4 Things to Know Before Taking Skype Spanish Lessons

4 Things to Know Before Taking Skype Spanish Lessons Suzy S. Interested in learning Spanish? As youre deciding between in-person and online Spanish lessons, consider these points by Fairfax, CA tutor  Jason N... Spanish continues to gain traction as the undisputed second language of California, and the United States for that matter. In the next decades, Spanish could even become the most commonly spoken language in this country. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that Los Angeles, California, for example, is 53% Latin American and growing. That means that if you’re Caucasian or born in this country, you could be an English-speaking minority in the near future! So clearly you want to learn Spanish, but you are busy with children, work, family relationships, and many other competing demands on your time. Maybe you are a college student and don’t have time or space in your schedule to take a Spanish class. Maybe you may have tried mobile applications to learn Spanish, but have noticed that you learn best with a live human tutor rather than through an app. A couple months ago, I wrote a blog about what to look for in a tutor, where I underscored seven key traits of an effective tutor, which was written assuming that you meet with your tutor in person. In this day and age in 2015, as technology increases in effectiveness, increases in use, and becomes progressively commonplace, many people are seeking tutors via Skype. The global market of “Skype tutors” continues to grow by the day. Consequently, for a myriad of reasons, you may be considering Skype Spanish lessons. Here, I underscore four points to consider before deciding to take Skype Spanish lessons. 1. Skype lessons are often cheaper Maybe you are interested in private Spanish lessons but don’t have the budget to regularly meet with a private tutor, and have realized that Skype lessons can be a cheaper or more convenient option. Let’s be honest: private, in-person Spanish lessons can be expensive. Skype lessons can very well be a cheaper option. Many Skype tutors charge around $10 per hour lesson, when the average Spanish tutor in this country charges between $20 and $100 per hour. 2. Spanish via Skype  can  be convenient Often we are too busy to fit in another outside activity. Undoubtedly, meeting with a tutor via Skype enables you to have the personal live tutor experience without having to leave your house or invite a tutor into your home whom you don’t know yet. It’s important to shop around first and find a great match. TakeLessons has a network of instructors who offer live Spanish lessons online via video chat. 3. Consider the technology Despite the two benefits above, speaking from three years of experience tutoring Spanish usually in person and seldom by Skype, I strongly believe that learning is enhanced when the tutor explains and writes key words down on paper or in a textbook with you next to him or her, to facilitate learning. While Skype has a convenient screen-sharing option, it can be easily compromised by not being able to see your tutor’s face and hand gestures as he/she explains to you what they are demonstrating on the screen. This makes it similar to a short YouTube video lesson, which is not worth paying for or scheduling. 4. Key pitfalls There are undoubtedly pitfalls to learning Spanish via Skype. These include: Interruptions can be a lot more frequent than if the lesson were live. Having a regular Skype Spanish student, I’ve grown accustomed to the inevitable bad Internet connection on either or both sides, which can be frustrating and disrupt the flow of the lesson. As I stated above, it is harder to teach conjugation and the nuances of the many and complex irregular verbs in Spanish. Screen sharing can only do so much. It is hard to teach pronunciation across a screen, for example where to place tongue while pronouncing Spanish words that end in L, and how that differs from English. Just like the visual pixel resolution is particularly superior in-person than on an iPhone 6, for example, the hearing ‘resolution’ is undoubtedly better in person. Have you compared the difference of a drum set and electronic drums? The electronic sounds will never sound as pure. In conclusion, Skype Spanish lessons can be an attractive option depending on your specific needs, preferences, and life situation, while you don’t lose touch of the pitfalls. Skype lessons can be a cheaper, convenient, and unique adjunct to successful second-language learning. That said, based on my experience of learning Spanish in other countries, I’ve come to believe human contact in person is an indelible part of learning a language. Click here to find a tutor in your area! Readers, what do you think? Have you tried taking Skype Spanish lessons? Leave a comment and share your thoughts! Bonus:   Learn about the budget-friendly options for learning Spanish! Jason N. tutors in English and Spanish in Fairfax, CA.  He majored in Spanish at UC Davis, lived in Mexico for 3 years where he completed a Masters degree in Counseling, and studied Spanish Literature and Psychology at the University of Costa Rica. Learn more about Jason 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 Photo by  Mattias Frenn

