Organic Chemistry Videos - New Precalculus Videos

Organic Chemistry Videos - New Precalculus VideosOver the last few years, the United States Department of Education has released a series of newly developed pre-algebra and calculus videos on organic chemistry. Since organic chemistry is a subject which is not compulsory for high school students, many students have not taken the time to learn all of the components of the subject.However, if you think you need a refresher course in this area, then you can't afford to be without the right instruction. The good news is that you can take organic chemistry videos on your own, which means you'll be able to learn the lessons without being driven by a teacher. The first thing you need to do is find the videos.If you have a lot of classes you need to study for, or are just in too much of a hurry to find a teacher who can teach you quickly, then you can't afford to waste money on someone else's instructional materials. Fortunately, there are now a number of websites which offer organic chemist ry tutorials online. Not only do they offer pre-calculus videos, but they also provide a tutorial on the four fundamental elements of the subject.These sites are very reasonably priced, and you don't need to spend more than $40 for the materials that you need to learn the subject. This is usually much cheaper than purchasing new textbooks, and it will allow you to learn a subject which will benefit you for the rest of your life.Before you decide which sites to look at, you should decide whether you really want to learn how to make organic chemistry, whether you can afford to spend time doing so, and if you have the time to learn the material at a pace that suits you. There are plenty of sites on the internet that offer video tutorials on organic chemistry. However, there are also a lot of wrong ones and some that are downright dangerous.Don't let yourself be taken advantage of by a company who are advertising a price which they can't afford to pay. If they can't afford to give you t he materials you need, you probably shouldn't be paying them. If you take the time to find out more about the quality of the sites, you will be able to get the best instructional material which you can use to take your studies to the next level.If you can't afford to pay the price that these companies are asking for these videos, then don't be afraid to check out other sites that offer the materials you need. In the end, you'll save yourself a lot of money and make yourself a better scientist.

Do Singers Need Metronomes

Do Singers Need Metronomes Suzy S. As a vocalist, should you practice singing with a metronome at your side?  Read on for St. Augustine, FL teacher  Heather L.s advice   Metronomes are devices that produce sounds in regular, pre-chosen rhythms. Many years ago, the only metronomes were simple gadgets. Though the first one thats even similar to what we now think of as a modern metronome was invented in the 19th century, the kind that most adults are familiar with is a mechanical, wind-up metronome. It makes a sound like someone knocking on a small door. Nowadays, nifty electronic metronomes are manufactured on their own, or in a small device combined with a tuner, and they can now even be found online and on your smartphone as an app. They are utterly customizable, and Im not talking just about the time signature, but even the sound itself. Pros and Cons of Using a Metronome So many musicians use a metronome all the time, but theres always been a lot of debate on whether or not theyre even effective. Supporters of its use say that it helps to encourage an internal sense of rhythm, it helps to keep musicians playing at a constant speed (if they tend to have a tendency to speed up or slow down), and because you can set it to a composers indicated tempo marking, you can get a true idea of the speed he or she wanted the piece to be played. Opponents of the metronome claim that it simply creates mindlessly mechanical musicians, devoid of music expressiveness. Over the last decade of teaching piano, Ive used a metronome sparingly, fearing that students would go insane if I played it incessantly. But recently, Ive found it more and more useful. Overall, Ive come to believe that pianists, especially those in the beginner and intermediate stages, need a metronome. But do singers need a metronome? Using a Metronome for Singing Practice I taught a voice lesson this morning to a 65-year-old female student. She is a complete beginner who has a lot of promise. Because its so important that all of my students learn to sight read, I made sure that I got an intensive session in for her today. In the middle of sight reading melodies, she suddenly asked, Why is that dot round and without a stem? She was asking what a whole note is. As I explained note rhythms, and specifically that a whole note is one thats sung or played for four beats, I realized how much I needed a metronome in that moment. I wouldve played my guitar, the metronome wouldve sounded its steady beat, and my student wouldve heard that steady beat in the background as she sang. As she sang that whole note, she couldve heard four beats go by. That wouldve reinforced her learning aurally. Sure, I was able to strum and tap my guitar side to get a similar effect, but what happens to my student tomorrow when she goes to practice singing on her own? She doesnt play an instrument. And even if she did that doesnt mean at her beginning stage that shed be sure to stay consistent in her rhythms. Yes, music is a living thing, and living things naturally slow down and speed up. Music is a living thing that lives inside us, not on a written page. That page is a guide, a map that shows us the way. But its not the way. Rubato, for instance, is an Italian term that means literally to rob, and musically, it means to slow down and take time away, so to speak, only to give it back and speed up later on. Its a beautiful thing. But metronomes dont know rubato. They are faithful, true, and dependable, which is exactly why theyre so important for your musical studies. Other Ways a Metronome Can Help Singers need metronomes. A lot of composers and even songwriters include very particular, and even not so particular, tempo markings in their works. These markings go from vague, like with movement, to an exact number of beats per minute, like 132. Unless you know just what 132 beats per minute sounds like, when you see that 132 on your page of music, youll just be guessing. And have you ever slowed down or sped up in song, without even knowing it? Me, too. Metronomes help. Think of the last time that you sang with another musician. Did you find yourselves having to take a few minutes to talk about exactly what tempo youd play? Did you get a little frustrated when someone sped up on his own? A metronome wouldve helped. In the end, the metronome becomes a trusty friend, there whenever you need it. But someone doesnt have to be your roommate to be a trusty friend. And your metronome doesnt have to be a nagging, annoying, or constant companion. You can be simply friends, and what a great friend it is to have. Heather L. teaches singing, piano, acting, and more in St. Augustine, FL, as well as through online lessons. She is  a graduate of the prestigious Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey, and has performed with the New York and Royal Philharmonics, the New Jersey and Virginia Symphonies, the American Boy Choir, and the internationally renowned opera star Andrea Bocelli. Learn more about Heather 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 Niki Odolphie

