Benefits of Using an Online Tutor

Benefits of Using an Online TutorIf you have a desire to learn but don't have the time to invest in intensive tutoring sessions or you are hesitant about the expense of a traditional tutor, an online tutor could be just the solution. An online tutor is someone who offers to tutor at the students' convenience. The basic idea behind these tutors is that they are available at any time, day or night, to help out with their lessons.The benefits of using online tutors are many. They are flexible and more convenient. They can offer tutoring on a one-on-one basis or they can allow for discussions with the tutor over email or chat. Online tutors also come with better rates than traditional tutors, which means that students will benefit from the additional money.Online tutors are a great solution for busy parents who are unable to get out of the house to look after their children. You can have your child tutored and go about your normal life, without the strain of carrying heavy books and note book with you. There are also some excellent online tutors who are completely dedicated to teaching the best methods for each student.Online tutors are great because they are cost effective. Students will not need to pay huge amounts of money to spend on a tutor every single day. Some tutors offer a minimal fee and will not expect any payment from the students. When a student has already found the best tutor for them, they can choose from among several tutors for the cost of a coffee.Tutors also have some advantages as compared to traditional tutors. Most traditional tutors will provide you with lots of free information online but this is rarely done with online tutors. The online tutor provides a wealth of information in their articles and guides, which mean that you can pick up the best techniques at a fraction of the cost of getting a traditional tutor.Online tutors are also flexible and the fees can vary greatly. Some tutors offer their services for free but then ask for a small fee every month. It is important to check on the rates and other fees that the tutor has to charge before signing up.The student should also take into consideration that a tutor is a full-time person too. While it's not always a case, it does happen that a tutor will have time on their hands. In this case, a student will have to decide whether they can afford the time and effort spent on a tutoring session.

Major Building Blocks for Early Readers

Major Building Blocks for Early Readers Major Building Blocks for Early Readers How to Support Your Young Reader at Home If your child is an early elementary school student, you likely know how critical these first few years are in his or her reading development. According to the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the International Reading Association, learning to read and write isnt an automaticparents and teachers must expose young children to books and experiences in drawing, pretend play and symbolic activities and guide their instruction in learning to recognize letters and sounds in order for them to become literate. Also, the spectrum of literacy development is wide. Some children may acquire skills at different times than others, and the best teachers try different approaches and techniques based on the knowledge that students have. As your child navigates preschool through the early elementary grades, he or she will acquire a range of literacy skills that will help him or her become a capable reader. Here are a few of those building blocks and tips for how you can best support your readers learning (as researched in depth by the National Reading Panel, a collaborative jointly established by the U.S. Department of Education and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development): Phonemic awareness Put simply, the smallest units (or sounds) of spoken language are called phonemes. As your child learns more about language, he or she must understand that words are composed of different sounds (/t/ /a/ /p/ in tap and /p/ /I/ in pie, for example), that some words make the same sounds (bag, band and bet all start with the /b/ sound) and often, sounds are formed from multiple letters. Songs and games are a great way to help children understand the various sounds that words make. Give your child a word (row) and have him or her add sounds to the beginning and end of the word to form new words (such as grow when /g/ is added to the beginning, or rows when /s/ is added to the end). Phonics Phonics instruction includes the teaching of letter sounds, the relationships between letters and sounds, and decoding words. One of the more effective approaches to helping students learn phonics is encouraging them to spell words out based on how they sound. Your child will learn different categories of phonics, such as consonant blends (bl, br, sl, scr), short vowels (cat, dot), long vowels (stay, road, tie) and consonant digraphs (sh, ph, gh). As your child begins to understand the sounds associated with these different letters and letter groups, he or she can use that knowledge to sound out new words. Fluency The goal for all students is to get them to read fluentlywith accuracy, speed and good expression. Without a doubt, practice makes perfect. Read aloud with your child every day. Take turns being the reader and allowing your child to read aloud and offer constructive feedback when your child reads. Vocabulary At a young age, children must learn high-frequency words that are common in written and oral language. Often, these sight words are not easy to decode, and therefore, it is important that newer readers can recognize them on sight. Over time, children must also learn words that are commonly used but unlikely to be known. Reading, writing and talking are the best ways to help children expand their vocabulary. Reading comprehension These days, there is great emphasis on the importance of reading comprehensionand it has long been known that reading comprehension is essential in the acquisition of literacy skills. A form of active thinking, comprehension involves inferring information that the author does not say explicitly, interpreting ideas and thinking through texts meaning. There are many reading comprehension strategies that you can try at home: summarizing passages while reading a story (and having your child do the same), asking questions about the story, thinking through the plot, structure, problem and setting of a story, and pausing to confirm understanding while reading challenging or intricate passages. It is easy to take for granted that a child will learn to read, but there are many pieces that must fall into place for it to happen. While you may not know exactly how to teach phonemic awareness or the best reading comprehension strategies for your child, your role as supporter is still critically important. As your childs teacher sends home reading exercises and assignments, invest the time to work on them with your child, knowing that the end result will be your child becoming a proficient reader and a stronger student.

