Where Can I Find Tutoring Jobs as a Voice Coach

Where Can I Find Tutoring Jobs as a Voice Coach All of the Ways You Can Teach Singing ChaptersTeach Singing OnlineBecome an In-Home Singing TeacherTeaching Singing at a Music CollegeBecome a Music Teacher in a State SchoolStarting Your Own ChoirThe musical score is one  thing  and the  singing part  is  another. If you have the music in your head, and you  sing  it with your  body, you'll be all right.We owe these words to Luciano Pavarotti.Are you passionate about singing and do you dream of turning this passion into a career?Do you wish to share your knowledge of music and singing?Are you keen to accompany your students in their learning of vocal techniques and performance skills?Helping students to find their voice, develop their vocal technique and believe in themselves are all key roles for singing teachers.There are many ways you can become a singing teacher.Teach at home, at a music college or in a state school, according to what best suits you!So, what elements should you take into account before you make a decision on where to teach singing? CalumDrama School Entrance Teacher 5.00 (15) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToriSpanish Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliviaSchool support Teacher 5.00 (2) £21/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarkESOL (English) Teacher 4.76 (17) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JenniferMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LouiseAutoCAD Teacher 5.00 (3) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyPercussion Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolasGuitar Teacher 5.00 (2) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MyriamOrganic chemistry Teacher 5.00 (13) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JonathanEconomics Teacher 5.00 (9) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Oluwakemi imoleMaths Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexPhysics Teacher 5 .00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdamSinging Teacher 5.00 (14) £48/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValentiniMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MilenaMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RashmiEconomics Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsTeach Singing OnlineThe simplest solution for starting out as a singing teacher is without doubt offering online tutoring jobs to teach singing online.The internet removes a lot of the usual obstacles when it comes to teaching.Even the art of singing can be taught via a Skype call just as it is face to face, as teacher and student have the means to directly communicate over the internet.This means that you can discuss singing techniques, exchange ideas, advise your pupil and teach them music theory without letting your geographical location stand in your way!Offering voice lessons online gives you access to thousands of aspiring performers ¦ source: Pixabay - SkitterphotoTeaching singing online offers many advantages for both teacher and student:Easy planning: internet gets rid of the problem of distance and travelling, so you have more time for teaching.An increased number of potential students: This is especially important if you live in a rural area as the internet puts you in contacts with students all over the world!Low running costs: Once you’ve invested in your own musical equipment, you’ll be ready to go with no need to lend any material to your students.However, teaching at a distance does come with some disadvantages. Firstly, online lessons necessitate a very specific approach to teaching. This means that you will have to learn to share your knowledge using only your voice.It's not always easy to explain the correct posture to a pupil using only words, nor the right way to breathe or how to control their vibrato. This means that you will have to find a way to adapt your teaching and make sure that your pupil has the correct resources.Become an In-Home Singing TeacherAnother option is to provide private singing lessons, which are also incredibly easy to organise!Becoming a voice teacher is a great way to turn your passion into a career and develop your own business whilst seeing your students blossom as performers.And, of course, there are many advantages to being an in-home vocal coach:Managing yourself as a self-employed teacherChoosing your teaching methodsChoosing your pupilsBeing able to work full or part-timePersonalising your lessonsChoosing the type of lessons you want to give and the areas you want to specialise inAs a private singing teacher, you can operate as self-employed. This means that you will be in full control of your pricing and what you earn.Inspire young minds and help build the confidence of each performer ¦ source: Pixabay - klimkinYou can teach in your home or travel to those of your students, depending on what works best for you.I t’s usually easier to deliver lessons from your own home, especially if you use a piano to accompany your students.You don’t need any specific qualifications to start out as a home teacher. All you will need to do is give your clients an indication of your experience so they can decide whether you are the right singing teacher for them. CalumDrama School Entrance Teacher 5.00 (15) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToriSpanish Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliviaSchool support Teacher 5.00 (2) £21/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarkESOL (English) Teacher 4.76 (17) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JenniferMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LouiseAutoCAD Teacher 5.00 (3) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyPercussion Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tut ors NicolasGuitar Teacher 5.00 (2) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MyriamOrganic chemistry Teacher 5.00 (13) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JonathanEconomics Teacher 5.00 (9) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Oluwakemi imoleMaths Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexPhysics Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdamSinging Teacher 5.00 (14) £48/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValentiniMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MilenaMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RashmiEconomics Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsTeaching Singing at a Music CollegeDo you prefer the idea of becoming a full-time teacher in an educational establishment that specialises in music?If this is the case, applying for roles in music colleges and conservatoires will suit you.As a teacher at an establ ishment such as this, you will need the skills to teach a range of pupils of varying ages and abilities.The aim of music school is to give pupils a full experience of the world of music and a high level of knowledge about their instrument. Their approach is traditional yet well-structured and, most importantly, thorough.When it comes to the teaching of singing, as with any instrument, there is a great deal of music theory to learn as students’ ears become more musically intelligent.There are also several options for singing lessons:Individual vocal coachingGroup singing lessonsTraining in music theoryChoir rehearsalsSinging teachers who operate in music colleges are usually qualified professionals, however, the level of prowess varies from school to school.Become a Music Teacher in a State SchoolAnother possibility for aspiring singing teachers is becoming a teacher in a primary or secondary school.If you choose to follow this path, you should be aware that your lesson content may not be completely chosen by yourself.Music education, like education in maths and English, is taught according to the national curriculum.Having an official curriculum ensures that every child across the UK receives the same level of education in each subject. Though music, by nature, is still quite free, you will have to adapt your own knowledge to fit this system.Among the main objectives of music education in schools are:Musical ear trainingLearning about cultural and artistic movements throughout historyLearning to play an instrumentLearning to play as part of an ensembleIf you’d like to take your passion beyond the classroom, there’s always the school choir! Most schools have a choir, and if yours doesn’t, why not set one up?Challenging though it may be, teaching in a school comes with a host of rewarding opportunities ¦ source: Pixabay - coyotIf you decide to teach in an educational establishment, you’ll not only be expected to teach your pupils about your area of ex pertise but introduce them to the world of music on a wider scale.You should also bear in mind that teaching in a school means that all of your pupils will be children and teenagers.This is important as you will need to rely on your previous teaching experience and adapt it to the school environment.You may find that the difficulties you encounter as a school teacher are different to the ones you experience as a private singing teacher. In school, you may have to deal with:a lack of motivation from the students, who are required to be in your lesson by law and not by their own desirehaving a large number of students in each class which may make for a bigger challenge in terms of individual learningHowever, with enough experience and appropriate training, you can easily overcome the challenges of life as a school teacher and appreciate the benefits of the profession.One of these benefits of working full-time in a school is the stability of the pay. Unlike working as a self-employed s inging teacher where your pay depends on the number of clients, your salary as a teacher is guaranteed.If you want to teach music in a school, there are a few qualifications you need. Firstly, you’ll need to have achieved at least a grade C in your maths and English GCSEs, and you’ll need to have graduated from university with a degree relevant to your subject. The final requirement is that you have a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE), which is a certification of your teacher training.Starting Your Own ChoirTeaching ensemble singing is a brilliant opportunity to share your passion for music with others.According to a survey conducted by Singing Europe, there are 37 million collective singers in Europe!Choirs play an important role in school and community life. And for singing teachers, they mean an opportunity to:Develop a choral style and showcase their arrangement skillsChoose a musical genre (classical, jazz, gospel, etc.)Work with a team of musiciansEnter into com petitions and win prizes for your workGetting together and working with your own choir is an exciting and rewarding challenge.It requires that you hold auditions, identify vocal styles and find your soloists.You could also open your choir to amateur singers without an audition to help more people discover the wonder of choral singing.Member of your choir will be able to work on their own vocal technique and as the choirmaster, it’s your job to oversee the development and progress of the group.Regardless of your teaching and rehearsal methods, by joining a choir, your students will quickly learn the basics of singing and performing, including how to warm up their voices, controlling their breathing and mastering their vibrato.

