Chemistry in the Arts: Glow Sticks and Other Science-Based Toys

Chemistry in the Arts: Glow Sticks and Other Science-Based ToysGlow sticks and other science-based toys are made with glow products to make their purpose as easy as possible. It is a very great experience for kids to see the glow sticks in action, since children will naturally be attracted to bright lights. As a result, children can take advantage of the activity in ways they never could without using glow sticks or any other glowing toy.It can be really fun to create science fiction effects for glow sticks. You can either choose to make science fiction movies, or create your own short movie with the aid of glow sticks.When it comes to the creation of glow sticks, there are a number of ways you can do it. You can choose to make a short film that involves a magic wand, but there are other ways to use glow sticks as well. You can experiment with scuba diving, fire dancing, parachute jumping, as well as many other interesting actions.When you are doing science experiments with glow stic ks, you should also be sure to include it in a biology project. You can do this by using a mix of glow sticks and some seaweed and have it glow under a fluorescent light. It can be truly educational.A great way to make science projects for glow sticks can be to get some of the different types of markers you can find online and set up a science experiment using a glow stick. The challenge would be to pick out the different types of markers and make them dance across the surface of the glow stick. In order to make the light source as realistic as possible, you may want to purchase some neon colored markers and have the child perform a special glow stick light demonstration.Another great science experiment that can be performed with glow sticks can be to have the child create a science experiment by making their own energy star. They will need to have lots of glow sticks, which will produce the bright light effect. Then they will need to place one stick on the ground, and then move it about a few times until a real energy star appears.You can also experiment with glow sticks and work on various experiments involving other people and how you can complete your projects, if you wish. Experimenting with color and appearance is an important part of creating science fiction. Just imagine how a human can actually appear to glow in the dark, and then having your picture appear as a glowing glow stick.Science fiction will never be the same again once glow sticks and other glow toys become a part of your child's life. Once your child sees science come to life through glowing objects and creatures, it will definitely cause the curiosity to grow. Now that your child will be able to share this exciting experience with friends and family, you can even begin to learn about science with your child by participating in a science experiment together.

College Application Decisions Food for Thought?

College Application Decisions Food for Thought? College Application Decisions Now that all high school seniors have handed in their applications, they have a short break to relax and use their college prep time for other pursuits. Of course, many seniors will be taking advanced placement tests in May but that is still relatively far away.                     img via collegebound.net Before jumping into the May test prep season, seniors should take some time to thoughtfully plan out where they might want to go to college (assuming they are accepted everywhere). Early Action and Early Decision students may know whether or not theyve been accepted relatively soon but the majority of students have a couple of months to sit and ponder before any acceptances or rejections arrive in the mail. Choosing Where to Apply Although it often seems the second semester of senior year is relatively easy, deciding where to attend university is one of the biggest decisions they can make and it can potentially influence the rest of their life. Although students can change their minds later on and transfer to another school, the simplest path is to pick a four-year university and stick to it (READ: Navigating the Basics of the College Application Process). Hopefully, the majority of students out there applied to around 10 colleges. This is not a hard and fast number but it does provide for more choices. Some students, especially legacy students, will know exactly where they want to go to school. If they get into the University of First Choice, they know where they are going. However, many students need to contemplate what would be best for their future education and lifestyle. Starting with ideals and adding in doses of reality later is often a good way to make a final decision. Ideally, students shouldnt think about cost, housing, details, distance from home, or anything else that may cloud the mind. This thought may narrow the choice to about two to three colleges. Many students find that, although they mostly applied to one type of university, perhaps they would like to go to another type. Students who are feeling overly confused about their decision, should consider a few important factors. 1. Students who are in anyway unsure of what they would like to study should make sure that they choose a university that accepts an ‘undecided’ major in the freshman year and boasts departments in almost every major field of study. 