Friday, March 27, 2020

What Is Fiu Tutoring For Atlets?

What Is Fiu Tutoring For Atlets?Fiu tutoring for atlets is one of the most popular programs available on the internet. Fiu is based in Australia and offers online classes for Spanish and can make life much easier when travelling to Spain. The classes are designed for students who wish to learn the basics of the language, but without spending a great deal of money. Here we will look at what Fiu means and how to use it as a learning tool.Fiu is actually a combination of two words - first Fiu meaning Spanish and Second, tutoring which is French for teaching. This is because the founder, Leonhard Faucher, wanted to create a program that was not only very effective but was also as cost effective as possible. These are two important aspects when choosing to learn a foreign language.These tutors have used this method to help create a very effective and easy learning process. You can choose to take the lessons on the internet or at your own pace.Classes take place over a number of days or se veral weeks depending on your choice. This means that if you would like to study at home you can. However, if you would like to travel to Spain you will need to take a course which will last more than a few weeks. Once you have completed the course you will be able to talk to people of any nationality in the country, but you will have to speak English.The lessons are usually very fast process, and there is no waiting around for exams. The program is interactive and your tutor will make sure that you get all the information you need to get through the course successfully. The whole course takes around 8 hours to complete.When you enroll in the Fiu Tutoring for Atletsprogram you will also receive a number of additional features. These include a large and varied library of Spanish books and CD's. You will also receive some videos and audio lessons. Some of these will be useful for you to get your feet wet with the basic Spanish.Fiu is not only great for travelling to Spain, but can be a great way to keep up to date with your language skills. The lessons are not just for beginners, and are designed to make sure that everyone can progress from being an intermediate student, to advanced student. As an additional bonus many Spanish speakers use the course to learn to speak the language on their own!

Friday, March 6, 2020

How teachers can help their students spot fake news

How teachers can help their students spot fake news Fake news is a term that has become both ubiquitous and a matter of heated debate over the past year, particularly in politics (it was, in fact, named 2016’s word of the year). As we’ve seen first hand, fake news and manipulating information online has the power not only to shape public opinion but also to affect the outcome of national elections. As a result, teaching media literacy skills has quickly become a top concern for K-12 educators. As students increasingly access news online from nontraditional sources, teachers are tasked with building the skills their students need to recognize bias in the media and verify what they read on their social media news feeds. Are our students digitally naive? A recent Stanford study showed that otherwise digitally-savvy students are lacking in the critical thinking and digital literacy skills needed to weed out fake news stories from real ones. The study concluded that “overall, young people’s ability to reason about the information on the Internet can be summed up in one word: bleak. Our ‘digital natives’ may be able to flit between Facebook and Twitter while simultaneously uploading a selfie to Instagram and texting a friend. But when it comes to evaluating information that flows through social media channels, they are easily duped.” As a teacher, there are many strategies and techniques you can use to teach your students the media literacy skills they need to distinguish fact from fiction and combat the growing problem of fake news. The following are some tips to help your students navigate the current media landscape and discern what online information is legitimate or fake. Make fake news a teachable moment for you, as well as your students You don’t have to be a media expert to teach media literacy to others. Technology and media are concepts that are often unfamiliar territory for many teachers, and this is totally understandable. Our digital world is changing by the minute, making everyone a student. Organizations like The News Literacy Project have begun to create curriculum that responds to this growing problem. There is also a digital literacy training course designed to help teachers update their teaching practice for the 21st-century classroom. Fake news is becoming harder to detect, even for adults, so teachers must be open to learning along with their students. Bring social media into the classroom Discussing current events that students are interested in is a great opportunity for additional analysis. Trending topics on social media is a key to engaging your students in an active discussion about what’s happening online and helping them decode what could be spin, bias or outright lies. Teach your students effective Google search skills While the internet is a source for misinformation, it can always be a great fact-debunking tool. There are many useful fact-checking resources online, like FactCheck.org and PolitiFact. Teach your students how to do a Google reverse image search, as well, so they can quickly verify for themselves which images are factual and which have been fabricated or manipulated in some way. Show your students how to evaluate the source Help your students spot fake news by encouraging them to ask questions and critically evaluate what they read and see online. Before they can determine whether a source is credible, they need to know the right research techniques to help them evaluate online media. Some questions to pose when investigating news that is fact, opinion or potentially something else can include the following: Is the media outlet a well-known source of traditional news? Is the site secure? Does the formatting look off? Are there grammatical errors? Can you find reports of the same event on other news outlets? Do the dates match up? Who wrote the news piece? How credible is the author? Does the piece cite primary sources? What personal reaction is the news piece attempting to elicit in the reader (remember, propaganda is usually written with the intent of making the reader feel strong emotions)? Is it pushing a narrow point of view in an overt, or subtle, way? By asking these questions, students can begin to reach their own conclusions on what is satire, clickbait, biased news or entirely fake. Sign up to Teach Away today for access to the latest teaching jobs around the world. Foster an atmosphere that encourages open communication In addition to promoting their reasoning skills, providing students with opportunities to acquire media literacy will also prepare them to make informed judgments on the issues that will shape their lives. First, though, students need to feel comfortable in sharing their thoughts and questions when analyzing media and decoding fake news. When discussing political or controversial issues in the classroom, for example, conversations may get heated. Our brains are wired to seek out information that agrees with our current beliefs. Everyone is likely to have their own conscious or unconscious bias when it comes to certain issues (including yourself!), so make sure you keep an open mind and encourage your students to do the same. If a student does not feel comfortable, they may think twice before bringing up an important point that will help them challenge the validity of a news piece. Rather than creating an atmosphere that encourages students to choose sides, consider the opinions of every student. It’s vital that teachers keep the classroom atmosphere lighthearted and positive. Looking at the media through a clear lens is the only way to come to a real conclusion on its validity. It’s official - fake news is here to stay. Now, more than ever, students need our help to better navigate the web and be able to detect what is fake and what’s real. Please share your top teaching strategies and tips for helping your students develop essential media literacy skills in the comments below!

