griffin)Since Chinese is generally considered a difficult language to learn, it’s a good idea to learn Mandarin Chinese through videos in addition to taking Chine se language courses. This will help you memorise the tones (which can be rather tricky) as well as master the pronunciation.You can teach yourself some Mandarin Chinese (or any other variety of Chinese, for that matter) by watching one of the many educational channels on YouTube. Alternatively find Chinese tutors across the UK (including Mandarin courses London) for in-home or online lessons.Whether you want to start learning Chinese, master your recognition of Chinese characters and ideograms, or even become a master of Mandarin Chinese grammar, YouTube is one of the first places you should go looking for quality language learning resources.However, to make things a little simpler, Superprof has put together a list of a few of the very best YouTube channels for learning Chinese:Yoyo Chinese: The host of Yoyo Chinese is Yangyang Cheng, a resident of Los Angeles who’s fluent in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese. In addition to the lessons on the channel, you can also find interviews with other native Chinese speakers as well as some recordings of Google Live Hangouts that she’s conducted.Learn Chinese with Emma: Emma’s online Chinese lessons are very well produced and aimed at both absolute beginners and advanced beginners. While most of the videos are in English, there are sections completely in Chinese that are accompanied very clearly by subtitles so that you won’t get lost.Chinese with Mike: While Mike’s lessons are never serious, that doesn’t mean they can’t be educational. These are a great way to learn Chinese while having a load of fun. The videos are between 10 and 15 minutes each and go at a very good pace for those learning. You’ll never be bored in Teacher Mike’s (MIKE LAOSHI) classes.Aside from all the educational videos you can find on Chinese on YouTube, don’t forget that there are other ways to use videos to help you learn Mandarin Chinese. Younger readers (and maybe even a few of our older readers) should be familiar with Net flix. If you’ve never heard of it (somehow), it’s a TV and film streaming service and a service you should check out if you’d like to watch TV series and films in Chinese!Learning Chinese: Which Books Should I Get?Discover the best books for learning Chinese.??????| Integrated ChineseIntegrated Chinese (3rd Edition)  is a textbook written by Yuehua Liu and published by Cheng Tsui. This book is highly recommended by Chinese professors and students alike and while it's probably a bit dry for some learners, it does have everything you’ll probably want to know about Chinese.There are plenty of great places to learn Chinese. (Source: Lilla Frerichs)The book is highly rated on Amazon (between 3.5 and 5 stars, depending on the version) and is available in paperback for less than £20.Unfortunately, if you’re wanting to do the audio exercises, you’re going to have to pay extra for the CD or audio. The CD can set you back around £40, too. Ouch! With all that said, this is a res ource that you’ll be able to keep referring back to every time you need to refresh the basics.It’s perfect for:Students just starting out in ChineseGetting used to Chinese characters, how they’re written, and how to use them.Anyone preparing to stay in China (or any other Chinese-speaking country) for an extended period of time who needs to familiarise themselves with the basics of the language.Chinese for DummiesNever underestimate the “Dummies” series of books. The version on learning Mandarin Chinese by Wendy Abraham is worth picking up and is available on Amazon for less than £20 (and for only a couple of quid if you’re happy to buy a used copy!).Aimed at absolute beginners, the book can teach you how to have everyday conversations, get to grips with the tones used in Chinese, and get around in China. Furthermore, the accompanying CD can help you listen to actual Chinese being spoken by native speakers and help you to train your ear to the tones.This book is great f or anyone getting ready to go to China as it covers all the basics that you’ll need from the second you get off the plane.Additionally, it also covers customs and taboos, meaning that you’ll never make any embarrassing errors and nor will you offend anyone when you go to China. You should also consider buying the book of Chinese expressions for dummies.??????? | New Practical Chinese ReaderThis book  is a useful Chinese course.  However, don’t forget to buy the workbook as well so that you can actually practice your Chinese.  While there isn’t much difference between the first and second editions in terms of content, the second edition has changed the layout slightly.You’ll be able to get both the textbook and workbook for under £30 and for even cheaper if you look around for used versions of the textbook  Obviously, don’t buy a used version of the workbook as you’ll not be able to use it!Get started learning Chinese with a private tutor from Superprof:Chinese courses LondonChinese tutors in Scotland

How the Violin is Played in Europe