2. Students considering small liberal arts colleges should find out if that they can switch to a different major if possible. The majority of large public universities offer most majors and are often a safe choice. Some students will not have as many choices as others but it is still important for them to think about what type of environment they would like to immerse themselves in. Its a good idea at this point in the year for seniors to think about their target schools (READ: 8 Reasons Applicants Fail to Get Into the College of Their Choice). The target schools are the five or so schools that students are likely to get into but are not a sure thing. Taking some time to think about which of these universities will make them most happy will allow students to make an easy decision later on. Once acceptance letters arrive, there isn’t a large amount of time to make a decision so its a good idea to at least get a little farther in the thought process of choosing where to spend the next four years. All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by TutorNerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at pr@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us post about. College Application Decisions Food for Thought? College Application Decisions Now that all high school seniors have handed in their applications, they have a short break to relax and use their college prep time for other pursuits. Of course, many seniors will be taking advanced placement tests in May but that is still relatively far away.                     img via collegebound.net Before jumping into the May test prep season, seniors should take some time to thoughtfully plan out where they might want to go to college (assuming they are accepted everywhere). Early Action and Early Decision students may know whether or not theyve been accepted relatively soon but the majority of students have a couple of months to sit and ponder before any acceptances or rejections arrive in the mail. Choosing Where to Apply Although it often seems the second semester of senior year is relatively easy, deciding where to attend university is one of the biggest decisions they can make and it can potentially influence the rest of their life. Although students can change their minds later on and transfer to another school, the simplest path is to pick a four-year university and stick to it (READ: Navigating the Basics of the College Application Process). Hopefully, the majority of students out there applied to around 10 colleges. This is not a hard and fast number but it does provide for more choices. Some students, especially legacy students, will know exactly where they want to go to school. If they get into the University of First Choice, they know where they are going. However, many students need to contemplate what would be best for their future education and lifestyle. Starting with ideals and adding in doses of reality later is often a good way to make a final decision. Ideally, students shouldnt think about cost, housing, details, distance from home, or anything else that may cloud the mind. This thought may narrow the choice to about two to three colleges. Many students find that, although they mostly applied to one type of university, perhaps they would like to go to another type. Students who are feeling overly confused about their decision, should consider a few important factors. 1. Students who are in anyway unsure of what they would like to study should make sure that they choose a university that accepts an ‘undecided’ major in the freshman year and boasts departments in almost every major field of study. 2. Students considering small liberal arts colleges should find out if that they can switch to a different major if possible. The majority of large public universities offer most majors and are often a safe choice. Some students will not have as many choices as others but it is still important for them to think about what type of environment they would like to immerse themselves in. Its a good idea at this point in the year for seniors to think about their target schools (READ: 8 Reasons Applicants Fail to Get Into the College of Their Choice). The target schools are the five or so schools that students are likely to get into but are not a sure thing. Taking some time to think about which of these universities will make them most happy will allow students to make an easy decision later on. Once acceptance letters arrive, there isn’t a large amount of time to make a decision so its a good idea to at least get a little farther in the thought process of choosing where to spend the next four years. All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by TutorNerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at pr@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us post about.

Learn a Language on YouTube 14 Hacks for Success

Learn a Language on YouTube 14 Hacks for Success Learn a Language on YouTube: 14 Hacks for Success Everyone has problems.Money problems, job problems, life problems.Hopefully, youre able to solve most of them. Eventually.But in the meantime, learning a language shouldnt be one of your problems.Thats not to say that were living in some sort of fairy tale world where your ability to get a good nights sleep doesnt directly affect how much you can devote yourself to an ambition or hobby like language learning.But language learning shouldnt create any additional problems in your life.And if youre  learning a language with YouTube, it doesnt have to.Okay, so it might be an exaggeration to say that YouTube can prevent every language-learning problem there is.But it might also be completely accurate to say that YouTube is the single richest source of language learning material there is.Lets see why. Why Learn a Language with YouTube?It has nearly everything (movies, TV, language courses, etc.).  Because YouTube is capable of supporting video, its capable of supporting most types of medi a in some way. You can find audiobooks with text, material specially made for language learning and all kinds of authentic content.Its constantly being updated.  Theres always plenty of new content available, so you have a way of being exposed to current native language at all times. In fact, you can even use YouTube to learn languages through the news (see below).Its entertaining and accessible.  