What is it Like to Attend Covenant University

What is it Like to Attend Covenant University Oge earned her bachelor's degree in French from Covenant University in Nigeria. She specializes in Greek tutoring, French tutoring, and a number of other subjects. Below, she shares her experience at Covenant University. Describe the campus setting and transportation options. Oge: The universitys campus is about an hour and a half from the metropolitan Lagos area, and is very safe. The transportation system within campus is such that students dont require a car; buses are usually available every 20 to30 minutes. How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Oge:The professors are usually available before and after class for consultation, as well as through appointment. Teaching assistants are usually available to talk with students after class. How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Oge:The dorm life was exciting. We were paired with our coursemates, so that meant that we got the opportunity to know our classmates more beyond classroom interaction. The dorms are not co-educational; being a Christian university, the male dorms and the female dorms were far from one another. Dining options were restricted to the student cafeteria and the snack shops. Students were not permitted to cook in the dorms. Which majors/programs are best represented and supported? Oge:The majors that are best supported in my university are engineering majorselectrical, mechanical, information and communication technology (ICT), and management information systems (MIS). I majored in French, and minored in German for two years because I have a passion for languages. I think my university did a great job supporting my course of study, from the study abroad opportunity we were given to the modern language lab we had. How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Oge:It was difficult for me to meet people and make friends as a freshman, because I was extremely shy. We didnt have Greek life, but we had chapel service groups where students could join and interact, regardless of their majors or classifications. How helpful are the Career Centerand other student support services? Oge:The Career Center was integrated into the student affairs department. They organized career fairs with several reputable companies (Unilever, Procter Gamble, McKinsey and Co). How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Oge:The library is well equipped with materials ranging from print to digital. The busyness of the campus library ranges depending on the time of year and proximity to tests and finals. Describe the surrounding town. Oge:The surrounding town is industrial, with small and medium sized businesses. Fun places in the town are local restaurants, movie theatres, and shopping malls. Most weekends, students go to the downtown area to eat and spend time with their friends. How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Oge:The total student population ranges between 6,000 and 9,000. Typically, the class size in my program of study was relatively small, with a student to teacher ratio of about 1:20. Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Oge:A memorable class I had was with my favorite professor, Emmanuel Kwofie. He was teaching us French linguistics and was moving from row to row, ensuring that all of us pronounced each word the right way. When it got to my turn, I pronounced the word slightly wrong, and he snapped in a very funny way. He repeated the right pronunciation up to ten times, until he was satisfied with my pronunciation. It was a very funny experience! Check out Oge's tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Teaching Private Tutorials at Home

Teaching Private Tutorials at Home What Are the Benefits of Teaching at Your Home? ChaptersTeaching at Your Own Home: A Dedicated SpaceTeaching at Your Own Home: An Easier Way to TeachTeaching at Your Own Home: Setting Limits“In learning you will teach, and in teaching you will learn.” - Phil CollinsIt’s a fact that the private tutoring market is growing. Being a private tutor is now a proper job that takes time and experience. Whether it’s maths tutorials, homework help, online tutorials, intensive classes, the possibilities are endless when it comes to one to one tutoring.In this article, we’ll look at teaching from the comfort of your own home. There’s a growing demand for private tutorials and more and more people are choosing to become private tutors themselves. In fact, a large number of children have taken private tutorials and are getting private tutorials in order to help them through primary school, secondary school, college, sixth form, and even university. The figures speak for themselves.Whether you teach calculus, algebra, test prep, biolo gy, mathematics, statistics, geometry, grammar, psychology, etc., academic support is a good market to be in and there are many tutors who choose to offer their tutorials in their own houses for a number of good reasons that we’re going to have a look at in this article.So what are the advantages of teaching your private tutorials in your own house? CalumDrama School Entrance Teacher 5.00 (15) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToriSpanish Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliviaSchool support Teacher 5.00 (2) £21/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarkESOL (English) Teacher 4.76 (17) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JenniferMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LouiseAutoCAD Teacher 5.00 (3) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyPercussion Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolasGuitar Teacher 5.00 (2) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MyriamOrganic chemistry Teacher 5.00 (13) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JonathanEconomics Teacher 5.00 (9) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Oluwakemi imoleMaths Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexPhysics Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdamSinging Teacher 5.00 (14) £48/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValentiniMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MilenaMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RashmiEconomics Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsTeaching at Your Own Home: A Dedicated SpaceWhether you’re teaching maths, a language tutorial, or preparing students for GCSE or A Level exams, private tutorials require a specific set of skills that not everyone has. Teaching private tutorials at yo ur home is different to teaching at a student’s home and comes with a number of advantages.If you're made your house a home, make sure that you keep your professional life and personal life apart. (Source: Pexels)A private tutor usually goes to their student’s house and has to adapt to each environment they find themselves in. In this case, the roles are reversed and the student comes to the tutor’s house. It’s, therefore, easier for the tutor to feel at ease and teach under the best conditions.The relationship between the student and the teacher becomes less formal. That said, this can make lessons for stimulating than just any old lesson. You can get the most out of your home by doing a few things to make it more conducive to teaching.A good teacher will be able to separate where they live, eat, and sleep from where they work and teach physics, chemistry, exam prep classes, etc. The space needs to be correctly used for teaching.This space comes with a number of important a dvantages and can help the teacher develop a better relationship with their student. In fact, by coming to their teacher’s house, students will feel closer to them. Furthermore, it’s much easier teaching in your own home.Of course, if you're a chemistry tutor, for example, your student mightn't have the equipment they need. However, if you're an English tutor, French tutor, or a reading tutor, you should be able to bring a few books with you in order to provide supplemental instruction.You may even consider holding lessons outdoors!Teaching at Your Own Home: An Easier Way to TeachTeaching at your own home is a way to create your own teaching approach. From your first lesson to preparing students for their final exams, you can do anything you like at your own home. From worksheets to exercise books, the student just has to say what they want to work on and their tutor will be able to get it ready!With the right preparation, teaching at your own home can be better than at the stud ent's home. (Source: SnapwireSnaps)Contrary to teaching students in their homes, teaching at your own home is a much easier way to teach for a number of reasons:You’re closer to the student, making it easier to help them.Saving time travellingYou feel more comfortable, which makes explaining things easier.You can dedicate a space in your home to teaching.You can save money by not having to travel (public transport, petrol, etc.)You’ll feel more relaxed and therefore be able to create a more relaxed environment for teaching in.And many more...In fact, there are a good number of advantages to teaching at home which can help the tutor help their student to succeed. Whether you’re teaching maths, piano, exam technique, or any other subject, the tutor is the expert. Being a good teacher isn’t about having all the right qualifications, it’s about being able to communicate effectively.It’s much easier to communicate from the comfort of your own home with all the necessary resou rces on hand. Once again, whether you’re doing a Spanish tutorial, teaching students how to sing, academic support, or maths and science tutorials, it’s far easier to do at home. Of course, you need to set boundaries so that you won’t feel like your home is being invaded by students.Teaching tutorials in your own home needs to be done in a professional and legitimate way. From IT tutorials to A Level prep, tutors need to ensure that they remain a teacher first and foremost. That said, a good teacher can still create a relaxed and enjoyable environment for students to work in.Teaching at Your Own Home: Setting LimitsDespite all the advantages, there are still ways that teaching at home can go wrong. In fact, if you want to teach all your tutorials at home and finish with more money at the end of the month, you’re going to end up teaching a lot of students, some of whom may end up invading your personal space. You need to, therefore, set boundaries.When you teach at home, keep in mind that you're going to be inviting students into your home. (Source: Free-Photos)After all, your main goal is to teach your students and you need to ensure that your relationship remains as neutral and professional as possible. Right from the start, you need to make it clear to your students that their classroom is also your home. Regardless of the room they’re in, it’s still part of your home.While this is the reason that both the tutor and student get more out of the tutorials, there are boundaries that need to be respected and you don’t want to give off the idea that you two are good mates hanging out. You have to