Getting A Video Tutor Session Quiz System Can Help You Learn Faster

Getting A Video Tutor Session Quiz System Can Help You Learn FasterFor those who are unfamiliar with the term, video tutor session quizzes are interactive video tutorials that require the student to navigate through a sequence of questions using the study guide. The most common quiz provided is a PTC (Practice Test, Study Guide) where the student can practice answering multiple choice questions. In addition, there are many other type of quiz systems available that have similar topics.Video Tutor Session Quiz System generally consists of a learning course, which contains information on each lesson and the quiz that accompany it. These sites usually include a tutorial, which is an online movie that walks the student through the course. The tutorial is usually accompanied by audio, written explanations, photos, and even animation.It is important to note that for a video tutor session to be successful, a student should always look at the videos themselves. The videos must always be taken with a learner's eyes. This is one of the first things you will notice about the tutorial. You should also ask yourself a few questions such as: Is this video user friendly?How long does the video tutor session take? How far into the video does the tutor cover? How does the tutor demonstrate various concepts? Who else is included in the video?Tutors are a lot different than when you saw one last semester. These new online tutors are typically paid in a variety of ways. Some are given to the user for free, while others give their users access to their library for a fee. The fee allows the tutor to display and record a variety of quizzes, sometimes including more than one type of quiz.You should also take into consideration whether the tutor you are viewing has any recommendations or tips for how to take the quiz or if they give hints for solving a particular puzzle. Most of these sites have diagrams and videos showing solutions to these types of puzzles. Most of these sites will giv e you the opportunity to try your quiz out for free before making a decision on the one you would like to purchase.It is easy to find a video tutor session quiz system that you are interested in. Be sure to use the search engines and read reviews for potential tutors and what other users have to say about the video tutors available.

Solve Linear Equations Online Tutoring

Solve Linear Equations Online Tutoring Linear equations are the equation where the highest degree of the variable is one. Simple linear equations are very commonly used in algebra and many other topics. There are various mathematical operations which are used to simplify the linear equations. In a linear equation there can be more than one variable but the condition is all the variable cannot have degree or power of the exponent more than one. Example 1: Solve for the variable x in the equation 2(x 2) =15? Solution: Given equation is 2 (x 2) = 15. Here the unknown variable which needs to be solved for is x. First step: Distribute 2 on one side of the equation. This gives, (2x 4) = 15. Add 4 on both sides of the equation: 2x = 19. Now dividing both sided of the equation by 2. This gives 2x/2 = 19/2. This reduces the given equation to x = 19/2. Hence the solution is x = 9.5. Example 2: Solve for the variable x in the equation 3(x 1) -1 = 26? Solution: Given equation is 3(x 1) -1 = 26. Here the unknown variable which needs to be solved for is x. First step: Add 1 on both sides and distribute 3 to (x - 1) in the equation. This gives, (3x 3) = 27. Add 3 on both sides of the equation: 3x = 30. Now dividing both sided of the equation by 3. This gives 3x/3 = 30/3. This reduces the given equation to x = 30/3. Hence the solution is x = 10.

