Being able to speak the local language or at least knowing some of the basic phrases can make your trip to a different country more enjoyable. Or maybe you just have an interest in a language and would like to learn it. Here are the top 5 ways to learn a new language completely free on any device. Duolingo Duolingo is one of the most popular language apps there is and is also one of the highest rated apps. An independent study conducted by the City University of New York and the University of South Carolina, about 34 hours of Duolingo is equivalent to a full university semester of language education. The great thing about it is that Duolingo is easy to use. You work on lessons to learn basic words, phrases, and grammar. You then practice what you have learned by translating real world content from blogs and websites. There are a few less languages on the apple and android apps than there are on the website. Languages: English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, Irish, Danish, Swedish, Russian, Polish, Esperanto, Turkish, Norwegian, Ukrainian Available: Apple, Android, and Windows 2. Busuu Basuu uses crowd-sourcing as part of its language learning system. When you first start out with busuu you will use a lot of flashcards for learning new words and phrases. As you advance, you will have the opportunity to practice writing and answering questions, which will be marked by other users who speak the language that you are learning. They offer 12 languages and you are encouraged to listen and speak the language by interacting with native speakers. Languages: English, Spanish, German, French, Italian, Portuguese (Brazilian), Russian, Polish, Turkish, Arabic, Japanese, Chinese. Available: Apple and, Android 3. Memrise Memrise is great for visual learners. They have over 200 languages to choose from. They use a scientific learning system that is supposed to boost your brain to learn 44 words an hour. They also use multiple game modes to drill different parts of your memory. The content is user-generated, so the quality may vary. Languages: 200+ Available: Apple and, Android 4. Lingualy Lingualy uses flashcards and games to help you learn. You practice what you learn by reading articles of things that interest you. When you come across a word that you don’t know, you can click on the word and it will give you the meaning and the translation. Languages: English, Spanish, French, Hebrew, Arabic, Chinese, Czech, Dutch, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, and Turkish. Available: Apple and, Android 5. HelloTalk HelloTalk helps you learn are over 100 languages to choose from. You can select your entry level and you will start learning and practicing immediately. You connect with others on the internet that also want to learn. You can type in your native language and they can type in theirs. You just tap and hold to translate or pronounce any sentence. Languages: 100+ Available: Apple and, Android Learning a new language doesn’t have to be hard or boring. Thanks to these great apps, you can learn almost any language you choose. Best of all, most of these apps are free, allowing you to learn as much as you want without investing a dime.
Fighting your child to do their homework is even more difficult when your child hates a subject. Finding ways to make the subject fun for your child can make homework time easier for both your child and yourself. There are many reasons why your child finds a subject boring. It may be because they don’t find it interesting or they are facing difficulties with the subject. If you determined that the subject truly is not interesting to them, there are a few things you can do to help them. Learn 3 key things to help make subjects more interesting. Discover the Context Make Stories and Mental Pictures Use the Knowledge. Discover the Context: Figuring out why something is useful, relevant or important is the first step to believing it is interesting for a child that is bored. Look for ways that you might use the subject or topic in a real life situation and make a game out of it. Believing something is interesting solves a common problem with students when it comes motivation and memory. Make Stories and Mental Pictures: If your child is finding a book too boring, try reading a chapter or two out loud to them. Make the story come alive by changing your voice tones and showing excitement in your voice as you read. Sometimes after the chapter is read, your child will continue to read on their own to see what happens next. You can use this technique for other subjects like history, social studies, or science. When you make the story come alive your child will remember the dull facts better. Use the Knowledge: Sometimes your student is spending too much time studying that they don’t have time to use what they are learning and they don’t see how it applies to real life. For example, if your child is having difficulty in math with fractions, you could have them try making a recipe or pizza in the kitchen. Have them use the fractions that they are learning while cooking. Have them figure out what combos they will need to make the right measurement for the recipe. If your child is able to read you a simple book, don’t get hung up on the word-by-word pronunciation that leads the story to lose the meaning to your child. Also, try to get them to tell you stories. Try to write them down to help them appreciate the importance of their words. You will also end up with a nice memento of this time in their life – silly ideas and all. Whatever your child is having difficulty with, it is important to remember to stay positive. Getting anxious or cross will only put them off more. And most important remember to make it fun. If they don’t seem interested in the simple science they are doing, perhaps you could take them out on a clear night to look at the stars. You could also buy a cheap microscope and put an ant underneath it. You will probably learn something cool along the way and it could be a great bonding experience also!
