Teach Yourself to Play Guitar Is it Really Possible

Teach Yourself to Play Guitar Is it Really Possible Suzy S. There are a lot of resources available to teach yourself to play guitar. Whether youve found an online cache of instructional videos, or a book for beginners at your local music store, there are many ways to become a self-taught guitar player. But how effective it is? Read on as we review two of the ways you can teach yourself to play guitar, and how far each can take you: Online Learning A quick Internet search will turn up tons of websites that boast claims of being able to help you learn guitar through video tutorials. These are good resources that allow you to quickly reference a specific topic. When youre trying to master a certain technique, or need to look up an obscure alternate fingering of a chord pattern quickly, you can usually find these without too much difficulty online.  You can also easily find printer-friendly charts for easy guitar chords. The downside? It can be all too easy to get stuck. When youre watching videos and repeating what you see, youre missing one critical thing feedback from a professional about your technique. That chord may sound right, but is your posture off? Is there a certain technique youre just not understanding no matter how many times you rewatch that video clip? Without a guitar teacher there to answer your questions on the spot, you may find yourself hitting a wall. Teach Yourself to Play Guitar Books Any brick-and-mortar music store will have a wide selection of books available for purchase.  These books are quite similar to the online learning  resources, in that there will be photos of each technique, and diagrams for chord fingering patterns as they are discussed in the lessons. The advantage of a book over online resources, of course, is that you dont need an Internet connection or a computer to teach yourself to play guitar. You can practice outside on a nice day, or in the car while on a family vacation. The downside to using a book to teach yourself to play guitar is that you wont have any of the technological advantages on your side. A book wont be able to play videos of the techniques, so you will have to rely on the photo and the description alone to help you understand the concept. And although most books will contain a chart of all the common guitar chords, with primary and alternate fingering patterns, nobody is there to check your technique or offer tips for getting the finger placement correct. How to Really Improve While it might seem exciting to teach yourself to play guitar, the truth is, its not the best method for learning. Sooner or later you will run into a situation where your resources, whether online or in print form, cant help you completely understand the technique. In the end, there really is no substitute for learning with a private guitar instructor. A private instructor will guide you through the basics of guitar, cater the lessons to your individual learning style and goals, and show you the best exercises to practice in between lessons as well. Most of all, they can provide an important source of motivation, holding you accountable and keeping things fresh. After all, even the most dedicated guitar players sometimes need an extra push! So keep on strumming and have fun! 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  tudor-rose

What is it Like to Attend Nevada State College

What is it Like to Attend Nevada State College Cynthia is a current student atNevada State College. She is majoring in nursing, and specializes in anatomy tutoring, elementary math tutoring, and a number of other subjects. Below, she shares her experience at Nevada State College: Describe the campus setting and transportation options. Cynthia: While Nevada State College is a little over 10 years old, its growing and expanding like crazy. The campus is set in the rural area of Henderson, NV. The location can be a bit out of the way for some, but there is a bus line that one can catch to get to school. I feel really safe on campus; we have the police officers from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas constantly on campus. The campus is small enough to get to know everyone, but large enough that you don't feel smothered. How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Cynthia: The faculty members are all awesome. You can always come and talk to the professors and make an appointment to meet with an adviser; they even have open hours for walk-ins. I love that the classes are now beginning to have course assistants along with SI (supplemental instruction). This helps with any questions you may have with the classes. The SI sessions really help, especially with tough classes, such as pharmacology. How would you describe the dorm liferooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Cynthia: While the campus is still small and there are no dorms as of yet, there is still a big opportunity to socialize and meet other students. With the recent addition of two new buildings, we now have a small food court area that has great food, as well as a Starbucks. The school is always having some sort of activity going on, and there are clubs that one may join if interested. Which majors/programs are best represented and supported? Cynthia: Nevada State College is known for its BSN nursing program, as well as other majors, such as education, science, and