How the Violin is Played in Europe How Do They Play the Violin in Europe? ChaptersThe Origins of the Violin in EuropeEuropean Violin DescendantsEuropean Violin PracticesWhere to Learn the Violin in EuropeWho Are the Most Famous European Violinists?Just like Paganini, there have been a lot of great violinists in Europe. Unsurprisingly, the birthplace of the violin is also the home of the world’s greatest violinists. When it comes to the Yehudi Menuhin International Violin Competition, which welcomes violinists as young as 6, 79% of entrants are under 25!In this article, we’re going to have a look at the origins of the violin, where it’s played, and the greatest European violinists of all time. TomViolin Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors StacyViolin Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValtieViolin Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors BenedictViolin Teacher 5.00 (8) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TaisiiaViolin Teacher 5.00 (1) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AmyViolin Teacher 5.00 (1) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LuísViolin Teacher 5.00 (6) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MomokoViolin Teacher £45/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsThe Origins of the Violin in EuropeA lot of people already know that the violin is European as it was invented in Italy.While it’s hardly surprising that a lot of people in Europe play the violin, how exactly was it created?The violin dates back to the 16th century. (Source: 5519128)The Violin in Europe: The Musical CradleOf all the bowed string instruments, the violin is one of the oldest. It was created in the 16th century near Milan, Italy. The very first violin was found in Cremona, a town that is now internationally famous for it. In fact, if you want to find a good luthier, there are plenty of incredible violin makers still working in the town.While the exact date is unknown, it seems that the first time a violin was played occurred sometime between 1523 and 1540 . There are texts in Lyon, France, dating back to 1560 that mention violins. The violin then began to spread across Europe.Did you know that Charles IX of France ordered 24 Amati violins?During the Renaissance, the violin became rooted in Italian and French musical culture and started making its way to Germanic countries. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Vivaldi both favoured the violin concerti.The violin was an instrument for popular music.  After becoming popular in Italy and southern France, the violin was borrowed by northern countries for chamber music.The Romantic period gave the violin its virtuosity: Paganini, Bazzini, Kreutzer and Vieuxtemps were among the first European violinists. The violin soon had its own repertoire, especially thanks to Beethoven’s works.The 19th century was the golden age for the violin in Europe as it was one of the most essential instruments for the classical repertoire. Violinists such as Profokiev and Maurice Ravel gifted Europe with their violin p erformances.European Violin DescendantsYou can’t ignore that the violin in Europe has changed over time. Most of these changes were made in order to improve the sound box and make the bow more flexible. European violin also led to:Savart violinChanot violinSuleau violinLatin ViolinStroh ViolinTolbecque ViolinElectric ViolinThe most famous violinist in Vienna, Johann Strauss. (Source: MeineMaennerwelt)Most of these styles were adapted in order to play a role in a symphony or national orchestra. For example, the Chanot violin was created in order to improve the violin’s tone, making it more like a Stradivarius. Latin violin is little more than a parody made popular by the Argentine group Les Luthiers.In addition to stylistic changes (chinrest, rosin) and technical changes (bass bar, tuning), what are the European violin practices?Are there different styles in different regions? TomViolin Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors StacyViolin Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValtieViolin Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors BenedictViolin Teacher 5.00 (8) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TaisiiaViolin Teacher 5.00 (1) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AmyViolin Teacher 5.00 (1) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LuísViolin Teacher 5.00 (6) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MomokoViolin Teacher £45/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsEuropean Violin PracticesEach European country has a special relationship with the violin and is more popular in certain regions than others. However, in general, it’s quite popular everywhere in Europe.There are plenty of places to learn the violin in Europe. (Source:Northern European Violin CustomsFrom the 17th century, we could find the violin in various countries:Continental slatter music in NorwaySweden, with GammaldansFinland’s pelimanni music.Estonia, where the viiul is at the heart of folk music.In Lithu ania, the violin’s cousin, the smuikas, has three or five strings.The violin was quickly welcomed into the heart of Nordic music.The Violin in Eastern EuropeSince the violin is small and easy to transport, it was great for Eastern Europe’s gipsy music and nomadic peoples. Especially