What Are the Benefits of Educational Support

What Are the Benefits of Educational Support Who and What Is Educational Support For? ChaptersHow Can Academic Support Help Struggling Students?Academic Support Classes for Overcoming ShynessUnleash Your Potential with Academic SupportBreak Down the Barriers Between the Teacher and the StudentGet Ahead with Academic SupportA lot of people are talking about academic support and private tutoring and ads are popping up everywhere. Parents are talking about tutors and maybe even your child’s teacher has mentioned opting for one on one tutoring services.What can academic support tutorials do for you?Parents should know that hiring a private tutor can be a significant investment.Almost any student could benefit from private tutorials whether they’re struggling, underachieving, or overachieving.Here’s how and why... CalumDrama School Entrance Teacher 5.00 (15) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToriSpanish Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliviaSchool support Teacher 5.00 (2) £21/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Mark ESOL (English) Teacher 4.76 (17) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JenniferMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LouiseAutoCAD Teacher 5.00 (3) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyPercussion Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolasGuitar Teacher 5.00 (2) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MyriamOrganic chemistry Teacher 5.00 (13) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JonathanEconomics Teacher 5.00 (9) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Oluwakemi imoleMaths Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexPhysics Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdamSinging Teacher 5.00 (14) £48/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValentiniMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MilenaMaths Teacher 5 .00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RashmiEconomics Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsHow Can Academic Support Help Struggling Students?Why Are More Parents Getting Academic Support Tutorials for their Kids?More and more parents are putting their trust in academic tutoring. Academic support, as well as homework help and private tutorials, can help students to improve their approach to schooling and their grades.A lot of parents are opting to get in touch with private tutors to work with their children throughout the course of the school year. Is this because they don’t trust their school teachers?Sometimes, yes.Parents can help their children do their homework but work can often get in the way. (Source: alphalight1)This can sometimes be due to worrying about their child’s future, too. For those studying at a top university, this can help them stay ahead of their classmates. Finally, academic support is becoming more popular because of changing trends.In the past, mothers had more time to sit down and help their children with homework and revision. Nowadays, they’re more likely to be working.  This wasn’t the case in previous generations. Parents are also working later and later and can’t always give their child the academic support they need.Hiring a private tutor is a great idea for helping students catch up or get better results in maths, English, Spanish, German, French, history, geography, physics, chemistry, etc.In fact, there is a long list of subjects anyone can seek tutoring in...Catching UpWhen a child’s faced with either failing or resitting exams, there’s a way to help them catch up.Some parents choose for academic support as early as primary school. This can be useful for children who are having trouble learning to read and write.If it's not going in, it doesn't matter how much you read. (Source: Marisa_Sias)Of course, this is more common for students who are in secondary school, sixth fo rm, or college. They have more subjects and more hours of study each week. From year seven to upper sixth, they run the risk of falling further and further behind in their studies. This can happen a lot but it’s nothing to worry about.Often, it’s just a case of using a different approach to what they have at school. Their academic support tutor will know how to help them catch up with their studies.Let’s not forget that parents, children, tutors and teachers need to work together when it comes to academic support.Do Academic Support Classes Complement Schooling?Some people aren’t fans of academic support for those in school. They argue that a child that’s already struggling in school shouldn’t have more on their plate.  When a child struggles, academic support won’t give them more work. We’re not going to say that academic support is just to soothe the woes of schooling, either.It’s a different perspective. As we were saying earlier, these classes need to be seen a s being a complement to their lessons at school  regardless of whether it’s for struggling students, or just to help a student improve their grades.This can be really useful if you need certain results in your A Levels to get into university.  