Find an Expert Online Tutor for Subject Clarifications

Find an Expert Online Tutor for Subject Clarifications 0SHARESShare With the mushroom growth of online tutoring sites for instant student help, there can be a question in student minds. Why to find an expert tutor for subject clarifications? The fact remains that a tutor who has a specialized degree for a subject is considered fit. Fit enough to answer the challenges found in that particular subject with his expert knowledge in it. Why to find an expert online tutor for subject clarifications? Two things are to be taken for consideration in the term ‘expert online tutor’. One is the word ‘expert’ and the other word is’online’. The word ‘expert ‘explains how a tutor needs to master skills and knowledge in  a particular subject. With his specialized qualification and experience so as to face any intricate challenge thrown to him. Also answer any level of complex question in his particular domain without struggle. For example, tutors with general qualifications may not be able to undo the tricky aspects of a subject. Subjects like Algebra if they do not possess relevant credentials in that particular branch of Math. The word ‘online’ speaks volumes about the basket of benefits a student gains when he buys the services of an expert online tutor. Time flexibility, instant explanations, cost effective tutoring and personalized solutions are all indicated by the term online.In short, find a tutor to explore your subject intricacies. Online Biology tutors-how they showcase their subject expertise? Biology is different from other Science subjects with its voluminous theory part and a lot of diagrams to do. Online Biology tutors are subject experts who make students do the subject with easy to remember techniques for memorizing complicated terms and show them how to draw and label diagrams via smart techniques. Not only that, they showcase their subject expertise through their upgraded knowledge about topics in the field and help students know the same for excellent project presentations in Biology. Assignment help online for subjects-avail for your best scores Subjects like Biology expect students to write volumes about the topics with well researched content and up- to- date knowledge in topics. Avail assignment help online to do hassle free assignments with excellent material in an impressive style. The online writers help you do assignments without delay and move towards excellent scores in homework assignments. So, find an expert virtual tutor for your intense subject insights and fabulous scores in academics. [starbox id=admin]