in:Bulgaria, with the Roma people.Moldova, where they play the gadulka.Poland, where the violin is hugely popular.Romania, where they use a Stroh violin and scordatura tuning.Serbia and Ukraine, where violins are common in folk music.The Violin in Britain and IrelandIn Britain and Ireland, there are many different ways to play the violin. The violin and its relatives, such as the rebec, have been used since Medieval times.You can find plenty of variants such as the viola da gamba being used in England, the crwth in Wales, and the fiddle in Ireland.The Violin in Western Europe and the MediterraneanThe baroque violin was most commonly used in countries such as Italy and French by the nobility.The instr ument is also very popular in Portugal.Did you know that the violin is also hugely popular in folk music from Brittany?Violins are used without chinrests in Greek gipsy music. The violin is used less in Spanish and Albanian music, but it’s still used.Wanting to play the violin is one thing, knowing where to learn it is another!Violin is performed creatively around the world, read more regarding how the violin is played in Africa or how violinists  play in America  and the importance of the violin in Asia.Where to Learn the Violin in EuropeWhen you start playing the violin, you’ll need to learn music theory and get technical training. You’ll then need to practise.Which are the best places in Europe to get violin training?There are tonnes of famous violinists from Europe. (Source: lbrownstone)The best training is usually offered by conversatoires and universities specialising in music training. The Conservatoire de Paris, for example, is one of the most famous in Europe as well as the conservatoires in Vienna and Rome. To become a master of the violin, you should attend one of these incredible establishments:Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt, GermanyMozarteum University Salzburg, AustriaRoyal Conservatory of Brussels, BelgiumAcademy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts - Plovdiv, BulgariaAcademy of Music, University of Zagreb, CroatiaRoyal Danish Academy of Music, DenmarkConservatorio Profesional De Música Arturo Soria in Madrid, SpainSibelius Academy Helsinki, FinlandÉcole Normale de Musique de Paris, FranceAthens Conservatoire, GreeceFranz Liszt Academy of Music, Budapest, HungaryTrinity College Dublin, IrelandMilan Conservatory, ItalyJazeps Vitols Latvian Academy of Music, LatviaFaculty of Music - ????, Skopje, MacedoniaAcademy Of Music, MonacoRoyal Conservatory of The Hague, NetherlandsRoyal Conservatoire of Scotland, EdinburghConservatoire de Musique de Genève, SwitzerlandIn total, there are over 1,500 different musical establishments dedicated to higher mus ical education and the violin, in particular. Of course, these aren’t the only places you can learn to play the violin.Who Are the Most Famous European Violinists?Rather than going over the violinists who created the classical violin repertoire, we’re going to look at more recent violinists.André Rieu. Originally from the Netherlands, this popular classical violinist has been the leader of the Johann Strauss Orchestra since 1975.Svend Asmussen. This 21st-century Danish violinist was nicknamed “diddli’ Viking” due to his unique style which influenced a number of other musicians.Didier Lockwood. The great French jazz violinist won the Victoires de la musique award in 1985. He’s the co-founder of the Festival des Puces jazz festival.Yehudi Menuhin. This talented violinist and conductor was a child prodigy and is considered one of the greatest violinists of the 20th century. His deep and vibrant music made him famous. While he’s an American, the Swiss violin competition b ears his name.Kevin Burke. A traditional Irish fiddler born in 1950. He’s currently based in London and is a master of traditional music.Cathy Heidt. The young Luxembourgian violinist was chosen for the prestigious European Union Youth Orchestra.Andres Mustonen. The Estonian conductor and violinist is famous for traditional music and chamber music. He also directed the Estonian national symphony orchestra.Dorota Anderszewska. The famous Polish violinist won several prestigious awards. She now plays as a soloist or in a duet with her brother who plays the piano.Why not start learning and become a star of violin playing?If you're looking for stringed instruments, there are plenty of great music stores online where you can get violin bows, tuners, replacement violin strings, and plenty of accessories for your musical instrument. If you live in a big city, you can also probably find a dedicated violin shop for buying a violin or getting replacement parts like tuning pegs, a new tailpi ece, and parts to improve the playability of your instrument.If you want to learn to play the violin or if you need a supplement to your violin lessons, you can do so with a private tutor and Superprof. Many tutors offer the first hour of tuition for free and you can see whether or not you get along, the type of tuition they offer, and if they're right for you.Those with awkward schedules or living rurally can get online violin tutorials via webcam. These are often cheaper than face-to-face tutorials as the tutor doesn't have to factor travelling costs into their rates!