This means that the tutor needs to be familiar with the curriculum. They're there to help the learner grasp the concepts they've learnt in school.If a student can't get their head around algebra, calculus, geometry, or trigonometry, getting home tutoring in mathematics can help them gain confidence and improve both in and out of the classroom.There's also tutoring available for study skills and general academic skills. If a student needs help with homework, an assignment, or writing an essay, scheduling tutorials with a tutor throughout the semester might be a good way to help with an exam and test prep and improve their performance in school.We’ll explain this in more depth later in the article, but we should mention that the earlier you get academic support, the better. Academic support lessons can help students go back over something they didn’t understand in class, help them with complicated homework, or prepare for an exam, especially because tutors are adept at adjusting their pedagogy to each student's needs.Academic Support Classes for Overcoming ShynessAcademic support tutors can also help students with more than just their results.How so?Let’s say there are theoretical and practical aspects of academic support: homework help, revision, learning new approaches, exam prep, etc.An academic support tutor also has a psychological role. Especially with students who are struggling. There are often psychological reasons someone struggles. No matter how hard they study, it just doesn’t go in.Sometimes it doesn’t seem to make any sense why the student just doesn’t seem to get it. Since their teachers don’t have the time to explore the reasons, an academic support tutor could help them out.Their role is to understand the reasons behind it all:  Why is the student struggling so much?Thanks to different teaching methods and approaches, the teacher can pinpoint the exact reason they’re struggling. There's no shame in getting supplemental instruction, especially if it leads to academic success.This can have a positive effect on the student and their grades. CalumDrama School Entrance Teacher 5.00 (15) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToriSpanish Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliviaSchool support Teacher 5.00 (2) £21/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarkESOL (English) Teacher 4.76 (17) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JenniferMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LouiseAutoCAD Teacher 5.00 (3) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyPercussion Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h1st lesson free!Discov er all our tutors NicolasGuitar Teacher 5.00 (2) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MyriamOrganic chemistry Teacher 5.00 (13) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JonathanEconomics Teacher 5.00 (9) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Oluwakemi imoleMaths Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexPhysics Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdamSinging Teacher 5.00 (14) £48/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValentiniMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MilenaMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RashmiEconomics Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsUnleash Your Potential with Academic SupportAcademic support isn’t just for students who are struggling.You can get some great results with academic support tutorials. (Source: Pexels)Gifted students can benefit from it as well as those with averag e grades.We’re going to look at the latter. This group of students, regardless of whether they’re studying maths, physics, history, geography, French, or English, fall into two main groups:Those who are happy to achieve average grades.Those who can’t seem to improve, no matter how hard they study.They just need to find a way to unleash their potential.Presumably, the teaching at their school isn’t working.Why not get in touch with an academic support tutor to help out?To learn new things, hiring another teacher could be useful. A teacher who knows how to transmit knowledge in a different way. Some students need a more relaxed environment where they can ask questions and talk freely with their teacher. This will help them learn and realise their potential.Break Down the Barriers Between the Teacher and the StudentBe it at primary school, secondary school, sixth form, college, or university, students are used to seeing their teacher as an authority figure. They need to be show n some respect. They outrank their students, after all.Students are expected to listen, take notes, and do activities. They aren’t given the opportunity to be proactive in class.T his authority figure might impress some. However, it may dissuade some students from asking questions. They may also be too shy to ask a question in front of 20-odd students.Academic support can be really useful for those who are shy. The private tutor sits next to their student. Not behind a desk.  The best tutors break the barriers between students and teachers. Add this to the fact that the classes take place at the student’s home. The student feels much more relaxed.Academic support helps shy students make more progress.Get Ahead with Academic SupportLet’s look at a different type of student.How can academic support help a good student?A student who has good grades and seemingly no problem with revising.Private tutors are available for a wide range of subjects. (Source: geralt)Some students find school very simple. They’re used to getting good results.  That doesn’t mean that academic support isn’t for them.Some students are trying to get into some of the world’s best universities. This means they need a lot of help in preparing their application. A private tutor could help them get ahead of the pack.This is also useful for those looking for funding or a scholarship as they're only given to the best students after a lengthy evaluation process. Intervention from a gifted tutor might be the answer.Once you're at university, having your own private educator can help ensure that you make it to graduation. While they don't need to be the teacher of the year, they'll need to be pretty good. It doesn't matter whether you're an undergraduate or a postgraduate, you can find a tutor and get instruction and help with your studies.Don't forget that most of the tutors on Superprof offer free tutoring for the first hour so you can see whether they're right for you.Now learn all a bout academic support at home and how it can help you...