What to Do After a Bad ACT Test Day

What to Do After a Bad ACT Test Day Everyone has days when things just dont go as planned. Unfortunately, sometimes these days happen when youre taking the ACT. With the weight ACT scores can hold in the college admissions process, a lower than expected ACT score can be upsetting. After a bad ACT test day its important to identify ways to improve, plan for an exam retake, and strategize a study regimen. While a bad ACT test day can be unnerving, there are steps you can take to work toward future success. Keep reading to learn what to do after a bad ACT test day. Determine how you can improve after a bad ACT test day While it can be tempting to immediately move on after a poor ACT test day, its important to stop and evaluate your experience. Make a list of all the things that went right while taking the ACT, as well as a list of all the things that went differently than you hoped they would. These could be as varied as the time you went to bed the day before the exam, to the subjects in which you would like to gain more confidence. By identifying your strengths and weaknesses, you can better prepare for your next exam. [RELATED: What is an Average ACT Score?] Strategize about your next exam after a bad ACT test day If you feel that youve performed poorly on the ACT, consider scheduling a second exam. The ACT is offered seven times each year, in September, October, December, February, April, June, and July. Registering again soon after a poor performance can be a good motivator to get prepared for your next ACT test. Its often a lot easier to build off of what youve learned while studying for your first ACT, as opposed to taking a lengthy break between exams and beginning the study process again. [RELATED: ACT and SAT Test Dates for 2018-2019] Implement a study regimen after a bad ACT test day Take a look at your list of ACT strengths and weaknesses to identify the areas where you have achieved success and the concepts where you need a stricter focus. Then, look at the time you have between now and your next ACT in order to put in place a successful study plan. The key to effectively studying for the ACT is to stick to your study schedule. While it can be challenging at times to stay focused, promote study success by: Allotting realistic time each day to study Scheduling regular study breaks to prevent burnout Organizing your study sessions to focus on specific subjects and concepts [RELATED: What I Wish I Knew About Taking the ACT/SAT] Think positively after a bad ACT test day Its natural to feel a bit disappointed after scoring lower than expected on the ACT. Its important, though, to keep your exam in perspective. You choose which ACT score to send to collegesreassure yourself that with a study plan in place, your goal ACT score can be achieved. Any topics you want to know more about? Let us know! The Varsity Tutors Blog editors love hearing your feedback and opinions. Feel free to email us at blog@varsitytutors.com.

