Tuesday, March 24, 2020

How to Get Back Into a School Routine

How to Get Back Into a School Routine While the holidays offer a much-needed break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, they can easily throw your thoughtfully-constructed schedule out of order. Getting your child back into a school routine after winter break can be a challenge. Luckily, there are a few strategies for successfully easing your student into the back-to-school transition. Creating a list of goals for the spring semester, encouraging a smart sleep schedule, and supporting your child through the common jitters of starting a new semester can help make the change easier. Looking to help your child start the new year off on the right foot? Heres how to get back into a school routine: Get back into a school routine by listing important dates and goals in a planner Whether your family prefers to use an assignment book, a calendar, or a planner, set aside time before school starts to write down any important dates. When looking for significant items to mark in your calendar, ask yourself questions like: What are some dates to keep in mind, including family events, holidays, or travel dates? Are there any major assignments that your child already knows about or projects that you can note on the calendar? This type of exercise can help both you and your child envision whats happening in the near future and make the transition less overwhelming. Whats also helpful is planning outtentativelya weekly or daily routine once your child goes back to school. Things to consider include wake up and bed times, when your child will do homework, and any extracurricular activities. [RELATED: 3 Common Back-to-School Issuesand How to Address Them] Get back into a school routine by implementing a sleep schedule A good sleep routine is sometimes one of the first things to fall to the wayside during the holidays. A week or a few days before school starts, begin practicing healthy sleep habits like having a cutoff time for technology. You can incorporate some wind down activities into your nightly routine as well, like reading, drawing, or coloring before bed. Some people also like to go to bed incrementally earlier each night until school starts. Get back into a school routine by minimizing last-minute decisions and purchases Set aside time before school starts to take an inventory of your childs school supplies. Is there anything that needs replenishing? Are there any books that they need to buy or borrow from the library? This is also a great time to do a wardrobe check and see if your child is prepared for what is often cold weather. Finally, spend time working on minimizing decisions and tasks during the morning rush, like what to wear and what to put in their backpack. This can make your morning routine much less stressful. [RELATED: How Parents Can Help With Elementary Homework Challenges] Get back into a school routine by offering support for back-to-school jitters Your child might be nervous, sad, excited, or feel a mixture of feelings before going back to schoolall of which are completely normal. It can be very helpful as a parent to guide them through or teach them strategies to process these emotions. You might encourage them to write in a journal, draw a picture, or simply spend some time talking about and acknowledging these feelings and any anxieties. It might be helpful to practice some mindfulness exercises, like meditation, deep breathing, or engaging in hobbies and exercising. Get back into a school routine by planning a future event your child will look forward to Especially if the back-to-school transition is nerve-wracking, take some time to plan a future event your child or your family collectively can look forward to. This helps ease the difficulty of returning to a less fun schedule. It can be a favorite meal, a field trip with the family, or an event related to your childs interests or hobbies. [RELATED: How Parents Can Help Students Setand AchieveAcademic Goals] Keep in mind that transitions are generally stressful, so there might be more arguments or heightened emotions during this time. Dont worrythis is normal. Just keep your lines of communication open and encourage your child to talk to you about worries, stresses, and thoughts as school starts again. Any topics you want to know more about? Let us know! The Varsity Tutors Blog editors love hearing your feedback and opinions. Feel free to email us at blog@varsitytutors.com.

Friday, March 6, 2020

Reading Preparation English Writing Online Tutorpace

Reading Preparation English Writing Online Tutorpace Reading is one of the very important part of learning and understanding English. Reading is a part of many examinations such as TOEFL or IELTS and many more. The students in these examinations are expected to show their reading skills. There are passages given for reading and some questions following them. The student needs to answer the question and comprehend their answers. These reading passages are known as reading and comprehension. The students according to their grade or standard are given different levels of comprehensive passages. The reading skills of the student is tested in almost every English class. The key point the student needs to look for in reading is grammar. The students should be aware of the grammar rules so they can correct the sentences if required. It is recommended that the student practices many reading assignments to improve the reading skills. The best way to prepare of reading is to have more practice. While reading its suggested the student takes notes and write down the important points. The student needs to develop the ability to gaze across the passage and locate the answer for the question. In reading time management is very crucial. The students need to make sure they finish reading the passage and have enough time to answer the following questions. While answering the passage question the students need to sometimes comprehend their answer. Its suggested that the students use the information given in the passage while answering the comprehension questions. The students need to present their answer with the required explanation.