YouTube is by far one of the least painful resources for learning, as its accessible to anyone who has an internet connection. You probably also associate it with funny animal videos and lazy mornings rather than anything stressfulâ€"and thats great, because  cutting down on stress helps you learn better.Of course, these reasons dont actually explain how you learn languages with YouTube. Once you see that, youll probably be even more convinced. So lets get right into it.Learn a Language on YouTube: 14 Hacks for Success1. Bookmark or subscribe to channels hosting large catalogs of movies or TV.Two notable public domain film channels are the  Korean Film Archive channel  and  ???????? (Mosfilm), from the Russian film studio of the same name. Each of these host huge caches of free movies.For other languages, it may be easier to look at big media outlets. For example, the French-language RTS (Radio Télévision Suisse) channel hosts many segments that run about 20-30 minutes on a variety of subjects. BBC Mundo hosts short news videos that may be convenient for Spanish learners.To find a reliable source of movie or TV content on YouTube for your language, try googling [language] tv networks. Then search for one of the networks on YouTube. Chances are, youll be able to find one with quite a few videos.Having knowledge of a few authentic channels like this that regularly upload content to YouTube is a great place to start because it means youll always have authentic content to binge or practice with.2. Watch livestreaming news TV.More and more media outlets are adding live TV streams to YouTube, and thats another tool you should have in your arsenal. These are a little trickier to find than just big channels with uploaded content, but its worth it for the fact that you can simply watch these streams like regular TV, commercials and all.Here are some to check out. Note that the Euronews and Africanews dont run one continuous livestream, and CNN doesnt livestream 24/7, and as such, weve linked to their channel homes. Check the top of the main channel page for an updated linkâ€"itll have a red box with the words live now inside.ChineseCCTVCTiSpanishTNCNN en Español  French  Africanews  France 24GermanDWJapaneseJapaNews24Italianeuronews (in italiano)  QVC Italia (Shopping and entertainment)Russianeuronews (?? ???????)?????? 24  (Russia 24)?????? 24  (Moscow 24)KoreanYTN????TV (Yonhap News TV)3. Use FluentU.FluentU is a program that takes real YouTube videosâ€"like movie trailers, music videos, news and inspiring talksâ€"and turns them into personalized l anguage lessons. While you can do all of the other activities were going to suggest in this post without FluentU, it makes everything easier.With FluentU, you get to learn through YouTube, but you dont have to wade through all the YouTube content out there to get to the good stuff. The program offers you a curated library of high-quality content thats been sorted according to level and given interactive subtitles.In addition, you get access to a variety of learning tools, including customized quizzes, vocab lists, audio clips, grammar explanations and multimedia flashcards.Throughout the rest of this post, weve included some links to FluentU videos so you can get an idea of what the selection is like. You can see what the videos look like with all the features through the free trial by visiting the FluentU homepage and signing up there.4. Search for video answers to any language questions you have.While you can definitely make authentic content your main learning resource, especiall y with the support of a system like FluentU, you may have questions from time to time that you need direct answers to. It can be helpful to have an exchange partner on hand to help you out, but you can also probably find answers to quite a few of your language questions right on YouTube.If youre an intermediate or advanced learner, youre more likely to have some idea of how to phrase your questions. So go ahead and do a YouTube search for the difference between por and para  or how the German genitive case works.Most learning channels split up their content into searchable videos, so youll probably find a video dedicated to your particular question. For example, your search about the genitive case might land you on a useful video from Learn German with Anja.If youre a beginning learner, you may want to seek out some YouTube content thats specially made for learners.  Here are some resources for structured courses you can try out and use as libraries for your question searches:Innova tive Language offers a variety of YouTube channels for various languages. You can sign up for more materials on their websites. Clicking any of the separate channels will take you to an array of videos. In addition to exploring the playlists, you can watch their 24/7 livestreams for learners, which can be found in the individual channels.Easy Languages  gives you conversational content for multiple languages. Many of their videos, which include real interactions with native speakers, are most appropriate for intermediate learners. However, they also have Super Easy options, like a Spanish video that takes place in a library.5. Watch trailers for upcoming movies.Search for movie trailers in your target language and youll find bite-sized material for regular language practice. Watching a full movie in your target language can be difficult to fit into your schedule, or it may not be as good for intensive listening practice. But a movie trailer is short enough that you can sit down with it and, depending on your learning level, work out anywhere from a few words to the whole thing.Movie trailers are meant to give you an intriguing sense of the plot, so see if you can work out the gist of a trailer, even if you dont catch all of the words in it. Then, try writing out in your target language what you think the movie is about.Another learning strategy you can use is searching for trailers for movies dubbed into your target language that youve already seen in your native language. See if you can work out all the dubbed language based on your knowledge of the movie.For example, if you really enjoyed Black Panther and youre learning Italian, you could check out the movies trailer in Italian.6. Look for playlists of funny commercials. See if you can follow the comments on them.As it turns out, humor in commercials is pretty universal (even if the humor itself isnt always), and people love compiling lists of funny ones. This makes for another great short-form learning res ource.Reading comments on funny videos also tends to be good reading practice, because people always have something to