Learn Italian through a Study Abroad

Learn Italian through a Study Abroad Speak Italian through a Semester in Italy ChaptersLanguage Learning in the Italian University SystemLearn to Speak Italian through ErasmusChoosing an Italian Course in an Italian UniversityThe best Italian universitiesChoosing a City to study for your Trip to ItalyAt some point in their academic career, every student dreams of spending a year or more in a university in a different country. For those students who study Italian and want to take their language lessons to the next level, Italy is often chosen as the ideal destination for continuing their studies.Taking part in an immersion program through studying abroad not only allows students to learn Italian while studying important Italian vocabulary and colloquial Italian phrases, but it also means learning about Italian culture in depth.Before leaving on your journey towards speaking Italian fluently, students must not only select a university which they would like to attend, but also what program and city they would like to study in. This guide tells you not only  everyt hing you need to know about studying abroad in Italy, but everything form obtaining accommodation to choosing a university!Learn to speak fluently by a complete Italian immersion program DanielaItalian Teacher 5.00 (9) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LuciaItalian Teacher 5.00 (4) £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarilùItalian Teacher 5.00 (8) £22/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarcoItalian Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AntonellaItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £14/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GiusyItalian Teacher 5.00 (3) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EnricoItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FedericaItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsLanguage Learning in the Italian University SystemLearning a new language can already be difficult without having to learn to navigate an entirely new administrative system. While studying Ital ian language and culture will be a beautiful experience, you should also familiarize yourself with the Italian educational system.Whether you’re a beginner or an intermediate level speaker, you don’t need to be fluent in Italian to understand what type of Italian lessons or language courses will be available to you when you arrive to Italy.The Italian educational system is often considered to resemble the UK’s own system, with a few exceptions. Italy is made up of 60 public universities, three of which are technological universities and sixteen private ones.While there are many universities to choose from, it all depends on what your goal is with regards to your move abroad. Some examples of what you can study in Italian universities are:Learning Italian as a foreign languageTaking language courses in a language school while also workingLearning to speak other romance languages and their literatureStudying subjects like math or science in ItalianIf you’re worried your gramma r and vocabulary in Italian aren’t good enough to be able to study in Italy, make sure to contact the appropriate program advisors to understand your options.Depending in where you’re from, there can be some slight to major differences between the school systems in Italy and that of your country of residence. For example, in the majority of Italian universities, attendance in courses are optional.The diploma system in Italy also resembles those the world over, involving three levels of higher education. You can obtain degrees similar to a bachelor’s, masters and doctorate through programs awarding a laurea, laurea magistrale, and dottorato, respectively. The laurea and laurea magistrale normally take about three and five years to accomplish, while the dottorato is usually completed after eight years of study.In Italy, university exams also follow a slightly different process than in the UK. From an academic point of view, the tests favor oral elements in exams over written one s. This will be a great opportunity to expand on public speaking skills and, for those that are worried, the majority of schools allow students to retake the exams if they score low in the first round.Take these Italian language courses to make your study in Italian Universities easier.Learn to Speak Italian through ErasmusLearning Italian and becoming fluent can be difficult for beginners, especially those who are constantly looking for ways to improve their conversational and listening skills. For the hands-on learner who wants to improve their knowledge on not only Italian grammar, but also Italian culture, the Erasmus program can be the perfect solution.This program, available to students in eligible countries, offers both academic and internship opportunities abroad. On top of that, the Erasmus organization itself also gives out a certain number of scholarships each year for students enrolled in the program.Conversational Italian will be part of your daily life in ItalyThe only caveat to this program is that students often don’t have a wide variety of schools to choose from. In fact, the program is based on what is known as a study exchange, which means that your choices will be limited to the universities and countries with which your home school and country has good, international relations with.Luckily, the Erasmus program can be flexible, so if you’re dead set on studying a Italian or language course in Italy, there’s a good chance you’ll get the chance to apply for a school there.The Erasmus program itself is structured in a simple manner. It consists of a student, studying for one or two semesters in the country of their choice, subject to