Introverts How to Lead a Team to Success - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Introverts How to Lead a Team to Success - Introvert Whisperer Introverts: How to Lead a Team to Success? Extroverts have proven that they are great leaders because of their out-going and bold personalities. However, introverts are as strong leaders as extroverts. Introverts everywhere are active listeners and great forgers of strong one-on-one relationships. These two qualities are characteristics of an excellent leader who can and will help their team reach their full potential. In terms of leadership styles, an introvert’s approach is quite different from an extrovert’s approach. When faced with adversity, extroverts engage with others and tend to lead their team ahead of the pack while introverts prefer to lead their teams from behind. Here Are Ways Introverts Can Lead A Team To Success When Faced With Adversity At Work: 1. Practice Active Listening Although introverts are known to be natural listeners, they tend to get lost in their own thoughts. To effectively lead a team as an introvert, practice the habit of attentively listening to your team. Stay present and focused on the topic at hand. Hearing and listening are two different things. When you listen attentively, you hear what your team has to say regarding a subject matter making them feel more comfortable in expressing their ideas. This helps them open up and come up with solutions to solve the current setbacks in your department. 2. Speak Your Mind Learn when to speak your mind. Introverts are known for their overthinking manner and this can be advantageous and disadvantageous at the same time. An introvert’s timidness can hinder him or her from speaking his or her mind and share his or her thoughts to his or her team. When you found a solution after gathering data from your team, assemble them and formulate the best possible solutions to fix the issue at hand. Share the details of how to best approach the issue and let your team do their part to quickly resolve the matter. 3. Let Your Team Take Charge Be reminded that your team are experts in their areas and they can do well even without your constant supervision. Know what are the strengths and weaknesses of your members to delegate tasks to your team accordingly. Let them take charge of the sections their an expert of and lead from behind. Trust your members to do well and assist them when needed. 4. Guide From Behind There are different styles of leading a team. Most say that leading ahead of the pack or leading a team by their side is the best approach. However, there is no one way of doing things right when many people are involved. Choose which style helps your team evolve and grow the most. Some introverts lead a team from behind giving support and advice when they see that their team needs it. There is no definite answer to leading a team successfully especially when faced with adversity. You only need to do your best and make sure you and your team are working well together to resolve the issue. 5. Celebrate Victory Celebrate even the smallest victory and acknowledge your team for the efforts they put in to make things happen. Recognising your teams’ contributions helps build a stronger relationship between you and your team. Don’t be afraid to give distinctions to those who have excelled and motivation to those who need it. These are great practices for introvert leaders to lead their team to victory when faced with problems at work. However, it’s important to build a great working relationship with your team first before you can lead them naturally. Valuable Tips To Keep In Mind To Lead Your Team Better As An Introvert: 1. Build Great Working Relationships The foundations of a strong relationship are trust and open communication. Open all lines of communication with your team. Refrain from sticking to online communications as some people prefer communicating online. Communication is the backbone of trust in a relationship. If you are transparent to your team about the details of the project, they’ll trust you more and will be open to suggestions and constructive criticism to meet and exceed expectations of the client or company. 2. Identify Individual Strength Of Team Members Learning and familiarising yourself with your team’s individual strengths can help you delegate tasks better. It also allows you to check if you can push your member beyond the comfort of their expertise to learn new things. Another benefit of learning their strengths is that you will be able to determine who you need to seek when you need advice regarding a particular matter. 