6 Easy Improvements to Make to Your Study Space This Fall

6 Easy Improvements to Make to Your Study Space This Fall School is back in session! As such, you might be wondering how you can enhance your study space to help you perform at your highest potential. There are several quick changes you can make to improve your study space right at home heres what you can do: 1. Cut out distractions What tends to distract you when you are trying to buckle down and study? Is it a nearby poster with bright colors that catches your eye, a beanbag chair that is a bit too relaxing, or a mechanical pencil you constantly are playing with? Any distracting objects or features of your study space should be eliminated. In theory, getting rid of these distractions should be relatively easy. Excessive light can be reduced with curtains and furniture can be rearranged. With some creativity, mostly everything about your study space is adjustable. [RELATED: Top 5 College Study Tips] 2. Clear the clutter Your study space should only contain the things you need to study nothing more, nothing less. When you keep more than you need in your study space, it can lead to stress and distractions. Clean up garbage, put away extra books, and relocate picture frames, trinkets, etc., or any other objects that are not conducive to studying. Go for a minimalistic approach. 3. Adjust the lighting Lighting can have a huge psychological impact on your study efforts. Your study space should be properly lit: not so bright that it hurts your eyes, but not so dim that you have to squint. Natural light is often better than artificial light, so take advantage if your study space has a window or skylight. If possible, open the blinds rather than flipping a light switch (you can save electricity this way, too). 4. Reduce noise Some students enjoy studying with their headphones in or the radio on. However, some studies show that people tend to remember less of what they study when they study with too much background noise. However, there are other instances when music can be helpful to ones concentration, perhaps when it is soft and familiar. New sounds can negatively affect concentration, however, as they will likely be distracting. All in all, this aspect of a study space depends on your personal preferences. 5. Personalize To customize your study space, you must get to know yourself. Think about all of the different parts of your study space: lighting, seating arrangement, organization, temperature, acoustics, etc. Now, think about how you can tailor those elements to make them create the perfect study environment for you and only you. Only you know under what conditions you learn best. 6. Ditch your phone One surefire way to increase your study productivity is by putting your phone down for awhile. As hard as it may be, not having email, texting, and social media at your fingertips will greatly help you focus on the schoolwork at hand. At first, it may be a tough adjustment, but you are very likely to be pleased with how much you accomplish. If you are ever using your study space for group work, encourage your team members to put their phones aside as well; they just may thank you later! Improving your study space does not have to be difficult or expensive. Follow these tips and you will have already taken the first step to higher test grades. 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.