psychology. I chose to go toNSC for the nursing program, and just finished my first semester as a nursing student. I feel that this college is great at supporting the nursing program. The school provides you with the tools and resources needed to accomplish your educational needs. How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Cynthia: It was very easy for me to make friends, as the classes are not very large and everyone is really nice. There is no Greek life currently at NSC; however, I have seen students petitioning to bring Greek life to NSC. I like that NSC is very open to all people and organizations they feel will help the diversity of the school. How helpful is the Career Center and other student support services? Cynthia: I have seen many graduates out in the workforce, especially when doing my clinicals for class. Employers and past graduates have nothing but praise when they hear of people coming out of our college. There are many services available to students on campus. The great thing is, if its not available on campus, NSC students have the opportunity to use the resources at UNLV. How are the various study areas such as libraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Cynthia: The library is great. There is plenty of room to study, as well as rooms that can be checked out for times when you need to study with a group. The library does not have books; however, you have many resources onlineover 1 million books. If you really need to see the book in print or if its not available online, the librarians will find a way to get it for you to borrow. Describe the surrounding town. Cynthia: The surrounding town of Henderson is nice. There is everything you could need from a small town, and its right next door toLas Vegas. There is always something to dofrom museums, to water parks, to riding a roller coaster, or seeing a show. How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Cynthia: The student body is growing each semester, and I am very pleased with the class sizes. The classes are not too large; they are just the right size so you can know everyone, and the professors can manage the class well. Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one you regret the most. Cynthia: One of my most memorable times was after a week of studying for finals. I was walking out of math class, and to my surprise, the school had provided pizza, chicken wings, salads, and drinks, as a way of letting us know that we are supported and that we work hard. Another memorable occurrence was in one of my nursing classes. The professor always played relaxing music for the first 10 minutes of class, just to get everyone relaxed and calm before we learn. I have always loved this and looked forward to class time. Check out Cynthias tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Singers How to Warm Up Your Vocal Cords

Singers How to Warm Up Your Vocal Cords Suzy S. Image via Wikipedia Ancient civilizations discovered powerful truths about vocalizing and singing that are relevant to modern students of voice and song. We all go through our daily lives speaking, humming, and singing some of the time without realizing the effects of things we do half-consciously. Or maybe we just suspect it! Well here are some facts!! By focusing on singing, speaking, or chanting the vowels (A,E,I,O,U) we release a myriad of emotions in an uplifting and healing manner. Chanting or singing mantras are based on vowel-combinations that when chanted in a particular way produce a vibrating effect on our entire system, our nerves, glands, and the brain. Here are some vowel sounds to use for warmup drills. Singers, performers of all kinds, and instrumentalists may benefit from using these simple exercises. A (pronounced “Ah”) Induces a state of calm, peace, serenity. Resonates at the toop of the thorax and esophagus (upper chest). The vibrations have a healing effect on the heart. A(pronounced as in “glass”) resonates in the upper part of the lungs.E(pronounced “eh”) Develops self-confidence. It resonates in the neck, throat, vocal chords, teeth, and thyroid glands. I (pronounced “ee”) is the vowel of laughter. It resonates in the bridge of the nose and crown of the head, affecting the brain and organs of the skull. O (pronounced as in “home”) Turns inward and gives the sensation of seriousness, completion, and perfection. It vibrates in the lower part of the lung, heart, and stomach. OU (pronounced “oo”) has a similar sensation to O, but sweeter.It vibrates in the lower abdomen, affecting the kidneys and stomach. Simple warmup exercises that help you get emotionally clear and refreshed: Balancing the Whole Body: A E I (pronounced ahh-ee) O OU For the ears: ENN For the nose and sinuses: MA For the head and jaw: YA YOU YAI For the stomach: HUH HUH HUH Vowels are to be sounded with the full energy of a deep breath. For example, when using I (pronounced ah-eee), inhale first, and then without exhaling, sound a strong and piercing EEEEE, parting your mouth as in a smile. Keep at the same pitch. Keep sounding as you exhale but do not use up all your air. Rest and repeat the exercise 3 to 4 times. Soon you will notice a definite vibrating effect in your head which is pleasant. This activity helps to clear the brain, eyes, nose, and ears. This is a good morning exercise!! Richard is a voice, guitar and piano instructor in Berkeley, CA.