remain as professional as possible and keep your professional life apart from your private life.This can be difficult since everything in your house is probably is an indicator of your private life: a family photo, a pet barging in, or just personal notes on your desk. You need to make sure that you prepare adequately before you start teaching.That said, th is is all par for the course when you’re a private tutor. In addition to getting word of mouth to work its magic and looking for students on online platforms like Superprof, you also need to know how to take care of the little things such as ensuring your home is a suitable place to teach in. Your role is to make sure that you provide effective tutorials that make the most of the advantages of being taught in your home.If you’ve set appropriate boundaries, you can enjoy the benefits of a class taught in a classroom with the advantages that a homely environment can bring. Students learn much better when they’re relaxed, after all. With the right workspace, both the tutor and the student will benefit.As you’ve probably understood, there are a lot of advantages to teaching in your own home that can help improve the quality of the private tuition you provide. Furthermore, it makes your life easier and your classes more interesting. Just make sure that there’s a clear line betw een your professional and private lives so that the relationships with your students don’t become too casual!Don't forget that there are also online tutoring services, too. If home tutoring isn't going to work for you or your student, you can offer one on one tutoring in all subjects via a video conferencing. You just need a computer, a webcam, a microphone, and a decent internet connection. If those being tutored are happy with this setup, then go for it!Follow these suggestions for other places you could host lessons...Whether at your home or elsewhere, private tutorials need to be carefully planned. (Source: kaboompics)An online tutor won't have to pay transport costs and, as a result, can pass these savings onto the student. Don't forget that a lot of tutors on Superprof offer free tutoring for the first hour in order to help them get more tutoring jobs. Online tutorials are very popular for those studying languages as they get an opportunity to practise the language with the tutor, who can help with pronunciation, grammar, etc. Scheduling online private tutorials is easier as well since you don't need to work out where you have to go.The most important thing about academic tutoring is that the student can find a tutor to help them develop study skills, provide them with quality instruction, and give them the confidence to complete an assignment, learn on their own, in a small group, or a large class, and become an avid learner. The best tutors will do this by choosing the right place to provide instruction.After that, the only remaining question would be how much to charge for each lesson?

What is it Like to Attend The University of Southern Mississippi

What is it Like to Attend The University of Southern Mississippi The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Michael is a 2012 graduate of The University of Southern Mississippi with a Bachelors degree in English. He is an online tutor specializing in several areas of Reading tutoring, Writing tutoring, and Literature tutoring. See what he had to say about his time at The University of Southern Mississippi: VT: Describe the campus setting and transportation options.How urban or safe is the campus?Are there buses or do you need a car/bike? Michael: The campus of The University of Southern Mississippi is quite nice. It is not too large, so biking or walking from class to class is carefree and enjoyable, and there is ample space for greenery. The University of Southern Mississippis lawns are great places to relax and rest between classes. There is a bus system in town, but it is not extensive. A bike can be handy, as the universitys location is fairly central. With a well-planned route, you can get most anywhere without having to cross too much traffic. VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Michael: I never had a problem with my professors or advisers. Every professor sets some hours aside for office visits. Most are easily contacted by phone or by email, and they are fairly responsive. I know of some fellow classmates who had other experiences, but most departments have their mainstays who are usually quite available and quite approachable. Teaching assistants are plentiful. They tend to be friendly, but teaching quality can range. Some are as good as professors. Some just stick to their slides and curriculum. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Michael: The dorms are fairly well maintained and well located to encourage socializing. Most are in central areas of campus to encourage exploration and provide communal spaces for students to gather. The dining options are varied. Snack vendors are great for grab-and-go meals. A few fast food or carry-out places are located in the student center, and the dining hall serves a wide array of meals throughout the day. The campus plays host to a variety of clubs and organizations, so getting involved is quite easy and rewarding. VT: Which majors/programs are best represented and supported?What did you study and why? Did the university do a good job supporting your particular area of study? Michael: The Political Science field is considered by many (largely in the liberal arts) to be one of the most visible majors on campus. We also have an excellent polymer science