How to socialize like an extrovert - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / How to socialize like an extrovert - Introvert Whisperer How to socialize like an extrovert As a longtime introvert who has come to relish her introversion, I see some serious benefits to my introverted ways. As a writer, I also have a thing or two to say about them. So, upon reading Dorothy’s fab post 4 Easy Things You Need To Be Doing To Advance Your Career, I was brimming with ideas. I shared them with Dorothy in the comments, and she invited me to write another guest post on the topic. Thus, this post on socializing was born. If you’re an introvert hungry for the benefits of socialization, you can totally pull it off! And the great news is, you don’t have to change anything at the core of who you are. Actually, you can socialize like an extrovert, as an introvert! Make Extrovert-Inspired Comments Getting anywhere in business (or any situation involving more than one person) requires communication. We can pull this off, but there will be times where our input will be imperative and we absolutely don’t want to share it speaking up in a group. Speaking up has the potential to be so painful and awkward. The potential just grows exponentially for every coworker seated at the meeting table. If we don’t have the familiarity with our coworkers or the right relationships, then our comments can go ignored or overlooked. I say save yourself the embarrassment by using questions. Why use questions instead of comments? (1) It will save you the potential embarrassment of misunderstanding (2) It will provide clarity that is needed by other coworkers as much as yourself, and (3) It sets the stage for your point by stressing the validity of what youre about to say. For example, rather than saying, We could do yada-yada to address that issue. Try asking, Could this create an issue with yada-yada? If everyone is in agreement, then you can follow up by sharing your idea. Your ideas will still be subject to loopholes and unforeseen implications, but regardless, youre making a valid point based on a valid issue. This demonstrates that you have the ability to forecast problems and think up solutions. Even better? By posing a question, you’re initiating a discussion among the whole group. Sparking this dialogue with your idea may be the only contribution you need to make. That could mean no more talking required! And yet you’re making a crazy valuable contribution. This is how an introvert plays smarter instead of harder. Create An Extrovert-Worthy Network Introverts feel awkward talking, and this is where an introvert’s best friend comes in Questions! But not just any old questions. Introvert-specialized questions As introverts, we tend to be suckers for in-depth and thoughtful information. Instead of having a conversation about dreadfully boring topics like weather, sports, and work, we can initiate chats that go beyond this. By asking thoughtful and provocative questions, we can spark a 30-minute conversation that we may only contribute 4 or 5 sentences to. And all the while, we’ll be gaining information from this person that peaks our interests and garners our genuine attention. People love to talk about themselves, their lives, and their interests. Use this to your advantage while taking the chance to gain the great insights and ideas people have to offer. We may have to deliberately find something to take interest in, but this gets pretty easy when we genuinely listen to people and care about getting to know who they are. This can lead to some fantastic relationships. And all you have to do is be true to yourself and do what you do best. Create A Chat-Friendly Environment So, one of the biggest reasons that conversations are awkward is because they’re so…. awkward. It can be really hard to have a conversation because of department layout, dog-walking schedules, table and seating placement, and the break room setup (Why are the paper towels always between the coffee and the toaster oven?). And this isn’t any easier when we’re trying to have conversations with people we never see outside of the library reading zone or the work bathroom hallway. Whether we want to yuck it up at home, at work, or in our neighborhood we can make socializing a whole lot easier. Work and community relationships can be enhanced by creating chat-friendly events using hobbies, important initiatives, education, recreational activities as the basis for the gathering. It can be as simple as dog walks or neighborhood ice cream socials, or as detailed as quarterly workshops and regular initiative-inspired meetings. What matters is getting out and getting people together. Meeting with people sounds intimidating, but it’s pretty easy to get people talking when they’re comfortable and doing something they know or enjoy. Create an atmosphere with close and comfortable seating (think living room), hands-on activities, snacks, special privacy zones, and variances in lighting, and this will help make your meet-and-greet a breeze. The only hard part is finding a way to keep people filled in on what’s going on (but there’s always an app-loving extrovert for that!). Give Updates To Self-Promote Self-promoting can be so awkward and superficial. But once again, we can be rescued by an introvert’s best friend: Questions. Questions help us out by giving us the chance to update people without appearing hungry for praise or risking an out-of-place comment. It also gives us the opportunity to expand our network. If someone