Organic Chemistry Teachers Invests in An Organic Chemistry Tutor To Teach Them About Atom Movement

Organic Chemistry Teachers Invests in An Organic Chemistry Tutor To Teach Them About Atom MovementAtomic orbitals are one of the most useful and versatile functions in organic chemistry. That is why many teachers have decided to invest in an organic chemistry tutor to teach them this amazing function. However, you may be wondering what makes these space structures so important for organic chemistry?In the field of chemistry, you can find a lot of atoms that rotate about one another but one thing that does not rotate are atomic orbitals. There are atoms which have similar weights and which, therefore, tend to have the same rotation. The atomic orbitals, however, determine how the atoms weigh.These orbital weights can be represented as the sum of all their valences. A valence, simply put, is a connection between two atoms that helps them to repel one another. The valence, however, can also be represented as the sum of the centers of opposite hydrogen atoms.If you take the hydrogen atom s and place them in a bowl and then add some salt, the salt will attract the hydrogen atoms. This is called surface tension and is the basis of all chemical reactions. Now, if you put the hydrogen atoms in a bowl of salt and remove it, the salt will be attracted to the hydrogen atoms again.Atomic orbitals are those chemical properties which give this reaction that attractivity. They are the source of attraction or repulsion between molecules. They are not all made equal.A circle of atoms is known as a ring is actually a group of atoms that have an arrangement. This arrangement is often referred to as octahedral. Some examples of octahedra are cubic and icosahedra.Try to put yourself in the middle of the cubic shape and try to look at how that would affect your point of view. Try to imagine how much this idea of atoms affects organic chemistry. Now that you know how important it is to understand atoms, think about organic chemistry teacher, who uses this concept to teach organic chem istry.

50 Beautiful Spanish Words For an Instant Mood Boost

50 Beautiful Spanish Words For an Instant Mood Boost Suzy S. There are so many cool Spanish words to choose from, that its hard to narrow it down to just 50! Spanish is a beautiful language, and as you listen to native speakers, youll notice how elegant it can sound. Scientists have even deemed it the happiest language, too! Not only is Spanish a cool language, but it also has a logical structure. Pair that with the many Spanish-English cognates, and you can see why its one of the most popular languages to learn. As you learn Spanish, youll come across many words that stand out whether for the melodic way they roll off your tongue, or their meaning. Check out the infographic below for  some of our favorite, beautiful Spanish words! 50 Beautiful Spanish Words 1. bonita: pretty (adjective) 2. precioso: precious/beautiful (adjective) 3. señorita: young lady (noun) 4. guapo: handsome (adjective) 5. rosado: pink (adjective) 6. amor: love (noun) 7. encantar: to enchant (verb) 8. desear: to wish (verb) 9. sonreîr: to smile (verb) 10. bailar: to dance (verb) 11. cantar: to sing (verb) 12. beso: kiss (noun) 13. vivir: to live (verb) 14. abrazo: hug (noun) 15. novia/novia: boyfriend/girlfriend ( noun) 16. contigo: with you (pronoun) 17. palabra: word (noun) 18. chocolate: chocolate (noun) 19. café: brown (adjective)/ coffee (noun) 20. naranja: orange (noun) 21. dulce: sweet (adjective) 22. ángel: angel (noun) 23. fuego: fire (noun) 24. cielo: sky (noun) 25. zapatos: shoes (noun) 26. corazon: heart (noun) 27. estrella: star (noun) 28. noche: night (noun) 29. caliente: hot (adjective) 30. rica: rich/delicious (adjective) 31. dinero: money (noun) 32. serenidad: serenity (noun) 33. mariposa: butterfly (noun) 34. fuerte: strong (adjective) 35. siempre: always (adverb) 36. seda: silk (noun) 37. favorito: favorite (adjective) 38. mañana: tomorrow (adverb) 39. bienvenido: welcome (adjective) 40. sol: sun (noun) 41. montaña: mountain (noun) 42. azúcar: sugar (noun) 43. mirar: to look (verb) 44. fruta: fruit (noun) 45. medianoche: midnight (noun) 46. luz: light (noun) 47. diamante: diamond (noun) 48. flor: flower (noun) 49. mar: sea (noun) 50. helado: ice cream (noun) SEE ALSO: An Introduction to Spanish Culture How to Use These Cool Spanish Words Want to start memorizing these cool Spanish words? Here are some additional tips to keep in mind as you study these fun vocabulary words. Categorize the words.  Try grouping words together based on their similarities. For instance, each of these pretty Spanish words is related to showing affection  besos (kisses), abrazo (hug), and amor (love). Create multiple lists with different categories to study. Try forming sentences.  When  you create your own sentences, its easier to  remember the definitions of the words because  of the relevant context. Try  writing a few sentences down with some of the words we listed above. Post them around your house. Labeling items around the house is a great way to learn new  words. You can label the chairs, refrigerator, doors, etc. with their corresponding Spanish word. Play vocabulary games. There are plenty of Spanish websites with free games to check out. You can also purchase apps, or make DIY games such as Bingo and charades. Good luck studying these beautiful Spanish words, and have fun along the way! Readers, what other cool Spanish words would you add to this list? Leave a comment and let us know. Post Author:  Breeana D. Breeana teaches Spanish lessons in  Willow Grove, PA. Specializing in Early Childhood and Special Education, she also has a Bachelors in Elementary Education.  Learn more about Breeana 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