department, but our liberal arts in general keep up just as well. I studied English and Instructional Technology because I wanted a background in research, as well as the technology used in education. I knew that I wanted to go into Library Science, and such a background would help me along the way. Our English department is excellent: well staffed with supportive, experienced professors, and marked by challenging programs. I certainly feel like I got my tuitions worth out of the department. VT: How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Michael: Meeting new people was quite easy as a freshman since the dorms for freshmen were communal. Even leaving the dorm set up aside, with the variety of activities on campus and the centralization of its dining options, making friends is not at all a problem for anyone reasonably social. Though I have only little experience with Greek life, I know it is well represented, with the local Greek row being stocked with fraternities and sororities of all shapes and sizes, most very active. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Michael: Student support services never failed to meet my needs in my time there. I only rarely had need to use our career support services, but my few occasions always exposed me to friendly staff who were eager to help students meet their goals. Other support centers, such as the writing center, were equally well maintained, with reliable, well-trained staff. I do not recall a large sampling of recruiting companies approaching me, but The University of Southern Mississippi never lacked for representation, always being visited by numerous companies during job fairs. Again, this is a part of the university I had less exposure to, but I do not recall the school lacking in any way. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Michael: The library provided several levels of restriction on noise so that certain floors were quieter than others. This made it a very handy place for any studying, whether alone or in a group, and I often went there first. Dorms rarely ever suffered from noise problems, at least the ones I stayed insave for the occasional fire drill. The student union tended to be less a study area and more a socializing location. Groups would hold programs there, and students would eat lunch and dinner and chat. This made it less useful than the dorms or the library. VT: Describe the surrounding town. What kinds of outside establishments / things to do are there that make it fun, boring, or somewhere in between?To what extent do students go to the downtown area of the city versus staying near campus? Michael: Hattiesburg is not a terribly large town. It is quaint and flat, but this makes it feel comfortable and close. It is easy to get from one side of town to the other without relying on the highways. Though recently struck by a few weather disasters, Hattiesburg is still a nice town. I recall few parts that looked run down, and fewer still near the school. It is by no means comparable to places like San Francisco, but Hattiesburg did have places to explore. The downtown area offered a variety of shops and was often bustling on weekends. The other side of town, closer to the highways, provided a wide expanse of malls and outlet centers of all kinds, as well as plenty of dining options. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Michael: The student body was not tiny, but I never once sat in an auditorium class in my four years. I know such classes were held, but it was extremely easy to trade them for more personal classes. I was very pleased with this, as I prefer a class where I can get to know new people and potential homework buddies. This also made getting to know the professors much easier, and it made building rapport with them enjoyable and beneficial. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Michael: One of our professors, a major figurehead of the English department, was retiring. Our History of the English Language class would be the last he taught as a full-time professor. In this class, he held weekly etymology contests where students would submit the etymologies of words and the most interesting one would win a stuffed animal. For our last day of class, we held a party for him, and one of the gifts we gave him was a teddy bear with an etymology card of his name. Noun: Greatest Teacher Ever. He was so happy he cried. Check out Michaels tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Learning the Notes on a Fretboard

Learning the Notes on a Fretboard Finding the Notes on a Fretboard: Guitar for Beginners ChaptersWhy Should You Learn the Notes on the Fretboard?How to Learn Your Way Around the FretboardLearning the First Three Strings of the GuitarGetting to Know the Neck of Your Guitar“Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.” - PlatoLearning how to play the guitar means that you’ll have to learn which notes each of the 20 to 24 frets on the fretboard correspond to.It’s not easy learning how to play the guitar as you need to coordinate both hands, learn chords (major and minor chords, barre chords, etc.), scales (pentatonic, triads, etc.), and music theory.  At an intermediate level, you’ll have to learn how to improvise.Half of the guitarists in the US and the UK are women.  