say about them, even if its just how hilarious they are.To find a playlist or compilation, search in your target language for funny commercials or even funniest commercials, because sometimes commercials are so awesome they deserve awards.Its worth mentioning that FluentU has an especially good selection of funny commercials and that you can still easily access all of them on the YouTube platform if you want to see the comments. You can also easily share them on social media. I had to show  this Korean commercial to my cousin and a friend immediately after seeing it for the first time because it was so bizarre I couldnt stop watching it.7. Find video reviews of books youve read. Leave comments.The beauty of this is that it doesnt matter if you choose a book that youve read in your native language or your target language, as long as its available in the target langua ge. You dont even have to be a big reader to make this work.Lets say youre learning French, read Wuthering Heights in high school and remember finding it intriguing. Go on Wikipedia and type in the novel name in English. Then, once you have the article up, change the language to French, and youll have your target language title:  Les Hauts de Hurlevent.  Plug that into a YouTube search, and youll find, for instance, a  French-language video about the book from Pinupapple Books.As you already have an idea of what the book is about, youll be able to better follow the commentary. You can then easily test your understanding of the video in a low-pressure way by responding in the comments section. Or, if you dont have anything in particular to say about the video, simply get some writing practice by explaining what you liked about the book.8. Look for audiobook versions of books youve read or videos of authors reading their work. Use these for dictation exercises.This works especially w ell with older public domain works.For example, lets say youre a Russian learner whos a fan of Gogols Dead Souls, and you already know that the original title in Russian is ??????? ????. Go ahead and type that into a YouTube search along with ?????????? (audiobook), and youre all set.For more contemporary authors, you may be better off looking for videos or audio recordings of writers reading their own work instead. For example, heres a video of  Julio Cortázar reading his poem Los Amantes (The Lovers).Once you have a recording of a work youre familiar with being read, try using it for a dictation exercise. Take a small clip (of about 30 seconds or so) and try to transcribe the recording word for word. Then, check your transcription against the text. If you do this regularly, even if its only every week or so, you may find your listening comprehension and general comprehension improving a lot.9. Search out videos of celebrities you like being interviewed. Use them for extensive lis tening practice.Whether its writers, actors, athletes or musicians, watching celebrities who speak your target language being interviewed is a great way to stay focused on your listening practice.Also, interviews tend to be good material for listening practice because theyre full of visual cues and more informal language. And theyre generally unscripted (or at least meant to look that way), so the person talking tends to speak slower, repeat themselves and rephrase their thoughts in different ways.If you dont already have something in mind, searching for interview with in your target language can get you a good handful of results (along with probably at least one video having something to do with Interview with the Vampire).Another advantage of using interviews for extensive listening practice is that they can be fairly long. For example, if youre learning French and are a big Stromae fan, you might enjoy an  approximately 26-minute RTS interview over your lunch break, and feel pret ty accomplished for having done so.10. Binge TED and TEDx videos. More extensive listening practice!TED and TEDx talk videos are also excellent for listening practice  but for different reasons. Because TED talks are planned out ahead of time and center around one specific subject, they use a logical order and allow you to follow along even if you miss significant chunks.You can also use talks for extensive reading practice, either alongside audio or with subtitles alone.  Heres  a breakdown of talks available in some form in various languages. If youre advanced enough in your target language, you can even volunteer to help  translate and transcribe more talks.To find talks that are originally in your target language, you can go right to YouTube. For Spanish, theres a  TED en Español channel  and for Russian, theres  TED ?? ??????? ?????.For other languages, you may be able to find playlists of talks. Here are some for common languages:GermanFrenchItalianChineseJapaneseBrazilian Po rtuguese11. Mine popular vlogs for multipurpose phrases.Watching vlogs is fun regardless of what you use them for. To find the most popular vloggers in your target language, scroll down on Social Blades list of top YouTubers and select your country of choice under Top 250 by Country.Channels with more views are often packed with scripted funny videos, which means you get stretches of smooth, deliberate audio. This is good for sentence and phrase mining. It can be especially useful to look for phrases that can be reused in different contexts. For example, if someone says, I need to go to the store, you can make note of that phrase, but blank out [store] and practice putting other words in its place.This is a very simple example, of course, and if possible, it may be best to focus on language thats somewhat idiomatic but also simple and versatile. For instance, if I were learning English, a phrase like Whats up with [that]? would be a good one.Its also good to focus on phrases that in clude prepositions  because preposition use can seem arbitrary in terms of how its employed even within a single language.12. If youre learning multiple languages, look for speakers of one language creating videos about another language/country.This may be more or less successful depending on the languages