Student Stress Tips - Private Tutoring

Student Stress Tips BobbiM Mar 20, 2013 The kids at the local high school by my house are taking the SAT Test and the ACT Test this week. Heres the crazy thing: a few of these kids go to my church and I could actually sense a visible and material signs of stress in their faces, voices, and in their mannerisms. In sum, these are some stressed out kids. Now, if you take my experience and multiply that by the tens of thousands of high school kids worrying about the ACT Test and the SAT Test, but also the college students stress from their classes the cumulative effect of all of that stress cannot possibly be good for anybody. Certainly not good. Now, Im an expert on meditation or anything, but I have some experience with stress and have meditated through my practice of martial arts. And, keep in mind, I graduated from Brigham Young University in 3 years while I worked 20 hours per week to support my wife and 2 kids. Later, I graduated from a top 5 graduate school while trying to juggle being a husband and dad to 3 kids. I have stared stress in the eyeballs and have won that staring contest! So, here are some suggestions from someone who has dealt with stress and isnt actually very stressed much anymore: Close your eyes and Breathe: Simple, I know. Seriously, turn away from what ever you were doing, close your eyes, and breathe. Breathe for several minutes by inhaling through your nose and exhaling out your mouth. Heres an important tip when you inhale, do not stick your chest out, instead stick your stomach out. Thats how babies breathe. Try it for several minutes. It will help you relax. Exercise and Sweat: For real get up and do something. When you are exercising, you are breathing. And, oxygen in your body is good. And, when you sweat, you are also releasing toxins (dont quote me on that one). Believe me exercise is good. It will help your mind relax. Drink Healthy Herbal Tea: I like chamomile and apple spice, but you can drink any healthy herbal tea. Warm tea will help you relax and the herbs will revive your mind. Go some place high: Go on your roof or on top of a tree or on top of a hill. If you can see the landscape and broad land beyond you, you will gain perspective. And, when you stressed, gaining the proper perspective will neutralize most stressful situations. Pray: If you are religious, then pray to your God. If not, then pray to something higher than yourself. It will bring you a sense of humility and help you realize that theres more to this world than your problems. Give these student stress tips a try. I hope they help you out.