else has done something similar to what were working on, then we can lead to self-promoting by first asking this person about their ideas or experience. By them sharing their thoughts, you have the chance to expand on the conversation with the stories and challenges of your present projects. This method of self-promotion is great because it gives acquaintances and colleagues the opportunity to share their knowledge and experiences. This gives them a very rare chance to feel valuable and listened to. This is an incredibly empowering offering to people. Supporting them in this way will enrich your relationship with them, and that’s going to lead to some outrageous perks and connections. And the benefits only get more amazing when you find value in the things they share with you and genuinely care about what they’re sharing with you. What’s there to lose? Understanding Skills And Development A lot of people feel ashamed for their introversion, and they feel like there’s something wrong with them. If this is you, then do yourself a favor and ditch the shame. No one should ever feel guilty about having introverted or extroverted tendencies. For one thing, our ways are due to a result of “nature” as well as “nurture.” As a longtime therapist and creator of Specialized Family Therapy LCSW Maurice Heidish explains, children go through crucial periods of development. Be it reading and walking, or socializing and giving speeches we develop skills in steps and stages. And we can’t move on to intermediate or advanced until we have mastered the bare-bone basics. This means we can’t just magically shift from crawler to runner. Or, in our case, from reserved to flamboyant socializer. And while our inability to change overnight may feel depressing, this is actually a great thing. As we practice different actions and behaviors, our brain will slowly build new neural networks. The more we practice, the stronger these new networks become. With enough practice, our desired behaviors can become an easy and automatic response. So don’t ever get down on yourself! The brain has the ability to build any skill or behavior. It just needs practice! Un-Introverting The Introvert We introverts don’t need to change our ways because there’s something wrong with us. We like what we like, and that’s just how it goes. But we can actually make ourselves less of an introvert by piggybacking off our introversion. We can develop extroverted traits without denying ourselves our beloved introverted ways. We just have to build the skills and practices that will give us the efficiency and satisfaction that we crave. Consider our elementary schools. It used to be that math was only taught in one way: a teacher droning away in front of the class while drawing symbols on a chalkboard using a meaningless and confusing formula. Come to find out, this isn’t effective. Some kids have managed to squeak by with it, but it’s well recognized now that this not the way to teach. Some students are more visual, while others are auditory, and others are hands-on. The best teaching approach isn’t the one that works best for the teacher, but the approach that best fosters a student’s learning.   Thus, our schools have swapped out memorization and ruler slaps for the methodology of differentiated instruction. We may never be students again, but we can see this same situation in our adult lives.   Everyday life has us interacting with various people, situations, and places. If we want to be effective in how we take these situations on, we need to be able to differentiate our approach according to what works best. Sometimes we can be quiet and thoughtful. Other times we’ll be better off asking questions and making comments. Then there will be some situations where gasp initiating and maintaining a lively conversation is in order. Yeah, we may feel uncomfortable at times, but when we can focus on being and giving our best, the awkwardness doesn’t matter so much. There you have it fellow introverts! We don’t need to change who we are to give our best in life. Actually, we need to be exactly the person we’re itching to be. But in being ourselves, we should always be building new life skills so that we’re constantly building better lives and becoming happier people. The things we love about introversion are exactly what we need to build these skills. Whether we like new information, deep conversations, contemplation, discussing and exploring ideas, or whatever we can network and socialize by expanding on our cherished introverted needs. We may have to tweak our ways to pull this off, but we will never have to change what makes us happy.

Learn less well known Phrasal Verbs with OFF and their meanings