The New SAT and AJ Tutoring Our Students Key Takeaways From Test-Day

The New SAT and AJ Tutoring Our Students Key Takeaways From Test-Day Now that the new SATs first administration is in the books, we at AJ Tutoring were curious to find out what our students thought about the test, whether they felt prepared (the answer was yes!), and what AJ can focus on to ensure student success on future SATs. What did we learn about how to conquer the new SAT? It’s simple: prepare, prepare, prepare. The test is easily coachable.Upon the first administration of the new SAT, students found that the content was predictable and that the methods they had learned made it possible to maximize the number of questions they answered correctly. Many of our students found that the one-on-one practice they had in their tutoring sessions gave them the feedback and exposure that they needed to be able to adeptly refine and adjust their approach to individual sections, as well as the test as a whole.What about the Content?MathMost students indicated the no-calculator Math section was the most difficult (and more challenging than previously relea sed materials). Students reported trigonometry questions, questions involving complex numbers, and even one challenging 7-24-25 Pythagorean triple. However, as one student stated: “I thought Math was approachable because I knew that the content covered was limited in scope. Also, knowing SOH-CAH-TOA, special right triangles, and how to use a calculator really helped. I could always get started.”Reading Comprehension Literal, not LiteraryStudents reported the highest alignment in Reading Comprehension (though students did say they felt very tired by the end of the 65-minute section). Some students did find a set of paired passages as we expected. Other passages included important historical figures and covered a wide range of topics across the fields of science, medicine, geography, and the arts and humanities. There was a letter by the 1960s labor activist Cesar Chavez, a passage from a Michael Chabon novel, an essay on baby fat (students reported this was by far “the weirdes t” content on the exam), and an essay on plate tectonics.WritingMost students shared that the Writing section, which primarily tests grammar, was easy.EssayAs for the Analytical Essay, at least some of the tests included a source text taken from an article written by E. J. Dionne, Jr. entitled A Call for National Service. The full article was originally published in the Washington Post in 2013.Were there any Surprises?Students sharing their test-day experiences with peers were surprised to find their friends had taken a completely different exam; there were confirmed multiple versions of the test administered on March 5th. The reasoning for this is most likely that the College Board needs to pretest as many questions as possible to satiate the appetites of students hungry for more practice materials than are currently available.Just as we had anticipated, there was an experimental section for most test-takers. Theres an amusing anecdote being shared by students in several states i n which the proctor began to read a script that indicated test-takers would now be taking a 20-minute variable section, only to realize the group was taking the optional essay instead. For the first instance of this reformatted exam, some proctors clearly had confusion and adjustments to navigate as well.This also clarifies that the College Board did have an experimental section up its sleeve, despite some indications (and even a few outright denials) to the contrary. Students in some schools have reported taking a fifth section of the exam, which was referred to as a variable section. As is always the case, opinions varied on the difficulty of the exam, and many students were left wondering how the new test will be scaled. Virtually all students expressed concern that they would not have their scores until after the May SAT date had already passed.Closing ThoughtsAs we wait for scores to be released on May 10th, many March test takers are already planning to repeat the test in May and/or June. Best of luck to all students, and congratulations on being the first group ever to take the new, redesigned SAT. We will continue the conversation as additional information, facts and findings become available. Please feel free to share your thoughts! As always, we love hearing from you!Overall Test Impressions and Student Reactions “There weren’t as many questions that were trying to trick you… It was pretty straightforward.” Aidan P.“I liked it better than the old one for sure! This SAT was way more applicable to what we’ve been learning in school. I had actually seen one of the English passages in school, and worked on it with my English tutor!”I feel good. There was a lot of reading, but I used the strategies we learned in our sessions to get through it. Knowing the test structure and how to eliminate wrong answer choices really helped. Zack H.I thought the SAT was really straightforward and the actual questions were just like the practice questions we went over in SAT prep.Im so happy I knew how to guess and fill in the bubble sheets! That really messed up some of my friends. Emily B. (MA)The No Calculator section was so hard but I knew it would be from the practice tests we went over in our sessions. Lol! Gracie G.It felt just like the practice tests I took at AJ. It was funny because the same friends that took the AJ practice tests with me on Saturday mornings were there on the real test day at the same time! Laura M.I was really happy that I did tutoring when I was sitting there with the test in front of me. I could just start answering questions instead of thinking really hard and wasting time. Julie L. (SHP Junior)You were right about plug-in and backsolve! AND guessing!” Sam M. (MA Junior)“I think it helped a lot. He helped give me strategies to make it go faster.”Additional Information:According to the College Board, 463,000 students took the redesigned SAT on March 5th, 2016.The College Board conducted a sur vey of 8,089 students who completed the March SAT administration and compared the results on some questions to a survey after the March 2015 administration with the old version of the test. Among the results from the new survey:71 percent of students said the test reflected what they’re learning in school.By a 6 to 1 margin, students said they preferred the format of the new SAT over the previous version of the test.

More than helpful mannies kid + protection = Kidtection

More than helpful mannies kid + protection = Kidtection Kidtection  is a unique childcare agency with the tween (8-12) and the teen (13-16) at its heart. Most childcare agencies are focused on the early years 0-8, and then parents hire Au Pairs.    If you’re looking for more, then you might want to consider  Kidtection’s  Kid  Protection Specialists. A KPS is able to be involved with all elements of household management from paying bills, walking the dog, working with workmen, and organising all those little jobs a working parent just cannot do. In the evening, a little tutoring (depending of the KPS skill set) or recommending Tutors on Tutorfair.    Another service  Kidtection  offer is the holiday nanny, (a number of our male KPSs) have security licenses - your very own body guard for those riskier holidays in the world, or just for a single parent, or to follow you child down that ski slope in the Alps. A bouncer at that teenage party, or collect your teen from their first teen party. To be your eyes and ears on social media. After all it is not cool to have your parents on your Instagram or Facebook account, but it's OK to have your KPS. All KPS candidates are 24+. Kids need someone to speak to, a iphone or ipad does not give you the warmth of a human at home.    It is important that we place KPSs in families whose values and boundaries can be shared. A KPS is the member of your team. Do spend a little time checking out our interesting website and do keep visiting for the teen hotspots. The Mission Statement of the company is to help your children become independent adults, who think for themselves.  www.kidtection.com Email: hello@kidtection.com