What Are the Best Japanese Magazines

What Are the Best Japanese Magazines What Is the Most Read Japanese Literature? ChaptersManga Publication MagazinesPopular Japanese Literature and MagazinesFind Japanese Anthologies, Postwar Novels and More in the UK!While Japanese authors and Japanese literature are all great ways to start learning about Japanese culture and history - magazine sales have been steadily declining. While great ways to learn about everything from Heian history facts or the Heian period to the latest in Kabuki fashion - magazine sales represent only 1% of media sales.The great thing about magazines, and not just those geared for Japanese people, is that everyone can appreciate and get taken in by their content: form the sober novelist to the busy 5th grader. Whether you’ll be moving to Japan, dream to visit one day or simply want to build up to reading your first novel in Japanese - picking from the dozens of genres of magazines can be an overwhelming venture. From comedy and sports magazines to those focusing on news or culture, the options are endless.If you're looking for some of the best literature written in Japan, here are some of the most popular magazines in Japan, as well as autobiographical novels, prolific authors and books that have won the Nobel Prize for literature.Stuck in a rut and don't know what to read? Try picking up some of Japan's most popular selections! 1 to 13 years of age. If you’re looking for great books by Japanese comics and graphic designers for children, start with Kodomo.Monthly Coro Coro Comic is a monthly magazine without specific numbered editions. This magazine is notorious for launching the now ubiquitous manga Pokémon.Shojo MangaIn Japanese, Shojo means little girl or young girl. Shojo manga is, naturally, a comic book aimed at young adults. These Japanese writers and illustrators usually touch upon themes on romance, especially those that happen in school.While mangas are typically distorted when they enter into the context of Western culture, Shojo mangas don’t feature any sort of drugs, sex or violence. The topi cs are light-hearted and suitable for children of all backgrounds. Here are the different types of magazines where you can find shojo manga:AriaBessatsu FriendBessatsu MargaretBetsucomiCheese!CobaltCookieHana to YumeEach of these comics come out either monthly or bi-monthly.Josei MangaWhether it be an import from classical Chinese literature, a female playwright Hasegawa Shigure or narratives about the Korean or Japanese government, there are plenty of adult themes that are typically dealt with in literature aimed at the young adult audience in Japan.Form Shikoku to Tokyo and Osaka, female authors, stories with Chinese characters, or historical accounts of the Edo period are consumed on everything from eBook  readers like Kobo to newspapers. Josei manga are graphic novels and comics aimed at young adult females aged 15 to 30 years old. The subject matters in Josei manga tend to cover more mature themes, including violence, sex, drugs, infidelity, rape, the mafia and more.The charact ers are less one-dimensional, with fully fleshed out story lines and more sombre personalities. These Kafka-esque mangas include:CocohanaCookieFeel GoodKissMonthly FlowersWritten under a pseudonym, about the Meiji era, dealing with patriotism or exploring the living conditions or pressures of Japanese women from Japanese society - these comics offer young adults a lot to learn and can be a great way to discovering the culture alongside seeing some of the best Japanese TV series!If you want to expand your reading selection, try checking out Japanese cultural centres for new books!Shonen MangaShonen manga is aimed at boys from 8 to 18 years old. The themes that this type of manga covers are generally friendship, team or group work, and self-expression. These stories are usually set in middle school or high school. You definitely won’t see topics such as Seppuku or stories about a pilgrimage in these mangas.Here are some of the most popular shonen manga:Comic Earth StarJump SquareMon thly Comic GardenMonthly Comic RushSeinen MantaLast but not least are seinen manga, targeted to men aged 15 to 30 years old. The style of writing in Seinen is definitely more in the style of realism then shonen with the utilization of motifs like defined grids, well-worked out layouts and more. While the artistic style is distinct form shonen, the two do borrow a lot from each other. The types of topics covered in these mangas are: sport, science fiction, historical fiction and comedy.There are tons of pre-publication magazines for seinen manga; here are some of the most popular ones:Weekly Young MagazineWeekly Young JumpBig Comic OriginalBig ComicWeekly MorningBig Comic SpiritsIf you’re interested in learning more about any of the previous mangas, make sure to check out Kodansha. This manga publisher is one of the biggest in the world and actually jump-started the now infamous Sailor Moon and many other forms of Japanese entertainment.Popular Japanese Literature and MagazinesFrom famous directors and films like Kurosawa’s Rashomon to various authors that have won the Nobel Prize in literature like Kazuo Ishiguro - Nihons, or Japan’s, entertainment capitals of Kyoto, Tokyo and more have put Japanese entertainment and media on the world map.However, mangas and Nobel Prize novels aren’t the only thing on the market these days. Here are some of the other Japanese language magazines you should check out if you’re interested in learning more.Beauty MagazinesThe advantage of picking up a beauty-oriented magazine is that you don’t necessarily even have to read Japanese fluently in order to follow the style tips and beauty tutorials available within these magazines.Japanese style is, of course, infamous for fixating itself on the kawaii, or cute - however, the reality of the country’s fashion is much more diverse. Japanese magazines in general are around 150 pages long and tend to have very little advertisement - apart from the products already being use d in the editorials. Here are some of the most popular beauty magazines on in Japan:MamagirlUpJellyViviPopteenElle JapanMusic MagazinesYou don’t have to live in Japan to get a peek up the latest trends in Japanese society. If you’re interested in discovering Japanese music, there are plenty of magazines available to get you started. Most notably, Music Magazine is full of interesting music selections and information.One of the most popular magazines on the subject in Japan, Music Magazine is comprised of articles that place Japan’s contemporary musical works in a political and social context. Records Collectors’ Magazine, or Recocole, is also a great place to start.Society and Culture MagazinesIf you’re curious about Japanese society and culture, not just in the capital but in the whole of the country, starting with Japanese entertainment is one of the best ways to start learning. With topics covering sports, news and politics - Japanese magazines offer a glimpse at what l iving in Japan is like.Bungeishunju is a great example of a society and culture magazine. Created by Japanese writer Kan Kikuchi in 1923, it covered topics from a more conservative angle and its tone greatly supported the emperor. Dozens of articles written by journalists, writers, researchers and essayists have made the magazine not only popular but also subject to a number of literary prizes.Shukan Shincho and Shukan Gendai are also great magazines to start reading about sports, politics or celebrity drama!Reading Japanese classics can give you insight into the language, culture and more!Find Japanese Anthologies, Postwar Novels and More in the UK!If you want to start reading more Japanese series or novels in the UK, here are some of the books you should pick up at your local bookstore.Tale of Genji, or Genji, is a classic work written by the noblewoman  Murasaki Shikibu in the 11th centuryMonogatari is a Japanese series written by Nisio Isin and illustrated by Taiwanese VofanMish ima, the pen name of actor, author and model Kimitake HiraokaConfessions, written by Kanae Minato, is a contemporary bestsellerWind Up Bird Chronicle, or Wind Up, is a novel written by Haruki Murakami and set in TokyoSpring Snow, written by Yukio Mishima, is another classic Japanese novel and the first in the Sea of Fertility tetralogySnow Country was written through 1937 and is one of those Post-war, regional classics