COMMON CORE MATH - ALOHA Mind Math

COMMON CORE MATH The common core is the set of high quality academic standards in Mathematics and English Language Arts/Literacy (ELA).  The learning objective of a student outlines what a student should know and do at the end of each grade from K-12.  The standards were to ensure that the students as they come out of schools have all the necessary skills to succeed in their college, career and entire life. Math and English were chosen as the subjects for Common Core standards as they are the building blocks of skill sets for various other subjects. Accepted by 42 states in the United States, the common core was the result of the stagnation in the academic progress of US students.  The US students were found lagging in international competitions and one of the primary reasons for stagnation was the uneven standards across US.  With inputs from teachers, school chiefs, administrators, educationists and experts, the Common Core initiative was a conscious effort to develop a common standard across the states. A lot of time, thinking and effort have gone into the development of Common Core Math standards.  The benefits are abundant that almost all states have agreed to the standard.  Many low income schools and schools with a large percent of colored students did not have equitable opportunities to learn.  With common standards, mathematics is a tool of liberation and equality. In the United States, students frequently move between districts and states; even during the middle of the year.  Lack of consistency in standards had earlier put them in hardship that is mitigated now.  The common core system also eliminates education being at the mercy of legislators and publishers. Common core enables teachers connecting through a conference, training session or online, to interact, share problems and solutions etc. The federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 is a law that mandates year-on-year testing for graders 3-8.  Before common core, states developed their own tests, which can now be replaced with better testing. As the nation moves towards a new approach towards math teaching, programs oriented towards parents are conducted by many schools, to engage them in the concept and help their children succeed.  Common Core Math is conceptual and emphasizes deeper understanding rather than the mechanical and repetitive problem solving methods followed earlier.  This new approach to math and problem solving will give students deeper math skills and prepare them to compete at international levels.