Career Coaching in Manchester

Career Coaching in Manchester Finding the Right Career Coach in Manchester ChaptersWhen Should You Get Career Coaching in Manchester?Choosing the Right Career Coach in ManchesterCareer Coaching Agencies in ManchesterFinding a Career Coach in ManchesterThe Cost of Career Coaching in Manchester“The best way to predict the future is to create it.” - Peter DruckerSo how do you do it?A lot of students aren’t necessarily happy with the decisions they made concerning their education.So when and how can you change careers?To make things clearer, whatever your goals are, a career coach can help. Whether you’re looking for career coaching in a business or individual career coaching, changing careers, learning some transferable skills, there’s no lack of coaches in Manchester.Are you wanting to change career? Looking for jobs? Wanting a new job or career path?Then you might want to consider getting help from a career coach to change your career. In this article, we're going to look at when you should consider getting a career coach, how to choose the right o ne, how career coaching agencies can help, how much you can expect to pay, and how you go about finding them once you know what you want. TraceyPersonal development Teacher 4.92 (9) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NatashaPersonal development Teacher 5.00 (7) £55/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AntonellaPersonal development Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors IsamPersonal development Teacher 5.00 (3) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AndriyPersonal development Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MichelePersonal development Teacher 4.73 (7) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FlloydPersonal development Teacher 5.00 (11) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliverPersonal development Teacher 4.33 (4) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhen Should You Get Career Coaching in Manchester?Career coaching can help anyone’s career. They’ll be able to evaluate your situation and help you transition to another career, if necessary.Get personal development training today.Looking for a change of career? (Source: Pexels)Career coaching can also help you learn new skills and get ahead in your professional life. More and more people are choosing to get in touch with career coaches to achieve their goals.Whatever your professional situation, you can get in touch with a coach. You don’t need to be part of a business to get in touch with career coaches, though. If you’re self-employed or unemployed, a career coach can help you find work.You can also do practise tests or interviews and your career coach can help you get your dream job.Career coaches are also often called into businesses. In this case, your bosses will suggest career coaching and pay the coach’s fees. Coaches can either teach individuals within a business or the whole workforce in order to improve teamwork or synergy.As a boss, you could also get in touch with a career coach to help you man age your time, improve your public speaking, etc. This could help you significantly at work and secure your role in the business.Career coaches can also help those looking to change careers. They’ll do an appraisal of your skills and goals in order to set achievable objectives. Then they can help you find the career for you.If you’re a student, don’t hesitate to get a career coach to help you with planning for exams. While many may be beyond the budget of students, you may be able to find an affordable one to help you.Whether it’s career development, self-confidence, getting a degree, evaluating your career, professional development, communication skills, time management, avoiding burnout, getting a qualification, academic orientation, there are plenty of worthwhile reasons for getting a career coach in Manchester.There’s also career coaching in London!Choosing the Right Career Coach in ManchesterThe number of career coaches is growing. More and more people are training to become career coaches, life coaches, or personal coaches.Your career coach will probably have plenty of questions for you. (Source: rawpixel)But how do you find the right one for you?Whether you find them online, through classified ads, or another way, you should establish the criteria for choosing the right one. Don’t forget to ask for an interview with one of them.Start by asking them about their experience. Their previous experience will play a huge part in how they’re able to help people. If your coach has spent several years working in a given business, they’ll have a better understanding of how it works.  Each coach is different and each can help different people in different ways.Pay attention to what professional experience each potential career coach has. You’ll also have a better idea of what you can talk about.  Not every career coach will be professionally trained in the discipline, but this doesn’t mean they’re incompetent. A lot of them will have a wealth of experience in managing teams, for example.This experience is often more valuable than any qualification.  