With the holiday break over, it’s time to start getting back to classes. When it comes to classes, it is always great to have a couple of apps to help keep things organized and running smoothly. Both Apple and Android have a wonderful selection of apps to help you get started. Here are the “Top 7 Apps” to get you started for college in the New Year: Dictionary.com Dictionary.com is a great vocabulary building app. It is great for helping you get ready for exams. With over 2,000,000 definitions, you are sure to find any word you are looking for. The main app is free. It does have ad banners that allow it to be free. It has search history, word origin and history, word of the day, synonyms, antonyms, a thesaurus, and much more. The IOS version and Android version are both very popular and growing apps. Quizlet Quizlet is a great study tool. Filled with millions of flashcard study sets for several topics that have already been created by both high school and college students. If you can’t find the subject that you are looking for, it’s very easy to make your own. You can also use images and audio in your flashcard sets. It is great for adding variety to your learning process. The IOS version and Android version both average a 4.2 star rating.This is a handy app that every college student should keep around. Google Drive Google Drive is a wonderful resource for taking and keeping notes, drawing diagrams, creating spreadsheets, and building presentations. The great thing about Drive is the cloud storage, which allows access any computer or mobile device that is connected to the internet. Google Drive is a collection of cloud based “Office” programs that include spreadsheets, documents, presentations, diagrams, and more. You get 15GB of free storage and you have the option to purchase more if needed. You can sign up with an email address. If you have a Google account, you automatically have an account. The IOS version has 37,190 reviews with a 4 star rating. The Android version has 1,046,549 reviews with a 4.3 star rating. Make sure to take advantage of this wonderful tool! Wi-FI Finder Between checking your grades online to checking out what is on the menu in the cafeteria, you won’t get far in college without WiFi. This app is great for finder of all the free internet hotspots in your area. Learn more about the IOS version and Android version,as this app is a great one to keep around to minimize mobile data and keep connected. Amazon Kindle The Amazon Kindle is a great app, if you like to read e-books. You can turn your smartphone into a book library. You can use this app to organize all your eBooks and read them offline. A great thing about the Amazon Kindle is that it has a built in dictionary so you easily find the meaning of a word while you are reading. Check out the IOS version and Android version with an average rating of 4.1.. Whether it is a book for a class or for pleasure, this is an app you want to keep around! Evernote Evernote is one of the top apps for taking notes. It has cool features like bookmarking, composing, clipping, and much more. It even has a to-do list to keep you on track! You can sync it to an online account. So you are taking notes on your phone you can access them later on your computer. There is both a free version and a paid version. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the many features available be sure check out this comprehensive beginner’s guide. Check out the IOS version and the Android version with an average rating of 4.6. Mathway If Math is a weak spot for you, then Mathway is a great app for you! It does all the work for you when it comes to solving the problem. The app does everything from Arithmetic to Geometry. It also does Theorems to Calculus. It helps make your math classes a little easier, with less headaches. Check out the IOS version and Android version. Now you have a few more tools to help you better succeed in 2016. Make sure to share with other students apps that you love, as this is the best way to help one another get through the tougher parts of school. Don’t forget that these apps aren’t just for college students!
Congratulations on your decision to go to college! It is an exciting time in your life, that may also a stressful one. There are many important areas to consider when you begin to think of the best way to be ready for college, as a student. Preparing For College Means Two Things: Be Prepare To Work Hard Be Prepares To Take Time Inside & Outside of School To Explore Your Career Interests A strong academic foundation in high school improves your odds of getting into a good college. During high school, focus on completing the following: 1 year of High School Physics 1 year of High School Chemistry 1 year of High School Biology Math (up to Calculus) 2-4 years of a Foreign Language 4 years of English 2 years of History and/or Social Sciences To create this foundation, take at least five solid academic classes every semester. Start with the basics, and then move on to challenging yourself in advanced courses. Most colleges require students to meet certain college prep curriculum standards, so just meeting the minimum is not necessarily the best way to prepare for college. Make sure you check to see what your college of choice requires. Strong preparation means going beyond the minimum. Colleges also expect students to have interests outside of academics. Sports and other extracurricular activities show admission officers that students are well-rounded and can contribute to life on campus. Volunteering or working part-time also indicates a sense of duty and commitment, further proof that students are ready for the responsibilities college entails. It takes a lot of work to prepare for college admission. With a little effort and time, you will do great. Remember to choose extra curricular activities that you enjoy to show how unique you are.
What is tutoring? That is a very good question, When using the dictionary, tutoring is defined as “a person charged with the instruction and guidance of another.” A question many ask is why would you need a private tutor? The purpose of tutoring is to help students through teaching them to become independent learners who will eventually no longer need a tutor and have the tools to grow their education independently. A tutor provides expertise, experience, and encouragement but they do not provide “answers.” Instead a tutor assists in problem solving and helping you learn how to get the answers on your own.The challenge is to focus on assignments within the context that they are assigned. There are tremendous benefits to tutoring, let’s look at some of them. Benefits of Tutoring: Encourages a higher level of thinking Permits advanced students to study lower level material without embarrassment Increases ability to manage your own learning and study strategies Increases subject specific knowledge Increases related general knowledge Provides more empathy with the student Offers individualized, systematic, structured learning experience Provides greater congruence between teacher and learner Improves academic performance Improves attitude toward subject area Motivates self-directed learning Provides intensive practice Improves your self esteem Content knowledge is an essential ingredient for a tutor. However, to be truly effective, a tutor must combine content knowledge with empathy, honesty and humor. Empathy requires a tutor to “read” the emotional states, attitudes and perceptions of their students. It is also the ability to see others from their personal frame of reference, and to communicate this understanding to the person involved. In order for tutors to establish a supportive relationship with their students, tutors must be open and honest. We often find that students are reluctant to talk with a stranger about their academic problems. If a tutor is perceived as genuine with a strong desire to listen, students are often more willing to open up and discuss their problems. Surprisingly, Humor can play an important part in a tutoring session. Humor helps reduces tension and shared laughter is a powerful way to reinforce learning. If a tutor uses humor, it can set students at ease and increase rapport. Humor can also be used to compliment, to guide or to provide negative feedback in a positive manner. In addition, a successful tutor demonstrates a caring attitude. Caring consists of being organized for the tutoring session and being punctual. It also consists of establishing a learning relationship with the student, developing unique teaching strategies, and becoming familiar with the learning process. Ultimately, tutoring is sharing yourself with another student in a way that makes a positive difference in both your lives. All-in-all, tutoring is a wonderful resource for students of all ages and needs.