Thursday, March 5, 2020

YouTube Rules 4 Ways to Learn a Language Online with Fun Videos

YouTube Rules 4 Ways to Learn a Language Online with Fun Videos Media-based  language learning rules.Its an exciting new option that was nearly impossible before the age of the Internet.Before, unless you were willing to shell out cash for a foreign cable or satellite channel (assuming one was even available in the language you wanted), you couldnt watch everyday TV and movies in your target language.Sure, if you were lucky, your local library may have had a foreign movie section, but it was probably crowded with esoteric classics with complicated plots and dialogue.Now, the Internetâ€"and namely YouTubeâ€"has changed all of this. Its easy to watch sitcoms or reality TV in your target language. You can find movie recommendations and hunt down target language media that fits your tastes.Maybe youve already used YouTube for these things. You can take advantage of  TV episodes, movie trailers and music,  all in your target language.YouTube even has a number of good channels that produce language lessons, and you might already be using some.But wait. We havent even gotten to the good part yet.Thats right.YouTube can do even more to help your language learning! Using Original YouTube Content to Learn a Language  YouTube content creators are the unique ingredient that makes YouTube different from other sources of media. They represent a gold mine of different ways to bring your target language into your life, with enough variety to keep you entertained for ages.Original YouTube content covers all previously-known genres of entertainment and then some, from makeup and video game tutorials, to comedy, to people just sitting down and talking to their camera.These videos are created in a different style than mainstream media. The creators speak differently, script differently and, conveniently, the videos are usually around just 5-to-10 minutes long, making them easy to fit into your day.And, luckily, there are numerous content creators creating in languages other than English!Because these videos are created by native speakers and for native speakers, the content is most accessible to those who have intermediate to advanced skill levels. But dont stop reading if youre a beginner in a language, or havent even started learning yet. Anyone can benefit from listening to native speakers speaking at normal speed as early as they want. The sooner you listen to native speakers, the sooner you get used to the new sounds, and the sooner you understand!Furthermore, learners of any and all levels can easily access this type of content with FluentU, as well as other content you might find on YouTube. FluentU takes real-world videosâ€"like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talksâ€"and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.Below, well look at some different types of content you can easily incorporate into your language learning.First, just one thing to keep in mind: Sometimes countries tend to prefer other video websites over YouTube (for example, Youku and Tudou are two Chinese video website s, and NicoNico is popular in Japan). Additionally, original vlog content is not equally popular in every country in the world.Without further ado, here are 4 ways to incorporate original YouTube content into your language learning diet!YouTube Rules: 4 Ways to Learn a Language Online with Fun Videos1. Watch Daily VloggersDaily vloggers, by their very name, vlog about everyday topics. They often bring their cameras along with them and film themselves simply talking through their daily lives. Daily vloggers range from young-ish single people to parents vlogging about their families and children.These types of videos do wonders for getting used to your target language.Because the vloggers talk about daily life, youll acquire everyday vocabulary that you can use when youre going about your own errands, obligations, etc. The vlogs are rarely scripted, so if you dont have conversation partners or native speaker friends, you still get a chance to hear the language as its really spoken, by real people (this is different from quick-witted TV scripts!). Oftentimes, vloggers will be filming while theyre with a friend or two, so you get to eavesdrop on real conversations instead of monologues or scripted dialogue.How do I find daily vlogs?Ive had a lot of luck simply searching Daily vlog [target language] in English (with the name of the target language in the language itself). Daily vlogs are not often included in YouTube channel directories or compilation blog postsâ€"while they tend to have a lot of views, they dont seem to reach that level of mainstream popularity. Once you find one vlog in your target language, the YouTube suggestions sidebar is a great help in finding more!Here are some daily vlogs to start off with:MeloMore (Spanish) â€" This is the daily vlog of a Spanish musician. She talks to her camera as she goes about her day rehearsing, meeting up for jam sessions and just generally hanging out. She has a more polished comedy channel at YellowMellowMG.Jenes uispasbavarde (French) â€" This is the daily life of a French lifestyle and beauty vlogger. She talks about her pets, life in general and sometimes things having to do with her main channel. Like most vloggers, she  has a main channel (at Jenesuispasjolie), where she posts videos about lifestyle and beauty.Magixthing (German) â€" Here, a German woman vlogs with her two daughters, ages 11 and 6. Again, its just daily life, but this one is fun because of the family dynamic.Mingjai14 (Cantonese) â€" I dont know Cantonese, so Ill just quote the vlogger on this: Just an ordinary guy who talks about everyday life. Daily vlogs are pretty similar in terms of theme!How do I use daily vlogs to improve my language skills?Find a channel you like, and make it a habit to watch one video every day as part of your study routine. The videos are often short enough to make this very easy to do! If you hear new words, look them up and add them to an  SRS deck.You can listen to the lengthier vlogs while you work or study to get used to the way real people talk. These videos, I think, are best for mass consumptionâ€"they give your listening skills a huge boost once you get used to everyday mumbling!You can even leave comments on the videos themselves and start conversations with native speakers. Respond to a comment thats already there to have a better  chance that someone will actually answer you. You can also take the comments people leave and enter them into your SRS so that you can remember the vocabulary and grammar later!2. Watch Lets Play VideosIf youre a gamer, youre probably familiar with the Lets Play genre of YouTube videos. Basically, YouTubers play video games, film them over numerous episodes, and narrate them as they go!And of course, there are people making Lets Play videos in a number of languages.But Lets Play videos arent only useful to gamersâ€"theyre fun and easy to get into no matter your experience with video games. These videos, besides adding valuable liste ning practice, help your language skills in a number of ways.Like daily vlogs, Lets Play videos are not scripted, so youre hearing one person monologue