6 Deadly Language Listening Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

6 Deadly Language Listening Mistakes and How to Avoid Them 6 Deadly Language Listening Mistakes and How to Avoid Them Dangers lurk around every corner.For some people, big spiders strike fear.For others, a creepy clown will send them reeling.But for language learners, theres one dark and deadly danger worse than all others combined: language mistakes.And theres one type of language mistake more insidious than any others. It will sneak up on you when you least expect it.Whether its a new word in a conversation that throws you for a loop or an accent youre not accustomed to,  language listening  mistakes will leave you quaking in fear.Okay, maybe thats a bit of an exaggeration.But theres no denying that  listening skills are essentialâ€"so important that you can actually  learn a language by listening.Sure, you can (and should) hunt for  tips or secrets to improve your listening skills, but at some point, a mistake will creep up on you in the dark of night.Luckily, youre coming to the fight prepared. Here are six language listening mistakes to look out for to help you win. Why Is It Important to Enh ance Your Language Listening Skills?Many people underestimate the importance of this valuable skill.  An article  in  TESOL Quarterly  points out that written and spoken languages are two very different things. So even if you can read every word you encounter, that doesnt mean you can understand every spoken word you hear.So its possible that in many situations, you cant functionally understand the language. Nothing seems more dreadful than working hard to learn a language only to find that you cant understand it!After making such strides in the language, its disheartening when listening mistakes appear. With a decrease in motivation, you might find your passion starting to fade. When this occurs in language learning, its a huge problem due to the strong link between motivation and learning.In fact,  studies indicate that greater motivation can speed up learning, so its important to try to dodge anything that might hinder your progress.6 Deadly Language Listening Mistakes and How to Avoid Them1. Letting listening anxiety overcome youAnxiety is an unfortunate side effect of learning a language. The more you learn, the more you realize you dont know, and you might find yourself feeling pretty twitchy about that.The problem with this is that it may actually stop you from doing listening practice. If youre nervous that you wont understand, you might try to avoid it completely.But anxiety is more diabolical than you might have guessed. Even if you manage to keep practicing in spite of your nerves, one study suggests that merely having language anxiety can affect your abilities.However, there are some tricks you can use to reduce anxiety.One way to keep the listening anxiety at bay is obvious: do listening practice. Listen to  target language podcasts and music. The more you practice, the better you get. Over time, you might be able to whittle your listening anxiety down to nothing, and this will help your skills skyrocket.Regardless of how much you practice, though , you might also face anxiety when trying to understand native speakers. This is normal, and you should  go easy on yourself. Just remember that if youre ever in a conversation with a native speaker, most will understand that youre going to make mistakes and wont hold it against you.People around the world recognize the challenges of language learning. Plus, diving into a conversation with a native speaker will give you valuable listening and speaking skills! So go to Meetups or find a language exchange partner  on sites like italki.While italki offers you plenty of free resources to start practicing, you can also hire a professional educator to teach you one on one. This is the best option for any language learner who needs to improve their listening quickly. Just register on italki, find your ideal language teacher and schedule your first lesson. The platform makes it very easy to accomplish this.Whatever you decide to do, dont let anxiety get the best of you!2. Not recognizing fa miliar vocabulary wordsSome learners seem to memorize vocabulary lists like theyre going out of style. After all, the more words you know, the more you can understand, right?Not always. Even if you know a word, without adequate listening practice you might not be able to pick it out in a conversation. Sometimes, words can run together and you cant even tell where one word stops and the next word begins. This occurs because, as language learners, we tend to focus on individual words in isolation.Because we learn them this way, recognizing them in context can prove challenging. This is problematic because even if you know thousands of words, you might not functionally be able to interpret spoken speech. Additionally, studies emphasize that context can actually affect meaning, so having a limited ability to notice individual spoken words could also impede your ability to notice valuable contextual clues.Plus, discovering suddenly that you cant pick out familiar words can be   disappoin ting because youve invested so much time in learning.To avoid this mistake, keep your expectations in check. Try to understand what you can, but if you miss a word (and you will!), dont beat yourself up. You might not get all the words the first time, but if you keep trying, youll pick out more and more.Another way to decrease the probability of this mistake is to do more contextual listening