Friday, April 3, 2020

Play Ball - Learn From a Coach

Play Ball - Learn From a CoachClaremont parents are ready to cheer on their school's new high school sports team, The Claremont Wildcats. For Claremont's first year of basketball, kids will receive a full season of mentoring from Coach John Leonard, as well as a full summer of instruction from an experienced coach and father of the team.Claremont is one of three schools in the Claremont Valley (Southern California) to offer basketball scholarships. Coach Leonard's 13-year tenure at Claremont, where he has coached his entire career, is one that makes him well suited to the task of guiding his student-athletes through the spring and summer of their high school career.Coach Leonard begins his tenure as the head basketball coach at Claremont at the conclusion of the second year of basketball activities. In this role, he will oversee the season and teach the team's players all the strategies they will need to achieve success.Coach Leonard is one of the most well-respected coaches in the V alley and a leader among the coaches. He has been involved in a variety of sports such as tennis, golf, baseball, volleyball, tennis, and squash. Coach Leonard's involvement with a variety of sports can be seen in his involvement with the Claremont High School Soccer team.Coach Leonard offers tutoring to his students so that he can help them develop into successful basketball players. He has seen many talented players who didn't make it past the freshman year because of lack of motivation. Coach Leonard believes that only with the proper guidance and coaching, can you make it to the next level.Coach Leonard is excited about starting his first season as a coach at Claremont High School. He welcomes the opportunity to educate and mentor his student-athletes.Coach Leonard believes that this coaching position at Claremont is something he is very well suited for. As a parent, I am thrilled to see this new school become part of the Claremont family and Coach Leonard's first year as a teac her will be a fun one!

Monday, March 23, 2020

Senior Year College Resolutions

Senior Year College Resolutions Youve finally made it to senior year. Youre older, you no longer have to carry a map of campus, and youre starting to get wise to those myths about the last year of college. As a senior, you have college all figured out. However, it is never too late to make a few improvements or to prepare for the next stagethe real world. Let your year of lasts be your year of bests with these four senior year college resolutions. 1. Finish college stronger than you started Senioritis can drain your motivation and shift your focus, but you know better than to let it take control of your last year of college. Instead, take all the wisdom and experience of the last three years and use it for good. You have had three years to experiment, make mistakes, and hopefully learn from them. You know which subjects you excel in, where you do your best studying, and how much work you have to put in to get the grade. Put this knowledge to use to have your best semester ever. To finish your college experience on a strong note, take time to make a list of habits that have worked for you in your first three years. Did you take advantage of your professors office hours? Did you pursue honors projects and extra credit opportunities? Likewise, take a moment to reflect on which classes were the most difficult for you. What mistakes did you make? You now know better, and recognizing the mistakes can ensure you dont make them again. 2. Gain real-world experience in your prospective industry Senior year is a great time to step off campus and gain some real-world skills in a professional setting. Consider finding an internship in your area of study. Many colleges and departments provide help in the form of an internship coordinator, who may assist students to find potential opportunities and make connections. Get to know this person well during your senior year. You can also personally reach out to local businesses and inquire about any internship opportunities. As an intern, you can gain the experience and communication skills needed to succeed in your field. Having an internship can also give you an edge over other candidates when it comes to applying for jobs in the future. If an internship isnt in the picture for you, consider job shadowing. A job shadowing opportunity allows you to observe the day-to-day duties of a person in your prospective industry. Reach out to a professional in the field to see if you can shadow him or her throughout the week, or even meet with him or her over coffee one day to discuss the nature of his or her job. Plus, in the real world, who you know is important. Finding connections while you are still in college can give you a step up when it comes to searching for jobs. Volunteering is another great way to gain experiencewhile helping others. Find a cause that you care about, then reflect on how your skill set can contribute to that organization. Are you a journalism major? Help the organization with their social media needs. Studying business and economics? Any organization would appreciate assistance with fundraising. Volunteering for a cause gives you experience and connections that can help you in the future. 3. Fully utilize campus resources There are tons of resources available to students on campus. Often, these resources are either free or rolled into your total tuition cost. Once you are on your own, you may need to front the cost of comparable resources, so use them while they are still free and readily available! For example, your college gym can help you reach your fitness goals and expand your fitness knowledgesomething youd pay a pretty penny for in the real world. Likewise, mental health services, a student health center, or entertainment on campus are all opportunities to take advantage of as well. In addition, your career services office can provide assistance and tools to help you succeed in your job or graduate program search. Through career services, you can make connections in your dream field, create your first resume, and plan for post graduation life. Also, be sure to schedule a mock interviewyour career counselor can provide feedback on your performance to help you master an interview. These resources, like a professional resume consultant or career coach, would cost hundreds of dollars in the real world. 4. Give back to your university Make this year the year that you make a difference on campus. After everything your college has given you, its important that you give back to your college as well. Four years may seem like a short time to leave a legacy, but there are several ways that you can ensure you change your college for the good before you leave. You could implement a new program in your student organization, or raise money for a scholarship fund for students from your hometown. Maybe you mentor a freshman, helping him or her through the first year of college, or you assist a professor with a research study. These are all ways to have an indelible effect on your college for years to come. With these senior year college resolutions, you are making a commitment to make the most of your last year of college. Your senior year is a time to gain experience and prepare for your future in the workforceutilizing campus resources, seeking internship opportunities, and reflecting on your best academic habits can ensure you have the tools needed for future success.