Preparing for Critical Reasoning on the GMAT

Preparing for Critical Reasoning on the GMAT Critical Reasoning questions appear on the GMAT in the Verbal section one of many GMAT question types. They are similar to Reading Comprehension questions, but Critical Reasoning questions have one main difference: theyre based on shorter passages. A Critical Reasoning passage usually contains one paragraph and only involves one question, typically asking about argument construction, argument evaluation, or formulating and evaluating a plan of action. Lets look at how you should approach a Critical Reasoning question and prepare for this area of the Verbal section on the GMAT 1. Review the passage Get all the information that you can from the one or two paragraphs. Figure out whats going on. Understand the situation. Note if anything strikes you as significant or odd. For instance, here is a Critical Reasoning passage from the Critical Reasoning section of The Official Guide for GMAT Review 2016: Homeowners aged 40 to 50 are more likely to purchase ice cream and are more likely to purchase it in large amounts than are members of any other demographic group. The popular belief that teenagers eat more ice cream than adults must, therefore, be false. This passage is about people who purchase ice cream, and there are conclusions drawn about people who consume ice cream. You could make a brief note on your sheet about the end result this passage is implying and what points it offers for you to assess its conclusion. 2. Identify the argument The argument usually includes the words therefore, so, must, should, clearly, will be, or would be. The argument is a sentence that suggests something will happen either because of something else or in spite of something else. Determine how the argument relates to the rest of the passage, and think about assumptions that the argument might be based on. Looking at the previous passage about ice cream, the argument is, The popular belief that teenagers eat more ice cream than adults must, therefore, be false. An assumption that the author of the passage makes is that eating ice cream is directly correlated with purchasing ice cream, or that the people who purchase ice cream are the people who are eating that ice cream. 3. Review the question Understand what the question is asking, and determine how it relates to the passage. Often, you will be asked to find an answer choice that either supports or undermines an argument. Or, the question may ask, The two boldfaced portions play which of the following roles? Another common Critical Reasoning question is, Which of the following most logically completes the passage? Additionally, the question could ask about the assumptions on which the argument is based. The question that followed the ice cream passage is, The argument is flawed primarily because the author ... For this type of question, answer it in your own words first, and then look at the answer choices to see what option correlates with your conclusion. 4. Determine the answer that fits best The answer is on the page or on the screen; you simply need to decide which of the answer choices is the best one. Use process of elimination. Read the answer choices one at a time. Decide whether you like a choice or not. If you like it, keep it. If you dont like it, then cross it out. If you get down to two choices and youre unsure, repeat steps one through three and see if you can shed more light on the scenario. Here are the answer choices for the practice passage: A) fails to distinguish between purchasing and consuming B) does not supply information about homeowner in age groups other than 40 to 50 C) depends on popular belief rather than on documented research findings D) does not specify the precise amount of ice cream purchased by any demographic group E) discusses ice cream rather than more nutritious and healthful foods For this Critical Reasoning question, the best answer is A. The author fails to distinguish between purchasing and consuming. Learning and applying these skills as you prepare for the GMAT can make studying for the Verbal section much easier, and it can help you avoid common GMAT mistakes. Performing each step methodically can help you increase your understanding of each Critical Reasoning question and lead you to the best answer choice. It may take some time at first, because you have to pay close attention to each part of the passage, as well as the question and the answer choices, but it is possible consider online tutoring to work with an expert who can help clarify these concepts for you. Once you practice these steps and become familiar with the process, you are likely to see your Critical Reasoning performance improve!