in question, but its worth a shot. For example, when I started learning Korean, I found that it was fun to maintain and enhance my (much better) knowledge of French by seeking out YouTubers who were French speakers living in Korea.If you search in your stronger target language for My life in [country that speaks your weaker target language], you may get lucky. Channels like this can still be a toss-up as far as how much language youre going to learn. But they can provide a lot of motivation and put you in the mindset of being more confident about your weaker language.Another strategy is to search for specific language questions and content about your weaker language in your strong er language. To take a broad example, lets say I think I might want to learn some common Korean sentences. I can search in French for phrases coréennes (Korean sentences). Among other results, I find Sebooms video of a French speaker teaching Korean sentence structure.This isnt even exactly what I was expecting to find, but now Ive got access to a channel that includes a whole playlist of Korean lessons in French.13. Find a video for a song you like and let YouTube choose related music for you.This seems simple enough but I mention it because Ive found that it can actually work surprisingly well for finding music across a language. And YouTube seems to work better for this than some popular streaming services like Pandora.You can, of course, start playing a video for a song in your target language that you already like and see what pops up under Whats Next and in the sidebar.But you can also just let YouTube run in the background while youre doing something else. This way, youre ge tting some casual language exposure, while also possibly finding some new artists to explore later. If something thats not in your target language pops up, you can just quickly nudge YouTube back on track. If you hear something you especially like, you can make note of what it is for later.If youre not familiar with any target-language music and need some help getting started, check out the iTunes International Charts on Pop Vortex.14. Follow easy recipe videos.Of course, if your language and cooking skills are both more advanced, the recipes you choose dont have to be easy. But not everyone is there yet. Some of us may want to start with something like an easy tuna-stuffed tomato recipe from Conmishijos.Now, I dont know about you, but I dont understand how anyone can follow a recipe video without first writing down the process. So really, I think its best to make this a two-step learning method that involves some dictation (or paraphrasing, which is also a useful skill to learn in your target language).Try writing out the recipe the way it would appear in a cookbook, with an ingredient list at the top and a description of what steps need to be taken in the imperative. Of course, youll need to use common sense to decide if something doesnt quite add up or seems like a bad idea (please dont set anything on fire unless its part of the recipe and you know exactly what youre doing).If you have doubts, you can keep going back and watching the video until you feel confident. Then, when youre ready, head into the kitchen.Learning languages with YouTube addresses so many language-learning needs that you may as well just make it your main study resource.Enjoy your videos, and happy learning!Elisabeth Cook is a language enthusiast and book blogger who writes about literature (and occasionally languages) on Lit All Over.

Science and Ecology Crash Course - What is Required

Science and Ecology Crash Course - What is RequiredSo you want to get a biology crash course? If so, and you are in need of a basic biology curriculum, this is an easy method to learn that you will never regret. It is worth reading through what is required of a biology course before you decide whether to complete the required curriculum.In order to study a biology class, you have to have your laptop, and you need to prepare a minimum of a textbook, and a book of notes. This is very important if you are taking a Biology crash course. You need to be able to use that textbook, and this is what is needed for those who are serious about getting a biology course.The first step in your biology crash course is that you must study biology and natural science at the same time. For this, you should read a biology textbook that contains natural science information as well as biological units. Then, once you have completed the biology lesson, you should go to the biology library. Here, you can ac cess some books and DVDs related to the classes that you have completed, as well as a whole lot of reading material.There are several websites available online, where you can look up many classes that you need for a biology crash course. If you are looking for a biology lesson from the required curriculum, then you can find it easily by reading the credits required from the Biology course or courses for Biology crash course. All the other online resources are not quite so efficient and may not offer the best kind of information that you require for a biology course.Once you complete a biology lesson that you have chosen, then you can be sure that you have mastered every single part of the lesson, and you will be ready to move on to other lessons in a Biology crash course. These lessons are what will make up the remaining information in that day's lesson, as well as the biology lab reports. There are many possible ways that you can be guided into your Biology crash course, but you ha ve to take your time, and make sure that you choose a course that best suits your own interests. Otherwise, you will end up choosing a course that does not suit your personal needs, as you may not be in a position to move on in the course later on.At the end of your Biology crash course, you should be ready to continue on with biology, and once you have learnt the essentials, you will be prepared to advance into the next level of your biology education. You will now have a much more enjoyable experience, because you will have learnt more about the world, and the environment around you.