It just goes to show that music knows no gender.Would you like to learn the notes on a guitar fretboard?Here’s how! PeterGuitar Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EdgarGuitar Te acher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PaulGuitar Teacher 5.00 (12) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DanielGuitar Teacher 5.00 (3) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToddGuitar Teacher 4.75 (4) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SamueleGuitar Teacher 5.00 (5) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KurtGuitar Teacher 5.00 (3) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RyanGuitar Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhy Should You Learn the Notes on the Fretboard?A lot of guitarists play with chords and scales without having ever studied any music theory. They just need to listen to a song and innately understand what’s going on musically. Learning the notes on the guitar's neck will help you to improve your playing. (Source: freestocks-photos)Some guitarists learn how to play the guitar from a very young age without having to learn music theory.  So it’s not necessary to know the notes on the guitar to learn how to play it.  However, every musician knows how the fretboard is laid out.That said, not everyone will be one of these gifted guitarists who can become a virtuoso with almost no formal training.  Knowing your way around the fretboard will help you to play chords without needing a chord dictionary.With a right-handed guitar, you’ll use your left hand to play the notes. You should know which notes make up the chords and where they appear on a fretboard.Learn the notes of the open strings and the notes of the subsequent 20 to 24 frets.  At the start, learning to play the guitar can be tricky because the notes on the fretboard aren’t arranged in a clear way like the keys on a piano. A guitar neck includes fre ts and strings.This means that you need to understand where all the notes are on the fretboard. To get there, there are a few techniques to help you.Learn about the different types of guitar.How to Learn Your Way Around the FretboardUnderstanding your fretboard is all about understanding the intervals between musical notes. Learn the notes by the head of the guitar first. (Source: Katrina_S)The first stage consists of learning the notes of the open strings in standard tuning: E, A, D, G, B, E.  The lowest and highest strings in standard tuning are both tuned to E.In your first guitar lessons, you’ll learn that you can divide the guitar neck into two main parts.The low strings: The 6th, 5th, 4th, and 3rd strings.The high strings: The 2nd and 1st strings.All strings are 5 semitones apart except for between the G and B string which are four. This will help you when learning the notes on the fretboard.Another way to understand the neck is to understand that any note can be played on a lower string if you move up five frets or on a higher string if you move five frets down.  Moving between G and B strings is different as you’ll have to move up or down four frets.If you play the third fret on the high E string, you’ll be playing a “G”. If you move up five frets and move up to the B string, you’ll play the same note.If you play the third fret on the B string, you’ll play a “D”. By going up four frets and moving up to the G string, you can play the same “D”.Quick quiz!If you play the 5th fret on the D string, how can you play it on the A string?By playing the 10th fret!Make sure you keep your guitar clean.Learning the First Three Strings of the GuitarYou’ll quickly learn the open note on each string. Learning the lowest notes first will help you form the roots of barre chords. (Source: ThorstenF)You need to understand that the interval between each fret is a semitone.Here’s the rule for the first E string: There are no semitones between E and F and B and C.  All the other notes have a semitone between them.  This is why there’s only a fret between B and C and E and F. There are two frets between every other note. The first fret is, therefore, an F. Next, let’s find the interval between each fret.What does the third fret on the E string play?G.And on the fifth fret? If you count between 3 and 5, there are two frets, two semitones. This means you’ll end up with an A.Since an octave spans twelve semitones, the note of each open string repeats on the 12th fret.  The 12th fret on every string is an octave higher than the string when played open.Most guitar necks have inlays in the shape of dots or trapeziums (or something fancier) on the 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 12th, 15th, 17th, 1 9th, and 21st frets.  Since we know that the 5th fret is A, then the 7th fret is B. This makes the 8th fret C, the 10th fret D, and the 12th fret E.You can do the same for the A and D strings.Find out how to properly hold a guitar.Getting to Know the Neck of Your GuitarTo play a chord progression or find a particular harmony, you might want to learn a scale. Knowing which note is on each fret will improve your playing. (Source: lobpreis)If you know the notes on the 5th and 6th strings, you should be able to play any major or minor chord.Let’s take C the major scale: C D E F G A B C.Let’s go to the following positions:E string: E, F (1st fret), G (3rd fret).B string: B, C (1st fret), D (3rd fret).G string: G, A (2nd fret).D string: D, E (2nd fret), F (3rd fret).A string: A, B (2nd fret), C (3rd fret).E string: E, F (1st fret), G (3rd fret).To make a C major chord, you need to remember that the C is the tonic.  Next, you need the third, the E. The fifth is G. The seventh is B.  