Thursday, March 5, 2020

3 step strategy to mastering your emotions - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / 3 step strategy to mastering your emotions - Introvert Whisperer 3 step strategy to mastering your emotions We all get emotional sometimes. That’s the way we are built. Some people would like to turn off their emotions. They think that if they could just do that, then they will be superhuman. The thing is, that probably won’t work. You see, emotions were there before logic and the brain relies on them to make even the most basic decisions. For that reason, when emotions are turned off, for example by brain damage, we don’t become superhuman at all. Instead, we can’t even make the most basic decisions. So, you’d be better off saying we end up being sub-human. So, if you can’t turn them off, then the only real choice is to learn how to ‘master’ them. Why I put ‘master’ in quotation marks Since the ancients Greeks, people have compared emotions to animals and our logical systems to their riders. The more we understand about our emotions, the bigger the animal has seemed to become. Jonathan Haidt, in his book the Happiness Hypothesis, goes to the extreme of saying that our emotions are actually an elephant. What he means with that is that our emotions are much, much bigger than our logical systems and if they want to go in one way and your logic would prefer to go in another, well then you’re going the way of your emotions. That sounds depressing. It shouldn’t be. Because people do ride elephants. They even get them to do a whole lot of stuff, like push down trees and lug lots of weight around. The trick? Don’t try to dominate them, but work with them instead. Once you start to do that you can nudge them in the direction you actually want to go. Step one: Recognize your emotions You know that saying ‘deal with the elephant in the room’? Well, when you’re feeling emotions that are what you need to. Since you can’t suppress them and you can’t ignore them, you should instead recognize them for what they are. Because only once you know what the elephant is called will you know what you need to do to lessen their impact or at least steer it towards less self-destructive impulses. At the same time, realize that you aren’t your emotions. Emotions can be overwhelming and all-consuming. None the less, they come and they go, while you’re always there. You might be angry right now, but that too will fade. And then you’re left dealing with the fallout. Step two: Consider your emotions What you need to understand is that you can’t understand why you do things when you feel an emotion when you’re not feeling that emotion. This is called the empathy gap and it’s why people that aren’t depressed can’t understand why depressed people don’t try harder. Similarly, it is why people who aren’t upset think other people are overreacting. What this means is that you can make a lot of promises when you’re not feeling a certain way, only to break all of them the moment you feel another. The way around them is to learn to take a step back when you’re feeling an emotion. Take a breath and consider how you’re feeling. Talk about it with somebody or write it down. Describe the emotion and what it wants to make you do. Discuss the consequences and then decide if that’s actually the right path for you. You can even start a dialogue. Write about what you’re feeling when you’re feeling it. Then respond to that emotional state when you’re no longer feeling that way. Remember that empathy gap. It means you’ll struggle to understand yourself and might even think that what you said while in the throes of an emotion is stupid or embarrassing. Try not to be judgmental. Focus on getting what you’re trying to say on paper. Even if you are one of the professional college paper writers, there is no need to sweat the grammar and the spelling when you’re caught in the throes of your emotions. Use stick figures, your own private language, or finger painting. Step three: Nudge your way towards better behavior The more you consider your emotions you’ll come to understand them better. You’ll figure out what is really triggering your emotions. You might even realize that what you’re feeling is actually a mask for deeper emotions. In those cases, they are far more symptomatic than anything else. From there you can then start to change your behavior. For example, you can start to avoid triggers. Or you can become aware of what they are and take steps to calm yourself down when they do occur. Then, over time and with effort, you can change the flow of your emotions to different, more constructive, channels. You should be aware, though, that this will take time. Often, our emotional reactions are learned early and often learned without our conscious awareness. That means that you’ll have to undo a lifetime of behavior. That’s a long-term process. So don’t be too hard on yourself. Instead, celebrate the little successes and when you backslide, simply try again. Otherwise, all you’ll end up feeling is angry and disappointed. And those aren’t very nice emotions. Remember the elephant Our lives are lived on the back of an elephant which is our subconscious and our emotional reactivity. If you ignore that, then you won’t understand who you are. If you fight that you’ll end up being carried off into the jungle without any real control. If, on the other hand, you understand that and accept it, then you can yoke your emotions and your logic together into a masterful team that can overcome any problem â€" be it office politics or how to network. For the truth is that nobody ever succeeds despite their emotions. Instead, they do so because of them. Bio: Luisa Brenton is a brand developer in the past; mom, educational blogger in the present. She writes in a variety of venues â€" academic, business, and psychology. Find more on Facebook and Twitter. Image credit: pixabay.com 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