Improving Work Ethics For Introverts - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Improving Work Ethics For Introverts - Introvert Whisperer Improving Work Ethics For Introverts When you read the words ‘work ethics’ how do you feel? Does it conjure up images of HR workshops and dreaded role plays? Or does it? As an introvert, make you feel instant anxiety when you think about playing an active part in the workplace?   In general terms, workplace ethics covers behaviour based skills such as dedication, teamwork, integrity engagement and behaving appropriately and respectfully. Introverts may not immediately see how their natural common traits can benefit themselves and others in an obvious way in the office, but you would be wrong!   Many introverts have gone on to be great leaders of history.       One of the most famous introverts in history would be Mahatma Gandhi, but some great leaders will surprise you. For example; Rosa Parks, who infamously remained on her seat on the bus, was a very introverted, gentle and quiet woman. Elon Musk whom it would seem loves the stage and taking the mic in huge auditoriums, is a tech-focussed introvert who had to train and change certain behaviours to take that seat at the head of the boardroom table. JK Rowling’s introverted nature allowed her to write and write and write, building beguiling worlds full of wizards and fantastic beasts.   Sure, these guys are a tiny per cent of truly, globally successful people, but it demonstrates that being an introvert should not hold you back and you can contribute and live positive work ethics every day.   Engagement is probably the toughest ‘natural spot’ for those that tend to be a little introverted. The thought of a work party with its loud music and cackling laughter and singing can feel a bit overwhelming, and you may be tempted to hand back at your desk chatting to the office cleaner rather than join the fun. You may also recoil at the thought of presenting to a group of people, but your introversion shouldn’t hold you back when it comes to seeking out friendships, good working relationships and in turn, positively raise your profile in the workplace.     Connect with people in a comfortable way for you.   Have a quiet morning coffee or breakfast one on one with your manager or maybe some colleagues who are collaborating on a project with you. One to one time and small group gatherings are a great forum to get your point across and share ideas. If you are a team leader, share your wins!   You don’t need to get on the mic or take a bow, but you can send a thankful email to the business sharing the successes and how your team has improved the company. Similarly, if a team member has performed well, remember to give them a thank you.   Ditch the headphones! It can be a comfort zone to stick on the headphones and concentrate on your work, but to others, it can be perceived as isolating yourself from the group or disinterested in the team or those around you. Keep the headphones for when you’re working to a tight deadline or need to concentrate on a specific document leaving yourself open to some engagement and conversation.     Introverts have some excellent traits when it comes to promoting good work ethics.   We think before we speak, choose our words carefully, and we tend to steer clear of watercooler gossip.   Because we tend to take our time with responses, we can also navigate office politics pretty well, but it’s good to remember that from time to time you do need to put yourself out there and speak up in meetings, or if you believe strongly in an opinion.     If you don’t know where to start, think about some coaching, or speak to your HR department about some training on speaking publicly and presenting.   It may never be your comfort zone, but you’ll feel a great deal of achievement when you do hit those milestones and feel rewarded when the company you work for gets to recognise your good efforts.       Ultimately, we all need to connect with other people, it’s human nature, and by taking steps to communicate more with others, you may find that you have more in common with some of your colleagues than you think! Author Bio: Lara Blanco: Culture happiness centric individual with the belief that happy teams make happy  customers, which in turn makes everyone happy. I also know a thing or two about cleaning

6 Sided Polygon

6 Sided Polygon A polygon is a geometric shape bounded by more than two straight lines. For example: - Triangle is polygon of three sides, quadrilateral, square, rhombus, rectangle, parallelogram, trapezium all are polygon of four sides similarly pentagon, hexagon are the examples of polygon or simply we can say a polygon consists with a n number of sides where n= 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and so on. Regular polygon is a geometric shape where all sides and interior angles are equal. For example square is a regular polygon of four sides where each interior angle is 90 degrees and all the sides are equal. Similarly equilateral triangle is also a regular polygon of 3 sides where each sides and angles are equal. 6 sided polygon is known as Hexagon. Sum of interior angles of a regular polygon= (n 2) x 180 Example: - Find the sum of interior angles of a 6 sided polygon. Solution: - n= 6 for a 6 sided polygon. Therefore for a 6 sided polygon (i.e., n=6) then Sum of interior angles of 6 sided polygon= (6 2) x 180 = 4 x 180 = 720 degrees. Each interior angle of a polygon = (n 2) 180 / n. Example: - Find each interior angle of a 6 sided polygon. Solution: - Since Each interior angle of a polygon = (n 2) 180 / n. For a 6 sided polygon, n=6 therefore Each interior angle of a polygon = (6 2) 180 / 6 = (4) 180 /6 = (4) 30 = 120.

