Friday, March 27, 2020

Online Summer Chemistry Courses Can Be Very Exciting

Online Summer Chemistry Courses Can Be Very ExcitingIf you have ever wanted to take online summer chemistry courses then you may be on the right track to a more enjoyable life. Chemicals have been the foundation of the human race and in particular chemistry has helped humans to use and understand the wonders of nature. Whether you are a scientist or not, everyone can benefit from taking online summer chemistry courses.If you are someone who loves to read books then you will find that taking online summer chemistry courses will be very helpful as they provide you with an engaging storyline. Some of the online summer chemistry courses are about using a bottle to collect soil and studying the effects of air quality and the environment. You will find that taking chemistry online can provide you with many interesting topics and storylines.Some of the online chemistry courses that can be done online are about building relationships with others. You will find that taking these courses will be a great opportunity to expand your social skills and learn how to improve the relationships between people. Taking online chemistry classes can also allow you to learn about scientific processes and you can help others as well. If you want to have fun while learning new things, online summer chemistry courses are the perfect choice for you.Many of the online summer chemistry courses offer multiple choice quizzes that are fun and educational. These quizzes allow you to test your knowledge and let you determine which you like best. Many of the quizzes are based on real-life examples, so you will always know if you have mastered the lesson.The majority of the online chemistry course are online and do not require you to attend a class. If you are a science or math geek, then you will enjoy taking the online summer chemistry courses. Even if you have never taken a chemistry class before, you can take the online summer course and see how it works.When you choose to take online summer c hemistry courses, you can stay at home or you can attend a class if you wish. You will find that taking chemistry online is quite easy and you do not need to leave your home or any other place to do it. The classes can be done all year long if you wish to but you can attend as many as you like.Overall, the online chemistry courses are a great way to learn new and interesting topics. They are also very convenient for working adults who need to learn new things. There are even some chemistry courses that have worked for professional sports players and these are definitely worth the time and effort that it takes to complete these online chemistry courses.