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, its off to school we go.

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, its off to school we go. Well its that time again. Its time to do the parental dance of, the kids are going back to school, la la la la laaaa!!! Its an ancient tradition passed on from generation to generation. Of course never let the kids in on it until they are at the age where their already forgiving you for all the past deeds done. But hey, at least we may have time to breathe again. Or God forbid, think about our own needs for a while. Now the bad news; Its that time again! Thats right we have to hit the stores for supplys and clothes that actually fit well, registration forms and eventually ….da da da daaah….. back to school night. Ok, maybe it’s not all that bad. What’s a little footwork in the name of love? You can always go to the box stores for a pallet of notebooks and pencils, or for a simpler approach the local drug store for a quick hit and run on the back to school bargains.   Of course teachers will have their list of what they want the students to get as well. The main thing is, get as much out of the way as is humanly possible beforehand. Now I am talking mostly in terms of the little tikes. High school and on you, just hand over the credit card and pray for a snow storm. Wait a minute; winter clothes too? Arrgh…….. Well one thing you can prepare ahead of time is tutoring services. Whether your child is an AP student “advanced placement” or a PA student “placement in advance” (Don’t worry I don’t get it either), tutoring will always ease the pain. Parents have a hard enough time getting their kids to brush their teeth or turn off a light much less; “let’s sit down and do homework together”. So be prepared. Set up some tutoring for the kids and they will thank you for it, when they turn 35! Hi Ho, Hi Ho, its off to school we go. Well its that time again. Its time to do the parental dance of, the kids are going back to school, la la la la laaaa!!! Its an ancient tradition passed on from generation to generation. Of course never let the kids in on it until they are at the age where their already forgiving you for all the past deeds done. But hey, at least we may have time to breathe again. Or God forbid, think about our own needs for a while. Now the bad news; Its that time again! Thats right we have to hit the stores for supplys and clothes that actually fit well, registration forms and eventually ….da da da daaah….. back to school night. Ok, maybe it’s not all that bad. What’s a little footwork in the name of love? You can always go to the box stores for a pallet of notebooks and pencils, or for a simpler approach the local drug store for a quick hit and run on the back to school bargains.   Of course teachers will have their list of what they want the students to get as well. The main thing is, get as much out of the way as is humanly possible beforehand. Now I am talking mostly in terms of the little tikes. High school and on you, just hand over the credit card and pray for a snow storm. Wait a minute; winter clothes too? Arrgh…….. Well one thing you can prepare ahead of time is tutoring services. Whether your child is an AP student “advanced placement” or a PA student “placement in advance” (Don’t worry I don’t get it either), tutoring will always ease the pain. Parents have a hard enough time getting their kids to brush their teeth or turn off a light much less; “let’s sit down and do homework together”. So be prepared. Set up some tutoring for the kids and they will thank you for it, when they turn 35!

Tips From an Irvine English Tutor The Value of Writing a Rough Draft

Tips From an Irvine English Tutor The Value of Writing a Rough Draft Tips From an Irvine English Tutor: The Value of Writing a Rough Draft Tips From an Irvine English Tutor: The Value of Writing a Rough Draft Many students feel it’s not important to write a high-quality rough draft, especially if they simply get a check or credit from their teacher for completing a certain number of paragraphs. If a teacher happens to grade primarily on the final draft, students may view the rough draft as unimportant. Additionally, students who don’t particularly enjoy research and writing may be tempted to think of the rough draft as something they can skip over and fix later on. However, the rough draft serves a higher purpose than simply to receive a credit for completion, rather it teaches valuable writing, research, and time management skills that will help younger students now and later on in high school and college struggling in English? Summer is the perfect time to work with an Irvine English tutor to improve writing skills. 1. One step at a time The point of a rough draft is to teach students that high quality writing takes more than one try. All professional writers and college level English majors write at least one, if not several, rough drafts before handing in a final version. Writing multiple drafts also teaches younger students that writing is a step by step process. First, they need to do research and gather content in the form of an outline. Second they need to get their thoughts down on paper and formulate content in a well organized manner. Third, they need to edit and proofread for common grammar and punctuation errors. Students who understand that they are not able to complete a well written English assignment in one step tend to receive higher grades all the way from elementary school through the end of college (READ: Five Tips for Success in English Class). 