Henri Matisse

Henri Matisse Henri Matisse and his Many Modes of Art ChaptersEarly Years and Tentative ExplorationsHello, Fauvism!Matisse: Life Beyond the CanvasSunset: Matisse’s Final YearsLegacyMatisse had a name fairly meant for the Parisian art scene, if only because it is a near homophone of the French word ‘artiste’.He stumbled upon painting through an unusual set of circumstances but once he declared himself a creator of art, there was no turning back.Rather little is known of his early life other than he was first-born into a wealthy family. His father was a grain merchant and his mother enjoyed dabbling in painting.Young Henri showed little inclination for art; he studied law in Paris before returning to his hometown in northern France to work as a court clerk and administrator.When he was 20 years old he was stricken with appendicitis that led to a prolonged episode of recovery during which he could not work. To help him pass the time, his mother gifted him a trove of art supplies.  She had no idea that simple act would completely chan ge her son’s life, deeply disappointing her husband in the process.The art world, on the other hand, delighting in having Henri Matisse break new ground in artistic expression and direction.Superprof now looks at the 60-year art career that Henri Matisse enjoyed and how he continuously reinvented himself to remain relevant. FernandoPainting Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EmmaPainting Teacher 5.00 (5) £75/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DavidPainting Teacher 4.75 (4) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NatashaPainting Teacher 5.00 (7) £37/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors StefaniaPainting Teacher 5.00 (4) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SakinaPainting Teacher 5.00 (1) £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LorrenPainting Teacher 5.00 (2) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Off2themoonholliePainting Teacher £8/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsEarly Years and Tentative Exploratio ns As he learned more about colour theory, Matisse soon abandoned his dark portrayals Source: Wikipedia“In painting, I have discovered a kind of paradise” Henri MatisseOnce he was fully recovered from his attack of appendicitis, Matisse returned to Paris for a second round of studies â€" not of the musty subject of Law but of art.He enrolled at Académie Julian, a private art school, where he learned intricate brushwork through landscape painting and still lifes.At the outset, his painting technique was quite traditional but his eyes kept straying to the works of other French artists like Manet and Chardin; in fact, he often spent his free time at the Louvre copying works by other famous artists.Matisse approached his art education intellectually rather than by any drive to create. He sought out the best teachers, even travelling to meet them and learn from them.Such was the case when he set out to meet Australian painter John Russell, who was staying on the island of Belle Isle. Th ere, he was introduced the brightness of van Gogh paintings; an experience that completely changed his palette.Mimicking the Dutch impressionist artist, he abandoned dark colours in favour of more realistically-hued works, such as Blue Pot and Lemon, displayed at the Hermitage museum in St. Petersburg.In a further tribute to Vincent van Gogh, Matisse painted a Vase of Sunflowers; he also executed Study of a Nude, employing elements of pointillism.Matisse, fully realising he was a novice among great painters, always followed advice from those he saw as his betters. So it came to be that, when Camille Pissarro suggested he travel to London to study the works of British painter William Turner, he readily complied.Fully enthused by life in the art world, upon returning to Paris, he nearly bankrupted himself buying up fellow artists’ works: Rodin, Gauguin and Paul Cezanne. The van Gogh that he had been given at Belle Isle also adorned his walls.In spite of showing well at Salon â€" the French government bought two of his oil on canvas paintings, Matisse needed something to advance his carefully-studied career.Hello, Fauvism!“Impressionism is the newspaper of the soul.” Henri MatisseUp to the turn of the century â€" for the first few years of Matisse’s career, he was considered an impressionist painter; whether he disdained that designation or not is in question still today. However, the above quote gives an indication of his feelings about impressionistic art in general.He felt that impressionist paintings are themselves a blank canvas upon which the viewer projects his own emotions and ideas or, conversely, find their ideas and feelings reflected in them, validating them in some way.As the movement's creator, Claude Monet would tell you, impressionism was, in effect, representational. Fauvism, by contrast, called for strong colours and more than a touch of abstraction.The Fauves â€" wild beasts in French, were young painters, themselves seen as unrestraine d in their creation of art, as though they were the beasts in question.Henri Matisse was a leader of the Fauvist art movement, along with André Derain. He  had sojourned in Tahiti, where he had picked up a predilection for bright colours; a bias that served him well as a Fauve.This style of painting advocated for the use of bold colours whether they were representative of the subject matter or not, meaning that artworks of this period, while audacious, did not reflect mainstream sensibilities.In other words, Fauvism was condemned virtually from the start.Naturally, this did not do a good turn for any Fauvist. Each of the three exhibitions of Fauvist works garnered nothing but criticism, with Matisse’s work singled out for special wrath.By this time Henri Matisse was married and had children to feed. His work being consistently panned made it very difficult for him to support his family so, when Gertrude Stein bought his most reviled painting, it not only lightened his mood but fl oated his family along until that most ill-received of art movements came to an end.Yes, that is the same Gertrude Stein who was Spanish painter Pablo Picasso’s patron. And there is another Picasso link: Georges Braque, the co-father of Cubism, was initially a Fauvist.Henri Matisse and that Spanish artist met at the height of the Fauvist period, in 1906. In spite of their age difference, they would become lifelong friends and gentle rivals. Henri Matisse was always looking for greater technical challenges; here he tries his hand at pointillism Source: WikipediaAll of this inventiveness â€" finding new ways of expressing his artistic vision served him well, especially toward the end of his life.Sunset: Matisse’s Final Years“It has bothered me all of my life that I do not paint like everyone else.” MatisseContrary to the frenzied brushstrokes an expressionist painter in full passion for his work, Matisse had always been methodical â€" in learning how to paint and in depicting his subject matter.His diligence, fastidious manner and regimented work schedule earned him equal parts of scorn and admiration in the Paris art community; even as he lingered at the Galette, he wished he could fit in better with the famous painters idling there.Matisse what diagnosed with abdominal cancer in 1941. France was already occupied by that time but, fortunately, the Germans found Matisse’s work pleasant so they helped him secure an operation to remove the cancer.Unfortunately, he suffered serious post-operative complications that left him bedridden for the next few months but, undeterred, he set about creating art differently: decoupage became his new medium.Matisse had cut painted paper into abstract shapes before; first as the stage designer for Igor Stravinsky’s The Nightingale and again for the Paris-based Russian Ballet.He had always seen paper-cutting as separate from his work as a painter but now, seriously incapacitated and unable to paint or sculpt, he relented in his assessment, ultimately increasing the size and his output of cut-outs.Matisse continued to work in whatever capacity he could until the 3rd of November, 1954, when he succumbed to a heart attack. We can see van Gogh's influence in Matisse's early work By Henri Matisse via WikipediaLegacyLike Italian Renaissance painter Leonardo da Vinci, Henri Matisse refused to let illness, injury or old age slow him down.A French impressionist at the outset, he created the most famous paintings of his career after Fauvism but before he relocated to Nice. Still, he was always ready to experiment with another medium or movement... as long as it did not offend his sensibilities.One of the blandest compliments ever paid him was: “Matisse’s art is eminently reasonable.” but, as it turns out, it is true - and the artist himself knew it.Today, Matisse is considered one of the vanguards of modern art; he ranks among the most famous artists of the early 20th CenturyAlthough his are not the most expensive paintings, they can be found in multiple countries, in their museum of art. They are generally appreciated, with little indication of the turmoil or trouble the artist might have endured in pa inting them... possibly because there was not much trouble.Now discover other famous works of art and the most famous painters in art history...