Friday, March 6, 2020

How to Identify Stressors at Work and Learn How to Manage Them - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / How to Identify Stressors at Work and Learn How to Manage Them - Introvert Whisperer How to Identify Stressors at Work and Learn How to Manage Them Stress has increasingly become a part of work life of employees irrespective of their hierarchical position in a company. Whilst limited amount of stress can act as a motivator and create challenges to complete work within a specified time frame but excessive workplace stress can have devastating ramifications. Did you know that about 47% of the workforce in the UK has the feeling that they are being overworked? High workloads often make employees stressed to a point where they end up staying at the office after work hours. It is sometimes important to complete a certain time-sensitive task on the day it was assigned but if an employee stays after hours regularly, it is not healthy. Either it should be inspected if he is utilizing work hours wisely and efficiently or quantify his workload. Spending more time at work affects the personal and family relationships. Besides the responsibilities at work, almost all employees also have various duties that they need to perform before and after work for their family. Whilst work is an important part of life, it is very important to understand that it is a must to have a good balance between your life and work. It is important to have a supportive positive environment at the office which does not encourage bullying, harassment, or blame culture. A mistake can be made by anyone whilst it is important to find the roots of the mistake and fixing the cause instead of blaming someone for it based on predetermined notions. A bad work culture does not allow employees to be expressive and find smarter and creative solutions. Although it is normal for humans to feel stressed and in a controlled environment can help employees focus but the excess of it can be detrimental to the performance of an employee.Check out tips to stay stress-free at work by identifying stressors that trigger stress at work and learning how to manage it.

Thursday, March 5, 2020

Study for the ACT and Open Doors to Many Good Colleges

Study for the ACT and Open Doors to Many Good Colleges 0SHARESShare Have you always dreamt of studying in a good college? But you are wondering ‘How to study for the ACT’. The apprehension of ACT study is obvious because you can’t imagine doing something with your career that you have not done already. Tutor pace is a specialist in providing online tutoring and  ACT study tips. Our tutors have themselves attempted the ACT and SAT exam several times and they have outperformed their own record score. By doing this, they could achieve success for many students. Online tutoring guarantees success because it is available  anytime anywhere and the service levels are just excellent.  It is better than sitting in the real classroom because the level of focus that you can put to use is really good. With Tutor pace ACT online training your dream to study in a good college will no longer remain a dream, because we believe this can be a reality. All you have to do is enroll for our ACT tutoring session and we will take it from there. If you have any specific queries about online tutoring, then please feel free to visit us on  www.tutorpace.com  and chat with one of our live tutors now. [starbox id=admin]