Thanks to the fact that each fret is a semitone, you can discern that the fret after an F is an F#.The fret below a B will be a Bb. However, this is also the A#.You should learn which notes the first three frets on each string are. You’ll find the following notes on the first three threads on each string:High E string: E, F, F#, G.B string: B, C, C#, D.G strin g: G, G#, A, A#.D string: D, D#, E, F.A string: A, A#, B, C.Low E string: E, F, F#, G.You’ve just learnt the chromatic scale.  You can find scale diagrams and tablature online to help you.Work your way around the major and minor scales from C until you get back to C.  This will help you work on your finger placement and you should then be able to transpose them anywhere on the fretboard.To conclude, don’t waste your time learning the notes all over the fretboard as you can transpose them from the ones you already know.If you'd like to learn more about how to play the guitar, there are plenty of useful resources online. You can find tablature sites to show you how to play certain songs as well as video tutorials on sites like YouTube. However, if you prefer to be taught how to play, you should consider getting in touch with one of the many talented and experienced guitar tutors on Superprof.There are three types of guitar tutorial available: face-to-face, online, and group. Each of these come with their pros and cons and it's really up to you to choose which one works best with your learning style and your budget.Generally speaking, face-to-face tutorials are the most effective as they're just between you and your tutor. Your tutor can focus all their time and energy on you during the tutorial and also plan the tutorials with you in mind. However, this bespoke service comes at a cost and while guitar tutors don't tend to charge a fortune, face-to-face tutorials are usually the most costly type of tutorial available.Online tutorials are similar to face-to-face tutorials in the respect that they're just between the tutor and the student but their main difference is that the tutor won't be there with you in the room. Instead, they'll be teaching you remotely via webcam and video conferencing software. While these types of tutorials tend to be cheaper than face-to-face tutorials, they do have the disadvantage of not being as effective for hands-on subjects.Fina lly, there are group tutorials. With several students in a single tutorial, you won't get as much one-on-one time with your tutor and there's no guarantee that the tutorials will be tailored to you; there are other students that need to be taught, after all. With all the students footing the bill, these tutorials tend to work out the cheapest per student per hour.

Making Learning Easier

Making Learning Easier Making Learning Easier 5 Tips to Give Your Student an Advantage There is no magic bullet to ensure that your child will be an excellent student who never experiences problems or challenges. However, there are a few things you can do to help your child stay focused and work more efficiently, thereby setting him or her up for success during homework time and in the classroom: Establish routines and rules. Clear procedures create a home environment conducive to maximum learning, eliminating wasted time and encouraging children to work more efficiently. On the other hand, lack of structure can result in a child feeling unorganized and overwhelmed. Just as your childs teacher does in the classroom, establish and maintain clear routines for study time at home. Once you have established and communicated those rules, hold your child to them. The less time spent on getting settled into homework, organizing or finding ones things, the more time can be spent on learning. Read, read, read. Simply put, a child who is a capable, confident reader will find school to be easier overall. Reading is essential in every subject, and teachers will increasingly expect your child to offer opinions on and insight into the things he or she reads. Make books, literature and reading a frequent family activity. Incorporate reading into your daily lives, and encourage your child to read for fun, both aloud and independently. Work on basic skills. If your child is struggling with basic concepts and this is causing problems in class and during homework, it may be time to investigate. Consider having your child assessed to get more details on what academic skills he or she may be lacking. Encourage thinking. No matter what subject your child studies, critical thinking is an important skill that you can and should hone from an early age. Encourage your child to analyze, question and express opinions on books, articles, news and more. When reading stories, discuss the characters and main messages and have your child share his or her thoughts and ideas. Even with subjects like math and science, teach your child to think through problems and talk about the practical application of math and science concepts. The more your child develops such essential higher order thinking abilities, the more capable your child will be as a student. Foster good study habits. Many children who are otherwise capable students are hampered by disorganization and poor study skills. Teach your child the basics, such as maintaining a neat workspace and backpack, embracing a system for tracking homework and projects (and their due dates), and making all study and homework sessions efficient. Ask for suggestions from your childs teacher as well. Finally, one of the most important things parents can do to benefit their children is talk about school. It sounds simple, and it isbut study after study proves the positive effects of parental involvement on students long-term educational outcomes. A small amount of effort today will help your child build a strong foundation for school and life success.