LSAT Tip of the Week Analytical Reasoning Practice Problem #3

LSAT Tip of the Week Analytical Reasoning Practice Problem #3 LSAT Law School Blog This week, we will focus on an example of how to setup an analytical reasoning (logic games) question. Our practice question will be from the June 2007 LSAT. This is Section 1, Question 11. A cruise line is scheduling seven week-long voyages for the ship Freedom. Each voyage will occur in exactly one of the first seven weeks of the season: weeks 1 through 7. Each voyage will be to exactly one of four destinations: Guadeloupe, Jamaica, Martinique, or Trinidad. Each destination will be scheduled for at least one of the weeks. The following conditions apply to Freedom’s schedule: Jamaica will not be its destination in week 4. Trinidad will be its destination in week 7. Freedom will make exactly two voyages to Martinique, and at least one voyage to Guadeloupe will occur in some week between those two voyages. Guadeloupe will be its destination in the week preceding any voyage it makes to Jamaica. No destination will be scheduled for consecutive weeks. First, we know there are 7 weeks: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ With 4 possible destinations: G J M T We are also told each one shows at least once: G J M T 1-1-1-1 We can infer that there are 4 weeks of at least one of these, and the 3 extra weeks can be a variety of options (G could be visited 4 times/G could be visited twice and J twice/etc.). Let’s go through the rules now. Rule 1: Jamaica cannot be in week 4 T will be in week 7. _ _ _ _ _ _ T (Note that T can be in another week as well) J =/= 4 Rule 2: M will have exactly two trips at least one G in between the two Ms. M â€" G(1 or more) â€" M Rule 3: Every J will have a G before it. So, we can infer that GJ must be together at least once. We also know that J cannot be first from this rule. Rule 4: No destination will be in consecutive weeks. Let’s try Question 11: Which one of the following is an acceptable schedule of destinations for Freedom, in order from week 1 through week 7? (A) Guadeloupe, Jamaica, Martinique, Trinidad, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Trinidad (B) Guadeloupe, Martinique, Trinidad, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Jamaica, Trinidad (C) Jamaica, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Jamaica, Trinidad (D) Martinique, Trinidad, Guadeloupe, Jamaica, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Trinidad (E) Martinique, Trinidad, Guadeloupe, Trinidad, Guadeloupe, Jamaica, Martinique We are not given any new information or rules, so we will implement what we have already inferred. First, we know each (GMJT) must appear at least one time. So, let’s quickly go through each option and see if any destinations are missing. All of the options seem to clear this test, so let’s continue. Rule 1 states that T must be in week 7, which is broken in option (e), so we can eliminate that. Rule 1 also states that J cannot be in week 4, which is broken in option (d), so we can eliminate that. Rule 2 states that M will have exactly 2 and there will be at least 1 G between. Going through the options we see that this is violated in option (b), so we can eliminate that. Rule 3 states that every J must have G before it (GJ). And this is violated in option (c), so we can eliminate that. This leaves us with option (a) as the correct choice. In order to continue to prepare for the logic games section of the LSAT, BluePrintLSAT makes a list of other games to play to exercise those important brain muscles in the months or weeks leading up to your exam.