activities.FluentU is particularly useful for ensuring you can understand words in context. Thats because FluentU uses real-world videos to give you the listening practice you need. Each video is captioned and the captions are annotated to give you easy access to any words definition, example sentences and an associated image.Plus, you can see how a word is used in other videos simply by clicking it. That makes FluentU an easy way to ensure youll understand the vocabulary you learn in context!3. Not allotting time for listening practiceFor whatever reason, many language students focus on readin g and/or writing but forget listening and/or speaking. Perhaps its the popularity of textbooks (which rarely allot for speaking and listening skills), but it can leave a huge hole in any learners skill set.Language learners usually aim for fluency, but if you forget to do listening practice, youll never reach your full potential. Language is largely spoken, so its essential to understand spoken speech. The Literacy Bug suggests that well-balanced pedagogy needs to include reading, writing, speaking and listening.To fight the mistake of forgetting listening practice, be sure to alternate your activities to focus on developing balanced skills. If youre learning from a textbook, its important to seek out listening activities. Luckily, there are plenty of options out there like audio programs, audiobooks and more that you can use to incorporate listening practice into your routine.4. Not enjoying the chosen resourcesFor some language learners, listening practice is a chore. Thats a nigh tmare come trueâ€"if  you dont find resources you enjoy, youre less likely to practice and your skills will suffer. How well do you think your listening comprehension will improve if you only (begrudgingly) do two or three minutes a day?Thats why it is so important to select the right resources for you. Listening to something you enjoy for an hour actually winds up seeming easier than listening to something you hate for two minutes.  One study even suggests that pairing the right video with good listening strategies can improve both effect and motivation in language learners. If thats not enough reason to find the right activity, we dont know what is!Luckily, there are plenty of options for listening practice, so if you dont enjoy what youre doing, try a different option. For instance, if you dont like listening to endless dialogues, watching one of the best foreign language films on Netflix  might be the perfect solution. Once you find something you truly love, youll have no troubl e sneaking in some listening practice and loving every minute of it.5. Expecting to immediately understand speech spoken at a natural paceOnce youve studied a language, you might feel like you should immediately be able to understand native level speech. Sadly, that rarely happens. Understanding what you hear is a skill that takes time.Thats because native speech is usually very different than what students hear in a classroom. Its faster. Its often decidedly more mumbly. Because of this, even students who are relatively advanced in a classroom setting might not understand everything immediately.One study suggests that while listening comprehension is one of the most central skills for language learners, its not a widely researched skill. Still, what we do know is that it takes time. Its important to focus on the gist of a conversation, not on understanding every word.To start practicing this, keep a notebook handy while youre listening to an episode of your favorite podcast (or wat ching a YouTube video). Write down a summary, or the gist, of what you hear. Continue to do this every day and youll begin to see a marked improvement in how much you pick up.If you really want to see your progress, go back to that initial entry after a few weeks and listen to that same podcast. Can you understand more? What would the summary look like now? See how much youve grown?6. Translating in your head.Trying to translate spoken foreign language into your native language as you listen is a natural reaction. The Oxford University Press English Language Teaching Global Blog  points out that translation in foreign language instruction is common and sometimes even useful.Sadly, it can also be problematic.When listening, translating in your head takes valuable time and may prevent you from hearing whats said next. So while you might have a perfect translation of the first few words you hear, you might not understand anything else.Instead, try to focus on capturing meaning. Sometim es it takes focus and self control to do this, but its worth the extra effort. Its an advanced skill, but its essential for strong listening skills.Watch a YouTube video in the target language thats very contextual (like a video focused on restaurant or transportation vocabulary). Picture the context in your mind. As you listen to the speaker, imagine a video playing in your mind of whats happening. If a customer is ordering a drink, thats what you should be visualizing. Youll begin to associate those words with pictures and actions, instead of literal translations.This will be difficult at first, so you might transition towards this by doing it slowly. Translate one sentence or phrase, then picture the next. Then, over time, build to larger chunks. Eventually, youll lose the natural drive to translate in your head, and youll understand much better.Language listening mistakes dont need to scare you. Just keep an eye out for them and remember how to fight them off when they sneak up on you!