Teaching Private Latin Tutorials

Teaching Private Latin Tutorials How Can You Teach Private Latin Tutorials? ChaptersGetting Started as a Latin Private Tutor through StudyBecoming a Latin Tutor via the InternetTeaching Yourself Latin and Becoming a Private TutorGetting Lessons to Become a Private Latin TutorWhere You Can Become a Private Latin Tutor“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” - Nelson MandelaAcademic support is becoming increasingly popular, especially for languages. Latin is one language that’s particularly famous for just how difficult it can be to learn. That said, there are still many students opting to study Latin at GCSE and A Level.Latin, either directly or indirectly, is responsible for over half of the English vocabulary. A quarter of our vocabulary comes directly from Latin and another quarter is from Old French, which itself evolved from Latin.Latin has been used by almost everyone from the Roman Empire and the Catholic Church to scientists in the 15th century and diplomats in the 17th century. It's a fascinating language a nd a gateway to many other subjects including history, languages, and the sciences.However, unlike maths, physics, chemistry, history, or geography, there are very specific career paths for those who study Latin and it can be a little even trickier working out how to start teaching people Latin.If teaching Latin in schools isn't for you, you could always teach it as a private tutor.So how can you become a private Latin tutor?In this article, we’ll explain how you can get started with private tutoring. DéborahLatin Teacher 5.00 (12) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Dr. KarisLatin Teacher 5.00 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JennyLatin Teacher 5.00 (1) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SimonaLatin Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ArgiroLatin Teacher 5.00 (4) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LucieLatin Teacher 5.00 (5) £75/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DanielaLatin Teacher 5.00 ( 9) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SophieLatin Teacher 5.00 (6) £45/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsGetting Started as a Latin Private Tutor through StudyIf you’re going to provide Latin academic support, you’re going to need to be a well of knowledge when it comes to the language. Whether you're providing online tutoring services, home tutoring, or one-on-one tutoring, you need to be reliable, knowledgeable, and have a great understanding of how the language works.In short, you’ll need a good foundation in the language. If you’re going to get this foundation, you’ll need to study the language. In other words, you’ll need to go to uni! If you want to be the best, you're going to have to study. (Source: StockSnap)You can study the language and even do some teacher training if you want. The latter will be really useful when you’re planning and teaching your private tutorials.  In short, there are a few steps you’ll need to take. These steps can take around 6 years of your life.Study Latin at A LevelStudy an undergraduate degree in Latin (often with another subject)Study a master’s degree in Latin orStudy a PGCEGetting a teaching qualification isn’t essential for teaching private tutorials, but there are a lot of teaching skills that could help you stand out from the other teachers on the market. Let’s not forget that whether you’re teaching face-to-face tutorials, online tutorials, or group tutorials, it’s a market. Whether you’re teaching secondary school students, university students, or hobbyists, you might benefit from a teaching qualification or Qualified Teacher Status.Find out how much Latin te achers earn.Becoming a Latin Tutor via the InternetIf you want to become a tutor full-time or alongside another job, it’d be a good idea to head online. There are plenty of sites to help you study languages or even plan private tutorials. In the digital age, not all study takes place face-to-face. (Source: tookapic)You’ll have to have a good understanding of the language if you want to teach it. In any case, you need to be comfortable with starting from scratch.  If you’re determined to teach, you could learn the basics of the language from other private tutors on Superprof, for example.You can use our platform to look for Latin tutors from all over the world!  There are plenty of Latin tutors in the UK offering tutorials for all budgets. With enough work, you may even surpass them. DéborahLatin Teacher 5.00 (12) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Dr. KarisLatin Teacher 5.00 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JennyLatin Teacher 5.00 (1) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SimonaLatin Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ArgiroLatin Teacher 5.00 (4) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LucieLatin Teacher 5.00 (5) £75/h1st lesson free!Dis cover all our tutors DanielaLatin Teacher 5.00 (9) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SophieLatin Teacher 5.00 (6) £45/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsTeaching Yourself Latin and Becoming a Private TutorThis is a more complicated and long process but also the most rewarding. After all, you can say that you did it all yourself. With so many online resources, anyone can teach themselves Latin. (Source: josechubass)With books, dictionaries, and a lot of motivation, you’ll be able to teach yourself the language skills to start providing academic support. Don’t forget that you’ll also need to teach yourself how to become a quality teacher and not just a master Latin language.After all, what's the point in all that Latin knowledge if you have no idea how to transfer it?As a teacher, you need to be able to pass on your knowledge of your subject to those who don’t have a strong foundation in it. Think carefully about teaching yourself and don’t hesitate to get classes if it turns out you need them. When you’re teaching yourself, you also need to know when to ask for help!There are plenty of books and resources to help you master the languages.Find out more about becoming a Latin teacher.Getting Lessons to Become a Private Latin TutorEach student (and even aspiring tutors) may need help from time to tim e. You might want to get help with Latin given how difficult the language can be. You don’t want to be struggling to help your students with their homework.  With the disadvantages of teaching yourself, you may want to attend night classes or even go to (or back to) university.Night classes are a good balance if you think that university is too academic, for example.Where You Can Become a Private Latin TutorYou can learn how to teach Latin, but you also need to put in a lot of work. As a Latin tutor, you’ve decided to not teach in schools or universities, but rather teach individuals or small groups outside of institutions.What better way to teach Latin than to students who’ve chosen to learn it?However, you need to learn how to manage your classes and students! It doesn't matter how good your Latin is if you don't have anyone to teach. (Source: EliFrancis)Signing Up to PlatformsThis is a good way to start teaching languages as a private tutor. These platforms are essential for tutors starting their new careers, but you need to be aware that there’s a lot of competition, even for Latin.Your training and qualifications can set you apart from the competition. If this is the case, you shouldn’t have too many problems finding students. You need to set your rates so that they reflect your knowledge and teaching skills.You can set up a profile on Superprof and start looking for students and being found by those wanting to learn Latin.  Of course, you can also sign up to other platforms to cast a wider net.  Latin isn't a dead language since a good private tutor can breathe new life into it.Discover the routes into Latin teaching.By Word of MouthYou can also start finding students yourself. It might take a while to start getting regular Latin s tudents.  However, in addition to the platforms that we were just talking about, you can also look to your network of friends, family, and colleagues. When it comes to finding students for your Latin tutorials, you can use:FriendsFamilySocial networksClassifiedsSchoolsThis is a good way to get a start with people who already know and trust you. That said, you still need to ensure that your tutorials are impeccable.  As a Latin tutor, you’ll be seen in higher regard than most other language tutor and as a result, students will expect more from you than they probably would in modern foreign language tutorials.Good luck! While it’s difficult getting started, it’s worth it in the end!Whether you're interested in teaching calculus, study skills, test prep, trigonometry, or Latin, you can sign up as a private tutor or an online tutor on Superprof and start finding tutor jobs.  If you speak multiple languages, you could also become an English tutor, French tutor, Spanish tutor, or wr iting tutor and provide private speaking, reading, and writing tutorials to students in your area or all over the world thanks to the internet.If you want to learn Latin or some teaching skills, you can always get help from the tutors on Superprof! There are three main types of tutorial available and the perfect one for some mightn't be ideal for others.Face-to-face tutorials are your typical private tutorial with a private tutor sitting opposite their student. These are usually the most costly option because your tutor will spend a lot of time preparing your bespoke lessons but they're also very cost-effective since every minute in class is spent teaching you.Thanks to the internet, you can also get online tutorials. This is when the tutor teaches their student using video conferencing software and a webcam. These tend to be cheaper than face-to-face tutorials since the tutor doesn't have to travel.Finally, group tutorials tend to be cheaper per student per hour since the cost of t he tutor's time and expertise is shared amongst all the students in the lesson. However, you won't get as much one-on-one time as you would with face-to-face tutorials.