11 Plus Preparation and Dates for 2019

11 Plus Preparation and Dates for 2019 With the upcoming 11 Plus exams fast approaching, it can be difficult to know how best to prepare. We've put together this handy blog with some date guidelines for the 2019 11 Plus exam season.   What is the 11 Plus Exam? The 11 Plus Exam is an entrance exam for schools generally taken in September at the beginning of Year 6. The content of the 11 Plus exam tests: English, maths, verbal reasoning and non- verbal reasoning. The exams may sometimes test the same subjects, e.g. two verbal reasoning tests or in other instances include a verbal and a non-verbal reasoning test. Key 11 Plus exam Dates:     Please note: This is a guide to all dates which can vary depending on individual schools.   April 2019: Grammar schools will open their registration with a deadline for parents to register their child in June or July for the 11 Plus exam. September 2019: The majority of 11 Plus exams will take place during the first two weeks of September. October 2019: In mid-October the results will be posted for 11 Plus 2019. March 2020: School allocations are confirmed. Results:  If things don't quite work out as planned, there is an option for parents submit an appeal to challenge the decision. There is also an option to apply for a  later selection, at 12 Plus or 13 Plus. If you need a tutor for the upcoming exam season, you can choose from 1000s of tutors on Tutorfair by clicking here.

How to Improve Language Listening Skills 5 Secrets for Success

How to Improve Language Listening Skills 5 Secrets for Success How to Improve Language Listening Skills: 5 Secrets for Success Listening  is the mother of all language skills.Okay, so traditionally its been treated more like the under-appreciated younger brother of language skills. But it should be the mother of all language skills.Remember at school, when you were supposed to be listening to the teacher and suddenly you got picked to answer a question and all you could do was muster a guilty “errrrrr”?We humans are generally poor listeners in our own language. While it may be embarrassing to be caught not paying attention to the teacher, listening is normally considered more of a given than something that needs to be focused on and cultivated.Were taught to read  and write. Were even taught to debate and give presentations. But no one really teaches us how to listen.So  mastering the art of listening in another language is bound to be an even bigger challenge! Its tough to figure out how to improve language listening skills to begin with.If we want to achieve fluency, we have to really make an active ef fort when it comes to this dimension of the language learning process. Why Is Listening So Important?First and foremost, one-way communication is just no fun. Its all well and good being able to put together a great phrase, but if youre lost when the reply comes your way, its useless. You have become the proverbial brick wall!And dont think this just applies to beginners. Even the more advanced can get caught out by the huge variety of accents and dialects contained within each language.I remember when I first went to Italy, confident after two years of classes and consistently good grades. As soon as I hopped off the plane in Rome and got to the bus station, I proceeded to spend the next hour sitting on the curb with my head hanging over my knees.The counter clerks fast regional accent had caught me out. I asked her to repeat herself three times, after which she made a heart-sinking I cant take any more stupid foreigners today face and started talking to the person behind me.We s hould always be aware that dialects and accents differ not only from country to country but also within a country. There are regional accents. There are even different accents within the same city, according to neighborhood, class or age.Topping up on listening practice with a wide variety of material gets us used to the differences AND helps us learn all sorts of other skills as well!Wondering what the best kind of material is to use and where to find it? Thats exactly what were going to provide you with here.The Best Resources for Listening PracticeYour experience of language listening may involve textbook dialogues that go something like this:“Hello, my name is Ronny.Oh hello, my name is Fred. Nice to meet you, Ronny.Where is the library?”Makes you want to bang your head on the table in boredom and frustration, right? Who can blame you? As this type of dialogue is clearly scripted, its most definitely not the best example of natural language.What we need is original, native s ources of language.These can include:Movies/TV Series. Check out  this guide to listening practice through movies and TV series  and the great resources included!Podcasts.  Entertainment Weekly offers a  list of recommended podcasts  from 2015 on their site. To find similar lists of recommendations for native podcasts in the language of your choice, try Google searching the phrase best podcasts in that language.Audiobooks. Instead of reading those books youre interested in, why not listen to them?News channels and radio stations often have great websites with plenty of videos and articles to go with them. Searching radio stations online in [country] will give you plenty of options. National Geographic is also a great multilingual resource with a TV channel, subscription magazines and websites in various languages.Talks and interviews. The advantage of listening to talks is that the speakers are generally experienced, speak more clearly and stay on subject. If you havent already hear d about TED Talks, get on the site right now! You can search by subject and language and listen to some of the best public speakers around the world give inspiring speeches on their subjects of expertise, with the advantage of subtitles in many languages and a written transcript if you ever get lost.Songs  (on Vimeo or YouTube, for example), with or without lyrics.People. Go out! Communicate, listen to conversations, etc. If you live in a city, find a language exchange partner