The Fluency Connection The 4 Best Language Exchange Apps

The Fluency Connection The 4 Best Language Exchange Apps The Fluency Connection: The 4 Best Language Exchange Apps So, you want to learn a new languageand you want it bad.Let me tell you something  that will utterly blow your mind:You are not alone.Thats right! Believe it or not, there are others out there who want to learn a language just as badly as you and some of them want to learn your native tongue.Out of these eager learners, theres somebody who, in turn, is also a native speaker of the language you have your eye on. They might even be at around the same language level as you, whatever that may be.Thats what we call a win-win situation.And its the basic premise of language exchange apps. How Does Language Exchange Work?Are you an English speaker who wants to learn Korean (or Japanese, Chinese, French, German, Spanish, etc.)? Then youre in luck. There are thousands of native-speaking Koreans who really want to learn English! A Korean English-learner can teach you his Korean, and in return, you can make him wade through the English thicket. You can trade each others native tongues. This is called language exchange.A language exchange is different from getting an online language tutor. In a tutoring relationship, its clear whos the teacher and whos the student. One teaches the other, and learning is pretty much one way. In a language exchange, two people teach and learn, in turn.Language exchange websites like Conversation Exchange and My Language Exchange have been put up for the very purpose of pairing learners with the native speakers of their target language. You type in the language/s you know, and then the language you want to learn, hit Enter, and your search results will yield loads of people you can pair with. You then reach out to your potential buddy via text chat or email and agree on a specific time to meet up on Skype.You and your buddy can tailor your sessions however you want. It can be a freewheeling discussion where you talk about whatever comes to mind, or you can see if the two of you can get the hang of a more structured interaction. (For example, the first 15 minutes could be you teaching, and then you could switch roles.)This may all sound very intimidating. but in addition to using the apps below, learning with FluentU  can help you feel more confident and inspired in your language exchanges, as it gives you access to cultural references and helps you warm up your listening skills with native speaker audio. FluentU takes real-world videosâ€"like movie trailers, news, music videos and inspiring talksâ€"and turns them into personalized language lessons.You can talk about anything, and before long, you might have a true friend truly invested in your learning.No money is exchanged, just language lessons.What Are Language Exchange Apps?With language exchange apps for smartphones, the whole process becomes mobile, kicking the experience up a notch. Now, you dont need to stay in your room and hog the laptop camera. You can go outdoors and learn on the go. You can give your buddy a more immersive experience, for example, by point ing your phone to street and store signs and using them to help him understand something. You could even show him how life is in your neighborhood.Language exchange is an important element of your language learning experience, and language exchange apps just make the whole process more convenient. Theres nothing like talking to a native speaker right on your phone and taking notes from someone whos a linguistic insider. Yes, using music, games  and videos  can have pretty profound effects on your learning curve, too, but dont you dare miss out on the awesome benefits of language exchange apps.They have advantages that other learning resources simply dont have. For example, you can get instant feedback. Your partner can listen and check if youre pronouncing words right. If you have questions on the nuances of the language, you can simply ask the person on the other end of the video chat and get an immediate answer, as opposed to waiting for somebody to type in an answer to your query on a language forum.Language exchange apps get you to both practice and sample the language, in a setting where its A-okay to bungle the words or use the wrong verb form. Nobodys grading you, and the person on the other end of the line knows exactly what youre going through because theyre basically in the same boat.That said, lets now look at some of the best language exchange apps that you can add to your learning arsenal. Theyre all free and available for both Android and iOS.The Fluency Connection: The 4 Best Language Exchange AppsHelloTalkLike I said before, no need to fire up Skype just to interact with your partner/s. HelloTalk is a standalone app that can do so much more than just connect you with someone who speaks your target language.Its loaded with features that save users from the awkwardness of not being able to express themselves enough to be understood. Consider the basic conundrum of language exchange: She wants to learn English, you want to learn Chinese. How do yo u actually interact with her or explain things when the very language youll be using is her target language? She understands Chinese alright, but if you only speak Chinese, shes not going to learn English.Enter HelloTalk. The app has Translation, Transliteration, Voice-to-Text and Text-to-Voice features.Your Chinese friend can simply speak in her native tongue. As you receive the voice message, you can use the Voice-to-Text feature to see a written form of what was said. Cool, huh? Still dont understand the message? Use the Translation feature and see the message interpreted in your own language.HelloTalk interactions are a bit slower, which is really a good thing since nobodys put on the spot and expected to be suddenly fluent in the target language. Youre not straining so much. The back-and-forth of messages takes a little more time because both parties are processing the communication. And this is when learning truly takes place.When language is learned in the context of a friend ly conversation, and augmented with HelloTalk’s awesome features, learners get more insight from the whole interaction.BilinguaBilingua is a language exchange app that goes beyond partnering you with a complementary native speaker. It wants to ensure a fun, easy and educational interaction for its users. And this is reflected in the features that the app carries.It has a smart chat feature, which gives you suggestions on what to talk about, so you never run out of topics during the exchange. It even recommends specific phrases you could use.Best of all, to ensure that you find somebody who shares your hobbies, interests and personality, when you first start using the app, youre taken through a series of personal questions. Your answers help its algorithm pair you up with somebody similar, ensuring a more productive language exchange experience.And all this happens under the watchful eye of Shiro, Bilinguas adorable mascot.HiNativeWouldnt it be nice to have a native speaker answer all those nagging questions that inevitably come up when youre trying to learn a new language? And wouldnt it even be better if you didnt have just have one but a whole truckload of native speakers waiting to help you, and none of them got testy even after your 48th question?HiNative is a QA platform that specializes in getting your questions answered by the most competent speakers of your target language. Its interface is really easy to navigate, and the button youre going to be using the most is the Ask button.HiNative really makes it easy for you to get your question out by providing categories/templates like, How do you say this? and Does this sound natural? (This one gives you an audio-record function where you let native speakers hear you pronounce a specific word or phrase and give you feedback on whether you sound natural or not.)Theres also a category called Ask Something Else, which is a catch-all for those questions that dont belong in the others. This is usually where cu ltural queries and opinion questions find room.And because this is a language exchange, you can and should help out others by taking the time to answer some of their questions. It wont take much effort, and it will really help out other members of the language learning community.TandemWith Tandem, you can text, talk or video chat with someone on the other side of the world.The app has prominent social-networking functions, and you can Follow people as well as check out those who follow you. You can also write reviews about users you interacted with and can send good vibes their way. (This is like you telling other users, She’s cool.) You can also filter the people who can see your profile and choose them by characteristics like gender or age.Youre not limited to just one picture but can upload as many as six. Punch up your profile and encourage interaction by writing about the topics you want to hear others talk about. For example, you might say, I think hot dogs are Gods gift to humanity. What do you think?”Remember, theres Tinder and then theres Tandem. One is for dating, and the other is for language learning. Before youre accepted into the Tandem community, youre reminded that the app should only be used for language learning, not flirting. (So if somebody rubs you the wrong way, theres a Block function conveniently provided by the apps developers.)In addition to all those cool features, the app has a Tutor tab, where you can find vetted tutors of the language you want. Or, if you want to earn on the side, you can fill out a profile to become a language tutor.These are four of the very best language exchange apps out there.Theyre so advanced that they have features that may seem a little bit Star Trek-y.But theyll be worth nothing unless you hit that Send, Call or Ask button.Dont wait for someone else to make the first move.Make it yourself and gain a new friend in the process.And One More ThingIf you want to be up-to-date on all the latest language le arning tech, youve got to check out FluentU.FluentU takes real-world videos like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks, and turns them into language learning experiences, 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 experience by recommending videos and examples.Start using FluentU on the website with your compu ter or tablet  or, better yet,  download the FluentU app from  the iTunes store  or Google Play store.