A Pen Pal Exchange for Communicative Writing Practice

A Pen Pal Exchange for Communicative Writing Practice More on pen pals: Start a Pen Pal Exchange project for studentson the Virtual Writing Tutor. For instructions on how to create a pen pal exchange for your students, check out these step-by-step pen pal exchange creation instructions for teachers.Click here for an article on pen pals that students can read to introduce them to the concept of pen pal writing. For ESL/EFL instructors teaching beginners, finding authentic and meaningful communicative writing tasks can be difficult. One challenge is figuring out how to keep a substantial conversation going. Social media posts are often short, eliciting short comments and likes. Emails are often utilitarian vehicles for conveying digital information, with file attachments, or for making requests. They do not lend themselves to extended, deeply meaningful exchanges that sustain students interest over long periods of time. Blog writing and hypertext narrative writing tasks are different, but these are written equivalents of monologues, a type of one-way communication for broadcasting to the masses. And yet, Applied Linguistics has taught us that languages are best taught by maximizing the repeated exchange of meaningful messages with a focus on form, right? Isnt it strange, then, that when we teach writing, many of us teachers focus primarily on structure, form, accuracy, and critical thinking? Strange, but unsurprising because engaging, meaningful, focused, authentic writing tasks are hard to come by. How can we make writing meaningful, repetitive, form-focused, and engaging for learners? Languages are best learned through an engaging and repeated exchange of meaningful messages with a focus on target structures Instead of resorting to 5-paragraph essay writing activities, a discourse model that does not exist in the wild, we can support the development of Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS) with online pen pal writing tasks instead. Think about it. Pen pals usually live far from each other and so try to convey theirday-to-day lives through letters. Pen pals often try to communicate who they are, their culture, their family, food, holidays, and life eventsthis is all basic, interpersonal stuff!So pen pal writing projects seem really well-suited for learners trying to develop their BICS. The obvious problem with pen pal writing is that it takes a long time before letters in the mail arrive where they are going, and longer still to get a reply. There are only so many weeks in a semester, so pen pal writing is impractical for instructed language learning contexts. It is something a learner might do in addition to an English Second Language course, right? Maybe not. Maybe there is still a way to integrate pen pal writing into an ESL course. Maximizing Repetitions Sending letters internationally takes about two weeks. Pen pals cannot, therefore, expect more than one letter a month. In terms of maximizing meaningful, form-focused repetitions, college writing teachers wont get much in a three-month English Second language course. Something needs to be done to maximize the number of exchanges. A colleague of mine gets students to write messages to anonymous pen pals in their Hilroy notebook as informal writing practice. He collects the notebooks and redistributes them to students in another group on a different day. They write replies or questions, and he collects them back up again and returns them to the original author. It is a lot to keep track of, but the students enjoy it he saysand I believe him! At theend of the semester, he arranges for the pen pals to meet each other at an end-of-semester party. The Pedagogy of Notebook Pen Pal Exchanges For the record, I love the idea of notebook pen pal exchanges because of the meaningful exchanges it produces. However, I have not implemented this activity in any of my courses because I cant figure out how to ensure that it prepares students for competency-based writing evaluations in a direct and coherent way. General, unfocused language practice is not the highest expression of good CLT pedagogy, is it? Here are a few thoughts on my pedagogical concerns with notebook pen pal exchanges at the college level. Later, I will propose a solution that should improve upon this otherwise excellent activity. Not evaluated: Since this type of pen pal writing is framed as informal writing practice, it doesnt count toward the students final score. What counts instead are formal essay assignments during midterm and final exams. As such, pen pal writing reduces the cohesion of a course. Students pen pal writing does not prepare them for writing that counts. Since the meaningful exchange does not prepare students for competency-based evaluations, its value is restricted only contributing only to general proficiency and a reduction to writing apprehension.Feedback on errors:Giving corrective feedback on weekly writing has proven impossible for my colleague. There is just too much writing to correct, so he doesnt. This makes pen pal writing ineligible for evaluation. If students dont get formative feedback, pen pal writing tasks cannot be used for summative evaluations.Feedback on target structures: Students are invited to use the grammar from the lesson, but there is no follow-up on theuseof th e targets.Drop-outs: Some students go missing for a week or two. Sincehe keeps the notebooks in his office, students cant participate in the exchange if they are absent. Some students drop out of the course and notebook pen pal exchanges become difficult to manage. Some students complain that their pen pal is delinquent. the teacher is quick to pair students up or substitute another pen pal who also lost a partner. Designing an Online Pen Pal Exchange for ESL Learners Whats needed, obviously, is a system that can match up students in the same class and or in other countries. Also, there needs to be a way to provide fast feedback on spelling errors and grammar errors, so that students can get help with their extensive grammar errors. Indeed, it would be useful to know if students are writing more than the minimum number of words. Short messages wont do. Finally, there needs to be a way of ensuring that students use the grammar and vocabulary that they learn in their lessons because of the problem of grammar avoidance. The VWT grammar checker robot can help Sounds like a job for the Virtual Writing Tutor, right? The Virtual Writing Tutor grammar checker can already, count words, check spelling and grammar, and check for target structures. All thats needed, then, is a way to match students up and track their progress. Introducing the Virtual Writing Tutor Pen Pal Exchange Project. Designed for ESL teachers, by an ESL teacher, the system can match up students within the same class or from different classes taught by other teachers. All they need is a free account. It can also, check spelling, check grammar, check for target structures, add voice recordings and photos, and automatically score each pen pal message based on criteria defined by the pen pals teacher. Find out how to create an ESL pen pal exchange on the Virtual Writing Tutor. Please follow and like us:

Tips on How to Weather the Midterm Storm

Tips on How to Weather the Midterm Storm Weathering the StormThe young scholars. The creme of the crop. Know-it-all by nature. The future of the world lingers in the wit of our decisions. Doused in our fearless, yet uncertain, egos, our humanity remains intact. And like all larger than life figures, we have our shortcomings and flaws. With this, we fall victim to the infamous “Midterm Misery”. It is the middle of the semester, and most of us feel the peaking of our breaking points. Assignments are getting lengthier and deadlines are approaching..Collectively, we walk a tightrope of performing our best in class and securing our sanity. Stress builds, sleepless nights, cramming and retaining information to apply it on an exams, we become the mechanical dispensers of knowledge. Here are 5 life hacks and reassurances that everything will be fine. Study to understand, not just to regurgitateInformation is easier to remember if it makes sense. Even though memorization seems to play a key part in learning, it has definitive use unless it can be can be understood and applied. You will find that most information can be memorized naturally if understood. Just try it. Adopt a study habit that allows you to use your comprehensive skills. You will see that the memorization comes more naturally when concepts are understood.Understand that pressure can be beneficialHere is the thing. As humans, we are able to perform our best and tap into autonomic responses on cue when we are under high pressure. Referring to Nixon P. Stress Response Curve (1979), as stress increases, so does performance. So what does this mean? When the pressure is on, we tend to not overthink or overanalyze anything, we naturally act accordingly. When applying this concept to schoolwork, we can began to apply the information we learn in an easier thought process. Let your body and mind do the work for you, Pressure is normal, and our bodies are naturally ready to respond to it. So in a way, we are in control, whether we know it or not. Keep an eye on your bodyWe love Starbucks. Energy drinks give us a jolt. We indulge in anything that will help heighten our senses and keep us energized. And though this is ideal behavior for us as college students. We must be mindful that over consumption could be harmful to our bodies. Remember, our bodies are naturally equipped with the chemicals it needs to help us function naturally. Let us not throw off the functionally by drinking too much caffeine. One cup could suffice. Try balancing your meals and getting plenty of rest at night. Our bodies are like clocks, let us keep them oiled and ticking. Realize your potentialThe only thing keeping you from making the grade you want...is you. Okay, well maybe your instructor can throw in a few twisted challenges, but you can top it! We must understand that we execute tasks at our full capacity IF we are aware of the extent of our capabilities. But wait….what if we are not exactly sure of how much we are capable of? Well, give a stab at it. It is okay to remind yourself every now and again, “I got this”. You are in total control of your situation.It is only a matter of timeLooking at your course syllabus can be quite intimidating. But what is more rewarding than putting an X on those deadlines as the semester progresses? The only thing that separates where you are and where you will be in the semester, is time. And as time suspends, we must perform accordingly. Get a head start on a some readings, or pitch some ideas for an upcoming paper. Surely soon, these things too will be crossed off of your “to do” list. In closing….We are halfway through the semester and in the eye of the storm. Brace yourself. Push through. Do your best. Weather the storm. Cheers!!-Kendra D. Scott