the strength of their application and their level in that particular language. It is then up to that student’s home university to find the student a university in that country to which they will be attending.If you don’t like this aspect of mystery involved in the application process, you’re not alon e. In fact, students often attain a list of partnered universities before they apply â€" in many cases the lists are available either from your home school or school in Italian online. After applying, the student will have between six months to a year to prepare for their study trip. DanielaItalian Teacher 5.00 (9) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LuciaItalian Teacher 5.00 (4) £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarilùItalian Teacher 5.00 (8) £22/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarcoItalian Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AntonellaItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £14/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GiusyItalian Teacher 5.00 (3) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EnricoItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FedericaItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsChoosing an Italian Course in an Italian UniversityIt is possible that you’ve decided that yo u’d like to apply to an Italian university independent of any organization. If you’d like to take an independent approach to studying, there are many different pathways to choose from when wanting to study in Italy, regardless of whether you want to take courses in the Italian language, online courses, or want to be enrolled in a full-time basis.If you’d like to apply to private or technical universities, all you will need to do is to submit an application after you complete your exams. Your diploma, which is known as the diploma di istruzione secondaria di secondo grado in Italian, should be supported by a translated letter of motivation.It is important that you have a conversation with the advisor of the program you are interested in as soon as possible. They will be able to give you advice and help on issues like wither basic Italian or fluency is required in the program, the important deadlines to admissions and much more. Understanding the kind of written and spoken Itali an will be required in your program is vital if you are an Italian language learner who is unsure about their level of pronunciation and grammar.You should pay special attention to the European Credit Transfer System, or ECTS, which facilitates the process of translating the academic worth of diplomas from one country to another. If your program does not follow this system, understanding what the ECTS entails is a great starting point for gauging how much your diploma is “worth.”In addition to this, you will also need letters of recommendations from your previous professors or employers, which describe in detail the reasons why you should be chosen. Make sure to find Italian speakers for this portion of your application if your program requires you to do so, and that your recommendation letters include key words and phrases that highlight your best traits.It is important to note that many programs impose a limit to how many students they accept each year. This is especially true for programs such as medicine or architecture. Whatever university you apply to, once you accept, the second step will be to assess how well you speak Italian with a language test, organized either by your university or by each student themselves.Choosing where to study Italian is a difficult, but rewarding, choiceThe best Italian universitiesMuch of higher education is concerned, now, less with the importance of finding a school tailored to each student and more with continuing the narrative that reputable schools are the ones to aspire to. There are many reasons for this, which is why it is good to understand what schools are considered to be the best in Italy.Taken from a mixture of both the infamous Shanghai, Times Higher Education and QS rankings, the best Italian universities include:Times Higher EducationQS Top UniversitiesShanghai (ARWU)Scuola Superiore Sant’AnnaPolitecnico di MilanoU. Sapienza University of RomeScuola Normale Superiore di PisaU. di BolognaUniversity of P aduaU. di BolognaScuola Normale Superiore di PisaPolitecnico di MilanoVita-Salute San Raffaele UniversityScuola Superiore Sant’AnnaU. di BolognaU. degli studi di TrentoU. Sapienza University of RomeU. di FlorenceChoosing a City to study for your Trip to ItalyChoosing a university by the city they are located in can also be an important deciding factor. Whether you’re looking for the most opportunities in terms of shopping, professional life, food â€" or all three â€" these cities are often cited as the most student friendly cities in Italy:RomeThe capital of Italy, as you would expect, is not lacking distinguished and historically rich universities. Rome, in fact, boasts an establishment that is recognized worldwide for its interesting past and its peerless academic quality: Sapienza.The university is not only one of the oldest in the world, having been established in 1303, but also one of the biggest in Europe.MilanThe fashion capital of the world also contains two of Italy’s most renowned schools: Bocconi, which is cited as the best Italian university for commerce, and Politecnico, for engineering. Milan is also host to a number of universities, one of which is placed as the 38th best in the entire world.BolognaThe Universita di Bologna is known for being an Italian language powerhouse. In fact, since 2015, with the establishment of a department of latin, Bologne placed itself as a perfect city for foreigners and locals alike with a passion for the romance languages.