However, some coaches will have done special training. This is definitely a plus.Above all, your coach needs to remain discreet. There needs to be a level of confidentiality between you and your coach, especially if you’re getting coaching within a business. Anything you say needs to stay between you.To find the ideal coach, take the time to get to know them during an interview. Your choice should be made according to your needs.Skills assessments? Leading meetings? Teamwork?Many coaches specialise in different skills.You can also get career coaching in Birmingham. TraceyPersonal development Teacher 4.92 (9) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NatashaPersonal development Teacher 5.00 (7) £55/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AntonellaPersonal development Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors IsamPersonal development Teacher 5.0 0 (3) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AndriyPersonal development Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MichelePersonal development Teacher 4.73 (7) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FlloydPersonal development Teacher 5.00 (11) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliverPersonal development Teacher 4.33 (4) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsCareer Coaching Agencies in ManchesterThere are a number of companies offering career coaching to those in Manchester and the northwest.Career coaching can help you advance. (Source: rawpixel)Whether it’s breathing exercises for managing stress, public speaking, conducting meetings, retraining, personality tests, building self-confidence, supervising projects, personal development, or leadership, take your time and work towards your career goals.  Most career coaching agencies will offer help in the following areas:A job searchStarting a new career or changing careerNetworkingWriti ng a cover letter and creating a CVCareer assessmentInterviewingLearning transferable skillsStarting your own businessPreparing for a job interviewThere are a number of companies that specialise in this kind of education, be it appraisals, individual coaching sessions, a career change, recruitment, training, etc.There’s also career coaching in Leeds and Yorkshire.Finding a Career Coach in ManchesterIn addition to specialised agencies, there are career coaches working independently. These coaches will probably advertise using their own websites, classified ads, etc.Manchester is a big enough city to find career coaching. (Source: 2taol)It can be a little harder trusting an independent career coach, but it can come with a number of advantages.Private career coaching sessions should be tailored to you and its up to you and your coach to decide on what works best. While your coach will suggest things, you should have the final say.Private career coaching sessions can be used to help d ecide which career coach works for you, especially on the Superprof platform. Each coach has their own profile which explains what they offer and how much they charge. You can also find out more about their professional experience.  You’ll be spoilt for choice.In addition to online platforms, you can also find career coaching through classified ads or word of mouth. The latter means that you should be able to find out a bit about them before you hire them.As one of the biggest cities in the UK, it’s no surprise that there are plenty of options for those looking for career coaching in Manchester.The Cost of Career Coaching in ManchesterNot everyone can afford career coaching. Make sure you’ve chosen the right coach before you start paying them.  However, if you’re part of a business, the business itself may pay for your career coaching. Of course, they’ll probably only do this if your goal is to make your way up the ladder in their business.In this case, it’ll be the busi ness who chooses the career coach and pays for them. However, this doesn’t mean your career coach is there to tell management everything you say. Even if your career coach is hired by your company, they need to respect a code of ethics.While the cost of a session from a career coaching agency can be quite expensive, the average cost of private career coaching on Superprof is £31 per hour. Additionally, the first hour is usually offered for free as a taster session or a way to get to know one another, outline goals, and establish the professional relationship that you'll have.Whatever you choose, make sure it’s the right choice for you and your career. A career transition needn't be stressful. A career coach will work with your strengths and weaknesses and ensure that you get a job that you have a passion for and, ideally, with a better salary, too!If you're interested in offering career coaching, you can always set up a profile on Superprof. By creating a profile, you can expla in the services you offer, highlight your experience and qualifications, set your rate, and start finding clients. By offering a quality service, your profile will soon be full of glowing reviews, which will help potential students or clients to find you more easily. Remember that they're after a bespoke service and not a one-size-fits-all solution for their careers!You can also get career coaching in Glasgow.

Listening Exercise A Discussion on Dialects

Listening Exercise A Discussion on Dialects This is an interesting English listening exercise partly because it may be challenging for students more familiar with a North American neutral accent.One of the unique qualities of LOI English is our teachers come from several different English speaking countries. Taking classes with teachers that have different accents will strengthen your overall listening abilities and prepare you for exams.The IELTS, TOEFL, CAE, First Certificate, and PET love to have different accents in their listening parts of the exam. Some of the accents are even difficult for native English speakers to understand  at first. Listen to this amazing actor and his accent. One thing to note is the Idris Elba is a master at changing his accent from British to North American to South African.Answer the questions below in comments and we will respond.1. What is the first question that Idris Elba asks? 2. What role do many hope is in Idris Elbas future? 3. What were his concerns with playing the character in Beasts of a Nation? 4. What does he consider every character? 5. What was similar between himself and the character he played, Stringer Bell? 6. Why did he choose his uncles voice for the character he played in Beasts? 7. Does he want to do more dark roles?Do you think that Idris would make a good James Bond? Why or why not? How many different dialects/accents does your language have?