Best Meal Kit Delivery Services to Try

Best Meal Kit Delivery Services to Try via Pixabay HelloFresh HelloFresh offers subscribers customizable meals. That means you can choose what type of protein you would like or choose a vegetarian option if you prefer. These meals come in compact containers, so they fit in your refrigerator nicely. If you’re a beginner in the kitchen, you can choose meals from different difficult levels. There are three different levels, so you can always increase the more comfortable you become with cooking. Depending on just how busy your life is, you can opt for the “Quick” meals from HelloFresh. These meals take about a half-hour to prepare and cook, which means you have more time to cross items off your to-do list and less time worrying about what you’re going to eat for dinner. If health and nutrition are important to you, then you can also opt for the “Fit” meals, which are packed with nutritious ingredients. HelloFresh offers two meal sizes. You can order meals prepared for two people or for four people. This is perfect for those busy parents who still want to make healthy dinners for their kids. Price: $60 for three meals per week portioned for two people or $96 for three meals per week portioned for four people. Blue Apron Blue Apron was one of the first meal kit delivery services to come on the scene, so they definitely know what they are doing when it comes to providing delicious easy to make meals. The recipes are extremely easy to follow and make for some pretty amazing meals. The beauty of Blue Apron is that most of their meals take just under an hour to make. You don’t have to worry about missing any ingredients or wasting time chopping or measuring anything. Just follow the instructions and throw it in the pot, oven, or whatever the recipe calls for. If you like to enjoy a glass of wine with your dinner, this meal kit delivery service also offers a wine subscription. So, along with your meals for the week, you’ll also receive a bottle of wine that pairs perfectly with what you’re making. It’s basically date night, but cheaper and you get to stay home in your pajamas. Not only does Blue Apron make your life easier, but they are environmentally friendly. Their mission is to improve the food industry by using direct shipping methods and sustainable farming. It doesn’t get better than that. Price: $60 for three meals per week portioned for two people or $96 for three meals per week portioned for four people. Infographic by Brittany Loeffler Sun Basket   Sun Basket prides itself on its high-quality organic ingredients. These meal kits are packed full of nutritious ingredients such as wild-caught fish, antibiotic-free meats, and organic fruits and vegetables. Sun Basket is a little more luxurious meal kit delivery service and just a tad more expensive than others. However, the quality of the food you receive is absolutely worth it. If you are on a special diet or have dietary restrictions, Sun Basket has a variety of meal options that range from paleo to vegan to pescatarian. Meals are also rated for how difficult they are to cook, so beginner home chefs don’t have to worry about taking on more than they can handle. Sun Basket is also environmentally conscious, so all of the packaging is compostable or recyclable. That means you don’t have to feel any guilt about harming the environment when you order a meal kit from Sun Basket. Price: $72 for three meals per week portioned for two people or $88 for two meals per week portioned for four people. Home Chef Home Chef has a meal kit for just about anyone. The meal kit is fully customizable, so if you are avoiding a certain food group such as meat or dairy or if you are allergic to something, you can opt for it to be left out of your meal kit. If you are a planner, Home Chef allows you to choose and plan your meals up to five weeks in advance. That means you don’t have to worry about what you’ll be eating for over a month and can focus on other aspects of your life. Home Chef also offers meals based on the amount of time you have to cook, such as their “Express” meals. This meal kit only takes about half an hour to prepare and cook. If you enjoy spending time in the kitchen, you can opt for a more intense and intricate meal kit. Or, if you are completely new to cooking for yourself at home and need some tools, Home Chef has you covered with essential kitchen tools. Price: $19.90 per meal portioned for two people. $59.60 for three meals portioned for two people per week. Free delivery for orders over $45. Freshly The meal kits from Freshly surely live up to the brand’s name. Unlike some meal kit services, Freshly never freezes their ingredients, so they are always fresh for you. If you are really on a time crunch during the week and literally have no time to even cook a meal kit, then Freshly is here to answer your prayers. They deliver fully cooked meals that you just need to pop in the microwave. You’ll have a delicious meal in just a few minutes. Freshly also makes all of their meal kits gluten-free and in a peanut-free facility, which is great news if you have a peanut allergy. Freshly is also one of the few meal kit services that offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner options! So, you can ensure that you always have a meal ready for you no matter what time of day it is. Price: $50 for four meals portioned for one person per week. $108 for twelve meals portioned for one person per week. Green Chef Green Chef aims to make 90% of the ingredients included in their meal kit USDA-certified organic. That means you don’t have to worry about GMOs or harsh chemicals touching your food. There are multiple menus that customers can choose from including a paleo, Keto, gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, and carnivore menu, so you don’t have to sacrifice your preferred diet in order to have a meal kit delivered to you. The recipes are extremely easy to follow and are even color-coded, so there is very little room to make a mistake while preparing your meal. What’s even better is that all of Green Chef’s meal kits can be prepared in just 30 minutes, no matter how simple or fancy the meal is. Price: $79 for three meals prepared for two people per week. $95 for two meals prepared for four people per week. Terra’s Kitchen Eating nutritious and healthy meals consistently can be difficult when you’re always on the go. Sometimes you may not know what a nutritious meal consists of. Terra’s Kitchen will help you make eating healthy meals easy with its meal kit delivery service. These pre-chopped ingredients only take about 15 minutes to throw together for a delicious meal. The one thing that really stands out about this meal kit delivery service is the method that your food is delivered to you. Terra’s Kitchen utilizes what they call a Vessel, which is a non-electric fridge that keeps your food fresh until you can come home and bring it inside. It creates little to no waste in the delivery process, which is a huge win for the environment. Every meal of the day is available from Terra’s Kitchen. Whether you’re looking for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snacks, it’s all available. Choose from specific diet menus including paleo, Mediterranean, vegetarian, and more to fit your current lifestyle. Price: $4-$18 per serving per person. Fresh Direct Fresh Direct doubles as a meal kit delivery service and an online grocery store, so you can kill two birds with one stone. You can choose from a variety of meal options from different menus, including a menu dedicated solely to stir fry. While ordering your meal kit online, you can see just how long it will take to prepare and make each meal. This is great if you know you have a busy week coming up and won’t have time to spend an hour making dinner and want something quick. If you are watching what you eat, there is also a healthy menu that you can choose from. While Fresh Direct doesn’t offer a huge selection of meal kits, they do offer pre-made entrees, salads, and sandwiches that they can ship to you as well. So, there are food options for just about anyone. Price: $14-$29 per meal portioned for two people. Gobble With Gobble, even the most inexperienced chefs can make delicious gourmet meals. If you are really in a time crunch and don’t even have time to peel or chop up vegetables, Gobble has you covered! All of the ingredients are portioned out and chopped up so you just have to throw them in your pot, pan, or whatever the recipe calls for. For customers with dietary restrictions, Gobble offers specialty menus such as gluten-free, kid-friendly, low carb, and more so you don’t have to compromise your goals just to eat a meal kit. The beauty of meal kits from Gobble is that they take about 15 minutes on average to make. That’s almost no time at all! A feature Gobble offers that other meal kit delivery services do not is a lunch meal prep plan. Stop going to the food trucks at work or skipping lunch altogether. In just about an hour every week, you can prepare your lunches for up to six days! It doesn’t get easier than grabbing a container in the morning and heading off to work knowing you’ll have a nutritious and delicious lunch. Price: $79 for three meals portioned for two people per week. $151 for three meals portioned for four people per week. $7.98 to $11.47 per lunch meal. via Pixabay Why Try Meal Kit Delivery We’ve already established just how convenient and easy a meal kit delivery service is. You don’t have to worry about going to the grocery store or planning out your meals for the week because everything you need is shipped right to your door. You’ll have peace of mind knowing that you have at least three dinners ready for you to prepare too. Not only do these meal kit delivery services offer nutritious, sometimes organic, and healthy foods, but it’s also delicious! That means you can start living a healthier lifestyle without worrying about picking out the right types of food. With so many specialty menus, you will be sure to find one that matches your dietary restrictions and will help you to achieve your goals. Lastly, you can actually save money with meal kit delivery services. Rather than going out to eat a couple of times a week and spending money on transportation, the food, and the service, you can have a restaurant-quality meal right at home for almost half the cost of going out. A bonus is that you will also start to learn how to navigate your way through the kitchen. If you feel that your life is so hectic that you don’t have time to make it to the grocery store and cook a decent meal for yourself, consider subscribing to a meal kit delivery service. You’ll be surprised at just how amazing it is.