in everyday language. Lets Play videos tend to have more jokes in them than daily vlogs, so youll get an idea of unscripted senses of humor in your target language. Because the YouTuber is narrating whats going on in the game at the time, theres plenty of context for you to piece together new words with the action occurring on the screen, without having to look things up in a dictionary.Additionally, it can sometimes be difficult to find a foreign translation of a beloved game when you dont live in the country, especially if its an older gameâ€"Lets Play videos give you access to these translations! And finally, most video games are pretty lengthy, so if you find one gamer/narrator that you like, youll probably have several hours of free content to exhaust!How do I find Lets Play videos?Ive had the best luck searching Lets Play [game title] [target language]. This will get you a lot of content, especially in the more popular languages.Here are some examples:RanguGamer (Spanish) â€" This is a gamer from Spain who plays fun, more family-oriented games. In other words, these arent intense shooters, if youre not into that sort of thing.StiM  (French) â€" This French gamer plays a  wide  variety of games, including everything from the most mainstream to independent games he digs up.????????????????!! (Japanese) â€" This gamer doesnt have the lengthy playlists of the other two, but also plays a pretty wide variety of games.How do I use Lets Play videos  to improve my language skills?Again, with new vocabulary, SRS is your friend. If you hear something over and over, try looking it up, and enter it so you don’t forget it. Take special note of slang, because Lets Play videos are generally chock full of it. Because Lets Play narrators have a habit of dramatic yelling, you can even try parroting certain exaggerated phr ases.If youre super ambitious, you can take a leaf from the book of Dr. Alexander Argüelles and try shadowing, a specific language technique that involves the learner simultaneously pronouncing target language audio.3. Watch Comedy SketchesI personally think that the comedy on YouTube is some of the best out there. Its creative, its high-quality and the videos are often only 5 minutes long!Here, were getting into scripted videos, so these have slightly different benefits for your language skills. The scripted jokes will give you insight into the shared sense of humor of the culture, and the slang will make your language skills seem modern and less stilted. And for less-skilled listeners, the scripted nature of these videos tends to make them easier to understand. Less mumbling and fewer context-less phrases! Win!How do I find comedic YouTubers?Comedy YouTube channels are pretty easy to find. There are plenty of blog posts compiling the best YouTubers from any particular country or language, and these will mostly be comedic sketch YouTubers (possibly with some make-up tutorial and Lets Play channels thrown in).  To find these, Google best/funniest YouTubers [language or country] in either English or your target language.Heres an example of such a blog post in French, and  heres one in Spanish. And once you find a channel you like, the YouTube suggestions sidebar will be your best friend! The YouTubers channel page will also show you which channels  theyre subscribed to, so you can check those out for more ideas.Here are some great comedy channels:Cyprien (French) â€" One of my favorites! Just a lot of great observational comedy and cynical jokes.HolaSoyGerman (Spanish) â€" Germán is a Spanish name equivalent to the French Germain, in case you were confused. Very wacky comedy and very fast Chilean  speech.Hajime (Japanese) â€" Seems to do a lot of taste tests. He also made himself a slime bathtub here.How  do I use comedy sketches  to improve my language skill s?Comedy channels are especially addictive, so this is a really easy one to incorporate into your daily lifeâ€"like with any of the other video genres, make it a point to watch one short video every day. Like Lets Play videos, comedy sketches incorporate plenty of slang and relaxed grammarâ€"take note of these and try to incorporate some of the words when you practice with a conversation partner.For extra practice, write reviews of your favorite sketches  on Lang-8, an online journaling site where native speakers correct your entries.4. Watch BookTubersBookTubers are a growing YouTube genre centered on reading, collecting and reviewing books. These videos are often scripted and can get lengthy (up to around 20 minutes!), but the content and reviews themselves arent where the main value lies. The videos are great for book recommendations and to supplement your readingâ€"you can watch a review before or after you read a novel  to make sure youve understood it!BookTubers tend to be on the young side, usually in their late teens or so. Thus, they mostly talk about young adult fiction, both in translation and in their native languages. Dont let that turn you offâ€"this is great for language learners! Young adult books are more relevant to adults than childrens books, while still maintaining simpler language and fast-moving plots. So youre more likely to get engaged and actually finish one of these books, even if its in a second language.How  do I find BookTubers?Simply search favorite books in your target language. Most BookTubers routinely review favorite books, so its easy to find channels this way!Here are some of my favorites:Clau Reads Books (Spanish) â€" A Mexican BookTuber covers your usual BookTube material here, like book hauls, book reviews, best-of-the-month lists and best-of-year lists. Mostly young adult fiction.Le Souffle des Mots (French) â€" A French YouTuber who covers the same kind of vlog tags as above. However, she tends to include more mainstre am and literary material.Winkybooks (German) â€" Similar content to that above! A lot of young adult recommendations and a lot of high quality book reviews.Reacizu (Japanese) â€" This YouTubers videos mostly cover tours through her extensive manga collection.How  do I use BookTubers  to improve my language skills?Again, the  strength  of BookTuber videos lies in  their book recommendations. Ive bought so many books because of watching Spanish-speaking Booktubers, and its helped with my Spanish language skills immensely. You can find target language books through Amazon third party sellers, the Kindle store (if youre learning a popular language) or other online foreign language bookstores like Multilingual Books.Additionally, you can get value out of these videos by reading a recommended book and then going back to the review to make sure youve understood the book. Of course, this can go either wayâ€"reading the book will help you understand the videos, as well. All of this serves to give you more context for your vocabulary and grammar, which makes speaking and understanding the language easier!Sometimes, the hardest part of learning a new language is finding new content to keep you entertained while you’re learning.Anyone can get bored of the same old TV show, a small library of movies or textbooks. With YouTube, though, theres plenty of free content right at your fingertips, so you can switch it up whenever you want.Happy watching!