3. Encourage Offline Communication Offline communication in big groups can cause anxiety in introverts. However, encouraging face-to-face conversations will help you and your team bond and communicate better. Face-to-face meetings and conversations also add social support among peers and help everyone acknowledge each other’s value and contributions. Encourage offline communication and don’t veer from it. 4. Be Transparent Transparency is a must in everything. It is a key component that fosters trust between leaders and members. If you become transparent in your needs for every project requirements, you indirectly encourage engagement from your members. Thus, creating better solutions for every challenge your team faces. The result of high-level performance is a combination of authentic relationships, trust, and open communication. Practice transparent leadership to promote high levels of performances from the whole team. 5. Step Out Of The Box Occasionally Closing yourself from opportunities of personal and professional growth will only hinder your progress in life. Occasionally step out of your box and explore life outside of work with your team. Schedule an exclusive team building or gathering between you and your members to get to know each other on a deeper level helping you understand each other better. Doing this once in a while will help you and your team be familiar with each other better and improve your team dynamics. 6. Be Authentic To Inspire Stay true to yourself. It doesn’t matter if you’re an extrovert or introvert, being authentic is vital. Don’t shy away from your introvertedness but rather embrace it. Showing who you are to others will inspire them to do the same. Bio Jasmine Anne Cantrell is a Content Writer and aspiring Book Author. She loves to express her emotions through words in forms of poetry and short stories. For her, writing is a whole new universe everyone can escape to. Linkedin :https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasmineannepalaoc/ Twitter:  https://twitter.com/missJACantrell Go to top   Bottom-line â€" I want to help you accelerate your career â€" to achieve what you want by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my 4 Building Blocks to Relationships eBookâ€" the backbone to your Networking success and fantastic work relationships.   Grab yours by visiting here right now! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer

4 Things to Know Before Taking Skype Spanish Lessons

4 Things to Know Before Taking Skype Spanish Lessons Suzy S. Interested in learning Spanish? As youre deciding between in-person and online Spanish lessons, consider these points by Fairfax, CA tutor  Jason N... Spanish continues to gain traction as the undisputed second language of California, and the United States for that matter. In the next decades, Spanish could even become the most commonly spoken language in this country. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that Los Angeles, California, for example, is 53% Latin American and growing. That means that if you’re Caucasian or born in this country, you could be an English-speaking minority in the near future! So clearly you want to learn Spanish, but you are busy with children, work, family relationships, and many other competing demands on your time. Maybe you are a college student and don’t have time or space in your schedule to take a Spanish class. Maybe you may have tried mobile applications to learn Spanish, but have noticed that you learn best with a live human tutor rather than through an app. A couple months ago, I wrote a blog about what to look for in a tutor, where I underscored seven key traits of an effective tutor, which was written assuming that you meet with your tutor in person. In this day and age in 2015, as technology increases in effectiveness, increases in use, and becomes progressively commonplace, many people are seeking tutors via Skype. The global market of “Skype tutors” continues to grow by the day. Consequently, for a myriad of reasons, you may be considering Skype Spanish lessons. Here, I underscore four points to consider before deciding to take Skype Spanish lessons. 1. Skype lessons are often cheaper Maybe you are interested in private Spanish lessons but don’t have the budget to regularly meet with a private tutor, and have realized that Skype lessons can be a cheaper or more convenient option. Let’s be honest: private, in-person Spanish lessons can be expensive. Skype lessons can very well be a cheaper option. Many Skype tutors charge around $10 per hour lesson, when the average Spanish tutor in this country charges between $20 and $100 per hour. 2. Spanish via Skype  can  be convenient Often we are too busy to fit in another outside activity. Undoubtedly, meeting with a tutor via Skype enables you to have the personal live tutor experience without having to leave your house or invite a tutor into your home whom you don’t know yet. It’s important to shop around first and find a great match. TakeLessons has a network of instructors who offer live Spanish lessons online via video chat. 3. Consider the technology Despite the two benefits above, speaking from three years of experience tutoring Spanish usually in person and seldom by Skype, I strongly believe that learning is enhanced when the tutor explains and writes key words down on paper or in a textbook with you next to him or her, to facilitate learning. While Skype has a convenient screen-sharing option, it can be easily compromised by not being able to see your tutor’s face and hand gestures as he/she explains to you what they are demonstrating on the screen. This makes it similar to a short YouTube video lesson, which is not worth paying for or scheduling. 