who speaks the language you want to learn. You can do this through language exchange groups, such as  Mundo Lingo International, which are often organized through Facebook or on Meetup. Attend cultural events, such as cinema nights, theater or book clubs for countries youre interested in. If you are in a remote location, there is always the option of finding an online language buddy with websites such as  Coeffee,  Easy Language Exchange, italki  and  Babel Village.Finally, you can always find fresh native con tent on  FluentU,  an online immersion platform that takes  real-world videosâ€"like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talksâ€"and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.With FluentU, you learn real languagesâ€"the same way that natives  speak them. FluentU has a wide variety of videos, including funny commercials and web series, as you can see here:FluentU App Browse Screen.FluentU has interactive captions that let you tap on any word to see an image, definition, audio and useful examples. Now native language content is within reach with interactive transcripts.Didnt catch something? Go back and listen again. Missed a word? Hover over or tap on the subtitles to instantly view definitions.FluentU Interactive Transcripts You can learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentUs quiz 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’r e learning. It uses that vocab to give you a 100% personalized experience by recommending videos and examples.So now we know the why behind listening practice, and weve got the right tools. All thats left is the how. Check out these secrets for further listening success below.How to Improve Language Listening Skills: 5 Secrets for Success1. Make Listening Regular and FocusedLike anything worthwhile in life, theres no quick fix. Anyone telling you its pure talentâ€"or that you can push some buttons and voila!â€"is wrong. For me, language learning follows a simple equation:Interest + Motivation + Effort = Successful learning!Languages are vast and rich. There is no one (or hardly anyone!) whos going to be naturally excellent at all skills required to achieve full fluency. There are always parts that come more easily and others that youll have to work harder at.For some, that might mean grammar is a breeze, but producing the sounds of a language is an uphill battle. For others, underst anding what others say seems to come naturally, but which verb tense is used where is a mystery.No one listens to Russian and just immediately knows whats being said. Improving listening requires repeated exposure. Whether that means watching soap operas, documentaries, talk shows, podcasts, sports radio shows or your favorite bands, the all-important bottom line is that you DO listen, constantly, while paying full attention.For this, you need toRemove DistractionsYou know why.All of a sudden that video your friend posted of a puppy running into a glass window just seems so interesting.Were all prone to distraction.So turn off your email/Facebook/Twitter/WhatsApp/Skype alerts on your computer and phone before you start your listening practice.If you have kids, partners or housemates who love to barge in and start asking for things, let them know you need 15 minutes of alone time or, if that is impossible at home, find a silent workspace in your local cafe, on the train or in a parkâ €"wherever works best for you.In the same vein, try and leave aside your mental to-do list (I know, its hardâ€"theres just so much to do!) that keeps invading your brain space for just a few minutes.Listening with half a brain on what youre doing is only going to give you half the practice you need, and the chances of your brain remembering the material you listen to is minimal.Keep Your Interest Alive!We can learn through memorization, but to remember and internalize we need to puzzle over something that interests us and that we enjoy. So forget textbook boredom. Harness your interest by focusing on subject matter you like.Push Through!We all have good and bad days.The learning curve has a sharp spike at the beginning, where development is rapid (albeit with ups and downs of its own), and then theres a plateau where it gets harder to make progress. It can be a struggle, but getting stuck in is part of the fun and hugely rewarding when you finally do emerge from the tunnel.Proceed i n Small but Regular Bite-sized ChunksThis is the most effective way of  warding off boredom and keeping motivated.15 minutes every day is a hundred times better than a four-hour cram session every two weeks. Id say 45 minutes is the limit before concentration starts lagging. But for those who are time-starved, even a quick five minutes will help rewire your brain to the sounds of the new language.2. Set Listening GoalsSetting goals will help get you on the right track and feel good when you hit your target.Of course, dont get ahead of yourself: Start with small goals, and reward yourself as you go.For example, at first, aim for recognizing words, or even just sounds. Give yourself a point every time you hear a word beginning with the letter p or the sound [d?], for instance.Aim to learn one or a few new words each time you listen to something. Later, move up to bigger goalsâ€"understanding a whole conversation, perhaps, or listening to a song and learning to sing along with the chor us.If you already have a more advanced level, choose more complex material and aim to focus on expressions you havent heard before or perfecting your accent by imitating favorite sections of speech.Were all still learning in our own language, so in a new one there will never be a lack of things to improve on!3. See the Big PictureListen Purely for SoundThis is a good technique at the beginning.  