5 online resources for Biology tutors

5 online resources for Biology tutors Students of Biology don't need to restrict their exam revision to the lab. There are lots of handy online resources that private tutors and home tutors can access to help their Biology students brush up on the subject. Here's our pick of the bunch: 1. Mark Rothery's Biology Website. Mark is a science teacher who has thoughtfully put together this selection of revision aids and past papers. Students can mark themselves online. http://www.mrothery.co.uk/ 2. Edexcel is one of the UK's leading providers of qualifications. This is their GCSE Biology page, which brings together an assortment of resources for teachers and students including past papers and a definition of scientific terms. http://www.edexcel.com/quals/gcse/gcse-leg/science/biology/Pages/default.aspx 3. St Peter's School in Cambridgeshire has put together this charming site to help pupils of both GCSE and A-Level Biology. There are lots of exercises and fun resources to bring the subject to life. http://www.smallmonkey.co.uk/bioweb1/page31.html 4. Get Revising lets students share revision resources and form online study groups. Registration is compulsory but free and will allow you to enjoy these great biology notes. http://getrevising.co.uk/resources/biology_revision_notes 5. First Tutors recommends a number of textbooks and resources for Biology students that can really help with homework and exam revision. https://www.firsttutors.com/uk/learning-resources.php

Are We There Yet 9 Ways to Track Language Learning Progress

Are We There Yet 9 Ways to Track Language Learning Progress Are We There Yet? 9 Ways to Track Language Learning Progress At its best, language learning is like a really fun road trip.Youre absorbing new sights and sounds while feeling intrepid and free.And while youre probably not thinking about it too hard, helpful road signs are there to guide you.If you follow them, youll never miss your turn or exit.But the one sign you never want to see along the road to language fluency is Wrong Way.Or even worse, no signs at all.Thats why its important to measure your language learning progress.By taking a careful look at where youve been, you can double-check to make sure youre still on the right road and avoiding dreaded detours. All while continuing to enjoy your journey, and maybe even  singing along with the radio.Here are a few simple ways to measure your language learning progress! Why Measure Your Language Learning Progress?One important reason to measure your language learning progress is to ensure your methods for learning are actually improving your skills. Sometimes, you might not be sure if all yo ur studying or practicing has really paid off. Measuring your progress can clarify this.Additionally, you may want to measure your language learning progress to motivate yourself by remembering how far youve come. While learning a language, progress can feel slow. Measuring your progress can show you that youre actually learning much more quickly than you think, which is motivating and exciting.Finally, measuring your language learning progress is a useful way to give yourself a more realistic idea of your skill set. Some people are naturally confident and will assume theyre practically fluent as soon as they learn to say hello. Others lack natural confidence and feel theyre beginners even if theyre nearly fluent. Since self-perception can be skewed, measuring your progress can improve your insight.Are We There Yet? 9 Ways to Track Language Learning Progress1. Maintain a list of words you know.If youre just starting to learn a language, try keeping a list of all the words youve lear ned. As soon as youre confident you know a word and its meaning and will have no trouble remembering it, enter that word into your list. Maintaining a list of the words you know can be motivating by showing you at a glance how much you already know. Plus, you might even find yourself memorizing a few extra words just to watch your list grow.FluentU makes this easy by allowing you to mark off any word you already know. It keeps track of those words for you and even changes up your learning material accordingly. It also makes it easy to create and maintain vocab lists (see #4 below) with handy built-in audio and flashcards. FluentU takes real-world videosâ€"like cartoons, vlogs, news, movie trailers and music videosâ€"and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.2. Record yourself speaking your target language.Record yourself at intervals throughout your learning process. You can use audio or video recordingâ€"whichever youre most comfortable with.These recording session s shouldnt be spaced too closely together, or the progress may seem insignificant, which it definitely is not. Aim for making a recording every 4-8 months.You may choose to speak on the same topic if you want to see how your vocabulary has progressed, but discussing any topic will still help you see marked improvement in your pronunciation, confidence, grammar and rate of speech.If you repeat this process for several years, your recordings will provide clear and remarkable evidence of your improvement. You may even look back and laugh at some of your early foibles.3. Write (and read your writing).Try to write often. Not only is this good practice, but its also an easy way to see your own improvement.You can write on any topic you wish, but journal entries are particularly helpful since your own life provides you with endless material for daily writing.One method is to leave your work uncorrected so that you can go back at a later date and see your mistakes.However, you can also use Lang-8  or a language partner to correct your work. This will provide you with immediate feedback, but allow you to have a clear record of mistakes youve previously made.  Just make sure to note the date on any of your writing so youre able to keep track of it.If you write an entry in a journal every day, you can easily flip between dates to see your progress. This makes it easy to compare your progress over any time period you choose to see if your vocabulary has improved, determine if youve finally nailed down that conjugation you struggled with or see how the depth of your content has gotten better as youve become more comfortable in your target language.If youve had entries corrected, you can also go back through and see if each entry has had fewer and fewer correctionsâ€"if this doesnt seem to be the case, you should also consider whether youve become more ambitious in your writing.4. Make vocabulary lists, study them and return to them.Vocabulary lists are one of the best tool s for seeing your own progress.Use one list to learn with at a time, and once you think you know all the words on your vocabulary list, put it aside for a few weeks. Then, go back to the list. See if you can come up with each word based on its English