When, and When Not, to Hire a Private Tutor

When, and When Not, to Hire a Private Tutor Improving Academic Performance Much as an athlete benefits from a good coach, a student can reap incredible benefits from a supportive tutor. Tutoring, in many ways, is similar to coaching: it requires relationship building, positive reinforcement, support, and a true, unwavering interest in a student’s success. The right tutor can be the difference between struggle and success. With a willing and coachable student, a tutor can identify weaknesses, build confidence, and act as a constant support. There are many instances when hiring a tutor can be beneficial, including: When you need a nudge Let’s face it: something like standardized test prep can be monotonous. A dynamic tutor can not only bring some levity to a dull task, but can also install a sense of determination in the student. Creative, committed tutors take their work seriously and are truly invested in the success of the student. Having this kind of “teammate” and motivator can help push the student through a challenging and often tedious time. When school is overwhelming No matter the grade level, school can be daunting. Particularly in this age of constant projects and assignments even over breaks (thanks, technology), having a support system and an advocate to help you manage the stress is vital. A private tutor can provide help with all subjects and any assignment, no matter the size. When you need to get organized Tutors do much more than just show you tricks or shortcuts. From study skills to effective school habits, the breadth of a tutor’s capacity to help is wider than we often think. Tutors can help you do everything from take more effective notes to annotating literature to teaching you how to keep your materials in order and use academic calendars. Much like a mentor, a tutor invests in all aspects of a student’s academic workload, ensuring a smooth, organized experience. When you’ve tried the usual suspects If you’ve gone to teachers for extra help, been in study groups, and spent time in the library studying but you’re still struggling, a tutor might be just what you need. No man is an island; asking for help is often seen as a weakness in our society, but consider this famous proverb: “he who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; he who does not ask a question remains a fool forever.” A good tutor may just be the answer you’ve been looking for. When you’re almost there Let’s say you are a junior in high school; it’s the second half of the year and you’ve taken the ACT twice, done well, but feel that you haven’t quite hit your goal. You’re close, but recruiting a professional to your team might be the missing link. Adding a tutor’s expertise to your already strong performance and knowledge base could push you over the top and signal the end of your standardized test journey and the beginning of more exciting things, like college. When you’re ready to ask for help Tutors have seen it all: don’t think your struggle is too great to bring to a good tutor. Know that tutors are invested in helping you. They are not there to judge or to point out your weakness, but rather to help you see your strengths and work from a positive perspective. Tutors are accessible and truly want to help, so don’t be afraid or feel embarrassed to seek them out. The only stigma that should be attached to having a tutor is a positive one: the fact that you’ve got a staunch supporter in your corner. When you need personalization You can do every online practice test under the sun yet still feel that you’re lacking that ever-important sense of rapport and human interaction. Tutors are skilled at building relationships and forming bonds. Bonding with your practice book is a little harder, not to mention it can feel far too clinical. Bringing some humanity to the process can really inject some much-needed feeling into an all-too-often impersonal experience. Just as there are times when hiring a tutor can provide marked benefits, there are also those in which a tutor might not be the answer, such as: When it’s more than academics There are times when school problems might involve more than just grades and studying. If you are, for instance, struggling with situations at home or emotional challenges, it might not be the best time to bring a tutor on board. It is important to deal with any outlying issues first, using resources at your school and in your community. Then you can turn your focus to academic concerns. When you’re logistically uncertain Often we have the best of intentions in hiring a tutor. However, being realistic about your investment and your ability to stick to it is also important. If, for example, you cannot commit to a consistent program of tutoring due to sports or other obligations, you might want to rethink making that investment or wait until it is more doable. This article is written by Phil Lane who is a blog writer for iAchieve Learning. Phil holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English with a concentration in Writing, and has also done post-grad work in Secondary Education and Adolescent Psychology. iAchieve Learning specializes in one-on-one tutoring for all ages and subjects, test prep for the ACT and SAT, music lessons for a wide variety of instruments, and academic coaching for students who struggle with executive functioning skills.

How to Succeed in any Math Class

How to Succeed in any Math Class A challenging math class is a veritable rite of passage for students across the world. Working on problem sets late into the night can be frustrating, but most of us who have been through the gauntlet can recall moments of triumph when a particularly tricky concept is understood at last. Here at AJ, it is the mission of our mathematics departments to make our students’ first engagements with math as enjoyable and rewarding as they can be. In this article, I’ll discuss some wisdom gleaned from working with hundreds of Bay Area math students.First off, the most critical advice I can give to students is to engage actively with their homework assignments as a means of deepening conceptual understanding and preparing for successful test-taking. Students, parents, and tutors understand that assignments should be completed regularly in order to learn the material effectively. Doing so is essential, but for many students it is ultimately too shallow a level of engagement. You can read mo re about our math tutoring approach here.Students and parents often share that they feel that tests and quizzes do not reflect the difficulty or style of homework problems. Students complete the homework, feel comfortable with the problems, study diligently, yet they walk away from tests feeling blindsided. How can we address this? Here are some tips:Complete assignments regularly and on time. There is no substitute for consistent practice, though I will discuss ways to build upon it.Be aware of what topics you are responsible for knowing. This might sound obvious, but this information creates a list of goals and objectives that can guide learning and test preparation.Think actively about assignments. Teachers assign problems carefullyâ€"consider what concepts or skills were tested for each question. Create outlines to address critical thinking questions and word problems, especially harder questions. For example, you might categorize the question based on learning objectives or tec hniques that were required. Take special note of questions that combine multiple concepts.Students frequently feel that test questions are not representative of homework assignments. There are certainly times where students are tested on their problem solving ability and their improvisational skills. However, more often than not it is that the problems have been disguised or modified so that students need to think while working problems rather than relying on rote memorization. Points #3 and #4 above encourage students to apply metacognition to their learning and preparation.It can be difficult to implement points #3 and #4 in practice (especially #4). Generally, students should not attempt these tasks until they are capable of solving the associated problems without assistance.A technique that can help with point #3 is for a student to ask herself, “Why did my teacher assign these questions?” Ideally, a student can look at a homework problem and say, “This question is relevan t because. . .” This level of familiarity with questions will improve recall and allow students to work more quickly and efficiently in test scenarios.Point #4 is trickier, but ultimately once a student can comfortably solve a word problem she can begin to consider which parts of the solution are most important in the context of their current chapter or unit. Be careful not to be overly specific. The goal is not to plan solutions entirely in advance but rather to deconstruct hard problems into easier problems and to look for patterns in our solutions. This task should provide students with a foundation of problems that they can solve while allowing the flexibility to adapt to problems that look different.The student’s teacher is a great resource because teachers, knowing the exams, can indicate which topics to prioritize. The textbook is also an excellent resource as it will often have categorized questions by topic. Additionally, our tutoring team is an excellent resource becau se 1-on-1 tutoring is highly effective in demonstrating, in a customized way, how students can categorize questions or how they can develop plans of attack for tougher questions.AJ can support students and families by modeling the above behaviors in sessions. Our tutors are very experienced and can generally match problems to previously defined categories on the fly. Walking our students through this process will help improve their confidence and their conceptual understanding. We can also help by reminding students that thoughtful engagement with practice material is a long term strategy and will take time to develop.A final piece of advice for math students new and experienced alike: learn to be comfortable even in the face of uncertainty. It’s easier said than done, of course, but it is an invaluable skill. The strategies listed previously can go a long way.