Languages Resources Day

Languages Resources Day On Wednesday May 24th we held a Languages Resource Day for our tutors. We some amazing tutors of French, Spanish, German, Chinese and English as a Foreign Language. Here we have summarised their knowledge and you’ll find links to their resources. Planning your first lesson The first lesson is all about building rapport and making the student feel confident.  Once they show they have knowledge of the language they’ll be more receptive to learning.  Katja explained that when you’re in a one-on-one tutoring lesson introducing role playing characters can be a great way to build a story and help the student to relax. It also brings more people into the conversation so that you can talk about “we” instead of “you” and “me”!  The first lesson is also a great opportunity to get to know the student’s interest so you can use them later.  Lucinda suggested audio visual resources such as watching TED talks so that the tutees can see difficult vocabulary in action.  For younger students Sonia recommended Peppa Pig as the episodes are also available in French and German Find out their aims Students have a variety of reasons for wanting to learn a language so it’s important to understand what they are hoping to get out of the lessons.  Sonia showed us the work books she uses which are specific to each exam board. By using these the students can practice exam techniques and ensure they are prepared. For student’s learning a language for the first time, whether children or adults, Katja said that introducing the culture of the country can enthuse students. Teaching vocabulary through discussions of food, films and products from the language’s culture (or cultures) can be an effective way to inspire enthusiasm for the language, therein aiding the students’ learning memory Get Creative Katja teaches German to students of all ages and finds that games are a fun and creative way for students to learn.  She feels it’s important to get the students up and moving during the lessons as this can help them to remember the rules.  Resources like this can be expensive but can also be easily made at home.  For example she had created a dice and flash cards for story building which were laminated.  Top tip: Laminators can be bought for less than £20 - laminate your resources so that you don’t have to make them again!  You can also adapt classic board games such as Jenga and Snakes and Ladders. Be visual Lucinda expressed the importance of visual aids - especially for younger learners!  She always makes sure that her resources are colourful.  Katie agreed and showed us an amazing grid she uses to build sentences - this can be particularly useful if the student’s native language uses a different sentence structure.  Emma teaches Chinese and finds visual aids extremely important as Chinese characters can be quite tricky to teach.  Her top tips for teaching tones in language is by using a toy car to map the journey of the tones used.  As a the car travels up the hill the tone goes up! Mariota, who has learned Chinese before, agreed that this would be a really fun way to introduce tones without feeling embarrassed. Speak the language It may seems obvious but all of the tutors agreed that the lessons should take place solely in the language you’re trying to teach.  This helps the client to become immersed in the language and get used to inferring the meaning without being explicitly told.  It also ensures that the students get used to failure and really helps with listening exercises.  It can be tough to train the students to do this but they’ll thank you for it later! Go online Online is becoming increasingly popular on Tutorfair and can be a great way to find students outside of your local area and cut down on travel costs.  Luka has written an a  great  blog on teaching online in general but today we discussed teaching languages online.  Lucinda explained that it’s really easy and effective to teach online as you can send over your powerpoint presentations and worksheets beforehand and go through them together.  You can also type sentences via instant message and ask the student to translate.  Katja recommended chatting via video chat on your phone but using your computer to share Google Docs which can be edited together in real time.  The student then has notes to take away from the lesson! That said, Sonia warned that you have to trust the tutee not to cheat when you’re not in the room with them. Do you have any really useful exercises or top tips for language teaching? If so, we would love it if you upload them to our Resource Centre to share with other tutors!

The 10 Best Language Learning Books to Take on Your Linguistic Journey

The 10 Best Language Learning Books to Take on Your Linguistic Journey The 10 Best Language Learning Books to Take on Your Linguistic Journey So you’ve decided to learn a new language.The last time you did that was probably 20 to 40 years ago.You know, when you were still a toddler.Or maybe you took some language classes in high school for a requirement.Either way, you didnt really have to track down learning tools. They were handed to you.You know how  important it is to learn a new language these days. Theres no point to me making the case that a second language can have tremendous impacts on your physical, mental and financial healthâ€"since youve already made the big decision to start studying.Now youre really at the initial stages of your language acquisition journey.So, what to do? What to do?Lucky for you, this post deals with how to start your language journey right. And let me tell you right nowâ€"your journey should begin with the books that I’m going to be introducing to you.You might want to say, “Whoa, books? Aren’t I better off with some cool app or an online immersion course or something?”And to th at  Id say, “Yes, books. Because they’re going to put everythingâ€"the online course, the app, the practice sessionsâ€"into proper perspective.”In fact, why don’t I tell you right now why it’s important to read the best language learning books out there. Why Read General Language Learning Books?Why not read something directly related to your target language instead?Let’s say you want to  learn German. Why not go ahead and read a book that specifically deals with German? That would certainly save time.  