translation. Then, see if you can look at the word in your target language and translate it into English. If so, check that word off your list. Once youve done this with every word on the list, look to see how many words youve checked off. This will give you a clear idea of how much vocabulary youve learned.Using themed lists is particularly helpful since all the words will be somewhat related so you can group them together in your mind. You can come up with your own vocabulary lists just through brainstorming, and this can actually add to the fun. For instance, you might do a list of vacation supplies like suitcases, passports, etc. You might also try seasonally themed lists to expand your vocabulary while putting yourself in a festiv e spirit, or even build a list around a story or a video.Lists of between 20-50 words work well because they represent a notable improvement without being overly daunting.Quizlet is always a useful tool for vocabulary lists. You can use user-created lists or create your own with words you hope to work on.Another way to track vocabulary learning progress is by using flashcard apps. Apps like Fun Easy Learn (available for iOS  and  Android)  maintain lists of vocabulary words youve learned. This is a quick and easy way to check your progress.5. Try rereading something you previously struggled with.Reading books is a valuable way to improve your skills or assess them, but reading any material in your target language is also useful.Whether its a book, article, blog post or even recipe, if youve previously read material that youve struggled with, try reading it again whenever you want to check your learning. Every time you read a certain piece of writing that you find difficult, mark the passages youre struggling with. With paper copies, you can dog ear pages, use a highlighter, etc. Thankfully, e-readers often provide similar features along with the ability to add your own notes, so dont hesitate to explain to your future self why your past self is struggling. Over time, youll likely understand more and more of the text until you understand it completely.Seeing how you understand more and more of something you once found daunting is motivating and will show you how far youve come.6. Try rewatching a movie or TV show you previously couldnt follow.Watching movies  or watching TV can help you learn a language, but these fun, simple activities can also help you assess your language skills.If youve ever tried to watch movies or TV in your target language, you probably found some movie or show you just couldnt follow. Native speakers speak rapidly, and sometimes its hard to even figure out where one word ends and the next word starts.  However, as you learn more and mor e of a language, movies and TV are easier and easier to follow.As with reading material, whenever youre watching a TV show or movie in your target language that you dont completely understand, try to pause for a moment and jot down the time in the movie or TV show when you struggle the most. Then, you can return to these specific scenes at a later date to see if your skills have improved.  Can you understand more than you did last time? If so, thats real progress!7. Imagine a scenario in detail.Choose any scenario you want. It could be renting a car, having a friendly conversation or having a business meeting.At regular intervals in your education (ideally every 4-8 months), try to imagine how that conversation would go. Go through what you would say and what someone might reply.After youve gone through the scenario, ask yourself the following questions:Can you communicate at all in this scenario?Do you have to substitute in some words that arent ideal?Do you have the exact words yo u want?Repeating the same scenario over time and considering these questions will help show you how your conversational skills have improved.8. Refer to the  ACTFLs Can-Do Statements.The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) provides Can-Do Statements, which are performance indicators you can use to assess your skill level.Since all you have to do is check which statements are true for you, it takes mere minutes to determine what level you may be at in various skill areas like interpersonal communication, presentational speaking and more.Once you know your level, try reassessing your skills every six months. This will help you see what areas have progressed and what areas arent progressing as quickly as you might have hoped. But with any luck, you should see yourself bumping up a level quite often.9. Try proficiency tests and other online assessments.Aside from the assessment above, there are plenty more online skills assessments and proficiency tests  out th ere. Sources like  Language Trainers and  Dialang  can provide a snapshot of your skills. Since these tests are based on exam performance and not self-reflection, theyll give you a more objective idea of your strengths and weaknesses.Not only will skills assessments help you determine your present level of proficiency, you can also use them to track growth over time. To see your improvement, try repeating the same test or assessment every six months.Online skills assessments can give you valuable insight into how much youve learned, but they might also provide future directions for your education.Many language skills assessments take into account a wide variety of different skills, so over time you may see that some skills are progressing more quickly than others. You can use this information to determine which skills need more work.Whatever you do, dont take a detour and wind up with a Wrong Way sign staring you down.Use these simple methods to measure your language learning progre ss and follow the road signs straight to fluency! And One More ThingNo matter what stage of language learning youre at, FluentU is a handy tool for tracking your progress, and more. FluentU makes it possible to learn languages  from music videos, commercials, news and inspiring talks.With FluentU, you learn real languagesâ€"the same way that real people speak them. FluentU has a wide variety of videos, like movie trailers, funny commercials and web series, as you can see here:FluentU App Browse ScreenFluentU has interactive captions that let you tap on any word to see an image, definition, audio and useful examples. Now native language content is within reach with interactive transcripts.Didnt catch something? Go back and listen again. Missed a word? Hover over or tap on the subtitles to instantly view definitions.FluentU Interactive TranscriptsYou can learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentUs quiz mode. Swipe left or right to see  more examples for the word you’re lea rning.FluentU Has Quizzes for Every VideoAnd FluentU always keeps track of vocabulary that you’re learning. It uses that vocab to give you a 100% personalized experience by recommending videos and examples.