Learn a Language with Blogs Over 75 Options for the Solitary Student

Learn a Language with Blogs Over 75 Options for the Solitary Student Learn a Language with Blogs: Over 75 Options for the Solitary Student How do you start your days?By texting your fellow language learners good morning before even getting out of bed?Poring over the latest language software innovations in the daily newspaper?No? Not so much?Despite being one of the most world-expanding activities you can take on, learning a language can sometimes make you feel isolated. Especially if youre the only person you know whos actually learning one.Luckily, youre never really alone.Your German studies may not be the main subject on the morning news, but there are places you can check into to feel closer to other learners.Specifically, you can read language blogs.And language blogs arent only about a sense of community. Theyre also an excellent source of actual learning material, as well as tips, resource reviews and fun, relatable anecdotes.Today, were going to look at some of the best.But first, lets look at why learning languages alongside blogs is a great idea, especially now. Why Learning Languages with Blogs Is a Better Idea Than EverMore and more high-quality language blogs are appearing and developing.  Blogs used to be a personal affair. But more recently, theyve gone corporate and have also become a way for individuals to deliberately reach a larger audience.Even within the past couple of years, language product companies that werent in the blog game before have started to create regular online content for their audiences.Improved mobile technology makes it even easier to enjoy blogs on the go.  Blogs also used to look awful on phones, but now its clear that websites need to cater to smartphone and tablet readers.Now, youll find more blogs out there that are mobile-optimized, which makes it easy to regularly peruse your favorite language blogs just like you would any other online publication.Language learning options can be overwhelmingâ€"blogs help you narrow down resources and techniques.  It can be tough to know where to start with language learning, but it can also feel impersonal to simply have an online program to walk you through everything.Language blogs, even if theyre run by companies, are written by individuals and tend to be warmer and more casual than designated learning material. Their personal and noncommittal nature makes them a low-pressure way to check out language concepts, products, methods and more.So lets look at some blogs!Learn a Language with Blogs: Over 75 Options for the Solitary StudentGeneral and Multi-language Blogs from Polyglots, Enthusiasts, Communities and BrandsIf youre interested in top blogs that specialize in some of the most popular languages, you can scroll down for those. Directly below, well look at some blogs and sites that cover general language learning tips, advice, resources, etc. Some of these include specific language blogs and coverage, as well.Fluent in 3 MonthsFluent in 3 Months is one of the most popular language blogs online. In addition to posts from Benny Lewis, also known as the Irish Polyglot, youll find material f rom guest posters and other regular contributors.Posts cover everything from personal success stories to resource reviews, and often focus on specific languages.Transparent.com BlogsTransparent Language offers a wide array of separate language blogs. More obscure languages include Urdu, Pashto and Norwegian. Blogs give you a word of the day feature, along with dissections of many language and culture topics.FluentU BlogThe FluentU program takes real-world videosâ€"like movie trailers, music videos, news and inspiring talksâ€"and turns them into personalized language lessons. We also try to keep you entertained while bringing you quality language learning tips, resource recommendations and reviews.And weve been churning out blog material for a long time, so we like to think we keep getting better at it!Youre already in the right place for general learning info, but make sure to also check out our separate language blogs for Chinese, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, English, Italian , Portuguese,  Russian and Korean.Listen Learn BlogListen Learn is written by multiple language and travel enthusiasts. They cover practical subjects like learning languages through films and music, as well as topics that have more of a cultural bent, like the social implications of gendered languages.The Language Mastery BlogJohn Fotheringham, whos written for us here FluentU, focuses on immersion techniques and thoughtful takes on language learning over at The  Language Mastery Blog. He’s written about how depression and anxiety can affect language acquisition, among other interesting subjects.LinguaLift BlogLinguaLifts blog includes resource lists, fun language facts and useful tips for learners in general. Currently, their posts tend to veer towards Russian and Japanese, but as theyre expanding their program to more languages, theyll likely continue to expand their blog as well.Live Lingua BlogLive Linguas blog sometimes covers languages in clumpsâ€"for example, youll see mu ltiple posts about Spanish, or Russian, all in a row. But if you browse the archives and explore language categories, youll find resource and tip posts for lots of languages, including Spanish, French, Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Russian.MosaLingua Blog ResourcesMosaLingua  offers well-organized and straightforward blog posts on tips and resources for some of the most popular languages. Some of their entries include original videos from their YouTube channel.The Mezzofanti Guild BlogThis is the website of Australian multi-language learner Donovan Nagel. Blog entries cover resources for separate languages, broader product reviews and language-learning how-to guides.LingholicLingholic is a visually appealing, well-organized blog that makes it easy to browse information about some big language programs and popular learning topics, like memorization and language learning benefits.Busuu BlogBusuus blog tends to be more edgy and topical, tying language subjects to news and cultural sub jects, like the British royal family.Tandem BlogTandems blog posts are geared toward language learners but veer to general interest topics, like phrase lists related to food, holidays or international events.The Mango BlogWhile youll find a lot of language topics here, Mango Languages blog  puts a lot of emphasis on culture and travel, as well. Theyve covered eco-friendly travel and other subjects that arent exactly language-based but are likely to be of interest to learners.Clozemaster BlogClozemasters blog offers specific tips for separate languages and puts more of a spotlight on grammar than many other language blogs.The Glossika BlogGlossika offers a good mix of language and culture posts. In addition to popular languages, theyve