You have decided on your career and the college you want to attend. Now you have the task of finding a loan so you can afford to attend college and help your dreams come true. Paying for college is a scary thought, especially when the average public college tuition costs $24,061 and average private is $47,831. There are similarities and differences when it comes to student loans and ordinary loans. Student loans are similar to other loans in the way that you borrow money from a lender and promise to repay the loan with interest. The difference from student loans and ordinary loans comes in the repayment terms of student loans. With an ordinary loan, you are expected to begin paying the loan off in installments as soon as you receive the money. In the case of a student loan, you are traditionally expected to begin repaying the loan after your education is over because of the lack of employment needed to pay the loan is not there until you complete your schooling. As you will read below, some types of student loans are vastly superior to others. There are 2 main categories for student loans, federal and private loans. Let’s take a look at the different types of loans that come with federal and private loans: Stafford Loans are the most common type of federal loan that students apply for and use for funding their college education. Stafford loans are capped at a certain amount per year, based on whether you are dependent on or independent of your parents and what year you are in school. There are two types of Stafford Loans: Subsidized and Unsubsidized loans. Subsidized loans are awarded based on your financial need. The interest on these loans will not accrue while you are in school at least part-time. The interest will also not accrue if you apply for “deferment” following your education to help you have time to get an established job and full-time employment. Unsubsidized loans are not based on your financial needs, and the interest will begin to accrue from the moment the government gives you the loan. If you are an undergraduate, a subsidized Stafford Loan will have a lower interest rate than an unsubsidized one. Perkins Loans are for students with extreme financial need. The interest rates for Perkins Loans are a standard 5%, and the loan is limited to $5,500 per year in aid. PLUS Loans are issued to parents of students. Your parents can borrow a PLUS loan to supplement the costs that were not covered by other forms of financial aid that you have received. A consolidation loan combines one or several loans into a single loan package. According to the nonprofit American Student Assistance (ASA), interest rates on consolidation loans are calculated by doing a weighted average of the rates of each individual loan being combined and rounding up to the nearest one-eighth percent. The interest rate is capped at 8.25%. Institutional loans are offered by the school you’re attending. Unlike a scholarship, this money must be repaid to the school once you graduate. Private loans are sometimes called “alternative” or “deal” loans because they are different from government-funded Stafford, Perkins and PLUS loans. Unlike government loans (whose interest rates don’t vary and which have standard repayment schedules), the interest rates of private student loans can change over the life of the loan, and repayment schedules are not standardized. For this reason, private loans tend to be a greater financial burden for you when you take them on. These loans are recommend for you to use only when all other sources of financial aide have been exhausted. After learning about the different types of loans available, the first step is to fill out a “Free Application for Federal Student Aid” (FAFSA) form. A few things you will need for this form are: Your Social Security Number Your W-2 and Tax Return Paperwork From The Previous Year Your Parent’s W-2 and Tax Return Paperwork From The Previous Year (if still legally a dependent of your parents) Submitting the FAFSA form online is the most recommended route as it is the fastest way to apply. The next important step is to find out the total cost of the school that you are want to attend. For this you will need to factor in: Tuition Additional Fees and Charges (These vary from school to school, so ask your admissions and records office what that may be.) Housing Books and Supplies Transportation Miscellaneous After you find the total cost, find out how much your family is able to help with your education funding. Sometimes your parents will have set up a savings account to help with these cost. Once finding out what loans you are eligible for, investigate the different types and what they have to offer. What is the interest rate? Total amount owed later? Accept the loans that are right for you and ensure to budget your money to last through the year and cover everything you will need. The process of applying for loans is repeated every year, as your income can factor in State and Federal grants, depending on what your state has to offer. Your income also factors how much interest-free and interest loans you are eligible for. Don’t just assume that your loans will be the same as they were the previous year. As income and other factors change, so do your loans. If you are stuck in a difficult spot when it comes to paying for school and do not have enough loans to cover, search out grants and scholarships offered for students in your position. There are many companies offering new grants and scholarships every year.