Friday, March 6, 2020

Paralegal Glossary

Paralegal Glossary Do you love justice? You you want to help the little guy get some justice in an unfair world? Paralegal Technology could be the field of study for you. Here is a glossary of legal terms every paralegal needs to know in English. Blogtrepreneur [CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)] accusedThe defendant or defendants appearing on a criminal charge. actA proceeding designed to have a legal effect. An act by an individual aimed at altering, terminating, or otherwise affecting a legal right. affidavitA written statement confirmed by oath or affirmation, for use as evidence in court. allegationA claim or assertion that someone has done something illegal or wrong, typically one made without proof. appearance lawIn law, appearance is the coming into court of either of the parties to a lawsuit, and/or the formal act by which a defendant submits himself to the jurisdiction of the court. appellate courtA court having jurisdiction to review decisions of a trial-level or other lower court. appellantA person who applies to a higher court for a reversal of the decision of a lower court. argumentA reason or set of reasons given with the aim of persuading others that an action or idea is right or wrong. assaultMake a physical attack on. attorneyOne who is legally appointed to transact business on another’s behalf; especially : lawyer. authorityLegal permission granted to a person to perform a specified act. bail bondBond provided by an insurance company through a bail bondsman acting as agent for the company. bailSecurity given for the release of a prisoner on bail. bailiffAn officer, similar to a sheriff’s deputy, employed to execute writs and processes, make arrests, keep order in the court. barristerA lawyer entitled to practice in the higher courts of the United Kingdom. burden of proofThe obligation to prove one’s assertion. burglarA person who commits burglary; housebreaker. caseA suit or action in law or equity. child support paymentMoney that one spouse must give to another spouse (or legal guardian) every month to help care for the children. Civil Code of QuebecThe civil code in force in the Province of Quebec, Canada, which came into effect on January 1, 1994. claimTo demand by virtue of a right. clauseA particular and separate article, stipulation, or proviso in a treaty, bill, or contract. clerkA person employed in an office or bank to keep records and accounts and to undertake other routine administrative duties. common goodThe advantage or benefit of all people in society or in a group. common lawThe part of english law that is derived from custom and judicial precedent rather than statutes. Often contrasted with statutory law. compensatory allowanceTo make amends to someone. complainantA plaintiff in certain lawsuits. condemnTo express an unfavorable or adverse judgment on. constitutional lawThe body of law which defines the relationship of different entities within a state, namely, the executive, the legislature, and the judiciary. contractA formal agreement between two or more parties. corporationA company or group of people authorized to act as a single entity (legally a person) and recognized as such in law. courtA court is a place where legal matters are decided by a judge and jury or by a magistrate. court of appealsA court to which appeals are taken in a federal circuit or a state. court orderA direction issued by a court or a judge requiring a person to do or not do something. courthouseA public building in which courts of law are held. criminal recordA history of being convicted for crime. custodyThe act of keeping safe or guarding; the right of guardianship of a minor. damagesA sum of money claimed or awarded in compensation for a loss or an injury. debtSomething that is owned or that one is bound to pay to or perform for another. debtorA person or commercial enterprise that owes a financial obligation. default judgementA judgment entered in favor of the plaintiff when the defendant defaults (fails to appear in court). defendantAn individual, company, or institution sued or accused in a court of law. denunciationA charge or accusation of crime made by an individual before a public prosecutor or tribunal. dismissTo bid or allow a person to go. dismissal, firingThe act of being dismissed, fired from a job. distensionThe act of distending or the state of being distended. docketA calendar of the cases awaiting action in a court. doctrineA belief or set of beliefs held and taught by a church, political party, or other group. due processFair treatment through the normal judicial system, esp. As a citizen’s entitlement. dwellingA shelter (as a house) in which people live. enactTo represent or perform in or as if in a play; to act out. evidenceMatter produced before a court of law in an attempt to prove or disprove a point in issue, such as the statements of witnesses, documents, material objects, etc. expert witnessA person who is permitted to testify at a trial because of special knowledge or proficiency in a particular field that is relevant to the case. expungeErase or remove completely (something unwanted or unpleasant). family lawAn area of the law that deals with family-related matters and domestic relations, including: marriage, civil unions, and domestic partnerships; adoption and surrogacy, etc. felonyA serious crime, usually punishable by at least one year in prison. fiduciaryInvolving trust, esp. With regard to the relationship between a trustee and a beneficiary. formal noticeNotification or warning of something, esp. To allow preparations to be made. fraudWrongful or criminal deception intended to result in financial or personal gain. grand juryA jury, normally of twenty-three jurors, selected to examine the validity of an accusation before trial. grievanceA real or imagined wrong or other cause for complaint or protest, such as unfair treatment. guiltyCulpable of or responsible for a specified wrongdoing. habeas corpusA writ requiring a person under arrest to be brought before a judge or into court, esp. To secure the person’s release unless lawful grounds are shown for their detention. half-way houseA place where persons are aided in readjusting to society following a period of imprisonment, hospitalization, etc. hearingAn opportunity to state one’s case. inadmissibleNot admissible or allowable. incarcerationThe state of being confined in prison; imprisonment. indictTo make a formal accusation or indictment against (a party) by the findings of a jury, especially a grand jury. injunctionAn authoritative warning or order. inmatePersons confined in prison, jails, and other correctional facilities that house those convicted of crimes. interlocutory judgementA judgment that determines a preliminary or side issue in the case, but does not finally decide the case. judgeA public official with authority to hear cases in a court of law and pronounce judgment upon them. jurisprudenceThe theory or philosophy of law. jurisprudentialRelating to the science or philosophy of law or a system of laws. juristAn expert in or writer on law. justiceJust behavior or treatment. labor lawLabour law mediates the relationship between workers, employers, trade unions and the government. Collective