Memory Related Vocabulary Words ?? - Learn English with Harry

Memory Related Vocabulary Words ?? - Learn English with Harry What words can you think of connected with the mind or memory? How and in what circumstances do you use them? Lets have a look at some memory related vocabulary.The following words are the most commonly used. Remember, memory, memories, remind, reminder, memorize, memorial and reminisce. Memory Related Vocabulary Words Students often confuse the use of REMEMBER  and REMIND. The following examples should help you with all of these words.TO REMEMBER  (v)to retain information in your mind.I am now 50 years of age but can remember my first day at school quite clearly.He can remember clearly the look on her face when he told her the news.REMEMBERED  (past participle)There is a ceremony held every year at which the victims of the earthquake are remembered.TO REMIND  (v)To make someone remember something.I am very busy for the next few days and could forget about your request. Please remind me tomorrow and I will try and help you.I would like to remind everybody that next week is a holiday and there is no need to come to school.REMINDER  (n)He often wrote short notes to himself as a reminder to do something the next day.The explosion at the church was a reminder to everyone that they need to be on their guard against racially motivated attacks. Difference between Remind and Remember - Video Lesson In this English video lesson you will learn what is the difference between REMIND and REMEMBER. Remind vs remember. Intermediate level English lesson to help you improve your speaking skills. MEMORY  (n)The ability to remember things, people, places, etc.Do you have a good or bad memory? Can you remember things easily?He crashed his car a month ago and since that date has lost his memory but the doctors believe it will comeback slowly. interesting phrase to jog your memory - give yourself a little help to remember something MEMORIES  (n, plural)Something that is remembered from the past.Her husband died suddenly after 40 years of marriage. However she has happy memories of their life together.TO MEMORISE  (v)To learn something by heart.The teacher gave them plenty of homework and they had to memorize ( learn by heart) a number of poems for their examination.I did not have my mobile phone with me so had to memorize the phone number of the taxi company.MEMORIAL  (n)This is a monument or plaque that is erected in a town or city to honour people who have for example been killed in some war or tragic event.The Queen of England places flowers every year at the war memorial in London to honour the soldiers who died in WWI and WWII.TO REMINISCE  (v)To think about the old days .The old ladies sit around the kitchen table every week and reminisce about the good old days. How they used to gather mushrooms in the forest and cook them on the open fire. Those were the days!!They had not met each other for several yea rs. They spent all night reminiscing about their days in college.MIND GAMESSomeone trying to play tricks with your mind.The political opponents were very careful not to show any weaknesses they were playing mind games with each other. Memory Related Vocabulary - Infographic Enjoyed this infographic? Here’s what you can do next:

Study Tips from Pope Benedict XVI - Private Tutoring

Study Tips from Pope Benedict XVI BobbiM Mar 4, 2013 We all know that Pope Benedict XVI (aka, Joseph Ratzinger) recently resigned as the Pope of the Catholic Church. Apparently, the last Pope to resign was 600 years ago. The world went up in arms of hearing the news. All of that is interesting and all, but what I really cared about is this:  What can we learn about study habits and routines from Pope Benedict XVI? Are there actually study tips from Pope Benedict we can learn from? A Day in the Life of Pope Benedict XVI So what exactly does the Pope do all day? Im sure youve asked yourself this before; or maybe not. Regardless, its a good question or at least its a half interesting one. FYI: As an aside, Pope Benedict speaks several languages fluently including German, Italian, French, English, Spanish, Portuguese, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew. But, wait, theres a point to all of this. What if we can actually learn something about learning to study, learning how to learn, and something about self-discipline from the Popes daily schedule? Lets see. Heres his daily schedule as reported by Time Magazine: The Popes day begins at 7 a.m. with Mass; one hour later breakfast is served. At 9 a.m. the Pope goes into his private study, the one where he recites the Angelus prayer every Sunday, speaking from the window overlooking St. Peters Square. He does his work in the study, where another consecrated laywoman, Birgit, helps him in her role as secretary and typist â€" she can read Benedicts tiny handwriting better than anyone else. Following Birgit in the study is Gänswein, the Popes secretary, to discuss the days agenda. Typically, the Pontiff works until 11 a.m., when audiences, or meetings, begin. At 1:15 p.m. lunch is served, with the secretaries and the memores sitting at the table with Benedict. After a brief stroll in the roof garden, the Pope rests, to return to his private study at 4 p.m. He says the rosary and then resumes his work. After a prayer, dinner is served at 7:30 p.m., in time to watch the 8 p.m. newscast on RAI, the Italian state broadcaster. An hour later, the Pope says good night and retires, though he works some more before going to sleep. Lets glean some the nuggets that might help you frame your schedule for success. Study Tips from Pope Benedict The Pope wakes up early: This is key. When you attack your day by waking up, becoming alert and sensitive to the world around you, you senses can take in more information and you are sensitive to stimuli. This means you can learn better from lectures, books that you read, and also from experiments that you run. Pope Benedict Eats Breakfast: Crazy, I know, but part of attacking your day is to wake