12 Brilliant Blogs for Learners and Lovers of Languages

12 Brilliant Blogs for Learners and Lovers of Languages 12 Brilliant Blogs for Learners and Lovers of Languages Ever feel like youre all alone out there in the big scary world of learning a new language?Like, youve got all the how-to walkthroughs and expert advice you could ever hope for, but youre just missing that  human touch, someone who really gets  what youre going through.As language learners, were people first, and theres nothing like a human perspective  to motivate us and remind us that were not alone in our endeavors.We feel frustrated by our own awkwardness in a second language, when we just cant figure out how to pronounce that one awful sound or when we hit a pothole on the road to fluency.Its easy to get discouraged when your language learning isnt progressing along perfectly according to plan, but dont give upâ€"there are plenty of bloggers out there who are living the struggle with you, and theyre writing  about it as they go!The Internet is crawling with blogs ranging from general linguistic geekery to learning  a specific language in a particular country. Sorting through all that digital noise  and trying to figure out which blogs to add to your reading list can be absolutely overwhelming, which is why  weve put together a solid  reading list for you.Weve mentioned some of these blogs on FluentU before (because we think theyre that awesome!), but most of them are fresh faces that were adding to our own content feeds.Here are 12 of the best language learning blogs on the Internet for powering up your language learning game and reminding you that youre not alone in your linguistic struggles. 12 Brilliant Blogs for Learners and Lovers of Languages1. Comical language learning: Itchy FeetLanguage learners across the web love  Itchy Feet  because its as hilarious as it is spot-on.Malachi makes  comics on every language topic you can imagine, and they nearly always deal with the struggles and frustrations that we learners face as we study and use the languages we love. And theres something about putting those everyday obstacles into comic form that just mak es for a great way to let go and giggle a bit at the weird linguistic world we live in.Some of the Itchy Feet comics are tailored to one particular language, but even those generally deal with the universal  anxieties and challenges of language learning. Popular posts like View from the Top  portray the shared struggle we all face in climbing to the top of Mt. Fluency.Theres also a super handy random comic  button at the bottom of the homepage, a solid way to click away an entire  afternoon while  yelling no, but its so true! at your computer screen.2. Self-taught success: Talk Foreign to MeDespite growing up with two passports and three languages in her home, Ruth of Talk Foreign to Me was a monolingual English speaker until her mid-30s. Throughout her youth she lived abroad, studied French and Spanish, and even did a Hebrew immersion course, but all to no avail. It seemed that linguistic greatness was just not in her destiny.But when she took a solo trip to Argentina in 2014 somet hing clicked, and she finally figured out how to teach herself  languages. Now she shares the fruits of her language learning labor on her blog.  Talk Foreign to Me is so appealing because of the firsthand experiences of  both success and failure that Ruth shares from her own language learning journey, both of which she spins into spectacular inspiration for her readers.Youll find tons of information here tailored to  learning French and Spanish. Even if youre not learning one of these languages, give her inspiration tag a click whenever you need that extra dose of positivity!3. Globetrotting language learner turned linguist: TravelenguaElica is a language-obsessed polyglot who turned her passion into a profession, and she writes about both at Travelengua. Her blog often views  language learning issues through the lens  of her studies  in Applied Linguistics, but fear not: She drops the jargon and does a great job translating  all that  science and theory into practical how-tos and actionable advice.The blogs best posts artfully blend Elicas academic perspective with her accessible personal one, like in  The Difference Between a Linguist and a Language Learner.Shes an expert, but one with a very human face who isnt afraid to share her own personal relationship  with languages in honest detail.4. Learning 19 languages in one city: Words and Worlds of New YorkEllen at Words and Worlds of New York documents the many languages and cultures of her city, as well as  her experiences interacting with and often learning them. Its a beautiful look at the linguistic and cultural layers of a global city like New York, as well as in many ways a practical guide to how you can learn a language without moving to  a far-flung  corner of the world.Ellens a language learners language learner, with lots of  great and thoughtful reviews of various learning products out there. If youre looking for a relatable personal perspective on learning and using a new language in day-to-day l ife, read some of her first-hand accounts of meeting speakers of her target languages in her home city, like this one on becoming an official Big Apple greeter.5. Its never too late to learn: Adventures in Midlife SpanishNewell never learned a new language until his 50s, and now hes debunking the myth that theres such a thing as being too old to learn a language. Adventures in Midlife Spanish chronicles his experiences both in Mexico and at home in Minnesota working with Spanish-speaking immigrants and refugees, blending the perspectives of learning abroad and learning in your own back yard.This blog is great at integrating language and culture and presenting them as two parts of one whole, like in Newells  post about joining a Hispanic congregation near his home in Minnesota. While this blogs  focus is on the Spanish language and Mexican culture, its  insights are golden for anyone who wants to learn a language as they near their golden years.6. Language learning without end: Langu age SurferLanguage Surfer is one of the most successful language learning blogs out there, and thats because Ron knows his stuff. This blog is in many ways about accepting imperfection in language learning: Ron says that you can never truly master a language, only surf it. He explains that he tries to coexist with it, figure out its patterns, and express myself in it, and one look at his blog shows you thats working for him.All language learners can relate to the struggles with imperfection that Language Surfer talks about. There are plenty of posts about personal experiences, like what it feels like  to fail a translation exam  and how to keep moving forward towards your goals after a setback.Weve definitely all been there, and sometimes its nice to know were not the only ones. Especially for the perfectionists in the room, Language Surfer is a worthwhile read and a personal look into a familiar challenge.7. Learning languages by blog and vlog: Lindsay Does LanguagesLindsay Does