Getting to Know You Games For Tutoring Kids With Special Needs

Getting to Know You Games For Tutoring Kids With Special NeedsGetting to know you games for tutoring kids with special needs are getting more popular these days. One of the most compelling reasons for teaching kids with special needs is that they have the ability to learn much better than their peers without needing specialized programs or support. With this in mind, we often want to help kids find out who they are and how they might be able to better deal with some of the challenges that they face.One of the best ways for parents to help their kids with learning disabilities is by making sure that they do something every day that inspires them to learn. Learning through fun and games that work really well with children with learning difficulties will help them get a handle on their learning abilities. Games can be designed for any age group, and they work well to reinforce critical thinking skills, curiosity, and how to make use of their imagination. Some examples of learning games that work well with kids with learning disabilities are ones that have to do with learning about colors, shapes, numbers, objects, animals, and even how to ride a bike. As long as there is an element of creativity in the process, it will be a successful one.Games with a learning component are also a great way to get your child involved in an activity. By providing a variety of options for them to participate in, they will also become more involved in what they are doing. For example, if they are involved in a game to dress up as a superhero or hunt for candy while they are coloring, they will find it easier to develop a more emotional involvement with their work.The creative avenue for finding games that work for kids with learning disabilities can be through the use of creative games for parents to create. This includes learning about games that teach them about family relationships, sports, animals, languages, and many other things. You may also want to look into games where they can learn some good listening skills and some interesting ways to enhance the mental skills that they have developed. different game designers There are some different game designers who can help parents come up with ideas for how to best use games for tutoring kids with special needs. A good number of them offer games that have been successfully used in educational settings. There are also learning games designed to teach different types of skills and abilities.These include games for learning how to speak, those that let them work on some social skills, or even games that help them interact with the people around them. Each game that you decide to choose from will benefit both the child and you as a parent.When you do go to get to know you games for tutoring kids with special needs, you are getting to find the right games that will suit your needs as a parent. It's important to realize that if you are not willing to spend a little bit of money in order to get the best games availa ble, you might as well be using less effective games.