2. Time management Teachers will often make the rough draft due a few days before the final draft is due to help students learn to manage their time effectively. Students often avoid an assignment theyre not excited about, forcing them to stay up well past midnight to finish the assignment due the next morning. This nearly always results in a bad grade, a poorly written essay, and virtually no learning on the part of the student. However, students who take the rough draft seriously will be in a position where they only have to fix minor content or grammar changes before the final draft is due. Although some students may disagree, the teacher is doing them a huge favor by allowing them to hand in a rough draft ahead of time. 3. Preparation Writing a rough draft will help younger children learn how to manage long term assignments when they get into their college prep years and study at university. Students who are taking AP classes or who are living full-time on a college campus, will have to cope with long-range due dates (meaning they have three weeks to complete large amounts of work as opposed to one afternoon to finish a short-term assignment). The completion of a rough draft is preparation for these types of long-term assignments that become the bulk of an older student’s education (READ: Literature 101: Surviving Character Analysis). 4. Practicalities The rough draft also has a practical purpose. The English language is complicated. Many English grammar and punctuation rules have exceptions that need to be memorized and there are various vocab words that need to be learned. Writing a rough draft allows students to focus on the content, reading, or research required and get their thoughts down on paper before they attempt heavy editing and proofreading. If necessary, students can work with their tutor to develop better flow, transition, grammar, and sentence structure. If asked, many teachers are willing to provide suggestions as to where a transition sentence should appear, how many grammar edits are needed, or if the length of the current draft is appropriate. However, students need to take the initiative to write a rough draft and ask their teacher about what they can improve upon (READ: 5 Reasons Students Should Blog). Bottom line? Although it’s tempting to write a subpar first draft, students are only cheating themselves out of valuable feedback from their teacher. The rough draft is the student’s opportunity to learn more about the English language, manage their time, and fix any mistakes needed in order to get their best effort grade. All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at pr@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us write.

How italki is helping me learn Spanish!

How italki is helping me learn Spanish! How italki is Helping Me Learn Spanish How italki is Helping Me Learn Spanish There is only way to learn to speak a language:  speak it, speak it, and speak it some more. While the easiest way to immerse yourself in a language is to travel â€" or, better yet, move â€" to a country where the language is spoken, all is not lost for those of us who can’t do that just yet. Thanks to the wonders of Skype and free websites like italki.com, we can immerse ourselves in any language from the comfort of our living room couches!  (Actually, in my case, it’s the dining room table. I still haven’t quite mastered the art of using a laptop on my actual lap.) If you’re looking to ramp up your language learning, then you might want to consider signing up for italki. * Please note:  this review is very long. I can’t help it. I’m full of words. Believe it or not, I actually cut out a good quarter of each post before I actually publish it. If you don’t like posts with a lot of words â€" well, you probably won’t like this blog. Sorry. First of all, it’s important to point out that italki itself isn’t a language program. It won’t teach you grammar, or provide you with video lessons, or offer you with step-by-step how-to-learn-any-language instructions. What it will do is provide you with access to a much more valuable resource:  actual, thinking, communicating human beings.   Registration on italki is free. Once you’ve registered, you’ll set up your profile, including which languages you speak and which languages you’re learning. There’s lots of “social stuff” on italki: upvoting, friending/following, discussion threads and so on. While some people might love the social media stuff, I don’t bother much with most of it. My goal is to connect directly with Spanish speakers who can help me, or with French speakers who need my help. In my opinion, these are the five best ways that italki is helping me learn Spanish: 1. Find a language partner A language partner is someone who speaks the language that you’re learning, and who is learning the language that you speak. If you click on “Language Partners” at the top of your italki screen, you can search for someone to connect with, being as specific as you like. My specific search â€" female Spanish-speakers learning French â€" brought back dozens and dozens of results. Once you have a list of results, you can read people’s profiles and find someone who seems interesting. When I first signed on to italki, I followed people and they followed me back, but nothing ever came of it. My “followers” count went up, so I suppose I might have looked a bit more popular, but it wasn’t actually helping me learn Spanish. I’m much more specific now. After clicking the “follow” button on someone’s profile, I send them a note requesting that they follow me back, spelling out exactly what I’m looking for. I include time zones in three major Spanish-speaking cities. This might seem a bit too straightforward for some people, but I don’t want to waste lots of back-and-forth time. As lovely as a person might be, if our schedules don’t mesh, then she isn’t the language partner I’m looking for. I send very specific follow requests on italki. Yes, I realize that I accidentally typed “who” twice. Once I connect with a language partner whose schedule matches mine, we set up an initial Skype meeting. From there, we can decide if we would like to meet regularly for practice sessions. So far, I’ve had nothing but good luck with language partners. I meet weekly with five fun, encouraging, friendly women â€" a different one every weekday. I use a webcam for all of my language exchanges â€" I like to see a person when I’m talking to her. I know, though, that some people prefer not to use webcams at all. If you’re not comfortable with video, make that clear from the beginning, and you should be able to find someone to talk to using audio only. 2. Hire a professional teacher or a community tutor If money is tight, or if you’re happy with