up to it and then arm yourself with the energy and nutrients you need to be successful. This means you should eat a healthy breakfast. The Pope Takes Time for Self Reflection: The Pope takes time to think, reflect, self evaluate, and to offer worship to God. Regardless of your religious affiliation, taking time to reflect and to think alone will help you be successful in your day. Pope Benedict is Social: Human interaction no, not through social media but actual human interaction, is critical to having a successful day. Humans are social creatures and sociality will help you in your study habits by sharpening your ability to take in outside stimuli. The Pope Rests: Pope Benedict XVI rests his mind and body during the day. This is important to regenerate yourself for the remainder of the day. Pope Benedict Works Hard: He does. Im not sure exactly what that work entails, but he works until 8 PM. That shows dedication and also self-discipline. The Pope Goes to Bed at a Decent Hour: As important as waking up early is to go to bed early. When you are able to close your eyes, turn off your brain, that gives your mind and body a chance to recover and to heal and sets you up for success the next day. Now, lets talk about you. As you look at your personal schedule, does it resemble the Popes day? If not, is there something you can learn from how he attacks his day? Would making modifications to your day help you be successful? Give it a shot. You have nothing to lose, but a ton to gain.

5 Ways for Students to Adjust to Post-Holiday Education

5 Ways for Students to Adjust to Post-Holiday Education 5 Ways to Help a Middle Schooler Adjust to Post-Holiday Education Most pre-teens are ecstatic to be able to take a break from school during the winter holiday. The middle school years are tough because kids are being introduced to a ton of academic concepts that are much more complicated than what they learned in elementary school. Simultaneously, they are experiencing social and emotional growth and beginning to find their first steps of independence. Although having a couple of weeks off in December is a great thing, it means students will have to adjust to going back to school to complete the second half of the academic year. The adjustment can be smooth or difficult, and there are a few things that make the situation easier for both student and parent our private Orange County middle school tutors are here to help. 1.   Get caught up on reading One of the things that most middle schoolers complain about is the amount of reading they need to complete their classroom assignments. Many kids are sent home with novels to read and textbooks to skim through but are otherwise caught up in various family and holiday activities. If kids have something due within the first week or two of going back to school, its important that they have an opportunity to get caught up on their reading. Many students at this stage of their education need a little bit more time to work on reading comprehension and understand whats going on with different characters and plot points. If they are all caught up in both their fiction and textbook reading students are much more likely to have a smooth transition coming back from winter break. 2. Review difficult concepts Winter break is also an excellent time to review difficult concepts. Although middle schoolers will need plenty of time to rest and relax from the first half of the school year, spending even one or two hours focusing on topics theyre struggling with can help them when they go back to school. Attempting to focus on several topics at one time, which is essentially mandatory during the school months, can become overwhelming. Thus, winter break allows students the opportunity to concentrate on just the things they need extra help with. This can make a student’s life much less stressful later on (READ: 5 Things to do this December to End the Year Strong). 3. A fresh start for time management Very few middle school students are experts in time management. In fact, its probably the first time that students have ever attended to manage their schedule. As a result, the first semester of the school year in 6th grade is usually full of time management fails. This is OK because winter break is a great time to encourage students to give themselves a fresh start. Perhaps they just have too many activities in their schedule, or maybe they need to focus more on one concept and less on others. This is a great opportunity for students to start learning about work-life balance, so they have the concept down once they start high school. 4. A healthy daily routine Its also a good idea to reintroduce the importance of a healthy daily routine over the winter break. Once the holiday feasting is over students should have the opportunity to eat a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables and go to bed with enough time to get a full night’s sleep. Many students stop exercising in the winter when it gets colder but moderate exercise is essential to physical health and mental balance. 5. Allow time for independence Many middle school students feel a little bit overwhelmed with the amount of time they spend with family over the winter break. Theyre still young, but theyre starting to feel like they want to make their decisions and do their own thing. If possible, its great for them to have a couple of hours each day where they get to choose what activity they want to do. Maybe they want to play outside or read their favorite book. Perhaps they want to hang out with their best friend at a coffee shop. If a small amount of independence can be added into their routine, theyre more likely to feel good about going back to a strict schedule when classes start up again. Our experienced Orange County middle school tutors will help your kids get back in the swing of things once holiday break is over. Call us today for more information. All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by Tutor Nerds. 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 write.