How to use Direct and Indirect Objects (Video with Exercises)

How to use Direct and Indirect Objects (Video with Exercises) One of the most difficult things to explain to our students is the use of direct and indirect objects in English. In particular, students have difficulty with verbs that require both an object and an indirect object. They are known as ditransitive verbs.The video below gives a very detailed explanation of how to use ditransitive verbs.Exercise: rewrite the following sentences putting the indirect object before the direct object.Here is an example:My sister sent a new scarf to me.My sister sent me a new scarf.1. Paul told a secret to her.2. My mother left some food for me.3. I promised to give my golden ring to her when I die.4. Teauna baked huckleberry muffins for Paul.5. The president awarded the purple heart to the soldiers.6. Ill lend a necklace to you that matches your dress.7. I read a book to my daughter this morning.8. The doctor prescribed penicillin to my grandmother for her infection.9. The waiter served some delicious food to us.10. I ordered a new coat for her because it is almost winter.

Hola, Bonjour, Ciao! 3 Ways Being Multilingual Will Change Your Life

Hola, Bonjour, Ciao! 3 Ways Being Multilingual Will Change Your Life Hola, Bonjour, Ciao! 3 Ways Being Multilingual Will Change Your Life Do you love languages?Believe it or not, you’re in the minority.Most people don’t think much of languages one way or another. A lot of monolingual people would even prefer to stay that way.That seems strange to me. There are very few downsides to learning foreign languages. In fact, I can’t think of a single one.And upsides? Well, there are more than I can count. Once you start counting all the advantages to being multilingual, youll be excited to enroll in your first language course.Here are three big multilingualism advantages to pump you up! Hola, Bonjour, Ciao! 3 Ways Being Multilingual Will Change Your LifeYou might be wondering how you should even start your journey to multilingualism. Do you like learning languages with music and fun videos? Then you’ll love FluentU! FluentU takes real-world videosâ€"like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talksâ€"and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.Videos are conveniently organized into lessons, so you can easily work towards a particular objective, topic or skill.  Each video also comes with flashcards and exercises to help you remember the words even after you’ve finished watching.Choose FluentU if your goal is to cover everything and stimulate every skill, fast. Watching authentic videos might just be the fastest (and most fun) way to become multilingual!1. Your Boss Will Like YouStand Apart from the RestTake a look at a classified ad board for any city and conduct a search for different foreign languages.One thing you’ll probably find is that a lot of postings ask for bilingual people. Bilingual Spanish speakers, bilingual Arabic speakers, bilingual Chinese speakersâ€"if you didn’t grow up speaking several languages, you might think you’re out of the running.But that’s not necessarily true.There are lots of multilingual people out there. But there are comparatively few who have successfully learned another language as an adult, especially in English-speaking c ountries like the United States.Whether you took courses or learned by yourself, the fact that you stuck through such an involved process means you’re a hard worker and someone your boss can rely on.Of course, when you’re applying to a job where your language skills are a key asset, you can’t pull off any bluffs.In my experience, employers who put “bilingual speaker” in the job ad won’t mind if you dont speak perfectly, as long as you dont cause any problems. For example, if the job is to answer phones and make appointments, you don’t necessarily need to know all the words about restaurants in your target language.Don’t apply unless you know you can handle what’s needed. In the interview, be honest and let the employer know how you can use your language skills to get the work done.Maximize Your Earning PotentialMultilingualism brings another huge bonus to your job: the one on your paycheck.First of all, a multilingual employee might be placed on a higher pay grade from the start based on their skill set. For example, the U.S. military  pays an automatic monthly bonus just for having passed a proficiency test in another language.But there are more perks.You might be the employee chosen to go overseas for business if you can speak the language. You might be asked to sit in on meetings with international clients and take notes. You might even be consulted about a campaign or an expansion in a foreign market.Having a range of language skills suddenly opens you up to gaining