Learn less well known Phrasal Verbs with OFF and their meanings You already know common phrasal verbs with UP and a few phrasal verbs with AROUND. If you havent read those posts yet, please read them now. Here are I have 12 English phrasal verbs with OFF for you. Most people when looking at such phrasal verbs with OFF will give the more common forms as examples such as:break off to endtear off to ripswitch off to turn off something (light, for example)Therefore I thought I might look at a few less well known phrasal verbs using the preposition OFF with some examples. 12 Less Well Known Phrasal Verbs with OFF CUT OFFLiterally to cut off means to take a knife or scissors and cut a piece of meat or cloth or  material from an article.Example: He cut a piece of meat off and gave it to the dog. However, to be cut off can  also have other meanings.to be cut off to have no access in or out, to be disconnectedExample: Heavy rains caused the river to quickly overflow its banks   and 2 local villages have been cut off.  to cut someone off to prevent someone from receiving somethingExample: Joe had an argument with his father. The father threatened to cut him off without a penny unless Joe agrees to do as he requests.PASS OFFThis usually means to try and pretend (make others believe) that a thing is worth more  than it actually is.Example: Igor was really desperate for money. He had not worked for several months. He was passing the sports shop in the city and saw that they were selling football shirts with a players autograph for a lot of money. He went home took his football shirt from the cupboa rd and practiced signing the players autograph. Then he advertised it online hoping he could pass it off as the real thing.BREAK OFFto end a relationship or agreementExample: Have you heard the news? Sarah broke off her realtionship with Peter last week.COME OFFto succeed, to work outExample: Despite all their efforts, the deal didnt come off. Phrasal Verbs with OFF Don't keep this to yourself, tell the world: STOP OFFto make a short break in a journeyExample: We stopped off at an old castle for some site seeing.  START OFFto cause something to beginExample: Well done to our U12 boys who started off the season with super win over ABC United.  FINISH OFF (WITH)to destroy, to kill someone or to complete with somethingExample: It was a great meal, we finished off with coffee and mints.GIVE OFFto emit, to produce smell, heat, fumes, etcExample: There was some food inside the microwave that gave off terrible smell.TO PALM OFFto dismiss someone’s questions with non-committal or untrue answersExample: Peter thinks that he can palm me off with any excuse, but hes wrong. I want to know the truth.CRY OFFWhen we cannot attend an event we originally agreed to attend because of a particular  reason we often say sorry, I am going to have to cry off, something important has come up.Example: Antonio was really looking forward to the game of tennis. He had arranged to play with Miguel on Saturday. Late o n Friday Miguel called to say he had injured his back and would have to cry off from the game of tennis.MAKE OFF WITHThis is often used to describe a situation where a robbery takes place and the  robbers or thieves run away with what ever they had targeted.Example: The robbers spent 2 days over the weekend tunnelling (digging) under the bank. They got into the safe without much difficulty and took a lot of cash and other valuables with them. The police estimated that they had made off with over $1m. !HEAD OFF1. If we decide to go away for a few days or on a longer holiday we can use this phrasal verb to let people know what we are doing.Example: I am going to head off for a few days to England. 2. We can also use it in more general terms to indicate we are going to leave somewhere.Example: I think I will head off home now I am tired. 3. Finally, it can also be used to try to block someone from progressing with an idea or a plan.Example: I do not like the bosss idea to expand the bu siness so quickly says Peter. Don’t worry his colleague says. I will talk to him tomorrow and try to head him off (change his mind) before he goes too far.

Get To - Phrasal Verb of the Day

Get To - Phrasal Verb of the Day Todays phrasal verb of the day is: Get ToInfinitive form: Get ToPresent Tense: Get Toing form: Getting ToPast tense: Got ToPast Participle: Got To/ Gotten ToGet To is an in inseparable English phrasal verb. It can be used in five following ways:When you arrive to a place or when you get people to a place by helping them get there1. Francis cant seem to wake up early, so he is always getting to work late.2. We need to get to the train station at exactly 9 A.M.When something or someone reaches a certain level, amount, or number1. The summit of Mount Everest gets to -36 degrees Celsius during the summer.2. My stamina has increased! I can get to ten miles before I can run any further, whereas I only used to run seven miles a few months ago.When you find the time to do the things you need or want to do. Informally, it also means you start doing something gradually1. I hadnt  really gotten to surf the internet as much these days.2. He finally gets to start working on that important projec t.When you are allowed to, or able to do something1. As soon as I get to ride a motorbike, Ill go on a road trip.2. The group is very thrilled because they got to ride the 1,000-meter zipline.When you are bothered by someone or something either physically or psychologically1. Mason swore that he would never let negativity get to him again.2. Dont let Johnson get to you, he is a bully by nature.No Video YetExercises: Write your answers in comments and we will correct them.Fill in the gaps from the video above:Complete the sentences below with the correct form of Get To.1.  Will you stop doing that? You are letting that pessimistic attitude of yours ___ ___ you again.2. When you ___ ___ the souvenir shop, will you buy me something nice?3.  I will be ___ ___ it later today. Give me some more time, I need to ___ __ the cafe first.4. Heidis mom helped her ____ __ her workplace by giving her a ride.5. Get your 3D glasses ready! It  ___ __ to be really exciting once the movie starts.Chan ge the example sentences above to negative sentences (or positive, if the sentence is already negative). Then change them to questions.