your progress, then language partners might more than meet your needs. I wanted to progress more quickly, so I decided to hire a professional teacher to help me learn. On italki, you can choose between two types of paid lessons: professional lessons and informal tutoring. Teachers offering professional lessons have to have some kind of certification, whereas informal tutors don’t. Teachers are generally more expensive than informal tutors, but many of them are very reasonably priced. Some of them are so inexpensive, in fact, that the language teacher in me feels a bit bad about how low their rates are. Many teachers and tutors offer trial sessions, lower-priced half-hour sessions for new students. Some of these trial sessions can cost as little as 10 credits, or one dollar. This lets you “sample” a teacher to make sure that your styles and personalities mesh well. Each student is only allowed to take three trial sessions, perhaps to discourage people from taking trials without committing to any teacher.  (I personally disagree with the three-trial policy, but it is what it is.)   One great thing about the italki booking system is that there’s no back-and-forth needed. You access the teacher’s schedule, click on an available time, and send a session request. Best of all, the schedule is automatically converted to your time zone, so you don’t even have to figure out what time your session actually starts.  I booked two trial sessions, with the idea that I would take two weekly lessons with the teacher that I clicked best with. Then I clicked with both of them. Rather than choosing between them, I decided to do one weekly session with each of them. My fantastic italki Spanish teachers, Mati and Auri. Connecting with Skype tutors ended up being one of the best things that I’ve done to speed up my language learning. Between my conversation partners and my tutors, I’m spending a whopping seven hours on Skype every week, five and a half of which are in Spanish. While this might seem like a lot, the time flies by, and I credit Skype conversations for 80% of my progress. 3. Write a notebook entry The best place to seek out corrections is in your written work. While a patient and encouraging teacher or language teacher will correct you at times when you’re speaking, it would be counterproductive to expect them to correct every single mistake. Too many interruptions would break the flow of conversation, which is the whole point of doing a language exchange. In a notebook entry, though, you’re laying down your work with the understanding that native speakers will correct it, change it, and point out your mistakes. One of my notebook entries, with corrections suggested by a native Spanish-speaker. Don’t forget to return the favour and try to correct other people’s work as well. There are always notebook entries that go without corrections, which must be very disappointing for the writer. When choosing notebook entries to correct, it’s best to stick to your own language or to a language that you know very well. I’ve seen corrections made by a non-native speakers that were very inaccurate.  4. Find a penpal I connected with one potential language partner, but no matter how hard we tried, we just couldn’t schedule a Skype meeting. Instead, we decided to be penpals. We write to each other using the italki private message system two or three times a week. Eva writes to me in English, and I send her message back to her with a few corrections and suggestions. Then I respond to her message in Spanish, and she corrects my work. I struggle with writing in Spanish. A lot.  I’m surprised by how helpful it is to have a penpal! I appreciate being able to take the time to think about what I want to say, and to really dig in to the corrections that Eva makes on my work. I also like having a penpal because â€" unlike with notebook entries â€" we can develop a relationship and have longer and more personal conversations. 5. Ask, answer and read questions I click on this feature when I have a few spare minutes and want to help other learners. People post brief questions in any language, and native speakers answer them. You can look at all of the questions, or sort them by language. I try to answer as many French questions as I can, focusing first on the ones that haven’t been answered yet. Reading questions and answers in the language that you’re learning can help you clear up understanding, build vocabulary, and learn expressions. A few Spanish questions on italki. Out of the five components that I mentioned in this post, I think that asking and answering questions is the one that I use the least. Still, it can be a very useful way to interact with native speakers without much of a time commitment. What I would like to see at italki Of course, no review is complete without a mention of what’s lacking. Here are a few things that I would like to see at italki: a live chat feature that would allow you to exchange messages back-and-forth with a native speaker. three trial sessions allowed for each language being learned, rather than three trial sessions total per student. a way to connect with community tutors without setting an appointment in advance. Sometimes I have 30 spare minutes that I’d like to spend in conversation. It would be nice if community tutors could sign up for “drop-in” sessions. Potential students could message them and, if they’re available, the session could start immediately instead of being booked 24 hours in advance. If you aren’t regularly talking to people in the language that you’re learning, then you’re missing a huge piece of the language learning puzzle. Sites like italki can help you find that puzzle piece. Once you start talking to real, live, unpredictable human beings, you’ll be amazed at how quickly your ability to speak progresses! Go ahead and sign up for  italki. Find a partner. Write a notebook entry. Start actually communicating with people. After all, human communication is the reason that languages even exist in the first place! A few final notes: This is a completely unbiased review. Italki does have a referral program that allows referrers to earn credits, but the link that I posted in this review is not an affiliate link. The only thing that I’m hoping to get from anyone who decides to join italki is the satisfaction that one more person is seeking out native speakers to communicate with! If, however, you would like to support me by providing me with one free lesson (at no cost to you) when and if you buy any credits,  you can use this referral link when signing up for italki. I’m not looking for any more language exchange partners at this point. But if you’re an intermediate or advanced Spanish-speaker and you want to practice for half an hour every week or two (just Spanish â€" no French or English), please  contact me! Top [This originally appeared on  http://www.tobefluent.com/2013/07/31/how-italki-is-helping-me-learn-spanish/  .  