Why a general language learning book as the opening salvo?  Is it really necessary?Um, yes. And here’s why:  A general language book, at least a good one, will show you the big picture and take you behind the scenes so you can understand what’s going on during your language acquisition process.Itll  tell you ahead of time what you might go through during your language quest. It’s like saying, “Hey, you might encounter this dragon along the way. If you take the pr oper weapon, then youll have an easier time.”Theres a set of fundamental theories, tools and techniques which are effective across languages. These come in the form of learning approaches, memory-enhancing techniques or useful mindsets that blast through the hurdles along the way.A general language learning book is a distillation of decades of scientific language acquisition  research and practical experience from people who made the journey before. Its a record of their insights and lessons learned. More importantly, it recounts the mistakes others have made  so those who follow don’t waste their time committing them.You’re going to  need all these foundational concepts as you begin that quest for a new language. That way, in the future, you’ll know exactly what’s going on. And knowing what’s going on, especially in language learning, is awfully important.Imagine going about learning French and not knowing why one particular  technique is working for you while another i s not. Or imagine that youve spent five hours studying but youre nowhere near memorizing that measly list of 20 words. Why cant you make that happen?Imagine how unnerving it would be to not know why things are the way they are.The  books below will demystify the whole process for you. Theyll  take things apart, much like a clockmaker does, and explain to you the working parts.In this way, a general language book can make everything so much clearer. You will, by leaps and bounds, become a more effective learner when you see the big picture and know the  answers to questions like:What difficulties are encountered by most language learners when they’re starting out and how can you avoid them?Which types of practice exercises should you spend your time on and why?What tricks will make your brain retain what youve learned?Beyond this, starting off with a general language learning book can provide cushioning for the rollercoaster ride that is language learning.When youre having bouts of discouragement, doubt and fatigue, you’ll have something in your head that says, “Ah, so this is what those books referred to as the Plateau Stage. I’m cool with it. I’m not gonna go down. I have a strategy for this.”Okay, now you have an idea of just how crucial these types of books  can be. That means its time to  go through the best books out there for learners. Coming up next are the 10 titles that are the most fitting companions for you on your language quests.The 10 Best Language Learning Books to Take on Your Linguistic JourneyHow to Learn a Foreign Languageby  Paul Pimsleur Ph.D.Let’s start off with the granddaddy of foreign language learningâ€"Dr. Paul Pimsleurâ€"creator of the renowned audio-based language system that has helped millions of language learners.This book of his was originally published in 1980 but was republished in 2013 and remains as relevant today as it was decades ago. Thats because the lessons are timeless.Focusing on the three elements of l anguageâ€"pronunciation, grammar and vocabularyâ€"the book debunks many standard teaching approaches and considers them unnecessary or even harmful to the goal of learning. Dr. Pimsleur understood the struggles experienced by beginners and sought to write a text that teaches how anyone can learn a foreign language without the painful classroom drills that don’t really work.He focuses instead on the listening and responding part of the language acquisition process, which is very much like how babies listen to their environment and imitate the linguistic tones and rhythms that they hear.He also gets into some very effective vocabulary exercises that are specially targeted for long-term memory storage. This makes sure that what has been learned will always stay with  you, very much unlike what sometimes happens in the classroom situationâ€"where the lessons magically disappear as soon as the bell rings.Dr. Pimsleur’s Method has stood the test of time and is one of the most effectiv e foreign language approaches to date. Get this book and start your journey with one of the most renowned language teachers of all time.Learn Any Language FAST! The Ultimate Guide to Speed Up Your Language Learning Curve By Tricking Your Brainby  Dagny TaggartThis one’s written by a hyper-traveler who has gone to the trouble of learning a language fast. Taggart shares the insights and techniques she picked up from crisscrossing the globe and learning the languages of the people she meets.From the very beginning, the purpose of this book, as the author demonstrates, is to learn a new language faster than you thought possible. Think of yourself as being in a foreign land and badly  needing a  bathroom. How can you pick up the language in  as few ticks of the clock as possible? Thats the spirit of this book.In order to do just that, traditional and time-consuming approaches are eschewed in favor of creative and fun ways to remember language. This book will open your eyes to the mass ive learning opportunities in your immediate environment. Itll also give you an understanding of how to use different multimedia channels (radio, movies and books) in order to align all of them with purposeful learningThis book counsels you on the right strategies of language acquisition and makes for a light reading. So for the beginner who fears to take that first step, this book will nudge you a bit so you can make one of the best decisions of your life: learn a new language.Fluent Forever: How to Learn Any Language Fast and Never Forget Itby  Gabriel WynerWhatever language youve got your sights on, don’t you want to have fun while learning it? Gabriel Wyner thought so too. So much so that when he was 30 years old, he was already having fun with six languagesâ€"fluently.This book works on both your ears and tongue in ways not