How to Use a Chinrest and Shoulder Rest

How to Use a Chinrest and Shoulder Rest Two Tools for Avoiding Aches when Playing Violin ChaptersWhy Use a Chinrest or a Shoulder Rest?Choosing a Violin ChinrestChoosing Your Violin Shoulder RestAdjusting Chinrests and Shoulder Rests“A table, a chair, a bowl of fruit and a violin; what else does a man need to be happy?” - Albert EinsteinThe violin is one of the smallest stringed instruments. This means that you need to adopt a position that isn’t very natural in order to play it and since playing it is quite an intense activity, especially if you’re playing in an orchestra, you’re likely to end up with aches and pains.To avoid these pains and enjoy playing the instrument, we recommend two really useful accessories: the chinrest and the shoulder rest.There are tonnes of schools around the UK offering violin lessons to children and adults alike, not to mention all the private tutors there are.Nowadays, learning the violin is for everyone. While this string instrument was once reserved for the upper classes (because you needed a dedicated luthier to make you one), thanks to modern manufacturing techniques that have rendered making parts like the fingerboard, tailpiece, and scroll easier, there are violins available for every budget.In fact, the same is true for the violin family of instruments and other string instruments such as the viola, cello, mandolin, double bass, and guitar.In this article, we’re going to focus on the two accessories we mentioned earlier: the chinrest and the shoulder rest. TomViolin Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors StacyViolin Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValtieViolin Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors BenedictViolin Teacher 5.00 (8) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TaisiiaViolin Teacher 5.00 (1) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AmyViolin Teacher 5.00 (1) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LuísViolin Teacher 5.00 (6) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MomokoViolin Teacher £45/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhy Use a Chinrest or a Shoulder Rest?A violin rests on the musician’s collarbone.  While the wood used in making violins is often of a high quality, the constant rubbing against your bones and the vibrations from the instrument can leave you uncomfortable or sore.Like a violin, we all sometimes need a good rest. (Source: cuncon)After all, wood is generally quite a hard material and it can make your playing less enjoyable. This is why some violinists opt for a shoulder rest to place between their collarbone and their instrument.A good shoulder rest will sit on the musician’s collarbone and still mean that the instrument can be easily bowed.A shoulder rest is a curved and rigid quilted bar which spans the back of the violin and rests against the violinist’s collarbone.You should know that a shoulder rest can make playing your violin more difficult as it makes accessing the strings more difficult and playing in pitch even harder.Violins without should er rests have a deeper, richer, and more natural tone and better playability.Some beginners will be faced with a difficult choice: deal with the pain for a better sound or alleviate the aches to the detriment of their playing.When you attach a shoulder rest to a violin, you add extra tension which makes it harder to vibrate and reach the strings.What’s a chinrest?The chinrest sits at the bottom of the instrument.Its job is also to alleviate the aches and pains inherent in playing the violin. However, it also protects the wood from sweat and rubbing.That said, it’s pretty much part of the violin and has been since the 19th century. However, for the 300 years previous to that, most violinists avoided using one at all cost.Choosing a Violin ChinrestThe chinrest has become such a common accessory for a violin that almost every violin nowadays is now sold with one.You should avoid plastic when you can. (Source: Hans)It’s there to make playing a violin more comfortable by alleviatin g the pain from rubbing against the wood of the violin’s body.It also protects the instrument itself from dirt, sweat, and constant rubbing.  It’s therefore imperative that the accessory is perfectly fitted and angled to fit your chin into comfortably.How should you choose a violin chinrest?Whether you play jazz violin, chamber music, or classical music, you’ll use a chinrest.In fact, you need to choose one that is the same size as your chin.Chinrests are generally made from plastic, ebony, or rosewood.The material you choose will affect how your violin plays. If you don’t feel comfortable with plastic, you’ll not feel as comfortable playing your violin.The choice of material is almost as important as choosing the instrument itself.How can you achieve a good vibrato or pizzicato if you don’t like the feel of the violin against your chin?You also need to consider how your chinrest attaches to your violin.Here are some of the criteria to consider when choosing a chinrest:T he shape: side or centre mountThe material: synthetic materials and plasticsThe finish for wooden chinrests: ebony, rosewood, or boxwoodHow it attaches to your violinYou’ll find tonnes of online retailers and brick-and-mortar music stores selling violin chinrests. You can also visit a violin shop to pick up stuff for your fiddle.They can range from £10 to £150 according to the model you opt for. Generally-speaking, the higher the price, the better the model. However, if you're just playing for fun, it's probably not worth spending a fortune on them.Choosing Your Violin Shoulder RestWhen buying a violin you also need to think carefully about the extras and accessories.You don't want the wood on your violin do split. (Source: PublicDomainPictures)In addition to a metronome, tuner, rosin, the bow, and replacement strings, you might also consider getting a shoulder rest if you find your violin too uncomfortable to play without one.In order to alleviate pressure on your collarbone, a shoulder rest is the answer.  Keep in mind that if the shoulder strap is too tightly attached to your violin, it will negatively affect its sound.You need a shoulder rest that’s comfortable and sits comfortably on your collarbone as well as not hurting the sound of your violin too much.We recommend trying your instrument with and without a shoulder rest in a music shop so that you can judge for yourself whether or not it’s worth it.There are tonnes of different brands, materials, and colours. There are metal ones, wooden ones, and carbon ones and you get them from Kun, Wolf, Wittner, Playonair, etc.You have to consider the size of your violin, too.This is arguably the most important criteria to consider as you don’t want to put a shoulder rest for a 1/4 violin on a 1/2 violin or a 4/4 violin.  You need to choose a shoulder rest that fits your instrument.In terms of price, they can range from £10 to over £100 for top-of-the-range shoulder rests.  Keep in mind that there are also compact and foldable shoulder rests that’ll fit in your violin case.Perhaps you could ask your violin teacher to guide your choice for the right chin rest...Adjusting Chinrests and Shoulder RestsIt’s important that you get the right chinrests and shoulder rests. However, a lot of violinists overlook them.Make sure you have some screwdrivers in order to adjust your violin. (Source: blickpixel)What’s the point in playing really well if you always come away in agony?Here’s some advice for adjusting your violin accessories.Firstly, set the height of your shoulder rest. This needs to ensure that the violin comes up to your lower jaw.Put simply, the violin needs to sit comfortably in place. If it doesn’t, either your chinrest or shoulder rest need to be adjusted.Your shoulder rest needs to also be adjusted to fit the violin itself. It needs to be adjustable and fit where you want to put it on your violin.Finally, you need to adjust the angle.When you put your chin on the ch inrest, your violin needs to be able to sit horizontally and stay in place. The shoulder rest can be used to adjust how the instrument sits and ensure that it’s almost perpendicular to your head.Do you practise in a flat or have neighbours who aren’t that keen on your music?You should consider investing in either a practise mute or an electronic violin and get lessons from some of the great tutors on Superprof!If you're not sold on the idea, you should keep in mind that many of the tutors offer the first hour of tuition for free. This is a good opportunity to work out what they can do for you, how they teach, how much they charge, and when they can schedule tutorials for you. Try a few different tutors before making your decision!Don't forget that if you need replacement d'addario violin strings, tuners, horsehair for your violin bow, violin bows, violin cases, violin parts like tuning pegs, or any other accessories for your acoustic or electric violin, there are plenty of onlin e retailers and physical music stores for your musical instrument. These places will also probably sell cello strings and viola strings for the other members of your string quartet!Soon you’ll be able to tune your violin by ear, a master of music theory, and a violin virtuoso!If you are a right-handed musician, of course, you can learn to play the typical way, but if you are a left-handed musician playing the violin will be different. You can learn more about that in our other blogs about the violin.