We had no idea  Stephanie had written this but were pleasantly surprised when we found her blog post.  We felt that it was such a great blog post, that we had to share it with all our italki members as it has some great information on how to maximize learning on italki!  Reposted with permission.] How italki is helping me learn Spanish! How italki is Helping Me Learn Spanish How italki is Helping Me Learn Spanish There is only way to learn to speak a language:  speak it, speak it, and speak it some more. While the easiest way to immerse yourself in a language is to travel â€" or, better yet, move â€" to a country where the language is spoken, all is not lost for those of us who can’t do that just yet. Thanks to the wonders of Skype and free websites like italki.com, we can immerse ourselves in any language from the comfort of our living room couches!  (Actually, in my case, it’s the dining room table. I still haven’t quite mastered the art of using a laptop on my actual lap.) If you’re looking to ramp up your language learning, then you might want to consider signing up for italki. * Please note:  this review is very long. I can’t help it. I’m full of words. Believe it or not, I actually cut out a good quarter of each post before I actually publish it. If you don’t like posts with a lot of words â€" well, you probably won’t like this blog. Sorry. First of all, it’s important to point out that italki itself isn’t a language program. It won’t teach you grammar, or provide you with video lessons, or offer you with step-by-step how-to-learn-any-language instructions. What it will do is provide you with access to a much more valuable resource:  actual, thinking, communicating human beings.   Registration on italki is free. Once you’ve registered, you’ll set up your profile, including which languages you speak and which languages you’re learning. There’s lots of “social stuff” on italki: upvoting, friending/following, discussion threads and so on. While some people might love the social media stuff, I don’t bother much with most of it. My goal is to connect directly with Spanish speakers who can help me, or with French speakers who need my help. In my opinion, these are the five best ways that italki is helping me learn Spanish: 1. Find a language partner A language partner is someone who speaks the language that you’re learning, and who is learning the language that you speak. If you click on “Language Partners” at the top of your italki screen, you can search for someone to connect with, being as specific as you like. My specific search â€" female Spanish-speakers learning French â€" brought back dozens and dozens of results. Once you have a list of results, you can read people’s profiles and find someone who seems interesting. When I first signed on to italki, I followed people and they followed me back, but nothing ever came of it. My “followers” count went up, so I suppose I might have looked a bit more popular, but it wasn’t actually helping me learn Spanish. I’m much more specific now. After clicking the “follow” button on someone’s profile, I send them a note requesting that they follow me back, spelling out exactly what I’m looking for. I include time zones in three major Spanish-speaking cities. This might seem a bit too straightforward for some people, but I don’t want to waste lots of back-and-forth time. As lovely as a person might be, if our schedules don’t mesh, then she isn’t the language partner I’m looking for. I send very specific follow requests on italki. Yes, I realize that I accidentally typed “who” twice. Once I connect with a language partner whose schedule matches mine, we set up an initial Skype meeting. From there, we can decide if we would like to meet regularly for practice sessions. So far, I’ve had nothing but good luck with language partners. I meet weekly with five fun, encouraging, friendly women â€" a different one every weekday. I use a webcam for all of my language exchanges â€" I like to see a person when I’m talking to her. I know, though, that some people prefer not to use webcams at all. If you’re not comfortable with video, make that clear from the beginning, and you should be able to find someone to talk to using audio only. 2. Hire a professional teacher or a community tutor If money is tight, or if you’re happy with your progress, then language partners might more than meet your needs. I wanted to progress more quickly, so I decided to hire a professional teacher to help me learn. On italki, you can choose between two types of paid lessons: professional lessons and informal tutoring. Teachers offering professional lessons have to have some kind of certification, whereas informal tutors don’t. Teachers are generally more expensive than informal tutors, but many of them are very reasonably priced. Some of them are so inexpensive, in fact, that the language teacher in me feels a bit bad about how low their rates are. Many teachers and tutors offer trial sessions, lower-priced half-hour sessions for new students. Some of these trial sessions can cost as little as 10 credits, or one dollar. This lets you “sample” a teacher to make sure that your styles and personalities mesh well. Each student is only allowed to take three trial sessions, perhaps to discourage people from taking trials without committing to any teacher.  (I personally disagree with the three-trial policy, but it is what it is.)   