4. Key pitfalls There are undoubtedly pitfalls to learning Spanish via Skype. These include: Interruptions can be a lot more frequent than if the lesson were live. Having a regular Skype Spanish student, I’ve grown accustomed to the inevitable bad Internet connection on either or both sides, which can be frustrating and disrupt the flow of the lesson. As I stated above, it is harder to teach conjugation and the nuances of the many and complex irregular verbs in Spanish. Screen sharing can only do so much. It is hard to teach pronunciation across a screen, for example where to place tongue while pronouncing Spanish words that end in L, and how that differs from English. Just like the visual pixel resolution is particularly superior in-person than on an iPhone 6, for example, the hearing ‘resolution’ is undoubtedly better in person. Have you compared the difference of a drum set and electronic drums? The electronic sounds will never sound as pure. In conclusion, Skype Spanish lessons can be an attractive option depending on your specific needs, preferences, and life situation, while you don’t lose touch of the pitfalls. Skype lessons can be a cheaper, convenient, and unique adjunct to successful second-language learning. That said, based on my experience of learning Spanish in other countries, I’ve come to believe human contact in person is an indelible part of learning a language. Click here to find a tutor in your area! Readers, what do you think? Have you tried taking Skype Spanish lessons? Leave a comment and share your thoughts! Bonus:   Learn about the budget-friendly options for learning Spanish! Jason N. tutors in English and Spanish in Fairfax, CA.  He majored in Spanish at UC Davis, lived in Mexico for 3 years where he completed a Masters degree in Counseling, and studied Spanish Literature and Psychology at the University of Costa Rica. Learn more about Jason here!   Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo by  Mattias Frenn

Learning How to Sing How Often Should I Take Lessons

Learning How to Sing How Often Should I Take Lessons Suzy S. Before you begin learning how to sing, youll need to find a teacher and schedule your voice lessons! But how often should you really be meeting with your instructor? Find out how to determine your needs create your perfect schedule, with these recommendations from  Forest Hills, NY and online teacher Claire W.: Working your way toward learning how to sing means gaining control of your voice and refining your ability to express yourself with song. It can be a challenging task, but as the saying goes, Nothing worthwhile is ever easy. Depending on your personal goals, learning how to sing can be a very long-term project. Because there are so many aspects to the skill, the frequency of your lessons depends on the goal you want to work toward and how fast. Keep in mind though, that developing the ability to sing on key and with control of your voice and breathing for a range of genres requires a bit of muscle and memory training. Any kind of music especially the type that uses your very own body as an instrument is extremely cerebral, and requires you to manage and control many different variables at once. But you can do it, and if you ever doubt yourself and think Im tone deaf! This is impossible?!, do keep in mind that tone-deafness is actually a recessive trait in humans, so your chances of actually being tone-deaf are low. This article will discuss the suggested frequency of your training per (1) type of training and (2) level of musical proficiency so that you can learn how to sing. Beginner to Intermediate Level   If you are a beginner at music, the first and foremost highest leverage thing for you to do when learning how to sing is to invest a lot of time in recognizing and copying the production of sounds from another instrument and identifying their names and tonal values. For example, as a helpful exercise your teacher might: (1) play a note for you, (2) tell you what its numeric or syllabic value is, and (3) give you feedback when you try to produce the exact sound with the number or syllable. You can benefit immensely from having ear training lessons once or twice a week, in addition to or in combination with a weekly voice lesson. Later on, more advanced ear training has you identify and reproduce the relationships between two tones or three tones in intervals, broken chords, or scales. Have patience with yourself, and expect the first few tries to be rocky, but dont give up! Remember you are literally training the synapses of neurons to form for sound recognition and reproduction. Because of this, frequent repetition of this training is highly recommended for all levels. Ear training is the first step in becoming a strong singer of any genre or style, and is something that all musicians and singers practiceâ€"even when they are at a professional level. I would suggest 60 minutes of ear training once a week until recognizing and reproducing tones or simple intervals becomes