covered languages that may be harder to find information on elsewhere, like Kazakh, Uzbek, Hungarian and Indonesian.Rocket Languagesâ€"BlogThe Rocket Languages blog tends to be focused on practical language learning: Whats possible in language learning , what the best methods and resources are, how to make the best use of your learning time, etc.Language Learning Blog: Rype MagazineRype brings fun facts and practical tips to learners. You can either scroll down to view the latest posts or select a particular language under Topics and Language.Rosetta Stone BlogThis hugely popular program has a pretty slick language blog. Covering a variety of languages, it places a strong emphasis on travel and study abroad.Blogâ€"Live FluentThis approachable blog gives you a lot of content devoted to resource reviews, grammar and general info for multiple languages, including some more obscure ones.Innovative Language Learning BlogMuch of the information on this blog is geared toward using Innovative Languages own resources. Also, for some reason, you have to manually copy and paste links to access some of the resources in the posts. Still, its pretty easy to navigate by language and to find useful content, like core word lists.Innovative Languag e also offers tons of language learning resources like videos, podcasts, grammar and vocab notes and more for many languagesâ€"including Spanish, Russian, German  and more.Language Learning Tipsâ€"LingQ BlogThe LingQ blog tends to be focused on input. You can use it to hunt down stories, resources for listening practice, phrase lists and podcasts. There are also some grammar and general advice posts.Language Trainers USA BlogLanguage Trainers covers some language and travel subjects, along with more general interest subjects like forensic linguistics.The Superprof Blog  Superprof Magazine includes all kinds of topics relevant to learners and potential learners. As blogs are separated by language, this is a good place to find basic information if youre still in the stages of considering learning a common language.The Games for Language Learning and Travel BlogAs the title suggests, this blog encourages learners to use games as a study method. It also includes breakdowns of foreign la nguage songs, travel accounts and looks at other learning resources.The blog is sometimes written from more of a teacher/parent perspective, but its easy to apply suggestions to your own learning.LinguaJunkie.comThis site uses audio from Innovative Language to teach vocabulary from a variety of languages. You can also read resource reviews at this resource.Blogâ€"LearnOutLiveThis blog seems to cover just about everything language-related, from tech hacks to travel, culture topics and general language subjects.Shut Up and GoThis is a travel blog run by Damon Dominique and Jo Franco of the popular YouTube channel DamonAndJo. While primarily about travel, Shut Up and Go has a language learning section that delves into personal learner experiences.Blogâ€"Luca LamparielloLanguage coach Lucas blog gives you a healthy dose of advice on language learning approaches and resources.Language Blogâ€"I Will Teach You a LanguageOlly Richard’s blog gives very concrete, specific tips that you can sometimes get the gist of just from reading the titles of his posts. For example, “Don’t Take Language Learning Advice from Native Speakers” and  â€œDon’t Learn Grammar Before You Really Need It”  are pretty clear about their topic! The blogs often come with a video if youd rather watch than read.If you like Ollys style, you can also check out his courses for learning languages, Grammar Hero and Conversations, which are meant to set you up and build a good foundation for your language learning journey.Joy of LanguagesOn this blog, multi-language learner Katie gives advice and insights with a fun personal twist. Some posts include interviews with people involved in language learning in some way.Language Learning JourneyPolyglot and traveler Maureen runs this impressive blog that covers language challenges and her own adventures.Black Girls Learn LanguagesLanguage Bae, a.k.a. Shahidah, is a self-described foreign language enthusiast and aspiring polyglot. Her blog celebrates black linguistas and touches on language and travel topics of interest and importance to black women.Fluent Language BlogKerstin of Fluent Language is an accomplished language learner whos studied multiple languages and presented at language conferences. She’s a prolific blogger who covers all kinds of language-related topics.Blog: HitoritabiElena Gabrielli maintains this blog for introverts and “other quiet learners.” Her focus is on using  language learning as a vehicle for self-care and preventing it from becoming a catalyst for anxiety.EurolinguisteShannon Kennedy of Eurolinguiste is a regular contributor at Fluent in 3 Months, and she also blogs here. She covers challenges, strategies, resources and more.Blog: The Linguist on LanguageThis is the blog of Steve Kaufmann, the input enthusiast who founded LingQ. He covers general learning topics with a focus on strategy.Lindsay Does LanguagesPretty self-explanatory. Lindsay Williams provides insights on resources and learnin g approaches here for both language learners and teachers.Nai Likes LanguagesOn this blog, language learner Nailah Saleem shares tips derived from her own experiences learning languages, which involve Brazilian Portuguese, French and Spanish.Language Learning Blog: 5-Minute LanguageHere, language coach Agnieszka Murdoch gives you language tips in posts that take less than five minutes to read.Smart Language LearnerNoel van Vliet runs this language learning blog for “normal people.” He explicitly describes himself as “not a language-learning guru” and writes casual posts of language learning advice.The Intrepid GuideThe Intrepid Guide is a beautiful, image-heavy resource for kicking back and brushing up on language learning and travel hacks alike.Itchy FeetThis is where Malachi Ray Rempen regularly shares hilarious comics about travel and languages. Sometimes you can learn from them, other times theyre just funny.Adventures in FluencyThis is the blog of Elizabeth Hilton, a tr aveler whos resolved to learn the language of every country she visits. She blogs about multiple stages and aspects of language learning and travel, making this a sort of lifestyle blog for learners.Now, lets take a look at some helpful blogs for individual languages. First up, Arabic.Arabic Learning BlogsArabic for NerdsWritten by Arabic addict  Gerald Drißner,  Arabic for Nerds is geared toward intermediate and advanced learners.It really is very nerdy, covering not just the Arabic language itself, but learning tech subjects and hacks like how to  adjust your Arabic font or  unlock more Arabic movies on Netflix.TalkInArabic.comThis blog covers resources, hacks and advice for Arabic learners. A nice feature here is that it gives you a wide range of