Your Complete Guide to Foreign Language Podcasts

Your Complete Guide to Foreign Language Podcasts Your Complete Guide to Foreign Language Podcasts Serial.What does that word make you think of?For millions of people, their first thought wont be a serial number, serial code or serial killer, but rather a podcast.Serial  has completely captivated its audience, holding  the record for  the fastest podcast ever to break 5 million downloads on iTunes (when season one premiered  in 2014).Lucky for us language learners, podcasts arent just made in English.That means  the sources  you use  to improve your listening skills could be addicting podcasts like Serial.Sure, there  are lots of podcasts out there specifically made for  language learners, but thats not what this is about. Im talking about podcasts made by native speakers  for other native speakers.  Not only will your listening skills bloom, but youll improve your vocabulary, gain cultural insights and, if you choose wisely, even learn about something else that interests you.Podcasts are  also an easy way to incorporate language learning into net time,  time when youre doing some thing else which doesnt require much concentration, like washing dishes or commuting.To help you benefit from this valuable resource,  Ill show you where  to find such podcasts, how to pick the best one for you,  plus  strategies for using them the most effectively. Your Complete Guide to Foreign Language PodcastsWhy Use Podcasts as Part of Your Foreign Language LearningImprove your listening skillsListening skills are essential to language fluency, but there arent that many ways to practice listening exclusively, in a way that is totally devoid of visual cues that can serve as a crutch for the times you dont understand something.Podcasts solve that problem since they are usually audio-only, which means you need to pay attention to the words being said.Learn new vocabularyPodcasts meant for native speakers of your target language will give you exposure to a huge variety of vocabulary that would not make it into any book for language learners.You might not pick up everythingâ€"at l east not at firstâ€"but listening to podcasts on a regular basis will expand your vocabulary significantly. Youll also become familiar with words you learn elsewhere and get a better feel for the rhythms of the language.Improve your cultural knowledgeLike a TV show or movie, a podcast is a small window into a foreign culture. As you listen to podcasts in your foreign language, youll get a peak at how speakers of that language see the worldâ€"or, if the podcast is about a very specific subject, how they approach that specific subject.Either way, the more you listen to podcasts the more youll be able to understand subtle (and not-so-subtle) differences between your own culture and that of your target language.Getting Technical: How to Find Podcasts in a Foreign LanguageOn iTunesPerhaps the easiest way to find podcasts in your target language is through the app store on iTunes. This strategy requires essentially zero knowledge of local culture or celebrities and allows you to easily br owse subjects, so its a great place to start.Open iTunes and click on iTunes store.Scroll all the way down to the bottom and click on change country.Find a country that speaks your target language (preferably the country that speaks your preferred dialect of your target language) and click on it.Click on the podcast icon on the upper-left-hand of the screen. If you dont see the podcast icon, click on the more icon or scroll all the way down to the bottom and click on podcasts.Once youve done that, you can start browsing for podcasts in the language! You can either look at the most popular podcasts for that country (on the right-hand side) or you can search for a particular subject. I like anything related to food and cooking, so I often look for podcasts about food.To get that specific, put the subject in the search box in the upper-right-hand cornerâ€"in your target language, of course. For example, I can search for food podcasts in French by putting cuisine  (cooking)  in that sea rch box. And I get loads of results!On radio stationsThis is a slightly more difficult way to search for podcasts, but entirely valid. Most radio station these days offer specific programs as podcasts that can be downloaded and listened to anytime. These podcasts are often but not always available on iTunes. But they are available directly on the radio stations website.The first step to finding podcasts directly on the producers websites is to find a list of radio stations in your target language. You can accomplish this through Google searches or lists of radio stations like the one on Live-Radio.net.Secondly, you should poke around the website and look for something like programs or podcasts. In most cases, youll be able to find something and download the programs directly onto your phone or computer and be on your way!On blogsA related way to search for podcasts is to visit the websites of influential bloggers and podcasters in your target country. This is the most difficult opti on, because it requires you to know who those bloggers or podcasters are, or do a Google search to find them.If you do search with Google, its a good idea to first change your language preferences in Google so that you get results in your target language!Want a couple suggestions? Here are some thoughts on the best podcasts for French, Japanese, Spanish and German learners.How to Choose  an Appropriate PodcastChoose a level-appropriate podcastNot all podcasts are going to be equally easy to understand, even if they are produced for native speakers. Like with learning material, its important to choose a podcast that matches your language level.Only choose the most difficult kinds of podcast (humor, local dialects) if you already speak your target language very, very well.  