natural and automatic. Intermediate to Professional Level   If you are at an intermediate level of musical proficiency, learning how to sing will be much easier, because you’ve probably done a lot of ear training already. Now it’s time to populate your understanding of song with a lot of data. By data, I mean practicing songs from different genres and refining your understanding of your pitch range, sweet spots, and breaks in your voice. Once you are at an intermediate level, most students can move from ear training to focusing all on singing during your weekly lessons. One lesson a week however, does not excuse you from practicing for at least 30 minutes every day! When you practice on your own, you’ll be able to figure out how identify the little basic things in a voice that make an audience feel a certain way. The length of your lessons will depend on a few different factors. Professional Level Eventually, you’ll have gotten so much feedback, practiced so many songs, and listened to so many genres that you’ll be singing at a professional level. Huzzah! I can’t wait to see singing stars popping up and talking about this article being their inspiration to become singing stars. Keep in mind that even professionals still work with vocal coaches to continue improving even its just once a month or so. In closing, learning how to sing is like learning how to read, write, or speak. At a certain point, you’re just expanding your grasp of the expressive ‘vocabulary’ (e.g. a crescendo, diminuendo, or a trill) and eventually, you get to the point of familiarity that you start creating new vocal conventions and styles of your own, whether youre drawing inspiration from Beyoncé or Pavarotti. Always go through cycles of practice and rest, otherwise you can tire out your voice. Even Beyoncé has to do this! Grit through the beginner phase and you’ll be singing like a star in no time. Remember, everybody’s voice ends up being beautiful in the right context and there are so many genres to be appreciated, so never give up, find your sound, and keep on right on singing. Claire W. teaches music and tutors in Forest Hills, NY, as well as online. As a recent graduate of Columbia University, she majored in Applied Statistics and Psychology, and earned her  Texas  State  Teachers  Certification  in 2014.  Learn more  about Claire here! Interested in Private Lessons? 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3 Lessons to Take Away From the GMAT

3 Lessons to Take Away From the GMAT When am I going to use this in real life? How many times did we speak these words during high school when faced with a challenging math problem? Well, if you sit for the GMAT, you will be prompted to recall some of this information. Much of it hasn't been necessary to us for a number of years, and the majority is tested in such a way that it doesn't seem to apply to business school or the business world. However, the time you spend studying for and taking the GMAT will teach you several lessons that will be useful even beyond your exam date: 1. You will learn how to best use data By the time you finish this test, you will be able to decipher complex charts, graphs, and tables. You will learn to cull the tiniest pieces of information from emails, memos, and the attachments that accompany them. The new Integrated Reasoning Section requires you to perform all of these tasks. Many Critical Reasoning questions will require you to explain if facts and figures supporting an argument are actually representative of and relevant to the situation. And, of course, preparing for Data Sufficiency problems will improve your ability to determine if you have all the information necessary to arrive at a definitive answer and if you've considered all the possibilities. These skills are heavily relied upon in business, where people create projections and predictive models frequently. The ability to base these models on relevant data, the skills to identify the appropriate data out of an overwhelming volume of information, and the foresight to predict unusual circumstances and r eactions are crucial to the success of these business world predictions. This is some great information on how the GMAT is scoredthat you may find useful as well. 2. You will learn how to properly construct arguments It's one thing to realize you possess the data, or the primary concepts, or the projected result of a particular action. It's quite another to be able to articulate it in a manner that allows other people who need to understand it to do so. Once you know that you have sufficient data to make a decision or prediction or proposal, you must then recognize the unstated evidence that is not readily apparent, but that is necessary for your case to work. These are the assumptions, and when they exist, it often means there is data that is missing that needs to be addressed. Here are 3 GMAT strategies you learned while in collegethat you may find helpful. In Critical Reasoning, most of the question types relate to assumptions and inferences, and they test your ability to identify and/or manipulate them. The GMAT essay also requires you to analyze someone else's argument and determine what unsupported assumptions cause it to be flawed. When it's time to present your completed ideas to the worl d, the skills learned studying for the Sentence Correction portion of the exam are invaluable. Sentence corrections test you on seemingly arcane rules, but in doing so, they likewise require you to develop a keen editing eye and greater ease with the mechanics of language. 