It gets you used to the melody of the language. Staying speechless  and absorbing the sounds, syllables, pauses and rhythm of the language is exactly what babies do in their silent sponge period.Be aware of how language changes when it’s spoken. If you know how the sounds connect, when theyre deleted or inserted, youll need much less time to progress!In English, we dont necessarily pause between each word. In fact, we often link words and sometimes join sounds to make new sounds.For example, What are you going to do? becomes Whaddya gonna do?One of my favorite tricks is to try to separate the ongoing flow of words by pressing my fingers against a table (or engaging in some other physical expression) every time I hear that a word is accented. When I use this trick with Portuguese, I can actually understand much more. Somehow, attaching a physical representation to the mental process helps the brain to separate the sounds.Later, you can move on to trying to understand whole chunks of text.Get Used to Looking for ContextDo you ever find yourself finishing the sentences of someone you have known for a long time, someone with whom you feel very comfortable?Of course you do! You may not even realize youre doing it. We all naturally trail off at the end of sentences, but everyday speech patterns are so common that most of the time we unwittingly fill in the remaining parts in our heads.Well, with a new language, the situation is similar, but we have to get even more creative and imaginative.It takes too long to  translate every word in your head.  Use logic and good old cre ative guesswork to conclude what will follow.  For example, lets say I see a mother looking in a fridge, holding out car keys for her husband, and I hear this:goshopssome things wedinner?I can determine from the intonation that its a question, and from the context of the situation, I can guess the missing words:Can you go to the shops to pick up some things we need for dinner?Even if these arent the exact words, the context is there and I have understood.Use Tools to Get AccurateOnce youve understood the general context, its time to get more accurate.For example, if Im not 100% sure of something Ive heard and want to check, I can  repeat that section as many times as I need to.If Im still not sure, I can  record the section on my phone and download an app such as Audacity  (audio only) or VLC  (audio and video files) to slow down that section for more clarity. If there are still comprehension problems, I can  use a native-speaking friend or find a buddy on a language swap website to ask for help.4. Add in Cross-trainingNone of the skills we need to learn a language can be taken in isolation. Theyre a giant web of interlocking strings.So we must listen in combination with reading and speaking.What does this mean, and how can we do this?Use subtitles. First,  in your native language to gain an idea of whats going on.Then switch to subtitles in the same language as the program youre watching.Use lyrics. For songs, listen once without lyrics to get used to the sounds. You can then listen again with the lyrics. You can look up the words you dont know and repeat sections as many times as you need to recognize the sounds. Then listen all the way through one last time without lyrics, this time trying to recognize all the sounds and words you have just read.Use listening as a way to learn new vocabulary and idiomatic expressions. Aim to find new words or expressions each time you watch or listen to something. Look them up in the dictionary, find them in contextâ€"in ne wspaper articles online, for exampleâ€"and try to make some sentences of your own.Use mimicking to better understand sounds and sound combinations, and to improve pronunciation.Use your inner voice. We all have a voice in our head that provides us with a running commentary of life. Dont forget to use that, too (in the language youre learning).The great challenge is to be able to think in that language. So repeating things youve heard that you liked in your head is practice, too! Chat to yourself about what you just listened toâ€"but try, as much as possible, to think those thoughts IN that language.The wonderful thing is that in your own head, theres no one judging you!5. Crank Up the Difficulty ProgressivelyChoose your material carefully. It needs to be comprehensible. If you understand nothing, you will simply not listen. Generally, a slight step up from your current level will be stimulating enough for you to learn new things but not so hard that you end up confused and dejected. Listen to short sections at first, and repeat many times. Listen to a recording once. First to understand the gist, then again (and again, if necessary) to get the details. Slow the recording down if you need to.You can move on to larger sections of speech once you feel comfortable, repeating the same process. Here are some resources to check out for finding level-appropriate material for yourself:Songs, programs and computer games for kids contain the simplest language and often come with very explicit visuals, making them easy to understand.Documentaries are great as the speakers are often chosen for their slow, clear speech. The narrator is also often describing something that is happening on screen, so you have visuals to provide you with context.Talks, talk shows and interviews can be found on YouTube, TED, online radio channels and podcasts. You can find almost any subject, so you will always be able to listen to something that interests you.TV series provide great entertainme nt and come mostly in nice short episodes that often have a repetitive formula.Finally, we mustnt forget about films. We all love them! There is so much we can learn about other cultures through films, so get curious and get watching!  As a rule of thumb, slapstick comedy tends to be a simpler genre. You can start there and move on to action, and then drama and dark comedy on the more advanced end.Of course, if youre tired of watching strange cultures and unknown actors and just want to relax, you can also always find your favorite Hollywood films dubbed into almost any language out there. Another advantage here is that the speech used for dubbing is often clearer than in original-language films.Keep these five secrets for how to learn language listening skills in mind, and youll be reaping the benefits of awesome language listening skills in no time!