Otherwise, stick to something easier. Just being able to listen to something meant for native speakers is a win.Here are some guidelines to help you  find a level-appropriate podcast:The easiest podcasts include:Na tional news programsDocumentary-style radio programsNiche subjects that are still quite mainstream, like parenting, fitness or filmsInterviewsMore difficult podcasts might cover:More technical niche subjects, like cooking, cars, DIY instructions, economicsLocal news (local news programs are more likely to have local dialects)Very difficult podcasts include:Any kind of humorAnything produced in a local dialect or non-standard languageTalk shows that involve people interrupting each otherKnow your interestsIts best to choose a podcast that fits both your language level and your interests. When youre looking for a podcast to listen to, choose one that will be interesting to you for reasons other than language learning. If you like to travel, for example, listen to travel podcasts.If youre just starting out with podcasts, try to choose a podcast thats in the easier category. After youve practiced for a while you can move up to listening to comedy routines!Settle on 3-5 podcastsThe major advantage of podcasts is that there are recurring episodes, recorded by the same narrator and about the same subject. This means that (a) once you find a podcast you like, you dont have to spend any more time searching for listening material, and (b) you get used to the voice and language pattern of the podcast narrator.Since most podcasts have regular episodes, you dont need very many podcasts to give you a good amount of listening material. For language learning purposes, its really better to listen to a small number of podcasts regularly than to listen to a large number of podcasts sporadically. So find 3-5 podcasts that you like and stick with them.4 Ways  to Use Foreign Language Podcasts for Effective Learning1. Listen to each podcast several timesPodcasts also have the advantage of allowing you to repeat them as often as you wantâ€"and thats something you should take advantage of! Especially at the beginning, as you get used to listening to a native speaker talk normally and to the format and vocabulary in the specific podcast, listen repeatedly. This will allow you to take note of any unknown vocabulary you need to look up, and to repeat any phrases or grammatical constructions that didnt make sense.Usually, the best bet is to listen to the podcast once all the way through without stopping, even if you dont understand everything. Then listen a second time, stopping to make sure you understand most of the vocabulary and grammar.The third or fourth time you listen to the podcast, you should be listening without stopping againâ€"but this time, you should understand everything. After youve listened a couple of times, try talking along with the narrator and mimicking his or her voice, pronunciation and rhythm.2. Study specialized vocabularyIf youre listening to a podcast about a niche subject, study some specialized vocabulary ahead of time. If its a subject youre interested in anyway, this will be particularly useful vocabulary.If youre into cooking, for e xample, words for poach or rolling pin are going to be usefulâ€"both in understanding the podcast and talking to people about cooking later on.3. Read comments and participate in the commentingOne of the best aspects of listening to podcasts directly on a radio station or blog homepage is that there is often the ability to comment. Reading through the comments will both give you extra reading practice and let you make sure that you understood the podcast in the first place.If youre feeling especially ambitious, start participating in the comments yourself! It will serve as extra writing practice and allow you to build a virtual community with people in your target language.4.  