labour law relates to the tripartite relationship between employee, employer and union. landlordOne that owns and rents land, buildings, or dwelling units. lawThe system of rules that a particular country or community recognizes as regulating the actions of its members and may enforce by the imposition of penalties. law enforcement agencyA group of people responsible for insuring obedience of legal rules. lawsuitA case in a court of law involving a claim, complaint, etc. lawsuitA proceeding in a court of law brought by one party against another, esp. A civil action. lawyerA person who practices or studies law; an attorney or a counselor. legal actLaw is a term which does not have a universally accepted definition, but one definition is that law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior. legal aidFree legal advice or representation for a person who cannot afford it. legal researchLegal research is “the process of identifying and retrieving information necessary to support legal decision-making. lethalCapable of causing death. limitationA certain period of time, legally defined, within which an action, claim, etc., must be commenced. litigantA person engaged in a lawsuit. litigatingTo make the subject of a lawsuit, contest at law. litigationThe act or process of litigating. loiteringRemaining in an area for no obvious reason. manslaughterThe unlawful killing of a human being without express or implied malice. mediationIntervention in a dispute in order to resolve it; arbitration. mistrialAn invalid trial, caused by fundamental error. When a mistrial is declared, the trial must start again with the selection of a new jury. monographA detailed written study of a single specialized subject or an aspect of it. notaryA person authorized to perform certain legal formalities, esp. To draw up or certify contracts, deeds, and other documents for use in other jurisdictions. notaryA public officer or other person authorized to authenticate contracts, acknowledge deeds, take affidavits, protest bills of exchange, take deposition. notificationThe action of notifying someone or something. oathA solemn, formal declaration or promise to fulfill a pledge, often calling on god, a god, or a sacred object as witness. offenseA breach of a law or rule; an illegal act. overruleTo disallow the action or arguments of, especially by virtue of higher authority: the defense attorney’s objection was overruled by the judge. panelTo select or impanel (a jury). penalOf, relating to, constituting, or prescribing punishment. petty theftA criminal act in which property belonging to another is taken without that persons consent. plaintiffA person who brings a case against another in a court of law. pleaAn earnest request; an appeal: spoke out in a plea for greater tolerance. pleadingA formal statement of the cause of an action or defense. pledgeA solemn promise or agreement to do or refrain from doing something. police headquartersThe administrative police center. prejudiceHarm or injury that results or may result from some action or judgment. probationThe release of an offender from detention, subject to a period of good behavior under supervision. proofSomething that induces certainty or establishes validity. prosecuteTo hold a trial against a person who is accused of a crime to see if that person is guilty. prosecutorA person, esp. A public official, who institutes legal proceedings against someone. proxyThe agency, function, r power of a person authorized to act as the deputy or substitute for another. Quebec BarThe provincial law society for lawyers in Quebec, Canada. It was founded May 30, 1849, as the Bar of Lower Canada. reasonable doubtBeyond reasonable doubt is the standard of evidence required to validate a criminal conviction in most adversarial legal systems. recourseThe act of resorting to a person, course of action, etc., in difficulty or danger. recourse to legal actionAn action that can be taken by an individual or a corporation to attempt to remedy a legal difficulty. recover damagesTo succeed in a lawsuit. To obtain from waste. To make a recovery. recusalThe disqualification of a judge or jury by reason of prejudice or conflict of interest; a judge can be recused by objections of either party or judges can disqualify themselves. relinquishmentTo renounce or surrender. remandTo send back, remit or consign again. requestAn act of asking politely or formally for something. requestThe act or an instance of requesting, esp. In the form of a written statement; petition or solicitation. respondentA defendant in a lawsuit, especially one in an appeals or divorce case. revokePut an end to the validity or operation of (a decree, decision, or promise). seizingThe act of a person or thing that seizes. seizureThe act or an instance of seizing. sentenceThe punishment assigned to a defendant found guilty by a court, or fixed by law for a particular offense. subpoenaA writ ordering a person to attend a court. subrogationThe substitution of one person in the place of another with reference to a lawful claim, demand, or right. subscriptionA sum of money given or pledged as contribution, payment, investment. successionThe act or an instance of one person or thing following another. summonsA summons is an official order to appear in court. superior courtA court with general jurisdiction over other courts; a higher court. suretyMoney or something valuable which you give to someone to show that you will do what you have promised. sustainTo keep in existence; maintain. testimonyA solemn declaration usually made orally by a witness under oath in response to interrogation by a lawyer or authorized public official. appellantA person who applies to a higher court for a reversal of the decision of a lower court. thiefOne that steals especially stealthily or secretly. trialA formal examination of evidence before a judge, and typically before a jury, in order to decide guilt in a case of criminal or civil proceedings. trustFirm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something. trusteeAn individual person or member of a board given control or powers of administration of property in trust with a legal obligation to administer it solely for the purposes specified. upholdTo maintain or affirm against opposition. venueThe locality where a crime is committed or a cause of action occurs. verdictA decision on a disputed issue in a civil or criminal case or an inquest. VINVehicle identification number. waiverAn intentional relinquishment of some right, interest, or the like. wantedTo be hunted or sought in order to apprehend. warningTo give notice to beforehand especially of danger or evil. warrantA commission or document giving authority to do something. weaponSomething (as a club, kknife, or gun) used to injure, defeat, or destroy. witnessA person who sees an event, typically a crime or accident, take place. witness standA stand or an enclosure from which a witness gives evidence in a court. writsA formal order under seal, issued in the name of sovereign, government, court, or other competent authority, enjoining the officer or other person to whom it is issued or addressed to do or refrain from some specified act. young offenderA criminal from 12 to 17 years of age. Please follow and like us:

Irvine Tutor Tips Ways to Work On Writing This Summer

Irvine Tutor Tips Ways to Work On Writing This Summer 5 Great Ways To Work On Writing This Summer Writing is an essential skill, and one of the core subjects students will focus on in school. Although many kids are happy to leave writing in the classroom over the summer, its important that they stay focused on this important skill and prepare for what will await   them this fall. There are several ways parents can help kids work on writing over the summer without taking away from their fun in the sun. 1.   A picture is worth 1000 words Kids love to draw pictures and summer is a great opportunity for kids to spend a little bit of indoor time working on their arts and craft skills. Parents can sneak in a little bit of learning by asking kids to write a few words, although perhaps not 1000, about their picture. They can work on adjectives by describing the subject of their drawing and make their sentences complete with correct punctuation. They might only spend 10 or 15 minutes writing, but this type of review can help kids stay sharp for the fall (READ: 5 Tips to Encourage Your Child to Read). 2. Chapter summaries Most kids will have a summer reading list from their teacher and will choose a few books to work on. One great way to add in writing skills to this activity is to ask kids to write a chapter summary. They can write a few sentences about what happened in each chapter and which characters were the main focus. This will help kids stay organized and better understand what theyre reading as well as work on important writing skills. 3. Word of the day Learning new vocabulary is an important part of mastering writing in general. Going through many vocab lists can be cumbersome over the summer but one word a day isnt so bad. Kids can learn a brand new word Monday through Friday and learn how to use it in a sentence. After a while, their vocabulary will expand, and they will learn how to look up words and use them in a grammatically correct format. 4. Become an author Kids who are interested in taking on a bigger project can become their very own author. They can create their magazine, short story, or full-length book. Perhaps a student has a favorite superhero or historical legend they want to write about. Maybe they want to do some research and learn about a new topic. Whether kids are writing about fantasy or fact, creating their book is a great way to hone in on writing and editing skills. 5. Poetry Learning about poetry is another great way for kids to work on their writing skills over the summer. There are tons of different types of poetry from haiku to freeform to traditional rhyming. Kids will have a lot of fun with poetry and can learn about all sorts of different cultures, points in history, and writing styles. Poetry is also a great form of artistic expression and can help kids expand their thought process and be creative. Want to improve your writing this summer? Call us today and we will match you with one of our experienced Irvine English tutor. 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.