all kinds of experiences, and those will only snowball over time.So don’t think of your earning potential as just being for the next paycheck. Being multilingual will affect your entire career.2. The World Will Like YouBe Accepted with Open ArmsIn countries with non-global languages, such as Vietnam, no one expects a Western tourist to know a word of the local language. It’s not necessarily a bad thing when people don’t speak itâ€"that’s just the status quo in their to urism industry.If you put in the effort to change that status quo and show that you’re willing to understand their way of life beyond a surface level, youre seen as far more than just a tourist.People suddenly become much more patient with you. Doors open and red tape evaporates. In short, everything starts going well.Experience Culture in the OriginalEveryone can name a handful of classic foreign novels that people “should” read in the original.I know someone who learned Russian with a dictionary and a copy of War and Peace.That’s a remarkable effort!But language and culture go  far, far beyond great books.Native speakers of French or Russian don’t just sit around discussing Alexandre Dumas and Leo Tolstoy. They watch late night TV, make memes and have the same hobbies as anyone else.I know another person who taught himself Portuguese so he could be part of the Magic: The Gathering community in Brazil. He spends his free time reading discussion forums and watching match c ommentary videos, and by his description, the community is way more interesting than the English-speaking Magic community in the area.I myself have found a couple of excellent guitar tutorials on YouTube that exist only in foreign languages. Some songs or music genres are absolutely astounding but for some reason havent taken off in the English-speaking world.Just look at K-pop, for instance! That’s a modern-day pop culture phenomenon that has inspired huge numbers of people to learn a language very different from their own.Is it likely that Korea is the only place with amazing pop culture?Absolutely not. Learn foreign languages, and you can experience multiple countries pop cultures as theyre meant to be experienced.3. You Will Like YourselfThink Smarter and FasterBelieve it or not, the process of learning a new language positively affects almost everything else you do.When you learn something new, your brain makes connections to things you knew previously. Think of it as your br ain drawing a line from one memory to another.Except it’s way, way more than one line.Every time you make a memory, your brain associates that memory with everything in your environment at that time.When you recall that memory later, you make a zillion different links. Your emotional state, your learning environment, anything that floats into your mind as you perform that recallâ€"it all gets meshed together in a multidimensional web.And when you learn languages, your brain is constantly in that state. By committing to memory thousands of words, structures and pronunciation rules, you’re keeping your brain moving at top speed.Science shows that learning a new language is linked to slower cognitive decline and increased memory ability.In other words, learning a new language now will make everything you learn in the future sharper, clearer and easier to recall.Compound Your Experience over TimeLet’s come full circleâ€"one benefit of multilingualism is that you can pick up new la nguages faster.For all the diversity in languages across the planet, there are a lot of surprising similarities.A lot of totally unrelated languages share similar sounds. The more sound systems you pick up, the faster you’ll acquire a native accent in a new language.Learning to trill your R through Italian or Russian, for instance, will serve you well in Kannada and Tamazight, too.Also, there are only so many ways you can make a sentence. If you know the basics of Malay and Mandarin, the convoluted grammar of Vietnamese suddenly becomes totally transparent even though those three languages are unrelated!A more obvious example is  shared vocabulary. It’s said that English speakers are already familiar with thousands of French words simply because these terms are shared between the two languages. Likewise, learn Italian, and suddenly Spanish and Portuguese open themselves right up.With all the languages out there, it doesn’t take much of a push to start learning them more quickl y.Even with all these great benefits of learning more languages, some people just do it for plain fun.It’s kind of like solving a puzzle a vast, ever-changing puzzle that challenges you in a dozen different ways at once.And maybe that’s what we all need in life: a balance of intrinsic and extrinsic factors that pushes us to develop ourselves more and more.Why not get started now?