Pimsleur Review An Honest Look at the Classic Language Learning Program

Pimsleur Review An Honest Look at the Classic Language Learning Program Pimsleur Review: An Honest Look at the Classic Language Learning Program Sometimes you dont feel particularly adventurous.You just want to order the burger and fries, stay in your pajamas all day  or re-watch your favorite movie.Pimsleur is like that.People may tell you its not particularly exciting, but theres something comfortable about it, even if youve never used it before.This isnt to say that learning a language with Pimsleur couldnt be the start of a fantastic adventure.Frodo and Sam had to do some walking just to make their way out of the Shire, after all.In this post, well look at the Pimsleur program, including the logistics of using it, who can benefit from it and how to get started. Pimsleur Review: An Honest Look at the Classic Language Learning ProgramThis post includes affiliate links that will earn us a commission if you click on them and make a purchase (at no additional cost to you). All products and services are thoroughly tested. We provide an honest review based on our experience and not influenced by commissions.Pimsleur language p rograms, which are based on a method of language learning developed by scholar Paul Pimsleur, have been around for a long time. They havent changed much and people still buy them.You could attribute this to the Pimsleur name having gained ground back when there was less competition in the language learning market and having just stuck around, sure. However, while name recognition probably figures into why people are drawn to the product, Im inclined to think that Pimsleurs continued popularity has more to do with the fact that people often prefer a very straightforward learning method.People dont always want the latest technology for everything, at least not all the time. For example, I spend plenty of time watching videos on YouTube, but if I click on a news article and a video starts playing as soon as I navigate to the page, I go nope and back out as quickly as I can. Theres a time and a place for everything, and sometimes its nice to know exactly what to expect.Lets look at what you can expect with Pimsleur.The Pimsleur Program: What You Get and How It WorksFirst of all, Pimsleur has traditionally been one of the pricier language learning options that you can go for, but they sometimes run sales with fairly deep discounts on their website, and they now offer monthly plans that make their lessons more affordable.You can either purchase lessons by the level or in smaller increments on CD or MP3, with one level of 30 lessons priced at around $120 on MP3 and CDs costing around three times that amount (CD level sets come with a reading booklet).Alternatively, you can access all audio lessons for a particular language for around $15 per month  and Pimsleur Premium, with supplementary materials like flashcards, for around $20 per month. These options, which come with a seven-day free trial, make Pimsleur more accessible to people who dont have hundreds of dollars to spend on language learning in the near future, and they also make it so you dont actually have to buy the products.The exact options available vary somewhat by language, though, as do the number of levels available.Regardless of how you access Pimsleur lessons, heres what you get:30-minute audio lessons. Pimsleur programs are split up into audio segments of around 30 minutes that focus on basic speaking scenarios. While you can theoretically go through these lessons however quickly or slowly you want to, I would say from my own experience that it makes the most sense to do one per day and to try not to skip days if you can help it. Pimsleur recommends that you master around at least 80% of the material in a lesson before moving on to the next one, and you can repeat lessons if you feel you havent mastered them sufficiently.Speaking prompts. The lessons contain speaking prompts that instruct you to repeat after a native speaker to learn the pronunciation of a word or phrase, to repeat a phrase youve learned earlier in the lesson or to try to construct a new phrase by piecing toge ther vocabulary youve learned. This integrates Pimsleurs principle of anticipation, the idea that systematic prompting and reinforcement of certain knowledge hardwires that knowledge into your brain.Core vocabulary. Pimsleur focuses on basic vocabulary first, operating under the idea that overloading on vocabulary slows down the learning process. This means that the lessons contain a lot of repetition and are more geared towards teaching you how to effectively use a limited amount of language than teaching you more words.Spaced repetition. Spaced repetition is a widespread concept that has to do with learning information at intervals spaced further and further apart over a period of time to aid memorization. Pimsleurs version of this is called graduated interval recall and is built into their lessons. Essentially, theres consideration given to the vocabulary you learn in each lesson and how often that vocabulary is repeated in subsequent lessons.Now lets look at some advantages of u sing the programs. Before we get started, Id just like to say that the observations below are based on