Thursday, March 5, 2020

Innovative Language Review Is It Worth the Cost

Innovative Language Review Is It Worth the Cost Innovative Language Review: Is It Worth the Cost? There are just no two ways about it.Hands down, Innovative Language is the best there is.(Or so they say.)For the longest time, Innovative Language has been touting itself as the “fastest, easiest and most fun” way to learn languages.They claim that students will be speaking native-level conversation within minutes! With their powerful learning tools, clients will spend less time studying and more time actually speaking the language.But is that true?In this Innovative Language review, Ill dive deep into the nuts and bolts of the language learning software and see what the fuss is all about.This 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. The Basics of Innovative LanguageIn December 2005, Innovative Language launched its first language learning program:  Ja panesePod101.com.Within a year, the site garnered a membership of 10,000 active learners, signaling to founders Peter Galante, Eran Dekel and Aki Yoshikawa that they must be doing something right.In August 2007, they launched their second language program: Korean. Over the course of a little over a decade, the company reached a cascade of milestones and achievements.Today, Innovative Language offers 40 languages, including popular options like French, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Portuguese and Chinese.Innovative Language provides curated content for every type of language learner, from beginner to advanced. In fact, they cater to nine language levels: Introduction, Absolute Beginner, Lower Beginner, Beginner, Upper Beginner, Lower Intermediate, Intermediate, Upper Intermediate and Advanced.When you become an Innovative Language member, you receive fresh language material (audio or video) every week.Once you join any of the language programs, you’ll automatically get free, f ull access to all the premium content for that language course. This unrestricted access lasts for seven days, giving you plenty of opportunities to look under the hood and take the program for a spin.After seven days, your account automatically reverts to the “free lifetime” category, where you now have only limited access.There are four Innovative Language subscription levels: free, basic, premium and premium plus.With the free membership, you no longer have all the lessons at your fingertipsâ€"you now only have the first three lessons of each series.A basic subscription ($8 per month) will give you full access to the lessons, but it lacks many vocabulary learning tools youd have with a premium membership, such as “Word Bank” and “Voice Recording Tools.”A $25 monthly premium subscription will give you access to all the lessons and all the tools for that specific language course.Premium plus, Innovative Language’s highest-tiered subscription, is $47 monthly and gives you the chance for one-on-one training. The access to a language teacher ensures that every lesson is tailored to your needs and that a professional manages ongoing assessments of your progress. (And yes, there will be assignments!)Truth be told, Innovative Language often has sales, special offers and discounts. So the amount you actually pay may vary depending on the price reductions you find. Also, unlike other language learning programs like FluentU, languages are priced separately. So if you want to study multiple languages, youre going to need multiple subscriptions.Now that you have a grasp on the languages and membership options, its time to figure out how Innovative Language actually works.Innovative Language Review: Is It Worth the Cost?Methodology: Innovative Languages Core BeliefsFocus is on the communicative approach  to language learning.The folks behind Innovative Language believe that language is best learned through meaningful interactions with others. Thats why they urge you to speak in the target language from the very first lesson.It doesn’t matter if your pronunciation is off-target or if your sentences violate a dozen grammar rules. It’s all about practice! The important thing is that the target language is being employed to convey real communication. Students opening their mouths and purposely practicing in the target language is the main goal.You learn a language by using it. For example, you may have to ask for directions to the nearest exit. Or perhaps you need to tell a native speaker that the train has already left.Tasks and other communicative situations give rich context to the language. After all, context is what makes language meaningful.When Innovative Language  teaches you grammar, it only does so for clarity of communication. You’ll notice that grammar is taught in the context of a communicative task or dialogue.The examples and illustrations given are relevant and practical. You don’t get unicorn sample sentences that don’t exist in real life, like The green dog jumped over the small bear.Non-repetitive repetition is the mother of all learning.Innovative Language believes that for the lessons and insights to stick, you have to see the material repeatedly. However, they know they have to do it in interesting, non-repetitive ways so students don’t drift off.There are around a half dozen functionalities to help students remember vocab in the target language. You have flashcards, powered with spaced repetition technology. You have a word bank that allows you create a personal roster of handpicked terms. You have your “Word of the Day,” the “100 Most Common Words” and the “2,000 Most Common Words.” All these are geared to hone your vocabulary skills.True to tradition, lessons come at you through different modalities for maximum impact. You get a potent mix of videos, audio and text. You’ll have access to written notes and complete transcripts. Hosts talk about the topic and relate i t to an interesting cultural tidbit.Lessons come at you again and again, and at different angles to make ideas stick.There’s plenty of built-in repetition. But each go-around has a different flavor to it.Learning is on your own terms.Folks at Innovative Language make sure that students have almost complete control of the learning process. This core belief is reflected in every facet of their language courses.You choose your own language, level and topics. Because each student learns differently, Innovative Language casts a wide net, employing different modalities (audio, video and text) to deliver the lessons.Students can set their own pace. And you can go back, move forward, rewind, fast forward or pause within lessons.Innovative Language has collections of videos called Pathways. Each Pathway has topic-related lessons, such as dining out, shopping, travel, animals or body parts. And even certain lessons in Pathways can be skipped or viewed out of order!Innovative Language is als o flexible in that you can use it on practically any device. Study on your web browser, iOS device or Android device.What Are Innovative Language’s Features?The dashboard: Taking control of your learning    The dashboard is pretty much the first thing you see after you set up your account. It’s the starting point of your language-learning journey. On the web version, you’ll see the options to go to “Lessons,” “Vocabulary” and “My Teacher.”The “Lessons” section will probably be your first stop. Here you’ll find the treasure trove content Innovative Language is famous for. Go to “Lesson Library” and you’ll have a list of topics (or “Pathways”) as well as the number of lessons under it. There will be a lot to choose from, so I recommend you sort the list according to popularity so you identify series that other language learners have found useful.Once you’ve zeroed in on a Pathway or topic, click on it and you’ll see the full list of lessons under the category. Before starting your first lesson, don’t forget to click the “Add to Dashboard” button so the next time you log in, you can readily see the Pathway on the dashboard. (This will essentially allow you to pick up where you left off.)Going back to the Dashboard (web version), you’ll also find the “Vocabulary” menu. This houses all the vocabulary tools Ive already mentioned. Generally, there are two types of vocabulary aidsâ€"the ready-made ones and those that you gradually build yourself.The Word Bank” is one you build yourself by populating it with words as you go through the lessons, while the “Vocabulary Lists” are pre-made decks you can study immediately. “Flashcards,” on the other hand, is both. There are pre-made decks, but you can also make your own.