La nguages is the chronicle of the namesake authors  experiences and insights as both a language teacher and a language learner. Her goal is to empower you to teach yourself a language, and she does that best through the motivational and informative  combination of her blog and the accompanying vlog, videos from which are helpfully embedded in nearly every post.When you watch one of the videos Lindsay posts on her blog and vlog channel, you see an enthusiastic language teacher whos got the know-how but isnt afraid to let you see her own language learning endeavors as the works in progress that they are. Rather than lecturing you on the language topic of the week, Lindsay visibly learns along with her readers and viewers, like in her latest script challenge, where she shares her progress learning various language scripts from around the world.If you want a language teacher whos not afraid to do some learning right along with you, shes your gal!8. Slow and steady wins the race: The Polyg lot DreamThe Polyglot Dream is one of the better-known blogs on this list, and rightly so: Luca speaks ten languages fluently (and isnt afraid to prove it in video).When you find out that he only spends thirty minutes a day practicing a language, youre likely to assume that hes some kind of genius, but thats not the case. Hell show you over and over again that hes just like you and me: someone who loves languages and is never afraid to take on a new one.Lucas blog frequently confronts and debunks language learning myths, and its all based on his fine-tuned and scientifically solid philosophies. A good starting point is his discussion of studying vs learning a language, and what that means for how you approach your language learning goals. The Polyglot Dream will convince you that youre no different than the crazy hyperpolyglots of the blogosphere, and with the right tactics  you can follow in their footsteps!9. Language, travel and music: EurolinguisteThe Eurolinguiste is a musician by profession, and that offers her a unique perspective on all things language learning. Shannons  blog details her journeysâ€"both geographic and personalâ€"as she travels the world learning and practicing the languages it speaks.We already  know that music and language learning are a match made in heaven, so  Eurolinguistes  concert of helpful resources are perfect for helping  you fine-tune your own language learning strategies.  In posts like How Studying Music Made Me a Better Language Learner,  she offers not only a glance into her own background but into how you can use music for language learning.Aside from the more musically-inclined posts, Shannon also shares frequent updates on her own language learning strategies and progress, which she conveniently curates under the Language Resources category on her blog. Whether youve got the rhythm or youre totally tone deaf, Eurolinguistes tips and tricks will be music to your ears!10. News and updates from the lingosphere: All Thi ngs LinguisticAll Things Linguistic is the perfect blog for the general language geek who also happens to be interested in learning a language or two. Gretchen curates posts about, as you might expect, all things linguistic on this Tumblr blog, from funny charts and memes  to full-length scientific articles. Language enthusiasts beware: this blog will suck away hours of your time.Posts like the language learning link roundups are super practical for language learners. You may also be familiar with some of this bloggers more viral content, like her linguistic analysis of Doge that appeared on The Toast. If youre not just a language learner but an obsessive consumer of all things linguistic, youre sure to find a familiar sense of humor and take on language learning on this blog.11. Speaking from day one: Fluent in 3 MonthsNo list of language learning blogs would be complete without Benny the Irish Polyglot and his blog Fluent in 3 Months. This blog is built on the principle that any l anguage learner should be speaking and using their language from day one, no ifs, ands or buts about it. To that end, Benny frequently sets out to debunk the myths that keep us from speaking soon enough, like that Northern Europeans will only speak English to foreigners.Particularly helpful for learners looking for personal accounts of language learning is the success stories section of the blog. Here youll find firsthand accounts from Benny and other language learners of how theyve met their language learning goals, complete with advice on how you can do the same.12. The nuts and bolts of language learning: Language Acquisition NewsFor the scientists in the audience and those who need to understand the why before theyre satisfied with the how, Language Acquisition News is a priceless resource. Straddling  the categories of scientific journal and blog, Language Acquisition News pulls content  from its parent website  Science Daily  and curates a wealth of cutting-edge scientific fin dings  on language learning and language acquisition.All the other blogs out there have plenty of great tips on how to learn languages, but the articles youll find on Language Acquisition News are the scientific communitys most up-to-date understanding of whats going on inside the language learners brain and why that all matters. The great benefit is that so much of this research is directly applicable to your language learning, like this one on Learning in your sleep, the right way.Most of the articles on Language Acquisition News are written for a general audience, so you wont need a dictionary to get through it.  If you like to constantly learn about your own learning, scientific articles like these  can give you some priceless insights into whats going on inside your own head as you make your way through your own linguistic journey.These language learning bloggers understand your struggle!Learning a language can be the most frustrating, complicated, challenging, anxiety-inducing task in the world, but at the same time the most rewarding, energizing, and worthwhile endeavor. Most of the bloggers on this list are pros in some form or another, but even they struggle with the same ups and downs that the rest of us do.Following the right blogs is a crucial part of your language learning strategy because it reminds you youre not the only one. Whatever challenge youre facing in your own language learning, theres a blogger out there somewhere whos been through it too. And no amount of studying can replace the value of learning from others experiences!If youre looking for some blogs tailored to the language youre learning, weve got plenty of recommendations, from German and Japanese to Chinese and French.  Even easier, you could just sign up for our weekly newsletter below and get tips like these sent straight to your inbox!Do you have a favorite language learning blog that wasnt mentioned here? Tell us about it in a tweet to  @FluentU! Jakob is a full-time travele r, obsessive language learner, and dedicated language teacher. He writes about language, travel, and the many places they meet on the road at his blog Globalect.