Should You Answer SAT Questions in Order

Should You Answer SAT Questions in Order ACT SAT Prep and College Admissions Blog After your first time taking an SAT, you may walk away with the feeling that there must be some better way to take this test.It’s so long, and some of the questions are so tricky that they make everything that follows seem even harder. Sure, one way to get better at taking the test is to review punctuation rulesand make sure you know topics like triangle and circle geometry inside out. That sort of work will give you confidence when it comes to content. But some of the most fruitful prep you can do for the SAT is coming up with a game plan. Knowing how you’re going to tackle the test goes a long way towards helping you make sure you can execute on all of that grammar and math content you want to review. In the case of the Reading section, a good strategy is just about the only factor that will influence improved scores. And so much of strategy comes down to what order you answer the questions in and how much energy you give specific ones. Before we develop that strategy, though, let’s talk about how those questions are laid out. Know Order of Difficulty on Each Section The Math sections on the SAT â€" both the No Calculator and Calculator sections â€" are laid out in the pretty predictable way. The multiple choice questions increase in difficulty as the section goes, as do the grid-in questions. That means your easiest math questions are going to appear early in the multiple choice and gridâ€"in segments. With the Verbal sections (Reading and Writing Language), the questions do not go in order of difficulty. Instead, you can expect to have a pretty even distribution of easy, medium, and difficult questions in each individual passage. This is a good place to note that there is no such thing as a “hard passage” on the SAT when it comes to the questions. You’ll always have a pretty equal mix of easy, medium, and hard questions in each passage. If you’re finding a Reading passage written in an older style of English difficult, for example, just remember that there will still be some easy questions you can answer about it just fine! Note: It really helps to read some literature written in that older English. Then, Should I Complete Question in Order? With the Math sections, absolutely answer questions in order. In fact, if you aren’t trying to score above a 700 on Math, you may want to take a little more time to make sure you’re getting the first two-thirds of all of the math questions, since those will be all the easy and medium ones. If you are trying to score above a 700, just make sure you’re getting those easy points and not rushing on the simple stuff. With the Writing Language, you may as well answer the questions in order since you have to read the passage as you go. It will probably just be too confusing to answer questions out of order on this section. Plus, there’s often a question at the end of a Writing Language passage that asks about the passage as a whole, so you’ll want a good understanding of the text. With Reading, feel free to answer questions out of order. In fact, it may help you develop a better bigger picture understanding for the main purpose and author’s intent questions if you answer the line references first, since those questions will basically make you read the whole passage through a second time. You may also want to specifically answer supporting evidence questions such as the one below out of order. When you have a pair of questions where the second asks which set of lines provides evidence in support of the preceding answer, you can always flip the order you approach these in. Here’s a simple strategy: Test the line references from the second question’s answer choices to see which contains information that could answer the first question. Eliminate all answer choices in the second question that don’t work and try to select the best one. Use that best answer from the second question to develop an answer for the first question. Use that answer to eliminate all answer choices in the first question that disagree with that text. Select the best of the remaining answer choices for the first question. Remember: The lines with supporting evidence that are correct for the second question might not appear in the same part of the passage as the lines referenced in the first question. About the Author Mike S. is one of our most experienced test prep tutors. For more information on our SAT prep packages, click here.