information on different Arabic dialects, and titles indicate which dialect a particular post is about.Blogâ€"Arabic OnlineThis blog gets more heavily into culture, covering cuisine, cities and news in the Arab world along with helpful tips and vocabulary for learners.Mandarin Chinese Learning BlogsHacking ChineseThis is a Chinese learning blog with a fun, edgy vibe. Youll find challenges, resource tips and general interest info.Skritter BlogSkritter is an app that helps you learn Chinese and Japanese characters. Their blog covers conversational tips, challenges and cultural tidbits. Some posts include videos.Mandarin HQThis blog, maintained by teacher Angel Huang, is actually a series of lessons on conversational Chinese.English Learning BlogsEnglish Tips Blogâ€"Espresso EnglishEspresso English brings you short, manageable English lessons. Lessons cover easily confused words, common mistakes and vocabulary lists. Posts include original videos.English Learning Blog: English-at-home.comThis blog covers a lot of subjects for English learners. It includes useful information for more advanced learners who want to expand their vocabularies and abilities.Grammarly BlogGrammarly is an app used not just by English learner s, but also by native speakers. Their blog is useful for anyone wishing to improve their English communication skills, regardless of whether English is their native language.French Learning BlogsFrenchplanations BlogThis blog covers French learning topics in detail, from vocabulary to resources to cultural notes. While some posts are lengthier, theyre all presented in a digestible and non-intimidating way.French Today BlogThis blog is full of tips, explanations and practice for French learners. The practice sessions involve readings with blurred-out translations that you can view as needed.OffQc: Québécois French GuideHeres a super well-organized blog for learners of Québécois French.German Learning BlogsThe German ProfessorThis blog includes tips for German teachers and learners. Youll find information here on the basics of German grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary.German is easy!This entertaining but informative resource takes deep dives into German vocabulary and grammar.A ngelika’s German Tuition TranslationThis blog is run by a native German-speaking teacher and translator. Posts here are often short and casual, but the blog is updated pretty often and shares useful information for learners. You can also check out Angelikas YouTube channel.Italian Learning BlogsIceberg ProjectNote that this blog includes sections for learning both Italian and Mandarin. The Italian section includes a robust selection of learning posts, and you can sign up for a weekly lesson newsletter.Learn Italian with LucreziaThis popular and beautiful site gives you the chance to read posts in both English and Italian.Learn Italianâ€"Italian Language BlogLearn Italian blends language and culture with an easy-to-navigable selection of posts that sometimes contain videos.Japanese Learning BlogsTofuguThis is a very well-maintained site that publishes articles of interest to Japanese learners. Youll find the reading quality to be as reliable as in your favorite print magazines, an d youll learn about everything from Japanese history, to modern Japanese food culture, to the best Japanese learning resources.TheJapanesePage.com: Word of the DayHeres a Patreon-supported word of the day blog for Japanese learners. Entries include sound clips, explanations and examples.How to JapaneseAn enthusiastic project from one Japanese learner, How to Japanese is a labor of love. It includes a close reading of Haruki Murakamis novel Hard-boiled Wonderland and the End of the World that was blogged over a period of six years!Korean Learning BlogsHangukdrama KoreanThis blog is written and maintained by language lover Shanna, a native speaker of English and Mandarin Chinese, who details her experiences and takeaways from learning Korean and Japanese.Sometimes the blog is written in languages other than English, and it can veer toward language learning in general, but its still an excellent resource for Korean learners, especially those looking for book reviews.90 Day KoreanHeres a blog of mini-lessons on the Korean language and culture that are simple and visually appealing.Motivate Koreanâ€"Blog by Korean LearnersThis blog belongs to Heather, a Korean self-studier who shares detailed, organized posts on the hows of learning the language.Portuguese Learning BlogsBlog: Fun with Brazilian PortugueseThe name says it all: This blog really focuses on fun and practical topics, like ordering food, texting, etc.Learning Notes Archive: Practice PortugueseThe detailed Learning Notes section of this site puts a heavy focus on Portuguese grammar, breaking it down with example sentences, charts and sound clips.Caminhos BlogThis blog is run by a language school in Rio de Janeiro. It includes plenty of detailed language information, as well as travel advice centered around Rio.Russian Learning BlogsBlogâ€"Learn the Russian LanguageLearn the Russian Language is packed with engaging content about learning Russian. Its simultaneously a place where you can go for a quick Rus sian lesson and a spot to unwind after a long day of studying Russian.Enjoy Russian: Our BlogHeres another blog thats run by a language school. Youll find many posts about the school itself, as well as regional travel, but also facts about Russian culture and study advice.Language Heroes LibraryFormerly PetitePolyglot, this is a multi-writer community blog that covers multiple subjects of interest to language learners and travelers, much like some of the blogs in the first section of this post.However, Language Heroes Library is also mainly written in Russian, and so may be of special interest to more advanced Russian learners who are also aspiring polyglots.Spanish Learning BlogsNachoTime SpanishNachoTime Spanish is a sharp resource with a specific focus: [getting] out of Spanish Intermediate Purgatory. Native speaker Nacho shares intermediate reading practice and straightforward advice on this bilingual blog.Gritty Spanish BlogThis blog complements the program of the same name bui lt around learning realistic, conversational Spanish, but it feels more sunny and positive than gritty. Youll find tons of free, high-quality and culture-adjacent posts on learning Spanish here.Blogâ€"Spanish ObsessedSpanish Obsessed, run by a native speaker and a learner, digs into the ins and outs of Spanish learning with a strong emphasis on method.Language learning gets lonely sometimes.But there are blogs out there that can help you feel less alone, even if youre an introvert or non-traditional learner.Maybe reading some of these blogs will even inspire you to start your own!Elisabeth Cook is a freelance writer and language learner who writes about the relationship between literature and language on her own blog, Lit All Over.