Use the podcast as an icebreakerIf you have a language tutoring session or a language exchange, talk about the podcast. Try to integrate any new words or grammar into your discussion.Try to summarize the podcast as well as give an opinion about its contents: Do you think the travel destination discussed in the podcast sounds interesting? What do you think about current events the podcast mentions? Use the vocabularyâ€"and ideasâ€"from the podcast to start a conversation!Podcasts are a fantastic  resource for language learners. They provide a window into the target languages culture and a never-ending amount of listening material. Plus most  are also free.Like with so many other language learning activities, youll get the most out of podcasts if you focus on material  that is both level-appropriate and intrinsically interesting to you. So choose a podcast about something youre already passionate about and watch your language skills skyrocket!Emily Liedel  is a writer and polyglot. She speaks French, Spanish, Russian, German and Mandarin Chineseâ€"her goal is to speak all of the official UN languages fluently (HINT: Arabic is the language left on her list). She writes about language learning and living abroad at  www.thebabeltimes.com. And One More ThingIf you enjoy learning languages wi th podcasts, youll love learning with FluentU.FluentU takes real-world videos like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks, and turns them into language learning experiences, as you can see here:FluentU App Browse Screen.FluentU has interactive captions that let you tap on any word to see an image, definition, audio and useful examples. Now native language content is within reach with interactive transcripts.Didnt catch something? Go back and listen again. Missed a word? Hover your mouse over the subtitles to instantly view definitions.Interactive transcript for Carlos Baute song.You can learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentUs learn mode. Swipe left or right to see  more examples for the word you’re learning.FluentU Has Quizzes for Every VideoAnd FluentU always keeps track of vocabulary that you’re learning. It uses that vocab to give you a 100% personalized experience by recommending videos and examples.Start using FluentU on the website with your com puter or tablet  or, better yet,  download the FluentU app from  the iTunes store  or Google Play store.

Teacher engagement and the pursuit of happiness (Part 4)

Teacher engagement and the pursuit of happiness (Part 4) Ash Pugh, Director of Operations at Teach Away In the final installment of our four-part series, we look at the third part of the recruitment, onboarding and retention cycle: retention. Paving the road to retention According to Dr. Jurewicz’s research, 63% of teachers surveyed intended to stay in their current roles beyond two years. Conversely, only 43% of teachers intended to stay after year three. This highlights the challenge that international schools face on a regular basis when it comes to sustaining staff levels. Even when teachers are relatively happy, the lure of travel (among many other potential factors) can draw them away. So, what can you do to entice teachers to stick around longer and maintain the strong foundation of faculty that you’ve worked so hard to build at your school? To help answer that question, we asked our candidates what they value most in their jobs: Top factors for on-the-job happiness Source: Teach Away, International Education Recruitment Report 2017-2018. Download the complete report at www.teachaway.com/report. 1. Make opportunities for growth at your school. By training teachers and investing in their career development, you can make them feel valued by your school. Beyond training, it’s vital to ensure your new hires know that there’s room to grow professionally through opportunities to lead within their department or subject area. It also stands to reason that when your teachers feel they’re able to do their jobs more effectively, they become more confident and secure in their roles and are less likely to look elsewhere. 2. Involve teachers in the hiring process You depend on your teachers for input on other vital school matters. So why not involve them in the hiring of new employees? Think of it - they’re going to be working alongside any new hires and will be just as invested in finding the right teachers as you are. Their familiarity with your school culture and values also gives them unmatched insight into the candidates who could be a great fit for your school community. And now that we understand why recruitment needs to be an ongoing process, this can also be a great way to relieve yourself of some of the demands of recruitment. More than that, though - you’re keeping your current teachers engaged and allowing them to develop a new skill set, to grow professionally by encouraging them to stay invested in your school’s future success. In short, you're making them want to stay around. Professional growth for your teachers leads to retention for your school. 3. Let them be responsible for new teacher onboarding Nobody knows the challenges of relocating abroad better than those who have already done it. Empower your existing staff to take the lead on passing along their experiences and preparing incoming staff for their new environment. Again, you’ll see dual benefits as your new hires are supported with a robust onboarding process and existing teachers are able to take on leadership roles. So there you have it - by embracing these actionable teacher recruitment, onboarding and retention strategies, your school will be well on its way to attracting and retaining the best international teachers, even in an increasingly competitive hiring landscape This article originally appeared in the Spring 2018 edition of InterED, the bi-annual newsletter of the Association for the Advancement of International Education (AAIE).