20 English Idioms Related to Body Parts - Intermediate Level English

20 English Idioms Related to Body Parts - Intermediate Level English Today I thought we would learn some English idioms related to body parts and master those expressions that are used every day.Scroll down to watch a short video lesson about Break a Leg idiom meaning.Yesterday a student used an incorrect expression. I knew what he meant to say but it was not correct. He meant to say “she went on foot” (meaning she walked to a place) but instead he said “she went by her legs”. There is not much difference between your foot and your leg but it can make a big difference in whether people understand you or not. English Idioms Related to Body Parts Here are some other English idioms and expressions using parts of the body.SIT ON YOUR HANDSThis usually is used to describe how someone decides to do nothing or is not allowed to do anything.He wanted to contact the customer and explain what happened. His boss told him to sit on his hands  for a few days.TO LEND A HANDThe opposite meaning to sit on your hands! Here we use this when someone asks us for help or we offer help to others.The office was very busy and lots of people needed to be contacted. The manager offered to lend a hand  to get the work done more quickly.COST AN ARM AND A LEGWe use this phrase when we are surprises or staggered by the cost of something.He crashed his car on the way home. There was a lot of damage. It would cost him an arm and a leg  to get it repaired! English Idioms related to Body Parts - Infographic Enjoyed this infographic? Here’s what you can do next: English Idioms Related to Body Parts UP TO ONE’S NECKThis is used to represent a time when we have a lot to do or we are in a lot of trouble.I am up to my neck  in work this week could we possibly meet next week instead? He is  up to his neck  in bank debt as he borrowed a lot of money to buy that house.PAIN IN THE NECKA nuisance; an irritating, annoying person.I hope Mary doesnt bring her brother this time, he was a real pain in the neck the last time he was here.TO BE ALL FINGERS AND THUMBSto be very clumsyHe tried to put something in his pocket but couldnt manage because he was all fingers and thumbs.TO BE DOWN IN THE MOUTHto be depressedYoure looking down in the mouth today, Peter. Come on, cheer up! SKIN AND BONESto be very thinShe is all skin and bones, she needs to eat more.TO TURN A BLIND EYEnot to notice something deliberatelyShe saw them taking sweets from the shop but turned a blind eye.TO BITE ONES TONGUEto try really hard not to say what you really feelHe was solely responsible for this disaster, but I had to bite my tongue.TO GIVE SOMEONE A COLD SHOULDERto deliberately ignore someoneWhat have I done to her? She’s been giving me the cold shoulder all afternoon.TO HAVE ONES BACK TO THE WALLto be in a bad or dangerous situation from which there is no escapeHe  had his back to the wall, down 4 games to 5 and serving in the deciding set to stay in the match.  TO MAKE ONES BLOOD BOILwhen something makes someone very angryLittering makes my blood boil.TO HAVE A LUMP IN ONES THROATto feel very sad; to be on the verge of tearsI had a lump in my throat when I heard the news. Body Parts Idioms - Infographic Help others to find this. Share! A KNEES UPThis is very informal/slang and has a pleasant meaning. We use it to describe a good party or a sing-a-long with some friends when everyone lets their hair down and relaxes.We had a great knee’s up  over Christmas. Everyone was there and were in great spirits.CHANCE ONES ARMTry to do something although the chance of success may be slim, to take a risk, to try ones luck. This phrase first recorded in 1880s and back in the days it was mostly used as  a soldier’s term.Immediately after University I  chanced my arm  and opened up my first boutique.YOU SCRATCH MY BACK AND ILL SCRATCH YOURSYou offer to help someone on condition that this person will help you in return.Thanks for lending me your car, here are your keys. You scratch my back and Ill scratch yours, remember?GO BELLY UPWe usually use this phrase when were talking about a business or some project that was unsuccessful or went bankrupt.Some thought it was only a matter of time before the company  went belly up, but it somehow survived.THROW SOMEONE A BONETo praise someone or to reward someone in some way in order to make them feel good.In secondary school I had many teachers who threw me bone and let me pass a test.ALL EARSIf someone says Im all ears it means that they are ready and are very eager to listen to what you have to say.Sam was all ears when I began to talk about my holidays in Australia last year.There are many many more sayings and expressions in the English language which we will cover in the future. So if you have enjoyed this post and it helps you to learn more about English idioms then share it with a friend and check out our Skype English lessons prices. Break a Leg Meaning - Video Lesson And here is my video lesson about probably one of the strangest English idioms related to body parts BREAK A LEG. It is one of many cases when the real meaning of the idiom BREAK A LEG  is totally different from the individual words this idiom consists of. Watch my short video lesson and learn the history of BREAK A LEG  idiom and its real meaning.