thought of before. Itll attune your ears to the natural symphonies of your target language so the next time you hear them, they’ll sound familiar to you . Youll contort your tongue to the same degree that opera singers and actors do while rehearsing. You, a beginner 15 minutes ago, will be able produce the same sounds and tones as the natives.With these techniques and more, you’ll get over those linguistic hurdles and land safely on the zone of fluency. Get this book. Its worth every second of your attention span.This book and lots of others that are useful for language learners are available on VitalSource, a great place to check out if youre into e-books. Their Bookshelf app works for Kindle, iPad, Android and Chromebook, and can save you time and money with your language book habit.Words and Rules: The Ingredients of Language  by  Steven PinkerThis work by Pinker, like his other works, The Language Instinct and The Stuff of Thought, goes deeper than most general language learning books.The MIT linguist dives into an explanation of how human beings learn languages and how we use them to create experiences and all kinds of produc ts, from an effervescent love letter to a technical tax code. He believes that language production is rule-based and proceeds to prove this by focusing on irregular verbs. (Who knew irregular verbs could be that interesting?)When you want to  get serious about pulling aside the veils from language, you can be sure that Pinker is always the person holding the brightest lantern to illuminate your many questions.Fluent in 3 Months: How Anyone at Any Age Can Learn to Speak Any Language from Anywhere in the Worldby  Benny LewisThis one’s from the guy behind the largest language learning blog on the Internet, Fluent in 3 Months. A self-described  average fellow, he preaches “language hacking” where learners acquire fluency quickly.The book gets you into a proper state of mind to learn a new language. It covers most of the fears and excuses a person may have and motivates its readers to reach their linguistic potential. It also promotes the most useful  technological tools available that can help them achieve their goals.Using methods not found in classrooms, Benny turns traditional language learning on its head and comes up with tips, techniques and exercises that make learning a natural, almost inevitable, experience. (And nope, grammar drills arent included. Role playing activities, yes.)For non-beginners who want to be re-energized to continue  their language quests, read the book’s first part and feel the spirit of curiosity and motivation returning, filling every cell of your body. Then move forward with your enthusiasm renewed.Language MythsEdited by  Laurie Bauer  Peter TrudgillThis one is unique in  the bunch because its a collection of 21 essays from leading linguists debunking some of the long-held, traditional views on language. This bookâ€"containing  essays like “Some Languages Are Spoken More Quickly Than Others,” “Italian Is Beautiful, German Is Ugly” and “Women Talk Too Much”â€"does go into pretty contentious issues.I’ve includ ed this one on the list because the last thing a language learner needs is to get stuck in the language acquisition process because he or she is holding onto some language myth, like this language is super hard.The best way to sweep away  all the cobwebs from the learner’s mind is to round them up and  blast them all away before even  beginning the journey.Ironically, by talking about what language is not, you learn more about what it actually is, giving you power to wield it more effectively.How to Learn Any Languageby  Barry M. FarberThe book reveals Farber’s system for  learning 25 different languages. His system is composed of four elements: The Multiple Track Attack, The Hidden Moments, Harry Lorayne’s Memory Aids and The Plunge In.The author believes that, when learning a new language, one shouldn’t be limited in the number of tools and technologies one uses. In The Multiple Track Attack, Farber gives his special blend of tools that every learner needs.In  The Hidden M oments, the author points out those unseen minutes or seconds in the day when one could have learned a new language. Waiting for the elevator or waiting in line might take only a few minutes, but by taking advantage of these  hidden moments in the course of the day, the language learning hours pile up to your benefit.Harry Lorayne’s Memory Techniques are what help our author breeze through memorizing copious amounts of vocabulary. Lorayne’s techniques are novel, creative and have a way of telling the learner “You’re having difficulty memorizing a list of 100 words? Maybe it’s because of the way you memorize it.”The Plunge In is where the rubber meets the road. Immersion. This is when you leave the pages of your books, meet native speakers and get into experiences where you practice your  target language.The author believes that these four elements are the very keys to unlocking any language on the face of the Earth. His conviction and enthusiasm is contagiousâ€"you might just end up leaving with a new perspective on life, language and learning.How Languages Are Learned (4th  edition) by  Patsy Lightbown  and Nina SpadaThis is a prize-winning title that gets into the different theories of first and second language acquisition.This book is originally intended as a handbook for language teachers. But why not leave out the middle man and get yourself a copy, right? This ones chock-full of insights on the difference between first and second language learning. It gets into the nitty-gritty of the different theories of the behaviorist, cognitive and social approaches.When you’re a few weeks into learning Spanish  or Japanese, for example, being  grounded by a comprehensive book will allow you to make sense of your learning experiences. As the insights from this book percolate in the back of your mind, youll be aided in absorbing the lessons and observing how you learn.And heres the kicker. When you know how you learn, you learn a whole lot better.How to Learn Any Language in a Few Months While Enjoying Yourself: 45 Proven Tips for Language Learners  by  Nate NicholsonNot only will you have fun while learning, but the author claims that youll learn up to 10 times  faster than other people with these methods. Would you like that?Instead of toiling away with tedious  grammar drills, would you like to know the nine common mistakes to avoid when learning languages?  