“My Teacher” is another dashboard menu you’ll find. You can only use this if you’re subscribed to the Premium Plus ($47) tier of the course, which gives you access to one-on-one language les sons.For the app interface, youll see similar options: Browse Lessons, Newest Lessons, My Library and My Teacher.These sections are pretty self-explanatory. “My Library” is where your downloaded lessons are stored. Downloading content allows you to study anytime and anywhere, without being at the mercy of a Wi-Fi connection.Youll learn even more about the dashboard in the next section.Dialogue: The heart of the lessonMost lessons will involve two podcast hosts, who’ll serve as guides. They’ll be talking to each other and discussing the lesson. Its kind of like listening to amped disc jockeys on your morning commute.At the heart of many Innovative Language lesson is the sample dialogue.One of the hosts will say, “Hey, why don’t we listen first to this conversation?” Then comes a pre-recorded dialogue.The dialogue can be about anything. It can be about a guy talking about his family, asking another fellow about his job or making plans for the weekend. The hosts will refe r to this dialogue over and over throughout the lesson, using it to show the communicative aspects of the target language. For beginner lessons, the exchanges are usually less than eight lines.The recorded interaction between native speakers may be short and sweet, but youll be dealing with this material throughout the whole lesson in various ways.Maybe you’ll hear the exchange a little more slowly the second time, or with translations given after every line. Or maybe you’ll access a PDF of the important phrases in the dialogue, showing the vocabulary used in other contexts. (This is the second core belief in action!)The whole conversation will be fleshed out, with the two hosts even talking about their personal experiences on the topic. For example, if the lesson is about calling for taxi service, one of the hosts might share an interesting story of when she called to be picked up at a restaurant.Students are able to milk the dialogue for every language lesson it hides. You’l l get pronunciation practice, vocabulary, key phrases, cultural tidbits and even a shot of grammar. You’ll come out of lessons knowing the lines like the back of your hand.The lesson format: the web version and the appThere’s a little difference in how the lessons are presented in the web version and in the app. Let’s take a look at the web version first.In your web browser, a lesson usually has five standard parts: Dialogue, Vocabulary, Lesson Notes, Lesson Transcripts and Comments.DialogueAs mentioned, the heart of each lesson is the dialogue. So the conversations transcription will be the first thing you’ll see.Beside each line are two icons: the speaker icon and the microphone icon. Pressing the speaker icon will bring up the audio so you can listen to a native speaker deliver the line.Pressing the mic icon brings up a voice recorder. Here you’ll record yourself delivering the line so you can actually compare your pronunciation with that of the native speaker.Vocabular yThis section picks out the key words and phrases from the conversation.This time, there will be three icons beside each entry: two speaker icons and one microphone icon. The first two have the same function as in the previous section. The third icon (which is a speaker icon but with “X0.5” written below it) plays the audio at half speed, helping listeners follow the conversation.At the far right of each entry, you’ll see the word “Example/s.” Clicking on this will pull down some example sentences of how the keyword can be used. (The English translations are provided, as well.)At the bottom of the Vocabulary section are some of the study options available for you. There’s “Add to Flashcard Deck,” “Add to Word Bank,” “Slideshow” and “Take Quiz.”Lesson notesThis section is an in-depth dive into the grammar-related topics you can learn from the conversation. If youd like to pick up on your target language’s syntax, conjugation rules or acceptable synonyms, you’ll find it here. You’ll be taken behind the scenes and pointed to the nuances of the language.For example, if there are formal and informal forms of the language, and the informal one is used in the dialogue, you’d find the formal alternative here. This would also come with a brief explanation of when each form is appropriate.Lesson transcriptRemember the two podcast hosts who act as your guide throughout the lesson? This section is the transcript of their dialogue. So if your teachers/hosts speak too quickly or have thick accents, you can still follow along.The only annoying thing about the Lesson transcript section is that Innovative Language has buried it deeper in the lesson when it would be super handy to have on hand from the very first second.Anyway, more on my frustrations later. My advice is to proceed to this section as soon as you press “play” on the podcast.This is also where cultural gems are hidden. Hosts often share their personal experiences as well as observations of native practices and traditions. This is where you’ll learn just how friendly Italian men can get or how warm Spanish-speaking locals are.CommentsThe Comments section simply lets you feel that you arent alone on this journey. Yes, this is a self-paced and self-taught program, but youre definitely not going at it alone. You’ll find kindred souls here.The support team also shows up and posts stuff from time to time. You can pick up lessons and insights even in the Comments section.That said, let’s now turn to the app interface. It has both similarities and differences with the web version. Each lesson contains the: Audio, Dialog, Review, Line-by-line, Vocabulary, Expansion, Lesson notes and Lesson transcripts.“Audio”â€"This refers to the lesson itself, where hosts banter and explain the lesson.“Dialog”â€"This is the short, pre-recorded dialogue/conversation that forms the basis of the whole lesson.“Review”â€"This is where you practice pronunciation. The host will prompt you to enunciate words and phrases.“Line-by-line”â€"You can practice each line of the conversation here.“Vocabulary”â€"Instead of lines, it’s the words and phrases that are highlighted in this section.“Expansion”â€"Here, you’ll have usage examples of the vocabulary taken up in the previous section.“Lesson notes”â€"Same as in the web version.