Sweet Deal! 15 Online Language Learning Tools Thatll Make You Feel Like a Kid in a Candy Store

Sweet Deal! 15 Online Language Learning Tools Thatll Make You Feel Like a Kid in a Candy Store Sweet Deal! 15 Online Language Learning Tools Thatll Make You Feel Like a Kid in a Candy Store Theres no denying it.Technology just makes things easier.Did you ever have the experience of  hearing  a song that just blew you awayand then not being able to find out what it was?It was frustrating, even painful. But now we have smartphones!With  the right app, your phone can tell you whats playing in the grocery store, a hipster cafe in Brooklyn or your siblings car (which can be annoying when you dont want to admit you have the same taste in music).Unsurprisingly, technology offers the same convenience for language learners, only in a far more significant way.It can take thousands of hours to learn a foreign language.Obviously, thats a lot longer than it takes to write down some lyrics and type them into Google. So theres already a lot more potential for saved time.But technology provides more than just time-saving resources. It provides learning opportunities where previously none were possible.So if youve been feeling trapped lately, like youre sure theres a way out of the lang uage maze to real fluency but you cant seem to locate it, then here you are.These are the language learning tools that will blow your path to success wide open. Sweet Deal! 15 Online Language Learning Tools Thatll Make You Feel Like a Kid in a Candy StoreOld-school learning: Tools for a free college educationWhile the United States tends to have a fairly flexible university system, allowing you to learn from many disciplines, for many of us its impossible to pack in everything we want to learn in a few years. And while you can always go back for a second or third round to earn your masters or Ph.D., many of us dont have the time or money to do so. Especially not for subjects that we love dearly but that remain hobbies.Thankfully, we have other options. That wonderful thing we call the internet has gone above and beyond once again. This time it has become a platform for resources that offer a free college-level education. Lets look at how these resources can be useful for language learners in particular.CourseraFirst off, we have Coursera: Teachers, classmates, lectures, homework and group discussions, all online.The courses offered on Coursera are run by professors from world-renowned institutions, and its even possible to earn a certificate from many of the courses if you want to pay.Coursera, another big name in online education, also maintains a Language Learning section under its online catalogue. Many of the courses will be geared toward beginners, like First Step Korean, and others will engage more generally with language learning, like the Miracles of Human Language course from Leiden University.And it also offers a multitude of classes that are  in foreign languages,  and for advanced learners, learning about something that youre interested in through a foreign language is an excellent way to boost your skills.On Coursera, there are currently  122 classes taught  in Chinese, the second most common language after English, and a long list of other lang uages trail after. Spanish has 79 classes. French has 41 classes. You get the idea. There are a ton of classes out there for you to try. You can even learn about entrepreneurship in Khmer!edXMuch like Coursera, edX  is an open platform for a  smorgasbord of different classes that include video, teachers and fellow students.Its actually one of the biggest MOOC websites out there. It was created by Harvard and MIT, two very famous and expensive universities in America. You can find a lot of college-level courses here, created and taught by actual professors from top universities.EdX has a few more language courses than Coursera. Mandarin is there as well as a Spanish class offered by the Polytechnic University of Valencia. Theres also an AP French class offered by a high school if youre willing to go in for that.On the flip side, edX has fewer classes that are in foreign languages, but there are still a significant number. There are 44 classes in Spanish, the second most common langua ge after English. You can also learn astrophysics in French and seismology in Chinese.Compared to Coursera, edX is slightly more focused on the sciences than the humanities. EdX also feels slightly more challenging than Coursera at times, with faster pacing and questions that come straight from on-campus problem sets, but hey, that might be just what you need.The best part?  You can actually earn college credits on EdX, through Arizona State University, and most of the courses have certificates you can get for completing them. It’s not free, but it’s cheaper than being in an actual college.MIT OpenCourseWareMIT OpenCourseWare  is a great option for language learners. OpenCourseWare  provides lecture videos, tests and homework assignments. The only thing youre really lacking is a teacher. The site more than makes up for this, though, in the sheer diversity of courses available.All of the most common languages learned today are there: Chinese, French, Japanese, Spanish, German and even Portuguese. There are also more advanced levels for each language.For example, there are seven different classes for Chinese, so youre not stuck with nowhere to go once youve finished the beginner course.With all these courses on hand, all youll need is a little determination to get a world class education in the language of your choicefor free!Tools to animate your educationBut perhaps old-school learning isnt quite your thing. Listening to lectures? Memorizing for tests? Come on, hasnt anyone come up with a workable alternative?Funny you should ask. Within the past decade or so, a slew of different language learning programs have been unleashed upon the market, just waiting for the would-be polyglots of the world to take advantage of them. Here are the best.DuolingoDuolingo is one of the most intuitive and popular apps out there. It aims to teach you the language in a way similar to how a child would learn it. Grammar is usually not explained straight out. Instead, the exerc ises gradually build and build until you go from saying I like apples to translating entire documents on the Duolingo website.The only drawback is that the app is aimed mostly at beginners, so it might not be as much help if you already have a strong base of knowledge in a language.FluentUFluentU  allows you to select a video in the language of your choice and watch it with optional subtitles in your target language or English. What really makes FluentU unique is that it takes authentic videos from all over the webâ€"like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talksâ€"and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.Too many difficult words? You can simply pause the video and get a translation for any word that appears in the subtitles. FluentU keeps track of all the words youve learned, so you can always be assured youre spending time on the areas you need to work on. It also provides material for every level, from complete newbie all the way up to native.If you like the idea of learning a language with