Analytical Chemistry Journals - Bringing New Information To The Forefront

Analytical Chemistry Journals - Bringing New Information To The ForefrontAnalytical Chemistry Journals offers new insights into the world of drug discovery and how to improve existing methods. These are some of the most recognized journals in the world of research and analysis of organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals.Studies reveal that today's pharmaceutical market values fluctuate depending on economic and political situations. One thing that is becoming more clear is that these discoveries and advancements can only be made with the cooperation of scientists working together. Due to this, the demand for analytical chemistry journals has increased dramatically over the past decade. Using techniques like open access publishing and web publishing, more high-quality information is now available online.In recent years, a great deal of worldwide recognition has been accorded to analytical chemistry journals and publishers. They have not only grown into the role of being the world's autho rity on research and development, but also as the catalyst for more publications and ideas in the area of medicines.The number of analytical chemistry journals currently in print can be counted on one hand. Although a vast majority of the world's scientists use standard, peer-reviewed journals, there are a few which adhere to certain principles. For example, they will publish research in a manner that makes the paper immediately accessible, so that scientists from all walks of life can access the same information.Some of the most respected analytical chemistry journals today are Biochemical Pharmacology and Drug Discovery. The Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences publishes articles and technical reports related to biological and pharmacological compounds. Pharmacopsychiatry publishes articles and reviews in the field of pharmacotherapy. The Journal of Chemical Pharmacology provides an extended discussion of the biochemistry and pharmacology of selected compounds.Because most publisher s in the United States to distribute their publications directly to libraries, it is possible to discover a broad variety of topics presented in publications published by the publisher itself. This enables users to view both current issues and those that may be out of print. Another benefit is that certain scientific journal publishers have developed partnerships with universities that offer a wide variety of software tools that allow users to search for specific information. This offers convenience for scientists, teachers, and the general public.You do not need to depend solely on the analytical chemistry journals to help you understand and participate in research. You can download detailed reports or follow-up reports from these journals. Some of these publications are easily found online through links found within the article. Still others are available in your local library or through the Internet.

How to Improve Your Spanish in 30 Minutes a Day

How to Improve Your Spanish in 30 Minutes a Day Suzy S. Whether you love science fiction, romance, or adventure, using non-academic books to learn Spanish is a fun way to improve your speaking skills! Learn more in this guest post  from Honolulu tutor  Jinan B... Reading books in Spanish is an inexpensive, portable, and convenient way to improve your Spanish skills. In this article Ill review the many ways reading books in Spanish will help you learn the language so that you can begin using this effective and enjoyable tool of reading the written Spanish word. Expand Your Vocabulary The first reason to use books to learn Spanish is to improve and expand your vocabulary. Acquiring a rich and complex vocabulary is one of the most challenging elements of language study, and reading in Spanish naturally enhances vocabulary learning. By reading fiction and non-fiction books on a variety of subjects, you will gain a vocabulary far beyond what you find in most Spanish textbooks, which are simply a starting point for your vocabulary bank. Furthermore, reading in Spanish allows you to gain understanding of unknown words through the context, thereby increasing your overall understanding of sentence structure, parts of speech, and typical vocabulary usage in the language. Improve Your Understanding of Phrases and Ideas On a related note, reading in Spanish also stretches your understanding of complex phrases and ideas that you might otherwise have trouble grasping. When you are reading, you can use the context (as well as cognates) to increase your understanding. You also have the ability to read slowly and re-read, which is another reason why reading in Spanish is a wonderful complement to aural exercises and listening to Spanish. Moving at your own pace while reading means that you can over time gain a deeper understanding of the language by reading thoroughly and utilizing the context and your previous knowledge of Spanish. Reading also encourages overall familiarity with the language, and increased ease in using the language. Try reading a passage out loud, then silently, taking as much time as you need to comprehend the passage, and then again out loud to see if you hear a difference in your fluency and ease in speaking. Improve Your Writing Skills Another skill that reading in Spanish improves is writing. By reading works of famous Spanish authors, youll get a sense of the rhythm and style of the written language, allowing you to glean inspiration to write in a similarly appropriate style and tone. You can even make a list of new words you are acquiring by reading and then try to write an essay or other written work incorporating some or all of the new words. Bonus: Try your hand at these Spanish writing prompts!   