One great thing about the italki booking system is that there’s no back-and-forth needed. You access the teacher’s schedule, click on an available time, and send a session request. Best of all, the schedule is automatically converted to your time zone, so you don’t even have to figure out what time your session actually starts.  I booked two trial sessions, with the idea that I would take two weekly lessons with the teacher that I clicked best with. Then I clicked with both of them. Rather than choosing between them, I decided to do one weekly session with each of them. My fantastic italki Spanish teachers, Mati and Auri. Connecting with Skype tutors ended up being one of the best things that I’ve done to speed up my language learning. Between my conversation partners and my tutors, I’m spending a whopping seven hours on Skype every week, five and a half of which are in Spanish. While this might seem like a lot, the time flies by, and I credit Skype conversations for 80% of my progress. 3. Write a notebook entry The best place to seek out corrections is in your written work. While a patient and encouraging teacher or language teacher will correct you at times when you’re speaking, it would be counterproductive to expect them to correct every single mistake. Too many interruptions would break the flow of conversation, which is the whole point of doing a language exchange. In a notebook entry, though, you’re laying down your work with the understanding that native speakers will correct it, change it, and point out your mistakes. One of my notebook entries, with corrections suggested by a native Spanish-speaker. Don’t forget to return the favour and try to correct other people’s work as well. There are always notebook entries that go without corrections, which must be very disappointing for the writer. When choosing notebook entries to correct, it’s best to stick to your own language or to a language that you know very well. I’ve seen corrections made by a non-native speakers that were very inaccurate.  4. Find a penpal I connected with one potential language partner, but no matter how hard we tried, we just couldn’t schedule a Skype meeting. Instead, we decided to be penpals. We write to each other using the italki private message system two or three times a week. Eva writes to me in English, and I send her message back to her with a few corrections and suggestions. Then I respond to her message in Spanish, and she corrects my work. I struggle with writing in Spanish. A lot.  I’m surprised by how helpful it is to have a penpal! I appreciate being able to take the time to think about what I want to say, and to really dig in to the corrections that Eva makes on my work. I also like having a penpal because â€" unlike with notebook entries â€" we can develop a relationship and have longer and more personal conversations. 5. Ask, answer and read questions I click on this feature when I have a few spare minutes and want to help other learners. People post brief questions in any language, and native speakers answer them. You can look at all of the questions, or sort them by language. I try to answer as many French questions as I can, focusing first on the ones that haven’t been answered yet. Reading questions and answers in the language that you’re learning can help you clear up understanding, build vocabulary, and learn expressions. A few Spanish questions on italki. Out of the five components that I mentioned in this post, I think that asking and answering questions is the one that I use the least. Still, it can be a very useful way to interact with native speakers without much of a time commitment. What I would like to see at italki Of course, no review is complete without a mention of what’s lacking. Here are a few things that I would like to see at italki: a live chat feature that would allow you to exchange messages back-and-forth with a native speaker. three trial sessions allowed for each language being learned, rather than three trial sessions total per student. a way to connect with community tutors without setting an appointment in advance. Sometimes I have 30 spare minutes that I’d like to spend in conversation. It would be nice if community tutors could sign up for “drop-in” sessions. Potential students could message them and, if they’re available, the session could start immediately instead of being booked 24 hours in advance. If you aren’t regularly talking to people in the language that you’re learning, then you’re missing a huge piece of the language learning puzzle. Sites like italki can help you find that puzzle piece. Once you start talking to real, live, unpredictable human beings, you’ll be amazed at how quickly your ability to speak progresses! Go ahead and sign up for  italki. Find a partner. Write a notebook entry. Start actually communicating with people. After all, human communication is the reason that languages even exist in the first place! A few final notes: This is a completely unbiased review. Italki does have a referral program that allows referrers to earn credits, but the link that I posted in this review is not an affiliate link. The only thing that I’m hoping to get from anyone who decides to join italki is the satisfaction that one more person is seeking out native speakers to communicate with! If, however, you would like to support me by providing me with one free lesson (at no cost to you) when and if you buy any credits,  you can use this referral link when signing up for italki. I’m not looking for any more language exchange partners at this point. But if you’re an intermediate or advanced Spanish-speaker and you want to practice for half an hour every week or two (just Spanish â€" no French or English), please  contact me! Top [This originally appeared on  http://www.tobefluent.com/2013/07/31/how-italki-is-helping-me-learn-spanish/  .  We had no idea  Stephanie had written this but were pleasantly surprised when we found her blog post.  We felt that it was such a great blog post, that we had to share it with all our italki members as it has some great information on how to maximize learning on italki!  Reposted with permission.]