“Lesson transcript” â€"Same as in the web version.Innovative Language: The Pros and ConsOf course, no language learning software is perfect! Lets look at what Innovative Language does well and where it struggles.The pros of learning with Innovative LanguageThe communicative approach to language learning is a game-changer.The folks at Innovative Language did their subscribers a solid when they decided on the communicative approach to presenting the lessons. The communicative approach to language has been shown to be more effective than traditional approaches.Why? Because this approach is interactive in nature.You cant just read about a language to learn how to speak it. You have to actually practice speaking it in the context of a communicative task.Lessons dialogues allow students to witness authentic, meaningful interactions. By putting students in a position where they have to negotiate meaning and make inferences about the target language, Innovative Language pushes students to become more invested in the lessons.Even though the focus is on communication, this language learning software did not forsake grammar! Innovate Language does an excellent job of presenting grammar rules exhibited in each dialogue. This gives learners the whole picture and achieves maximum impact with every lesson.Youll never run out of content.Innovative Language is one of the most prolific producers of content. Week after week, they ply you with fresh material.You’ll probably notice early on that there’s a lot of material to digest. I mean, a lot! You’ll definitely have your fill of the target l anguage and won’t come away thinking, “Is that all?”The lessons are practical and relevant.When studying a language, have you ever thought, “This example sentence will never come up in real life.” Maybe the textbook is throwing you lines like “The ducks went to school” or “The blue ape ate the apple.”In this program, you’ll have practical examples that will prove useful in your regular interactions with native speakers. Lessons arent there for lessons’ sake. They have a communicative purpose, which means the vocab and grammar are likely to come up in your normal conversations.By integrating lessons with cultural insights, it hits two birds with one stone.You cant divorce a language from the culture, so Innovative Language has made a point of including cultural tidbits in its lessons. This is often done through the banter between hosts as they try to deconstruct and flesh out the details of the sample conversation.Let’s say the lesson is about meeting stranger s. The hosts give you a short primer on the dos and donts between strangers in the culture, such as the cultural expectations of meeting a significant others family in Italy. These cultural gems are priceless because they give you an insider’s look at the traditions, beliefs and practices of a group of people.So you really get more bang for your buck! Culture is expertly weaved into your lesson and you come away appreciating more of the language because you’ve come to appreciate the people who speak it.The cons of learning with Innovative LanguageThe lessons could use much better organization.I’ve said that there plenty of course content to digest, right? Well, this is really a two-edged sword.Because of the volume of content involved, you might actually be at a loss on where to start or where to go next. You can feel bombarded with so many choices and end up indecisive about which Pathway to stick with.Its kind of like the “Netflix Effect,” when you spend more time browsi ng through titles than actually watching the movie. (There’s just too many to choose from!)For example, in the Spanish program, you’ll have lessons that deal with elements of Peruvian Spanish, Puerto Rican Spanish, Mexican Spanish and European Spanish. Do you want to go through each one of them, or just one? And if just one, which one?The lessons could use a much more instinctive organization so subscribers have an easier time choosing what to study next.The dashboard could benefit from more purposeful design.I have no beef with the appâ€"I think it’s organized and designed pretty decently. The issue is the web version.The dashboard is the first thing a student sees, so it’s important that it be visually appealing. It should be easy to follow, and your eyes should automatically be drawn to the most important elements of the page.Unfortunately, nothing stands out and everything seems flat. Nothing about the design jumps out and says, “Boy, youre going to have an awesome exp erience learning Italian!”This isnt just for aesthetic reasons. If a student is supposed to spend hours and hours studying content, it would be much easier for them if the web interface possessed an inspired and inspiring design. It really affects motivation and engagement.Lessons could be bolstered by more engaging videos.In my opinion, Innovative Language relies too much on audio material and podcasts.Dont get me wrong, the listening material is great. But the language learning software could be made even better with more video content.Innovative Language does provide the occasional video, but if they put time into developing even more content, I think their videos could make them one of the most effective resources for language learning out there.Students can achieve so much by watching videos! A video stimulates multiple parts of the brain, making the content more vivid and memorable.It can set the proper visual cues for the conversations, as well. It would also really be cool if students actually get to see the faces of their hosts or teachers. Watching someone speak in a foreign language can make it a thousand times easier to understand them, so this would be particularly helpful for beginners who struggle to comprehend listening material.If you like Innovative Languages audio content, lessons and flexible styleâ€"but want the benefits of more video materialâ€"then youll love learning with FluentU.FluentU takes real-world videosâ€"like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talksâ€"and turns them into personalized language learning lessons. It shares a lot of features with Innovative Language, so you could use it in lieu of Innovative Language or as a supplemental resource.With FluentU, you hear languages in real-world contextsâ€"the way that native speakers actually use them. Just a quick look will give you an idea of the variety of FluentU videos on offer:FluentU really takes the grunt work out of learning languages, leaving you with nothin g but engaging, effective and efficient learning. It’s already hand-picked the best videos for you and organized them by level and topic. All you have to do is choose any video that strikes your fancy to get started!Each word in the interactive captions comes with a definition, audio, image, example sentences and more.Access a complete interactive transcript of every video under the Dialogue tab, and easily review words and phrases from the video under Vocab.You can use FluentU’s unique adaptive quizzes to learn the vocabulary and phrases from the video through fun questions and exercises. Just swipe left or right to see more examples of the word youre studying.The program even keeps track of what you’re learning and tells you exactly when it’s time for review, giving you a 100% personalized experience.Like Innovative Language, you can access FluentU on your web browser, iOS device or Android device.The quality across language programs isnt consistent.To be fair, this is one of those things that’s very difficult to pull off, but it just really needs to be said.The language learning software does relatively well with many of major languages, but its hit or miss with the lesser known dialects. For example, theres plenty of room for improvement with their Vietnamese and Arabic programs. The development team needs to put all the languages on equal footing so that each becomes an excellent language program in its own right.The good news? All of Innovative Language’s programs are continually being updated and improved. So hopefully, all the language programs will be amazing over time!After all is said and done, is Innovative Language worth the tab? I would say yes! And if you bring in additional resources like FluentU, you have great potential to become fluent.Of course, the volume of content alone from Innovative Language will give you your money’s worth.But keep this in mind: When you subscribe to a language program, you get out what you put in.There are no shortcuts to becoming fluent in a language. You have to do all the leg work. And you know what they say Dont skip leg day!