my own experience using Pimsleur to differing degrees for different languages over a number of years.Ive generally found Pimsleur to be useful, but I havent often used it as a primary means of study. Others, especially those who have used it exclusively over a longer period of time, may have had different experiences, but Ive tried to consider as many angles as possible.Advantages of PimsleurIts hands-free and convenient.This might be a big deal if you just dont have the time to sit down and use a program that requires your hands and full attention. This isnt to say that Pimsleur programs arent mentally demandingâ€"they require a certain level of concentration, and you cant go on autopilot.However, you can use them while doing mindless chores, walking, driving or lying on a couch with your eyes closed. I would add that all of these scenarios might not be possible for everyone and y ou should probably consider how easily distracted you are before driving with Pimsleur, for example. But that goes for just about any kind of audio program or entertainment, and the convenience of the program may be a huge selling point for some people.Of course, because of Pimsleurs heavy focus on speaking, you probably wouldnt want to use the programs on public transportation or anything like that unless you want to be really annoying.Youll learn practical language.Pimsleur lessons generally revolve around common travel situations and use basic phrases that can be put to multiple uses.Theyre completely conversation-based  in that a lesson will begin with a dialogue, which is then dissected to teach the vocabulary in it so that you can understand the exchange by the end of the lesson. This means that youre not going to waste time learning isolated vocabulary or language that you wouldnt be able to use in an actual conversation.It can aid in speaking confidence.Perhaps the biggest a dvantage to Pimsleurs particular audio lesson format is that you can put yourself in a situation where youre forced to speak without actually interacting with anyone. The prompts make your physical reactions to the language more automatic, which makes you feel more prepared to go to places where you might need to use the language.Using Pimsleur can also feel exciting because you realize that with some relatively gentle direction, youre actually putting together the pieces of the language on your own as you speak it out loud. The program is teaching you, but youre doing the actual work of integrating the language into your speech patterns yourself, and when you see this, it can be a huge confidence booster.While, overall, Pimsleur is probably best used consistently and over a longer period of time, I think that even using it inconsistently or over a shorter period of time can be helpful in this regard.It can aid in long-term memorization.If you use Pimsleur consistently, it will help with the retention of words and phrases, and the nice thing about this is that you dont have to do your own planning or strategizing for how to memorize things. You can just commit to a certain amount of time spent with the lessons, and youll see progress that will likely stick with you.According to a study done at Columbia University, Pimsleur programs show major strengths in promoting noticing, awareness and longer memory retention (italics mine).Possible Downsides of Pimsleur (and How to Offset Them)Like any program, Pimsleur comes with its downsides, but many of these arent so much reasons not to use the program as factors to be aware of and take into consideration. Overall, Pimsleur is limited in what it teaches and does, but it can still be a very useful part of your language learning.There isnt much variety of speech, and you may not always find the material thrilling.One of the biggest general criticisms of Pimsleur is that its boring. Many of the scenarios, while useful, a re rather dry and can tend towards overly-formal.What balances this out somewhat is the excitement of getting to speak and seeing your speech and understanding come together as you learn to navigate your way around the language. Considering how intense the speaking requirements of Pimsleur are, Im not sure that youd necessarily want the subject matter to be too fascinating, as this might prove distracting and intimidating.At the same time, I imagine there might be room for them to improve the product in the future.However, Pimsleur gives you practical tools to apply elsewhere, and theres nothing stopping you from doing so at any time.This is why I would recommend combining or following Pimsleur with authentic materials, like those found on FluentU. FluentU takes real-world videosâ€"like movie trailers, music videos, news and inspiring talksâ€"and turns them into personalized language lessons.FluentU offers exciting content through a vast video library and uses learning features, lik e interactive subtitles, to reinforce the material. You can click on any word or phrase to find out more about it and see it used in other videos. You can also add content to customized vocabulary lists and flashcard sets for further practice. Sign up for a free trial to see the program in action for yourself!Pimsleur is like the glue that holds the main materials, the real substance, of a language together. While the