Tips For Holiday Gift Giving At Work

Tips For Holiday Gift Giving At Work Image: Unsplash Ask around first This job may be your first job. Even if it is not, different companies have different policies about giving gifts and how it may be done. If you are unsure about your company’s policies, ask around to see what is the general rule. In general, the larger the company, the more policies there are likely to be around giving gifts. Find out if gifts are acceptable and which coworkers you should get something for. See if there are things that you should refrain from gifting altogether. Be considerate of coworkers If your workplace has a formal gift-giving practice in place, it may be easy for some of your coworkers to go all-out and buy huge presents for everyone. However, not everyone may be able to afford to get something for everyone, especially not at the same level. If a coworker you do not work with directly does not get you something, even if you get something for them, do not take it personally. They may have a difficult financial circumstance that they are working through and buying even a few gifts for their immediate coworkers may be straining them financially. Practice good etiquette Gift giving in any situation can be tricky, but it is even more so in the workplace. There are certain etiquette rules that need to be followed in order to make sure power dynamics are maintained. First, avoid buying your boss a gift as this can be seen by your boss as rewarding their power. Instead, consider getting them a card or bringing in baked goods to share with the office. Secondly, the best way to give gifts to coworkers is to do a Secret Santa. That way, no one feels pressured to participate, which is helpful if someone celebrates differently or does not have the means to afford giving gifts to coworkers. Set a price cap and make sure to enforce it. Also, there are certain etiquettes about what to buy and what gifts are appropriate or not. Buying gifts such as bath sets or jewelry that are used on the body can be seen as too personal for a work environment. Buying gag gifts may seem fun, but they may come across as tacky and unprofessional, so it is best to avoid them. If you are not planning on buying something for all of your coworkers, try to avoid handing out gifts in front of coworkers that you did not buy for. Instead, opt to meet for lunch or coffee to exchange gifts. On the flip side, avoid buying for everyone to make a statement. Gifts should be given to show appreciation, so give to those who helped you throughout the year. Be sure to send handwritten thank-you notes for any gifts you receive, even if you thank the person when you get the gift. In the note, be sure to say how much you appreciate the gift and how it has helped you in some way if it has. The person spent time and money to get you something, so express your gratitude. Keep your gifts affordable While it may be tempting to go all-out to show your coworkers that you appreciate them, remember that you are on a college student budget and that you likely have other people to shop for. However, there are affordable gifts that you can buy for coworkers that they will love and that will not break the bank. If you work in an office, office or school supplies are sure to be welcome since they are used on a daily basis. Also, a calendar or planner for the new year can help your coworkers organize projects and tasks they need to complete. Other items such as hand sanitizer and reusable water bottles can be useful while getting something personal that each individual will like. If you are participating in a secret Santa or an exchange that has a price limit, be mindful to stick to the limit. That way, you are showing that you can follow guidelines and you will not overspend. Remember student coworkers If you work on or near your campus, there are likely other students working with you that you can buy gifts for. Gift cards of any sort are appreciated since college students are usually on a budget. Buy a reusable travel coffee mug for someone you are buying a coffee shop gift card for so they can help reduce waste and get their favorite coffee. Random acts of kindness kits are perfect for students who want to make a difference but feel like they are unable to because of their budget or lack of time. Also, just think of something that would be useful for you to have and buy it for your coworker since they are in the same boat as you. You can also buy things based on their major. For example, if your coworker is a business major, you can buy them business cards (or a gift card to get their own) or a gift card to get business attire. Journalism and English majors love to write, so consider buying them a nice notebook or journal with a matching pen. Buying gifts based on their major will mean a lot to them since you put in the effort to get something special while still having it be professional. Consider the recipient While it is the thought that counts, you do not want to get a gift that may offend the recipient. You may want to get wine for someone, but that is not a good idea if you know they are a recovering alcoholic or are someone who has religious objections to drinking. As a general rule, avoid giving alcohol so that you do not offend anyone. Since you are giving the gifts to coworkers, avoid gag gifts as the recipient might take offense to it and it may make you seem unprofessional. Buy gifts that reflect the recipient’s interests and hobbies. Also, consider that those in your office are your coworkers. As such, avoid being too personal since you do have to maintain a professional image. If you are feeling some question about whether or not something you want to give is too personal or would make a coworker uncomfortable, err on the side of caution and find something else. Gifts for kids you nanny or babysit Nannying and babysitting are popular jobs for college students to have since the hours are flexible and they tend to pay well. If you know that the family you babysit or nanny for celebrates winter holidays, consider buying gifts for the kid(s) you watch. Some inexpensive ideas are coloring books and crayons, games, Play-doh, books, or chalk. Consider buying things that you can do together when you watch them. That way, you can have fun with them and they will remember who got them the gift. Team up to buy for your boss As mentioned before, try to avoid buying a present for your boss. This is because doing so may make you seem like you are trying to seek favor from your boss by flattering them with a present.   