Summer School Survival Kit - TutorNerds

Summer School Survival Kit - TutorNerds Surviving Summer School So you have to go to summer school. Although it does sound like the end of the world right now, feel better knowing that more and more students are spending the warm and breezy months of July and August in a classroom. For some of you it will be to catch up and for others it will be to get ahead. Test prep tutoring is also becoming more popular during the summer months. Lets’ face it, the school year is becoming increasingly demanding and your academic responsibilities will start spilling out into the warmer months with each increasing year. Rather than feel the impending doom of a 12 month study year, we can find some ways to survive summer school, study effectively, and even have a little fun. (READ: Education World: 25 Activities to keep kids brains active in summer) 3 Summer School Survival Tips Schedule Early: Get out your calendar before you and your parents pick out which session you will be attending. Most summer schools offer more than one session so that you can work around your other commitments. Think about how tired you are likely to be after that last day of the academic year. Although it might be hard to believe, even tutors were high school students once and I know I would have needed at least a week to relax and unwind. On the other hand, waiting too long to start your summer program can leave more work as many concepts are easily forgotten if left on the shelf for a few weeks. Study Effectively: Studying the right way can greatly reduce the time spent with summer homework while at the same time increasing your ability to achieve a high grade and understand the material. Schedule a certain number of hours into your day to finish your assignments. Think of it as a mini school year. Make outlines, keep a planner, set time management goals and really give your undivided attention to your school work. You will be much more likely to fully understand the material if you sit down for two hours and work on the assignment from start to finish than if you study 15 minutes here and there in between other commitments. Studying effectively includes having an appropriate environment. These include your room, the library, and for those of you who don’t get easily distracted, a coffee shop. If you feel like you can study when you are on that family vacation, great, but be realistic. Studying in the car and on planes is often difficult and there are too many distractions to comprehend the bulk of the material. Your study environment should be quiet. Ask for help: Be honest with yourself about time management. If you were originally planning to spend the entire summer chilling out at the beach, the reality of summer school can be hard. If having a tutor to help you organize and get things done will help, then go for it. Having someone drop by the house each week can also encourage a consistency that is extremely important to successfully passing your summer courses. You can also enlist the help of your summer school teacher, parents and responsible friends to help you study and stay on track. Summer school is becoming a reality for more students each year. At the end of the day, it’s mostly about balancing your time. You can still hang out at the beach, enjoy a summer BBQ, and spend time shopping at the mall or catching the latest action flick. Study hard, have fun and don’t forget to rest up for next year! Remember,   an Irvine private tutor from TutorNerds works with your schedule, that way you can get the most out of your summer classes and hit the ground running once fall semester starts. Not taking summer classes? Dont fall victim to the summer slump! Catch up on math or science, start your college admissions process with the help of our private consultants, or refine your foreign language skills; whatever it may be, were here to help! All blog entries are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at info@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us post about. Orange County parents and students, listen up! Beat the summer slowdown with a private, in-home tutor. We work around your schedule so you can stay sharp while having fun in the sun. Read: 10 Reasons You Need a Summer Tutor. What are you waiting for? Call us. Teach.com

Web Stats August 2011

Web Stats August 2011 Unfortunately, August 2011 was a yet another very poor performing month. And this is despite the start of the back-to-school season. As reasons for this slump we mention the loss of 32,000 Wyzant tutors and not performing marketing strategies. There were 84 unique, non-spam lead (down from 177 in July). 1,770 visitors came to Tutorz. (1,860 in July). The visitor-to-lead conversion ratio dropped substantially to 4.7% (from 6.3% in July). While the new tutor sign up increased slightly from 21 in July to 28 in August, it remains low). The traffic loss also caused Alexa’s to slightly lower Tutorz’ Global Rank down to 12.9 million (12.8 million in June) while the the U.S. local rank essentially remained constant down at 530,00. The bounce rate too has dropped from 43.6% to 46%. The graphs below visualize some of these of web statistics.

A Guide to Getting Help With Your Calculus Homework

A Guide to Getting Help With Your Calculus HomeworkGetting a math tutor to help you with your calculus homework is important for many reasons. If you have been struggling to get a good grade in calculus, then this is for you.Calculus is the second math course that most high school students take in high school. It is very hard to get straight A's in this course because the workload is very large. Students often make the mistake of not working their problems the right way and are punished severely for it.To help you out with this, here are some things that you should try to remember when you go to use your calculus homework at home. First, make sure that you take the time to understand algebraic problems. Don't be afraid to look at other people's work in your math class because it will help you learn more about what you are doing wrong. Most importantly, make sure that you use calculators correctly.When you are studying algebraic equations, remember that all the figures come from the f irst number and then add them. So if you need to multiply two numbers, be sure to use the exponent method.Make sure that you use a calculator in your work. You don't want to spend the time working on a problem you have no idea about and then coming back to find that it is double what you started with. Make sure that you use a calculator on a cell phone so that you can work out the answer at the same time you are answering the questions.The most important thing to remember about your algebra homework is that it is not just for students who have taken this class at school. You need to learn how to use the calculators that you find in the library. There are a lot of different types of calculators out there. The most important thing is that you use a calculator on a cell phone so that you can do your homework when you are on the go.Most math tutors are very helpful when you need help with your math homework. They will be able to provide you with a formula or two that you need to know to work on your homework. Just remember that there are many ways to go about getting help for your math homework, so use your common sense to help you figure out which way to go.