Ten Good Reasons To Go For Online Tutoring

Ten Good Reasons To Go For Online Tutoring 0SHARESShare Online tutoring is a new and exciting way to learn and teach. A large number of students are turning to the Internet as a helpful learning tool. Online tutoring provides students in-person care and assistance and help them to meet their expected target. Ten Good Reasons to go for Online Tutoring: With a computer and a high-speed Internet connection, sessions may be attained from anywhere Children are motivated to learn using latest technologies The process is very flexible, and available at times that is convenient for both the student and the tutor Sessions may be given / attained from the comfort and convenience of your own home Live personal one-on-one guidance is offered at reasonable rates Ideal for families who are traveling A good option for those children who have to stay at home due to an illness or injury Perfect for students who find it difficult to travel long distance for tuitions after school Good for those students who feel shy to convey their doubts in the classroom Internet learning sessions are environmentally friendly because, parents do not need to drive to take their kids to a tutoring session nor the tutor need to drive to come to your place.   This implies less exhaust emissions into our atmosphere. The process is also a saving for the parents in terms of money spent on fuel. Online tutoring allows effective interactive online sessions, this means that the entire process is conducted through computer and there is no use of paper. Tutor Pace  provides a wide range of highly educated and trained online tutors to offer you the best tutoring session. [starbox id=admin]

5 Tips for an Introvert in a Leadership Position - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / 5 Tips for an Introvert in a Leadership Position - Introvert Whisperer 5 Tips for an Introvert in a Leadership Position Kayla Matthews December 18, 2018 Leadership No responses Go to top Introversion and leadership might not seem to go hand in hand at first glance, but employers who think the two are mutually exclusive are missing out. You have several advantages as an introverted leader over your extroverted peers. Introverts make excellent leaders due to their thorough problem-solving skills, ability to focus on tasks without the distraction of talking to colleagues and productivity-based motivation. If youve recently gotten appointed to a leadership position, its normal to feel uncomfortable. But you can still have a thriving career in leadership as an introvert â€" and you might even find yourself enjoying it. To help you get settled into this role, here are five tips for flourishing in leadership. 1. Use Your Natural Talents of Listening and Learning Dont try to masquerade as an extrovert to fit into a leadership role. Instead, channel the unique skill sets you have as an introvert and embrace your leadership style. Introverts have a reputation for their natural ability to listen first and talk later â€" a skill many of your extroverted counterparts may lack. Use this natural talent. Ask your employees and co-workers for their ideas, thoughts and complaints, and actively listen to them to create innovative solutions in the workplace. Your attentiveness will make them feel truly heard, and youll be able to thoroughly think through your guidance and feedback for the best possible solutions. 2. Step out of Your Comfort Zone â€" Occasionally Even the most introverted leaders occasionally have to stand up and make a speech or organize a large business meeting. Put yourself out there â€" force yourself to participate in small talk with a group of your colleagues and clients. If the idea currently sounds difficult, try taking some public speaking classes to get in the habit of addressing groups. At the same time, dont force yourself out of your comfort zone so much you become too stressed or tired out. Take some time to yourself each day to rest, recharge and think about your strategy. 3. Write Down Your Thoughts When you do need to address large groups, it helps to prepare. Introverts like to take time to think through their ideas before presenting them, and they often feel more comfortable writing things down than saying the first thing on their mind. Ask for meeting agendas in advance, so you have time to collect your thoughts on the subject. Type up a one- or two-page paper summarizing your ideas and questions concerning the speaking points. When it comes time for you to speak, use your notes to guide you in the right direction. 4. Understand the Importance of One-On-One Conversations Large meetings can understandably be intimidating, but you can use other methods to communicate with your staff. Sometimes, one-on-one conversations can be more powerful, as well as easier to handle. Try to catch up with colleagues during private lunches, personal meetings and reflections in small groups, and space out large meetings for when theyre necessary. 5. Dont Label Yourself Most introverts shy away from leadership roles. They expect to feel fearful, worried, nervous or upset in group settings because of their quiet nature. But in reality, the only thing holding you back is your mind. Let go of your label as introvert and be yourself. Think positively and be confident about your ability to lead â€" after all, you earned your leadership position because your peers felt you had potential. Make the Most of Your Leadership Skills You may have never envisioned yourself in a leadership role, but that doesnt mean you wont find success in your position. You have plenty to bring to the table, so put your unique skills to work to be the best you can be as an introverted leader. Go to top Bottom-line â€" I want to help you accelerate your career â€" to achieve what you want by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my 4 Building Blocks to Relationships eBookâ€" the backbone to your Networking success and fantastic work relationships.  Grab yours by visiting here right now! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer

Where Can You Find Private Lessons for Free

Where Can You Find Private Lessons for Free How to Find Free Academic Support: Free Science lessons, Maths lessons, Language lessons and More ChaptersGovernment Offerings of Academic SupportVolunteer Organizations that Offer TutoringReceive Free In Home Tutoring OnlineTake Free College-Level CoursesThe Rise of the MOOCsLearning, Just for FunSomehow, the best students seem to be favored with more of teacher's attention in class while the students who actually need teachers' intensive focus and would truly benefit from it remain in the back of the class, and at the bottom of the rolls.Ironically enough, it seems these best students are the ones who can and do take private lessons from home tutors or tutoring services.Educational inequality in the UK is a proven fact; one that has the government, educators, tutoring centres and parents working to find solutions to.Students who struggle in class would be well served with one on one tutoring. However, when private tutoring fees average £17 per hour, families restricted to a tight budget cannot easily pay out what it takes for their children to achieve academic success.Don't de spair! Academic tutoring is not out of your reach. Read on to find out how your child can find a tutor, benefit from private tuition and get homework help for free.Many UK libraries offer homework help and free Internet access. Source: PIxabay Credit: fritzdejonglecture format on campus, with students demonstrating their grasp on the subject by writing papers; or a combination of both.After successful completion of the course(s), students are issued certificates that, of late, employers have been accepting in lieu of traditional higher learning degrees.The United Kingdom's Open University has been lauded as the most innovative and user-friendly provider of online college courseware. Established in 1969 as a brick-and-mortar facility, this institution was among the first to embrace technology as a tool for learning.Their catalogue of free courses ranges from politics and law to philosophy and living sciences, divided into 8 broad categories which are subdivided into tailored courses. You can take free video courses online. Source: Pixabay Credit: UpsplashThe Rise of the MOOCsMOOC stands for Massive Open Online Course. In part an effort to combat the rising education costs, many universities have partnered with (or founded) digital learning companies.MOOCs are now considered the vogue of university education.Welcome to FutureLearn, a wholly online educational platform owned by Open University. Registering on their site, you can choose a degree programme or study subjects that fascinate you.FutureLearn receives its material from institutes such as University of Leeds and King's College London, to give you as broad a learning experience as possible... for free!Other MOOCs include:Coursera is based in America, and offers courses in Engineering, Biology, Humanities, Computer and Data Sciences and Marketing.Eliademy builds free online courses through cooperation of students and teachers. Subjects range from Accounting to resume writing.Udacity focuses on vocational co urses for professionals. Some courses are free while others are for a fee, albeit substantially lower than traditional schools.EdX, a collaboration between MIT and Harvard, offers free university level courses in subjects ranging from Anatomy to Marketing.Learning, Just for FunNot all tutoring results from dire need and distressing economic conditions. Pupils who are more advanced than their current classroom curriculum may seek one to one tutoring as a challenge to their abilities.Who doesn't love music? For those who wish to learn the piano or guitar, online music tutors are standing by:The Hoffman Academy offers free online lessons in composition and theory, based on the pianoThe Piano Nanny is one of the longest-running music tutorial site on the web.May Music Studio diversifies its teaching to the guitar and drumsBerklee Shares extends their tutoring to brass and wind instruments, going further into arranging and production, as well as other behind-the-scenes aspects of the mus ic industry.For those who prefer to learn alone, there are a number of online resources to help you learn different skills.For those looking to take up a musical instrument,  Beginner Guitar HQ offers a wealth of information for beginners to help you choose the right instrument for you.Today's current business climate demands extraordinary skills. Studies show employees who can speak more than one language receive a 5 to 20% higher salary than workers whose only language is English.Are you eager for a pay raise?You can learn a second language with native speakers at Lang-8.  This learning exchange program focuses on written aspects, such as grammar, verb tenses and word usage.At Lang-8, you would tutor foreign learners of English while they would teach you their language's mechanics.Another language tutoring website is myhappyplanet, where you can interact live with people native to the language you wish to learn. In addition to active learning through conversation, the site offers video tutorials.Subscribing to both sites is free, and would give you a well-rounded language learning experience.Whether your student is stressing over academic challenges or just has a curious mind and wants to learn more; whether s/he is more intellectually advanced than his/her peers...When you want to promote your abilities and expand your knowledge, the choice is clear: online tutoring offers many avenues to achieve everyone's learning goals.