However, if you do want to do something, coordinate with coworkers to have everyone chip in some money to buy your boss something from all of you. That way, everyone can be involved with thanking your boss while keeping the power dynamic intact. This will also ensure that your boss can know that everyone appreciates him or her without one person having to worry about how their intentions look. Your personal relationship with your boss may be a factor, but it is definitely better to err on the side of caution. If you do decide to team up to buy something for your boss, you will want to make sure it is something he or she will use and is professional. Buy your boss a healthy snack subscription box, a set of nice notebooks, or a leather business cardholder. If your boss has been mentioning something that he or she needs, buy it. This will ensure that you are paying attention and are willing to help out. Image: Ben White via https://unsplash.com/photos/dddQHervE04 Participate in gift-giving festivities If your company has Secret Santa or White Elephant exchanges, make sure you participate. This is part of your company culture, so you want to be sure to make a great impression and be involved, even if it is not your dream job. Usually, there are cost limits so unless your religious beliefs prohibit you from participating, you should get involved. Ask around in advance so that you can start saving up money ahead of time so finances are not holding you back. Even if you do not have to buy gifts, you may be asked to chip in to help with parties or a general office gift pool. While you may not be obligated to chip in, studies show that participating may help you get promoted. If anything, it will help your coworkers and boss see that you do care about the office culture outside of your job. Think about your team Some companies are relatively small, so if you only have a handful of coworkers, consider buying each person a small token of gratitude for all they have done throughout the year. However, if you have several coworkers and no means of affording gifts for everyone, consider buying gifts for immediate managers and coworkers who have helped out. In this case, as mentioned previously, give these presents privately so that other coworkers do not get jealous or upset that you did not buy them something. Consider buying things for coworkers or mentors who went above and beyond to help you in some way through the year. Also, if you do have a small team and are planning on buying something for everyone, make sure that you keep things fair. Do not spend $50 on one coworker and only $5 on another. For those who are into supporting various causes, consider donating some money to a charity in their honor. Obligated or not? Remember, you are not obligated to buy every single person you work with a present. This may be difficult to remember if someone gives you a gift but you did not buy them something. Be sure to smile and thank them on the spot, and also remember to send them a thank you card. If you feel like you want to return the favor, consider getting them a gift card and include it with the thank you note. However, keep in mind that this is not mandatory and again, you are not obligated to buy them something just because they got something for you. Gifts to avoid giving coworkers While gifts are intended to be good, there are gifts to avoid giving so you do not come across as offensive. In general, cash is not acceptable. Instead, opt to give coworkers gift cards to their favorite stores or restaurants. Giving perfumes or anything else with fragrance can make it seem that you are telling your coworker that they smell. If you opt to donate money in someone’s honor, avoid giving to political or controversial organizations, especially to poke fun at someone. This may make you seem unprofessional and may cause drama in the office. Giving gifts around the holidays is tough, but adding an office environment into the mix can make it even more complicated. However, knowing the etiquette and your company’s policies can help you decide what to buy and who to buy for. When in doubt, ask around the office.

Benefits of a Chemistry Tutor

Benefits of a Chemistry TutorThe organic chemistry tutor is a different type of assistant and you might want to look for him or her in your college, university or secondary school. He or she can do many things for your college education and also help you with other things.It is the responsibility of the tutor to teach students about all the fundamental parts of learning chemistry. They are responsible for giving assignments for their subjects and will also supervise the students' work. If you are a very good student, he or she can make sure that your grades are not too low. If you are not very good, the tutor will surely help you with your mistakes.If you need assistance in doing chemical reactions, you should not bother searching for a teacher. You should always call a chemist who has a lab so he can assist you with all your problems. Some chemist in a laboratory will be very helpful and will also tell you where you can find the equipment you will need.Sometimes, a chemist might not be available in the campus and it will be necessary for you to leave the school and look for a chemist who can come to your place to help you. This is a great advantage for students who are on their own because they will no longer have to sit and wait for an appointment while the chemistry professor teaches in the classroom.The organic chemistry tutor will help you out with your classes and will take care of your studies as well. Some teachers are more interested in teaching others than teaching themselves. The organic chemistry tutor will do everything for the student who has a good attitude about studying.To make sure that you study well in college, the chemistry tutor should make sure that you are well organized. He will also encourage your love for chemistry.Thereare many benefits that you will get from this kind of help in college. These benefits include high scores for your college career, a great career in science, a great career in chemistry and a career in chemistry.