the same content native speakers watch, but with a multitude of help right at your fingertips, you can start using FluentU on the website  right now, or better yet, download the FluentU app from  the  iTunes  or  Google Play  store.Mango LanguagesIf youre looking for an app that will get your conversation skills going, you may want to check out Mango Languages. This app provides lessons centered around various topics, such as love, travel and law, that help you get the feel of real conversations in your target language.This is done by listening to recorded conversations of native speakers, breaking down the conversation so that you understand even the smallest part and then working your way back up so that you could have that conversation yourself.But it doesnt end there. Mango Languages also strives to cover all elements of language learning (including pronunciation, vocab, grammar and culture) so that youll have a high potential for being a well-rounded language learner.MemriseAnother option thats great for learners of any level is Memrise. Memrise uses spaced repetition to help you keep those pesky vocab words in your head, minimizing the amount of time you have to spend staring at a list of words you need to know.The courses are also user-created, so things as exotic as languages from the Elder Scroll video games or Lord of the Rings have a spot on the site.MindSnacksIf youre really into gamifying your language learning, give MindSnacks a go. The interface is cute and entertaining, allowing you to really enjoy the time you spend learning vocab, grammar and spelling.Each mini-game included in the app is unique and focuses on a different skill, so you get anything from learning word recognition while keeping a fish afloat to identifying antonyms with the help of a Bigfoot lookalike.Rosetta StoneIf youve heard of any pay-to-use language learning program, its probably Rosetta Stone. Rosetta Stone strives for that old ideal: immersion. Everything that youll be learning will be in your target language.For instance, when you learn the word for cow in Mandarin, youll only see a picture of a cow with the Chinese above it, not the English word. The newest version of Rosetta Stone also comes with a personal teacher included in the price who you can have a 50-minute session with at the end of each lesson.You may still have Rosetta Stone stuck in your mind as that yellow box in the airport, but it has come a long way in recent years to integrate online language learning. Rosetta Stone includes online classes, games and mobile apps, hopping on board with a lot of recent language-learning trends. Recommended for long-term learners rather than quick phrase-building. It’s available for many languages, including:SpanishFrenchGermanJapaneseChinese…and more!Be sure to take a look at the Rosetta Stone offerings in your language today, and dont rule it out based on price aloneâ€"youll get your moneys worth in terms of polish, professionalism and effective language lessons that seriously stick in your brainâ€"for good!PimsleurPimsleur  has a much stronger auditory focus than some of the other programs above. Much of language learning with Pimsleur means listening to a conversation and then repeating parts of it, gradually building up knowledge until you can recall the phrases that have been said when prompted.Pimsleur does come with a reading component, too, but this is secondary and not heavily focused on. The audio is the huge selling point for themâ€"you can use this program to learn easily and effortlessly, wherever you go. Many people use this program for learning while driving!Just let the teachers guide you from basic phrases to complete sentences. It always prompts you to listen, repeat and respond, making it highly interactive. Each new lesson builds on the previous ones, cleverly weaving what youve already learned into new concepts. All in all, this program can help you make a seamless transition from newbie to fluent, with plenty of time and practice.FluenzThe creators of Fluenz  take a somewhat different methodological approach from more immersion-heavy programs, insisting that adults learn faster when they get the grammar explained to them in their own language. Thats the main thing that sets it apart from some of the programs above. That, and youll have a pre-recorded instructor onscreen at the beginning of each lesson.With so many language learning programs to choose from, its hardly a question of whether theres something for you. Its just a matter of finding out which one you like.Online language reference toolsOkay, so youve got your big guns. Your power drills and your chainsaws. But sometimes you just need a little piece of sandpaper and nothing else will do. Thats your reference tools.The reference tools from the old days seem to be gathering dust. When was the last time you saw someone flip through a real, physical dictionary? But online, refer ence tools are as important as they ever were.ForvoThe best inter-language dictionary tends to be specific to each language, but the best pronunciation dictionary for every language can be found in one place: Forvo.Having trouble grasping the sound of a specific word? Just seen a new word and have no clue how to pronounce it? Just load up Forvo and type the word you want to hear in the search box. If they have itâ€"and they have most common words for a large selection of languagesâ€"you can listen to audio recordings from a variety of different speakers, each one with their country of origin clearly labeled.Open CultureWhether youve just started a new language or are well on your way to being fluent and just looking for some new tools, give Open Culture a once-over. The Open Culture page on language learning provides access to great reference resources as disparate as help with writing the Russian alphabet to links to the Foreign Service Institutes textbook for Amharic.Open mediaMay be youre not looking for language learning tools per se. Is what you want more of the bread and butter of language? Places to read, watch and listen to source material at your level? Then youll enjoy the following sites.BBC LanguagesOne of the prime resources for source material is BBC Languages, which provides access to news, television and games in a variety of languages. Having a morning cup of coffee and need a nice morning radio program to fill the background? They have it. Want to have a peek at what French speakers in Africa are watching when they watch the BBC? You can.Lingua.lyBut if reading is more what youre looking for, then youll want to head over to Lingua.ly. This unique website functions by finding a selection of reading options based on the vocabulary you want to learn.All you have to do is  select a word pack and the site will return reading material that includes the vocab youll be studying. The site is updated regularly, so youll be reading news stories from the same day while you practice.To someone new to the game, all these resources can be a bit overwhelming.Maybe youre even tempted to just chuck the tech and go back to good old blood, sweat and tears.But bear with it. Give a few of these tools a go. Youll find a handful you like, and some you even love.And before you know it, youll be wondering how you ever learned without them.