scenarios in Pimsleurs lessons are practical, they arent necessarily realistic, but they give you a foundational understanding of the language that you can take to programs and resources that are more in-your-face with the language as its actually spoken.It might be anxiety-provoking for some!Foreign language anxiety is real, and Pimsleur will ignite some learners tendencies towards perfectionism. The anticipation of being quizzed on the material and the mental scramble to remember what youve learned can cause you to tense up and worry about getting everything right. T he program makes some strides towards discouraging a perfectionist attitudeâ€"for example, with their assertion that you only need to master 80% of the material before moving onâ€"but its still easy to feel discouraged if you havent mastered that 80%.One thing thats helped me immeasurably with using audio-prompt programs in general is learning shadowing. The general concept behind shadowing, which I dont think of as a language learning approach so much as a language learning skill, is that rather than listening to a speaker and repeating after them, you just start repeating immediately. Rather than overdoing your pronunciation, you simply lean into the speakers voice and let your voice be guided by theirs. This can help your speaking become more relaxed and automatic.Another solution to audio-prompt anxiety might be to do something with your hands while listening to a Pimsleur lesson. Washing dishes, crocheting, playing a predictable and largely visual game on your phone These activ ities can all keep you from focusing on your own speaking too intensely and help you respond to the prompts as if they, too, are a predictable and inconsequential game, which isnt so far from the truth.It doesnt teach you grammar explicitly.Pimsleur gives you a good foundation of practical grammar usage, but it doesnt generally explain actual grammar rules to you.Of course, counteracting this is simple: There are plenty of good foreign language textbooks  out there that you can use as a supplement to a resource like Pimsleur.Also, how much this factor really matters may depend on whether youve studied other languages before and, if so, which languages. Before writing this review, I tried out a Pimsleur lesson for Brazilian Portuguese, a language Ive only studied very minimally and wouldnt say I knew at all. There were some concepts introduced within this lesson that mightve prompted questions for me if I hadnt already learned French and studied other Romance languages. But because I had, I didnt feel that I needed to have the grammar explained to me.On the other hand, the one time I did try to use Pimsleur as a primary means of study, it was for Russian, a language fairly unrelated to others Id studied before. While I did feel that it helped me build a foundation and an understanding of some basic phrasesâ€"and maybe helped me get started on the language in a less intimidating wayâ€"I definitely felt that I needed to buy some books and get into the actual workings of Russian after that.Ultimately, theres no simple answer as to whether a program should incorporate grammar directly, and its fine to wait and see how you react to a no-grammar approach before considering a change or upgrade to your learning method.Vocabulary is limited.Along with there not being much variety in the type of speech you hear, the actual number of vocab words in Pimsleurs programs is limited, which, as weve already touched on, is something that Pimsleur does intentionally. I dont think this is necessarily a problem, particularly for complete beginners, as theres only so much language you can absorb at once anyway. But, not having a broader range of vocabulary will ultimately limit how far you can progress in a language.The lack of input in the Pimsleur programs, along with a lack of actual interaction, is one of the downsides brought up in the Columbia University study mentioned earlier.Again, authentic materials can be a good way to combat this issue. You can also greatly supplement your Pimsleur learning and improve the interaction element by practicing your speaking with exchange partners.Even if you dont have a regular partner, you can always use language exchange apps to get in some quick conversation practice.Who Benefits the Most from Pimsleur?So, taking the above into consideration, who should Pimsleur work best for?Busy people who don’t have time to devote specifically to learning.Pimsleur is undoubtedly a time-saver if you can do it while driving, doi ng chores or doing any kind of work that doesnt require a lot of brainpower. For that reason, it can be a great option for people who are looking for a serious language learning program that doesnt require them to stop everything in order to use it.Those who need a regular language routine they dont have to figure out themselves.While creative and self-directed language learning can be a lot of fun, it can also take up a lot of energy. Not everyone wants to spend time planning or messing around with different learning methods. This isnt to say that Pimsleur is necessarily an all-in-one solution, but its a way to start learning a language that requires little thought outside of the actual 30 minutes you spend doing each lesson.Learners