Huge surge in school expulsions - Tutor Hunt Blog

Huge surge in school expulsions New government report reveals huge surge in school expulsions New government report reveals huge surge in school expulsionsSchoolsAstonishing new figures from the department of education show that there has been a 15% rise in the number of pupils who were expelled from state schools between 2015-16 and 2016-17. The figures rose from 6,685 to 7,720 - disturbingly high statistics for something so serious as expulsion, even though they represent the whole of the UK. A 15% rise in expulsions over 2 years is a precipitous increase, and many head teachers have said this is due to cuts to recent cuts in mental health and behaviour programmes. Government representatives have said that expulsion should only be used as a last resort - but one would think that it is always the last option anyway, since there is of course nothing further the school can do once the pupil has been permanently excluded. The figures correspond to 0.1% of the school population being expelled a year, up from 0.08% the previous year. While this percentage looks reassuringly low, it should be noted that this actually amounts to somewhere around 40 pupils per day being expelled. The concerning matter is what happens to these pupils after they have been permanently excluded. It can be hard to gain admittance to a school at the best of times, and with the cleanest of introductory letters - trying to get into a new school after having just being expelled from another may well prove to be a challenge. Of course the longer it takes, the further behind the pupil will get in their studies - and even if they somehow manage to be accepted into another school with convenient alacrity, they may find their new peers studying different parts of the syllabus. There is of course an argument that no pupil should ever be expelled. Upon accepting a pupil, that school takes on the responsibility for their education - by expelling the pupil they are abnegating that responsibility, and passing the issue onto someone else. The reality is however that some pupils are just so disruptive that they dominate each lesson, and unduly impinge upon their colleagues` learning. In this case there can perhaps be no other option but expulsion. Some of the results of the report, entitled Permanent and Fixed Period Exclusions in England: 2016 to 2017, make for depressing reading. Those pupils residing in the poorest areas are apparently four times more likely to be permanently excluded - and (perhaps most concerning) children who have a recognised special educational need account for about half of all expulsions. The leader of the Head teachers union, the Association of School and College Leaders, Geoff Barton, was clear that funding cuts and restrictions of children`s services (such as youth clubs) are to blame for the recent rise in pupil exclusions: `Schools have had to cut back on the individual support they are able to give students, making it more difficult to provide early intervention, and prevent behavioural problems from escalating. At the same time council support services for vulnerable families have been cut back, meaning that schools are having to pick up the pieces. `Schools only exclude pupils as a last resort and when all other avenues have been exhausted. The government needs to provide the funding that`s necessary to provide support at an early stage.` The report revealed that 83% of expulsions took place in secondary schools - an interesting statistic in itself. The most common reason for expulsion was cited as Persistent disruptive behaviour. This reveals that pupils are most likely to be excluded for an accumulation of misdemeanours, committed over a period of time, rather than a single bad deed. School Standards Minister Nick Gibb commented that the government will be looking into the findings of the review, and will be developing alternative options for pupils who find themselves outside mainstream education: `Whilst we know there has been an increase in exclusions there are still fewer than the peak ten years ago. `We recognise some groups of pupils are more likely to be excluded than others which is why we launched an externally-led review to look at how schools are using exclusions and why certain groups are disproportionately affected. `We are also transforming alternative provision to improve outcomes for children in non-mainstream education, which is backed by a ?4m innovation fund.` 19 months ago0Add a Comment