The Importance of Setting Math Goals

The Importance of Setting Math Goals The Importance of Setting Math Goals Elementary and middle school grades are critical years for a students math development, as it is during this time students learn the fundamentals so imperative for success in upper level math courses. The significance of these years explains why so many parents seek extra math help for their young students via a tutoring program, regarded as the most common and effective means of strengthening areas of weakness in math. But did you know? Effective math tutoring programs can achieve even greater results when defined by specific goals and strategies that are also recognized and implemented at home. Why Do Math Goals Matter? Research demonstrates that learning plans are most effective when students feel as if they have a stake in their own education, and understand where theyre going and how they will get there. Allowing a student to write out, discuss and follow through with his or her goal math goals is a great way to contribute a sense of personal ownership to the learning process. Goals will be an integral part of your students math tutoring experience, but can be integrated into home life as well. Heres how parents can help: Encourage your student to talk about their math goals and discuss ways they can continue to reach these goals after each tutoring session and throughout the week. Active discussion about goals in a relaxed, positive manner can help cultivate persistence and motivation. Display your students math goals in a frequently viewed space in the home, such as your childs bedroom wall, in his or her planner or on the refrigerator. Communicate that this display isnt to remind your child that his or her goals are chores, but rather that they serve as friendly, uplifting reminders that future accomplishments are on the horizon. Talk with your student about his or her math goals in terms of specifics. As your childs tutoring math goals will be tailored to strengthening specific skills, conversation about goals should involve more than general questions like, Do you think youre getting better? or Is math a little easier for you now? Show youre truly in the know when it comes to math goals by asking about the details. Specific questions typically yield more insightful answers. A parents demonstration of genuine interest in math goals can also help redirect focus from the pressure to simply earn an A, and instead communicate that attaining beneficial skills is what matters most. Continue to talk about the how aspect of your childs math goals. Even if the how is simply attending his or her weekly tutoring session, its valuable to emphasize that goals can only be attained through a students course of action. Sometimes students arent sure what steps are needed to achieve a goal or how they are making gains from week to week, yet their full understanding and participation is critical. Plan a celebration. When a goal is met, celebrate! Math is a challenging subject, and any student that commits time and effort to reaching math goals deserves recognition. Promoting positive feedback also helps motivate students to continue to work towards their remaining math goals. Interested in math tutoring for your elementary or middle school student? At Huntington Learning Center, we can help. Visit us online or call today at 1-800-CAN-LEARN.

Is Sugar Addictive English Listening Exercise with TED

Is Sugar Addictive English Listening Exercise with TED Ive been wondering about sugar lately, mainly because of my 3 year old. The more sugar she eats, the crazier she gets, and shes never happy with the amount she gets. No matter how many cookies she eats, shell always want another.So the  TED video below got my attention. It explains how sugar works in an interesting way, and provides a great English listening exercise with some interesting a href=https://www.skypeenglishclasses.com/verb/English phrasal verbs/a. Watch the video below, then see if you can answer the questions in comments well respond to your answers.iframe src=//www.youtube.com/embed/lEXBxijQREo width=560 height=315 frameborder=0 allowfullscreen=allowfullscreen/iframe Answer  the listening questions below in comments, and well correct them for you.1. ____ warm ___ cookies.2. What do the verb and adjective in the above sentence mean?3. These receptors ____  a signal __  to the brain stem, and from there, it ____ ___ into many area of the forebrain.4. What do the phrasal verbs in the above sentence mean?5. What question does our brains reward system answer?6. But over activating this reward system ____ _____ a series of unfortunate events.7. What does the phrasal verb above mean?8. Why is it hard to get kids to eat their veggies?9. How is sugar different from other foods?