How To Use An English Learning Cartoon For Children To Help Kids Learn

How To Use An English Learning Cartoon For Children To Help Kids LearnWith an English learning cartoon for children, you can instill critical thinking, writing and communication skills. The animation is geared towards helping kids and even adults pick up and learn new words and grammar rules. It also shows how to use those words in various situations in a simple, direct manner. This helps you to learn and teach yourself the language and its vocabulary in the easiest way possible.Many people think that learning to speak and write in English is a difficult task for young adults. But with an English learning cartoon for children, you can be assured that you are not doing anything wrong. In fact, this program is aimed at encouraging kids to learn to speak, read and write. Kids are more likely to understand the language and retain it better than adults. If you want to know more about the subject and encourage your child to learn more, you should consider this fun and educational program.E nglish is one of the most widely spoken languages around the world. With a program like this, you will have an easy time understanding the language even for someone who has never heard it before. Many people say that it is easier to learn this language when it is used in cartoon form.When your child is able to learn this language in English, you will feel much more confident about him or her as well. This will make it easier for them to master the language. With an English learning cartoon for children, you are able to instill critical thinking, writing and communication skills. You will be able to teach them how to speak English fluently so that they are able to communicate with others in their country.You may wonder how cartoon characters can teach children English. It is actually very simple. They can teach them how to speak English in a simple and direct manner without using slang, slang terms or verbs that do not suit their age group.All you need to do is to simply choose the r ight cartoon. You can search for good and simple cartoons that are made for children and young adults. Most cartoons of this nature have plenty of information about the language, which will help the child and the parents to learn the language and its vocabulary. In order to find the best cartoon, you may consult a person who is experienced in teaching children.Once you have decided on the best cartoon, you may also consider the way they present the topics. Many children's cartoons portray concepts that will help them learn English in a clear and interesting manner.

Financial Aid For Tutoring - Useful Information

Financial Aid For Tutoring - Useful InformationThere are a number of tutoring institutions that offer financial aid for tutoring services. Whether you have never been employed before or have had some prior experience, there are a number of grants available to those who need it.Scholarships and grants can help you pay for tuition fees, books, transportation costs, and living expenses while you pursue your college education. The financial aid for tutoring programs are designed to make the tutoring experience more comfortable for students who cannot afford to pay the high cost of tuition. Since these courses do not require any specific skill set, most students with moderate incomes can qualify for this financial aid.Financial aid for tutoring is available to students who are working, stay-at-home moms, and single parents who want to work part time or full time. These students can apply online for financial aid for tutoring programs to ensure that they will be able to get the best possib le deal. To be considered for financial aid for tutoring, applicants must have a certain level of experience in tutoring.However, it is important to remember that there are many who are less qualified than those who apply for online tutoring. Applications for online tutoring can take up to a week to process, because there are many people applying for such programs. So, it is highly recommended that applicants get their application in a timely manner. This will help ensure that those applicants who qualify for financial aid for tutoring are contacted immediately.However, the fact remains that financial aid for tutoring is available to all students who seek it. Since there are numerous tutoring institutions that can offer these programs, the competition for students is tough. When choosing among these institutions, it is important to understand that a certain amount of due diligence is required.A careful and thorough study of the financial aid for online tutoring program is very impor tant in order to determine whether it will be an option or not. It is a fact that financial aid for tutoring is available, but there are students who may not qualify. What should you do when you find out that your qualifications do not fit into the requirement?Financial aid for tutoring is a great option for students who cannot afford to attend classes full time. You can also avail of this financial aid by applying online and completing the application process.