Would you like to discover a five-step process for improving your reading skills?How about the five biggest  challenges youll face and how to effectively deal with them?  Well, theyre all in this book.Nate Nicholson believes that language learners should carefully choose the things they study and drop everything thats unnecessary. Included in the unnecessary category are esoteric grammar rules, vocabulary words that even native speakers dont use and topics that native speakers never really talk about.If you study effectively, focusing on vocabulary words and phrases that ar e useful to your situation, youll gain fluency very rapidly. You may not know every grammar rule there is to know, but youll have meaningful conversations with delighted speakers of your target language.How to Learn a New Language with a Used Brainby  Lynn McBrideFinally, to round off our selection of books, well end with one written by a writer who moved to Europe (more specifically, France) and learned that “soaking up the language” even when youre overseas is easier said than done.So she scrounged up every language learning resource she could  find and was able to come up with the program: six steps to leading the bilingual life. This serves as a detailed road map for adult language learners.A chapter in her book is entitled the “Voices of Experiences,” where other language learners and teachers share their secrets to benefit readers.In addition, her book also contains “best of class” reviews on the different tools available online today. Inundated with sites, courses , programs, apps  and books  that all claim to help teach a language, she wades through the muck and gives her stamp of approval on those worthy few that truly deliver on their promises.Get this short and fun read to start yourself off on the road to your second language. You know you want to.And hey, speaking  of online resources, there’s one that always delivers as promised. FluentU is the most awesome place on the Internet when it comes to language learning videos. It takes  real-world videosâ€"like vlogs, cartoons, inspiring talks, movie trailers and newsâ€"and transforms them into personalized language lessons. Take a look once youve had a chance to track down these great books.Ready to feel fully prepared and capable when it comes to language learning?Then check out the best language learning books listed here and order your favorites.You wont be sorry when youre fluent faster than you ever thought possible!And One More ThingTo reach fluency even faster, youll love using Flu entU. FluentU makes it possible to learn languages  from music videos, commercials, news and inspiring talks.With FluentU, you learn real languagesâ€"the same way that natives  speak them. FluentU has a wide variety of videos like movie trailers, funny commercials and web series, as you can see here:FluentU App Browse Screen.FluentU has interactive captions that let you tap on any word to see an image, definition, audio and useful examples. Now native language content is within reach with interactive transcripts.Didnt catch something? Go back and listen again. Missed a word? Hover your mouse over the subtitles to instantly view definitions.Interactive transcript for Carlos Baute song.You can learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentUs learn mode. Swipe left or right to see  more examples for the word you’re learning.FluentU Has Quizzes for Every VideoAnd FluentU always keeps track of vocabulary that you’re learning. It uses that vocab to give you a 100% personalized expe rience by recommending videos and examples.Start using FluentU on the website with your computer or tablet  or, better yet,  download the FluentU app from  the iTunes store  or Google Play store.

E-learning Is it a classroom substitute - ALOHA Mind Math

E-learning Is it a classroom substitute As parents of young children, we are always on the lookout for interesting ways to teach our children new concepts in language or math. It is no surprise that e-learning forms a significant part in the teaching process at most homes. Just searching for terms like “e-learning” and “children” on the Internet gives a host of options to choose from, and parents can pick any of these kids games or educational websites as fun ways to teach children. E-learning for kids can be a great way of finding new information, and forms a great addition for what is learnt at school. But it can never be a complete substitute for learning in a classroom, as there are so many other aspects such as personal interactions with a teacher and with a peer group that cannot be a part of such an experience. With the abundance of educational websites and e-learning tools such as tablets and laptops being easily accessible to children, there is a chance that the child may feel it is better than a classroom in some ways. It is up to us as parents to make them understand that it is necessary to limit time spent on gadgets, and to get the benefits of other sources of education too. For younger children, parents can find kids learning websites that have learning games related to the child’s school curriculum. As children get more comfortable with using gadgets themselves they may know to look around and find interesting websites themselves. Especially in the case of playing games on gadgets like the iPad or a smartphone, this learning curve is very short and parents can take advantage of this by loading a lot of educational games on these gadgets. A related aspect of children spending time on online learning is to do with some amount of parental control and policing that is always necessary, and to not leave them completely unsupervised, especially in the case of younger children. Where older children are concerned, some parental control tools might be required. It is important that we keep children in touch with conventional methods of learning by using physical tools and not just online ones. One great way of introducing children to educational games is teaching them to use the abacus for math learning. Please see our website for more details: http://www.aloha-usa.com