3. You will learn how to approach situations in a variety of ways While committing formulas and rules to memory is central to GMAT success, you also need to familiarize yourself with test-taking strategies. With 37 quantitative and 41 verbal problems to complete and just 75 minutes per section to do so, your most useful skill is recognizing when to deploy each tool: content, strategies, or strategic guessing. This will only be learned by completing a multitude of problems on numerous tests so that you understand your strengths and weaknesses, your favorite and least favorite approaches, patterns in the test questions, and so on. At times, you may employ two different approaches within the same problem, or you may solve a problem differently than the majority of people do, in a way that works faster and more accurately for you. This ability to quickly assess a problem, arrive at your best approach to solving it, and use every tool at your disposal will serve you well long after the GMAT is over. Here are some great GMAT resourcesthat you may find he lpful in your GMAT prep. You may also want to take a look at these 5 steps to help revitalize a struggling GMAT prep routine. Once you conquer the GMAT, many of the skills you summoned from the past will return to the dark recesses of your memory again, to be replaced with new knowledge from business school and life. But above all things, if you devote the proper amount of time to preparing for this test, not only will you achieve a high mark, but you'll learn the most important lesson of all: You can achieve anything you put your mind to.

Five Characteristics That Predict College Success

Five Characteristics That Predict College Success Its impossible to guarantee that your high schooler will go off to college, excel in all subjects, graduate summa cum laude and embark upon an incredible career. But wouldnt it be nice to know that your teen is on the right path? There are a number of benchmarks that are correlated with strong student performance, including a high GPA and taking challenging course work in middle and high school. But there are also certain characteristics that are common among students who do well in college and go on to become goal-driven, lifelong learners. Here are five student characteristics that are predictors of college success and tips on how to build these traits in your teen: Resilience Collegeand life in generalcan be stressful at times. Teens must be able to deal with the everyday challenges and issues that arise in a mature, productive way. Take a step back and let your teen fail and experience disappointments, then help him reflect on what he learned from that failure. This will help your teen build mental toughness and grit that will serve him well later on. Perseverance Students must learn that no accomplishment comes without effort and persistence. In fact, theres a good chance that some of the role models in their lives had to work very hard to get where they are. Encourage your teen to set goals big and smallfor college and beyond. Remind her that everything worth doing requires effort and dedication. Decision-making ability College is a brand-new adventure and it requires that teens be independent. The ability to make decisions is essential in college. Talk with your teen about how to come up with multiple possibilities to solve any problem, weigh the pros and cons of each, and decide/act with confidence. Decision-making and problem-solving go hand in hand. Self-management Self-management is vital as teens move into college. No longer will mom or dad be there to micromanage and keep them on track. You can cultivate this skill in your teen by encouraging her to embrace a growth mindset. Teach your teen to believe that she can always learn, improve and grow with effort. Self-advocacy Hopefully, teens learn in high school how to ask for help and speak up when their needs are not being met. Colleges professors expect that their students will do so, so the more you can step back while your teen is in high school and put him in the drivers seat, the better. If your teen doesnt get the grade he wants on a test, for example, its up to him to talk to the teacher about how to close those knowledge gaps and retake the test, if possible. One last tip for teens as they move toward college: establish a support system. College has its ups and downs. Your teen should feel comfortable reaching out to friends, teachers, family members, or a counselor or other mentor when he needs to. And remember: Huntington is here for your teen as well! Call us if your teen needs help getting prepared for college and you want to ensure she has the skills and aptitudes to succeed.