Learning English Online - Finding The Best Options

Learning English Online - Finding The Best OptionsThe process of learning English online is not as difficult as it may appear to be. It's not just a case of looking at the home page and deciding that you're not comfortable with that, or that you don't want to be talking to someone in that language. You can choose to do that, or you can learn to speak English online, even if you're not particularly keen on English.There are many different things that you need to consider when it comes to learning English online. For example, how much money do you have? Do you have enough time? If not, you'll need to consider whether it would be better to look at some alternatives that will allow you to learn at your own pace or to go for an online course that provides you with all the opportunities that you need to learn the language in the way that you need to learn it.There are two main options open to you when it comes to learning English, and they involve looking at various courses of varying leng ths. One option is that of a short-term course that will allow you to get through a couple of lessons at a time, which will hopefully lead to you being able to get through a few sentences at a time, while the other option is to take a full English course.Both of these options are great for English learners. There are lessons that will take you through most of the basics. Then there are those that will cover everything that you need to know. These will include things like grammar, pronunciation, vocabulary, the dictionary, and even etymology.Many people are wary of learning English online, because they think that it is far too hard. But that's simply not true. You'll find that a lot of things that you learn in a course are the same things that you'll also learn offline, with a little bit of extra in the way of tests to help you check that you know it. The real difference between online and offline courses is that online courses are usually timed, and it is in this sense that they wor k best.Online courses will often come with some friendly tutors who will help you along the way. They will also offer you forums where you can chat to other learners, and some will also give you online discussions. You can also find plenty of reviews of the courses that you're interested in, so that you can make an informed decision.If you are interested in learning English or are considering taking a course that will get you started, you should consider looking at an online course, regardless of how long you wish to take it. That way, you can keep on top of everything that you're doing and keep yourself on track. This is the best way to go about learning English online, because it will give you the opportunity to learn in the way that is suitable to you.

5 Ways to Practice French Conversation

5 Ways to Practice French Conversation Megan L. For many students, having a conversation in French can be intimidating. Luckily, tutor  Nadia B.  is here with tips to help you get started chatting it up with some new French friends As you learn French, practicing it through conversation can become a regular part of your life, by following these easy tips. Before you know it, you will be practicing and speaking French with fluency! 1. Try a Meetup Photo via The San Diego French Language Meetup Group Monthly Meetup The easiest way to practice conversational French is to find a group of French speakers who have the same goal as you: to practice conversation. You can find groups with this interest through Meetup.com, or also at your local Alliance Française, an organization that aims to promote French culture and language. Most of these groups are free or very inexpensive, and you have the advantage of interacting with a wide variety of French speakers, from native to  multilingual speakers, to everything in between! If you attend the group regularly, you will notice steady progress in your French conversation skills, and you will likely also make long-lasting friendships at the same time. 2. Make a New Friend Photo by  mark sebastian Another excellent and simple way to practice French conversation is to find a single conversation partner: either someone who wants to practice French, too, and is at a similar level to you, or someone who is a native French speaker looking to improve his or her English. Either way you will be making gains on your conversational abilities with other equally interested individuals, which is key. A great way  to ensure progress is to create structured, clear guidelines for your meetings; decide in advance how to split the time between each person and each language. 3. Talk to Yourself! photo via Sarah If youve tried to find other interested individuals to practice with and havent had any luck, you can still converse! Using the exercises in your book, you can read aloud the questions or topics for conversation and then reply. This is an excellent way to target specific topics, vocabulary or grammar concepts since books address these in short, conversational activities. If youre learning French with a tutor, you can record your responses and ask your teacher for feedback. 4. Join a Book Club photo via  The San Diego French Language Meetup Group Monthly Meetup If youve participated in conversational French language groups and are now looking for more intensive, complex conversation, why not start or join a French book club? The conversations you will engage in will provoke you to use a richer vocabulary, more complex structures to express your opinions and reference events, characters and themes in the book. This is a wonderful way to elevate your French language abilities to a more advanced, literary level. 5. Eat Up Photo via Viewminder Lastly, if youre looking for a more casual, social way to practice your conversational skills in French, head to a French, Belgian or West African restaurant (or patisserie), and strike up a conversation with some of the French speakers there. You can discuss their culinary specialties, life in their native country, or the news of the day, either in the Francophone world or in your local area. Going to chat with native speakers is a great test and exercise can you understand them, with unique accents and slang at play? Can you communicate effectively and appropriately? Treat it as a game that leads to friendship and improved French conversational skills! Finding your way around French will become easier and easier as you use these strategies for practice. Before you know it, your free hours will be filled with discussions of books and meetings over coffee with your friends, who also happen to be French speakers! Post Author:  Nadia B. Nadia B. teaches flute and piano in New York, NY, as well as through online lessons. She  acted as principal flutist of the orchestra and wind ensemble at  California State University, Sacramento, and then went on to receive her degree in Music Performance from New York University.  Learn more about Nadia 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