Whats your Internet Identity

What's your Internet Identity Photo by jared on flickr.com We are able to control what other people see in our personal lives. If we have a bad day, we have the option to complain about it on Facebook or Twitter or to keep it to ourselves and not let anyone know. Vice Versa, if we have a fantastic day, we have the option to brag about it and let the whole world know. We create an identity and a personality with what we choose to share with the World Wide Web. What we choose to write, share, post, read, and buy  creates an image that we portray on the internet; however, the image we portray on the internet may not be the same as the image we portray in real life. On the internet we can create an image that is happy-go-lucky seemingly every day, but in reality we may not be so happy on a daily basis. The internet has allowed us to create this avatar of ourselves without us even realizing it. Most of us probably do not think about how a simple Facebook post will affect our internet identity, but reality is that everything we do on the internet does exactly that. The internet has become an alternate reality where we are able to portray ourselves in a different light and communicate with others through posts and pictures and what we all now call “Facebook stalking.” Through this alternate reality we are able to access information on a person based on their internet identity, but do we ever really know a person until we spend actual time with them? Today, we live in a world where we are constantly connected and our internet identity is seen as a direct reflection of who we are. But it is not a direct reflection. It is an image that has been carefully created for others to see, either consciously or not. Do we want others to think that we are constantly happy-go-lucky, or do we want others to know how we feel on a day to day basis? I guess that is up to us. We can use our internet identities both to our advantage and to our disadvantage. If we are careful enough we can create an internet identity that will attract future employers, but on the other hand, and this is something we all know, our internet identity can  turn away   future employers. current employers, and more.   Our internet identity is something we have absolute control over and we can choose whether we want to focus our image on friends or work.   Both have their advantages.   Both have their disadvantages. But which one do we create? As college students we are stuck between the two. We are placed in both a social and professional setting.   We want friends to be able to find and communicate with us through the internet, but we also want current and potential employers to do so.   We need to create an internet identity that works for both our friends and employers.   We can post our weekend events, but maybe leave out the incredibly drunk pictures.   We cannot complain about our bosses on Facebook, Twitter, or any other form of social media.   We can create an identity that reflects who we are both socially and professionally, but we have to recognize that we do control our image.

Why teaching abroad is a great career move for any university grad

Why teaching abroad is a great career move for any university grad You’ve been to university and earned a bachelor’s degree, but you aren’t quite ready to commit to a decade of office work in the same city you grew up in. You want to add value to your resume, but can’t afford to dedicate your time to chalking up volunteer hours. You want to see the world, but know that a short-lived sightseeing tour overseas won’t quite cut it.  Whether you’re a professional teacher or a recent graduate with a knack for the English language, teaching abroad is the most practical way to add instant value to your university degree and resume. Here are some reasons why teaching abroad is an awesome idea for a recent university graduate:Gain international experienceYour studies have equipped you with a great set of skills that will be enhanced in a real-world environment. Your education has taught you to think critically about social issues - teaching overseas with Teach Away offers a fun and exciting way to develop your critical thinking and worldview by e xperiencing a whole new culture in the city of your choice. Imagine discussing German politics with local Berliners or learning about the ancient traditions and new-age technology of Tokyo, Japan.Separate yourself from the competitionThe percentage of people with undergraduate university degrees is always increasing. In the United States, nearly 50% of the population between ages 25 and 34 have a bachelor’s degree. In Canada, that number is even higher - about 60%. The percentage of educated people in all age brackets has increased significantly as well.There are plenty of ways to stand out from the competition when applying for jobs at home, but adding employment experience from overseas can be effective - employers look for unique candidates who have challenged themselves in significant ways. Whether or not your long term career goals are in the sphere of education, being able to add that you have taught and lived in a foreign country will go a long way in helping advance your c areer.  Don’t just teach a language, learn a new one yourselfTeaching abroad is also about learning. On top of the cultural knowledge you are sure to accumulate, teaching away offers the perfect opportunity to another language. Mastering a second language creates significant opportunities for young people. These could be future international employment opportunities or an awesome position at home that involves working with foreign clients. Learning a new language is no small task, but ask anyone who has a grip on more than one language and they’ll tell you that the best (and maybe only) way to really become fluent is to submerge yourself in living conditions where the people speak the language you want to learn.Travel and advance your career at the same timeWhen the cap and gown come off and the real world is staring you right in the eye, there is a fairly standard set of options for what to do next: Do you head off to grad school and pursue your next degree? Do you quickly lan d that dream job and get to work? Or do you take some time off of the hard stuff and go travelling? Teach Away offers a wide range of teaching positions at a variety of institutions around the globe and provides the avenue to accomplish all of the above. With Teach Away you can advance your education through cultural submersion in a whole new city, earn a reliable steady income, and have fun travelling the world… all at the same time.If you’re a recent graduate with a desire to travel and to teach, Teach Away might be your door to a wealth of international teaching opportunities. Teaching abroad isn’t for everyone, though -  you’ll have to be willing to adopt a new lifestyle and work a full a schedule in a city where the primary language might not be English.  Up for the challenge? Visit our Check out our job board to see current postings around the world. Or visit our University of Toronto TEFL page for info on how to get TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certi fied.