Astronomy Tutors Show The Night Sky

Astronomy Tutors Show The Night Sky When astronomy tutors show constellations on a night sky students usually pay a lot of attention and have a great time. This was precisely the case when three TutorZ employees visited the Astronomical Observatory in Nikolaev on an outing on Thursday, April 23rd. Astronomer and tutor Anton invited Marketing Assistants Lilly and Maya (together with her husband Michael) and TutorZ founder Dirk to the observatory in Nikolaev. It was a private visit so they all received a lot of attention from astronomer Anton, allowing them to ask a lot of astronomical questions. Lilly, for example, had watched the 2014 movie Interstellar with Matthew McConaughey. She asked about black holes, whether worm holes indeed exist and connected with that if time travel could be possible. Dirk, on the other hand, wanted to know about the upcoming close encounters of an asteroid and a comet in the years 2029 and 2036. No worries, both pass by Earth at a safe margin. The Nikolaev observatorys main exhibit is a 6 inch Carl-Zeiss reflecting telescope. It is housed under dome shaped roof on a cylindrical basement. Lilly opened the dome by pressing the button of the motor powered roof. And there it was, the beautiful 2015 spring sky at night. The first picture  shows Dirk looking like a real astronomer when looking through this Carl-Zeiss telescope. The second picture shows astronomer Anton tutoring Lilly and May about  the night sky objects when looking through the Zeiss telescope. During this spring night, tutor Anton observed three prominent astronomical objects with the TutorZ team. First, he zoomed in on Venus because this planet is to set soon after sun down. Venus is the 2nd planet in our solar system and the only planet which exhibits phases. During March, April and May an almost-half crescent can be seen. It came as a surprise to see Venus chipped off half because we are used to see this planet as a full dot. Next, astronomer Anton turned the mighty telescope to our moon. May, Lilly and Dirk were in awe when seeing the craters, valleys and polar regions of our closest celestial neighbor. Almost surreal was the fact that fellow Americans walked on the moon.  As a good tutor should Anton used this moon-moment to pose three  popular astronomy questions to use. Who was the first man to walk on the moon?  Easy, it is Neil Armstrong. Somewhat harder is  to name Neils  space-comrade and 2nd moon walker, Buzz Aldrin. The 2nd questions was considerably harder. How many men in total have walked on the moon? Hmm, Dirk reasoned  as follows:  there was a total of 6 missions to the moon (Apollo 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17) and two astronauts each time landed on the moon. So two times six is twelfth, which gave  the right answer: 12 Americans have walked on the moon. The 3rd astronomy tutoring questions was yet harder: What  did the Astronauts put on the moon to empower the scientist on the Earth to precisely measure the distance Earth-to-Moon? Answer: a mirror.  The Astronomers on Earth would shine a laser on this mirror and time the until the reflection hits Earth again. It takes light almost 3 seconds to make this round trip resulting in a Earth-Moon distance of  238,900 miles (or 384,400  km). The picture below also taken with Dirks Galaxy 3 cell phone. Stunning, isnt it? The final highlight was Jupiter who is prominent on this 2015 spring sky. Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system. Its four largest moons Io, Europa, Callisto and Ganymede can be seen with telescopes. Moreover, Jupiter has another astronomical feature is visible on telescopes: its two bands in its atmosphere near Jupiters equatorial region. But because of the simple photographic setup, they do not show up in Samsung Galaxys picture. In the picture below you see the picture of Jupiter and two if its moons, Io and Ganymede. If learning about Venus, our Moon and Jupiter, has inspired you to learn more about astronomy feel free to contact a good Astronomy tutor near your home. He will might be able to let you look through his telescope to gaze at astronomical objects at the night sky. Astronomy Tutors Show The Night Sky When astronomy tutors show constellations on a night sky students usually pay a lot of attention and have a great time. This was precisely the case when three TutorZ employees visited the Astronomical Observatory in Nikolaev on an outing on Thursday, April 23rd. Astronomer and tutor Anton invited Marketing Assistants Lilly and Maya (together with her husband Michael) and TutorZ founder Dirk to the observatory in Nikolaev. It was a private visit so they all received a lot of attention from astronomer Anton, allowing them to ask a lot of astronomical questions. Lilly, for example, had watched the 2014 movie Interstellar with Matthew McConaughey. She asked about black holes, whether worm holes indeed exist and connected with that if time travel could be possible. Dirk, on the other hand, wanted to know about the upcoming close encounters of an asteroid and a comet in the years 2029 and 2036. No worries, both pass by Earth at a safe margin. The Nikolaev observatorys main exhibit is a 6 inch Carl-Zeiss reflecting telescope. It is housed under dome shaped roof on a cylindrical basement. Lilly opened the dome by pressing the button of the motor powered roof. And there it was, the beautiful 2015 spring sky at night. The first picture  shows Dirk looking like a real astronomer when looking through this Carl-Zeiss telescope. The second picture shows astronomer Anton tutoring Lilly and May about  the night sky objects when looking through the Zeiss telescope. During this spring night, tutor Anton observed three prominent astronomical objects with the TutorZ team. First, he zoomed in on Venus because this planet is to set soon after sun down. Venus is the 2nd planet in our solar system and the only planet which exhibits phases. During March, April and May an almost-half crescent can be seen. It came as a surprise to see Venus chipped off half because we are used to see this planet as a full dot. Next, astronomer Anton turned the mighty telescope to our moon. May, Lilly and Dirk were in awe when seeing the craters, valleys and polar regions of our closest celestial neighbor. Almost surreal was the fact that fellow Americans walked on the moon.  As a good tutor should Anton used this moon-moment to pose three  popular astronomy questions to use. Who was the first man to walk on the moon?  Easy, it is Neil Armstrong. Somewhat harder is  to name Neils  space-comrade and 2nd moon walker, Buzz Aldrin. The 2nd questions was considerably harder. How many men in total have walked on the moon? Hmm, Dirk reasoned  as follows:  there was a total of 6 missions to the moon (Apollo 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17) and two astronauts each time landed on the moon. So two times six is twelfth, which gave  the right answer: 12 Americans have walked on the moon. The 3rd astronomy tutoring questions was yet harder: What  did the Astronauts put on the moon to empower the scientist on the Earth to precisely measure the distance Earth-to-Moon? Answer: a mirror.  The Astronomers on Earth would shine a laser on this mirror and time the until the reflection hits Earth again. It takes light almost 3 seconds to make this round trip resulting in a Earth-Moon distance of  238,900 miles (or 384,400  km). The picture below also taken with Dirks Galaxy 3 cell phone. Stunning, isnt it? The final highlight was Jupiter who is prominent on this 2015 spring sky. Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system. Its four largest moons Io, Europa, Callisto and Ganymede can be seen with telescopes. Moreover, Jupiter has another astronomical feature is visible on telescopes: its two bands in its atmosphere near Jupiters equatorial region. But because of the simple photographic setup, they do not show up in Samsung Galaxys picture. In the picture below you see the picture of Jupiter and two if its moons, Io and Ganymede. If learning about Venus, our Moon and Jupiter, has inspired you to learn more about astronomy feel free to contact a good Astronomy tutor near your home. He will might be able to let you look through his telescope to gaze at astronomical objects at the night sky.