Learn More About the Language Overall Most of all, reading works in Spanish gives you a deeper understanding of the cultural implications behind Spanish language usage. Try reading works from a variety of Hispanic cultures and notice the differences in word choice, style, and sentence structure. Visualizing the connection between culture and language increases your cultural sensitivity in speaking with and writing to native Spanish speakers, and allows you to have a deeper awareness in choosing how and what to communicate in Spanish. That will certainly increase your depth, skill, and usage of the Spanish language! With all of these benefits in mind, improving your Spanish language skills is as easy as visiting your local library or browsing the foreign language section of a bookstore. And if you have questions about something you read, you can always bring in a passage to work on with your Spanish language teacher or tutor â€" they’ll appreciate your interest and motivation! Jinan B. tutors in Honolulu, HI. She is currently an  Assistant Professor in the Department of Human Nutrition, Food and Animal Sciences at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, teaching various courses including  Community Nutrition, Concepts in Nutrition Education, and Advanced Child and Adolescent Nutrition.  Learn more about Jinan here!   Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo by  Gildas Le Mentec

4 Steps to Networking Naturally - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / 4 Steps to Networking Naturally - Introvert Whisperer 4 Steps to Networking Naturally Career Attraction August 18, 2014 Networking, Personal Branding No responses Go to top Networking … ugh. It so daunting. So nerve-wracking. The awkward hellos, flamboyant bios, feigned interest and fake smiles. Networking is overwhelming due to the silly pressure we put on ourselves to be fabulous and interesting. But you know what? Done right, it works. Every time. We naturally network on a daily basis. We seek a referral for a good doctor or a real estate agent from a colleague. We ask our neighbor for a great restaurant or movie recommendation. Why can’t this easy flow of helping each other work in the job market, too? It can. It does. Here’s how: 1. “You Gotta Be You”: Exude Your Personal Brand Authenticity is the key to connecting and resonating with people. If you’re a bit nervous, share that. The other person will likely put you at ease or share their discomfort as well. Ensure your appearance matches the way you really feel and wish to be perceivedâ€"professional, comfortable, stylish. Either way, it needs to look and feel truly “you.” Be proud to share who you are. 2. “Do Your Homework”: Understand Your Market If you’re attending an event for a professional association, a local chamber of commerce or even a neighborhood barbecue, understand who your audience is and why they are there. This creates your first level of commonality and topics for discussion. Research the event’s speaker or history of the organization so you have interesting items to share to further the discussion. 3. “Listen with Your Eyes Open”: Be Engaged and Engaging The art of conversation is to truly listen. Don’t speak over someone excitedly. Listen attentively and patiently. But, do so in an engaging mannerâ€"with great eye contact, open body language, letting your body and face show that you “hear” them. Have a few questions ready to start a conversation, or when someone is sharing with you, further the conversation with questions you ask. This shows you care about what they’re saying and builds a connection. 4. “Reconnect”: Follow Up and Re-engage Thank the person you’re speaking with for the conversation. Ask for permission to reach out to them in the future for further discussion or recommendations. Then send them a handwritten thank you note, which will create a personable, lasting impression. Share why you can help each other. Networking isn’t a competition to outshine everyone in the room. It’s an opportunity to meet someone new and see how you can help each other. If you bulldoze an event with personality and forced charm, you fragment the energy in the room and do yourself a disservice. However, if you approach networking with energy, enthusiasm and exude a genuine sense of caring about the other person, you’ll have made a new friend and contact. Networking is good manners, good conversation and a helping handâ€"which always works. What do you find the hardest part of networking? Share your thoughts with us in the comments! This post originally appeared on Career Attraction. Go to top Bottom-line â€" I want to help you accelerate your career â€" to achieve what you want by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my 4 Building Blocks to Relationships eBookâ€" the backbone to your Networking success and fantastic work relationships.   Grab yours by visiting: CLICK HERE Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleash your professional potential.