who are blind, have low vision or want to limit visual learning for other reasons.Obviously, audio programs in general are going to be a better choice for people for whom visual learning isnt an option. But, a lot of audio programs are paired with text or other visuals. With Pimsleur, visual learning is optional, and the audio is truly self-contained and comprehensive, making it a genuinely good choice for people who need to do all or the majority of their learning through audio.Aside from those who arent able to learn visually at all, people who suffer from migraines or other conditions that limit sight temporarily or are exacerbated by too much visual strain might find Pimsleur helpful.Limiting visual learning can actually be a good move for a number of reasons, even if its not something that you strictly need to do. If youre a really dedicated language learner or if you have a job that requires a lot of time reading or spent in front of a screen, integrating audio into your daily routine, even just for a half-hour, can give you a much-needed break that might prevent headaches and stress and even help you think more clearly.People who need to learn language basics for travel in a short period of time.Again, every language learn ing program has something of a limited range, and Pimsleur most benefits those who want to pick up the basics of speaking a language quickly. Phrasebooks, textbooks, classroom learning and all-around programs meant for long-term use all come with their own advantages but might not give you the laser focus on mastering practical speaking in a short(ish) period of time that Pimsleur does.Pimsleur is a solid classic for a reason, and for many people, it may be the simplest, most obvious and most comfortable solution.And sometimes its okay to just go with what feels right.Elisabeth Cook is a freelance writer who enjoys pondering how to make language learning more relaxing. You can find her on Twitter (@CooksChicken).

5 Ways Parents can Prevent Learning Loss over Summer Vacation - ALOHA Mind Math

5 Ways Parents can Prevent Learning Loss over Summer Vacation “The more you read the more things you know. The more you learn the more places you go.” Dr. Seuss. Non-structured days, swimming, playing ball, bicycling, and camp are just some of the summer activities children love during their three month hiatus from reading, writing, arithmetic and other studies. However, this lax and non-educational routine harms children. Do you remember each fall revisiting the material you already knew? That is because teachers must spend 4 to 6 weeks reviewing concepts and lessons taught the previous year for those who did not retain the material during the summer vacation. According the Johns Hopkins University Center for Summer Learning, on average, students lose approximately 2.6 months of grade level equivalency in mathematical computation skills during their summer vacation. What can be done to prevent brain drain? Enroll your child in your library’s summer reading program. Instead of your child watching television or playing videogames, head to the library and ask for assistance in locating books on superheroes, horses, or whatever interests them. Each summer most libraries offer reading programs for adults and children. Libraries may offer participants prizes and programs during and after the program ends. Read to your child.When parents spend time reading to their young children, they are more apt to learn and improve language and social skills. This in turn also develops confidence. Select a regular time to read to your child and eventually this could become a highly anticipated activity. Limit Electronics.Turn off the TV, computer, phone, tablet, and handheld games. There are between one and five types of electronics in most households. Children and adults are attached to their mobile devices more than ever before, even multitasking while watching television. A year ago psychologist Dr Aric Sigman told the BBC that the average 10 year-old had access to five different screens at home. He stated that the prolonged screen time could lead to reductions in a child’s attention span because of its effects on the brain, leading to screen addiction. Incorporate math activities into the daily schedule. Number sense is important for your child’s success. For example, children could review counting random items to everyday math, such as helping set the table and counting out the correct number of utensils for family members. Learn and enhance children’s fraction knowledge with music.Students participating in a study learning fractions involving music scored 50 percent higher on tests than their peers who learned from traditional instruction methods. “Academic Music” article Educational Studies in Mathematics October 2012 Volume 81, Issue 2 pp. 251-278 then republished by Scientific American. No doubt children are exuberant for summer vacation, as are their teachers. In order for them to avoid significant loss of learning over the summer, children need regular skill building, problem solving, and enrichment activities to retain and enrich what they learned during the school year and excel. Contact ALOHA Mind Math http://alohamindmath.com for further assistance and for summer reading and math program specials.