FAQs About Life Coaching

FAQs About Life Coaching What is a Life Coach? ChaptersFAQs About Life CoachingWhat Happens During a Life Coaching Session?Different Types of CoachingIs Life Coaching Different from Counselling?What Goals Can a Life Coach Help With?How Many Sessions Will I Need?Are Life Coaches Qualified?Finding a Life CoachA life coach is someone who aims to help and empower others to make, meet and exceed personal and professional goals. This can include achieving promotion in the workplace, becoming happy and fulfilled in your relationships, or exploring your potential and achieving other ambitions.Using techniques based on psychological principles and their own intuition, life coaches provide their clients with the tools to face difficult situations and push past any emotional barriers that might be stopping them from achieving their goals.A life coach will never try to tell you what to do. Life coaching is about objectivity and empowerment; they can’t do something for you but they can help you do it for yourself.Life Coaching can help you transform your life source: Pixabay - LazareWhat Happens During a Life Coaching Session?Life coaching sessions typically last between 45 minutes and 60 minutes (depending on the coach you choose). Sessions are conducted over the phone, face to face, over email, via Skype or even through instant messaging.During the session, your life coach will ask you several questions, such as what you want to get out of life, what areas you want to change and where you see yourself ending up. Although a life coach will work with you, it is ultimately up to you to reflect upon certain ideas or to challenge your own perspective to help you move forward to achieve your goals. You will never be forced to make any decisions you don't feel comfortable with and all sessions will be confidential, allowing you to explore your thoughts and feelings privately.Life coaching is a partnership between you and your life coach, who will encourage you to explore how to make positive changes in your life. A life co ach will also offer support and feedback to help you to stay focused on your goals and keep you moving forward.Different Types of CoachingThere are many different coaching techniques used by coaches to address different situations, whether it be a relationship goal, personal goal or business goal.Business CoachingLife coaches can cover all manner of subjects, but some specialise in specific areas. Business coaches, for example, have expertise in the business world and therefore choose to coach people looking to achieve different goals in business. This could include entrepreneurs, company owners, managers or even employees. AntonellaLife coaching Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors IsamLife coaching Teacher 5.00 (3) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AndriyLife coaching Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Dr. UzomaLife coaching Teacher 5.00 (4) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MicheleLife coaching Teacher 4.73 (7) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PimmiLife coaching Teacher 5.00 (10) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliverLife coaching Teacher 4.33 (4) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JennaLife coaching Teacher 4.80 (5) £85/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsIs Life Coaching Different from Counselling?One difference between counselling and life coaching is that counselling can investigate the underlying causes of mental health problems, and often focusses on what has happened in your past to help you understand your current issues.Life coaching focuses more on the future to encourage personal-development and self-improvement to help you achieve whatever goals you are aiming for.Life coaches are not medical professionals and so are not qualified to diagnose or treat any health-related problems.Coaching can help you with your business goals (Image Source: CC0 1.0, rawpixel, Pixabay)What Goals Can a Life Coach Help With?Life coaches help their clients in all aspects of life. Your goals don’t have to be monetary or business related, they can be as personal as you like. If you've ever struggled with something - learning a language, moving out of your comfort zone, or even sticking to a diet, then talking to a life coach could help you.A life coach will approach things pragmatically. Through questions and exercises, they will try to get a good idea of how you see the world. From this, they will be able to identify the most effective route to your goal.You might feel intimidated by the idea of change and so need to take things slower. In this case a life coach might divide goals into smaller bite-sized pieces. Other people might be impatient to make changes, so their coach might introduce stronger incentives to help them reach their goals.No matter your approach to life, your life coach will tailor sessions to fit you. Life coaches can help you with the following and more:-                   Love life â€" From having the co nfidence to approach someone, to commitment, to divorce, a life coach can help you understand your live life and help you start improving it.-                   Business life - Starting and running a business is hard work. Sometimes we get so absorbed in hard work we neglect ourselves. Life coaches can help with confidence, leadership, decision-making and work/life balance.-                   Personal life - There's so much to see and do in the world, but often a lack of confidence, time and will-power can mean we don’t make the most of it. Life coaches can use their skills to motivate clients to do all the things they want to doHow Many Sessions Will I Need?You can have as many or as few sessions as you like. Because many life coaches operate over the phone or via the Internet, the sessions can easily fit around your schedule and can fit into your budget!Some people hire a life coach once every few months when they have a tough decision to make or they feel like they need a helpi ng hand. Others will have a session once a week to keep them on track long-term with their goals.Ultimately it is entirely up to you to decide when and for how long you want to see a life coach.Are Life Coaches Qualified?In the UK, life coaching is an unregulated profession, which essentially means anyone can call themselves a life coach. Because of this, it is essential to do your research.Search online directories to find coaches that have memberships with a professional body and have the appropriate insurance cover and qualifications.Having said this, qualifications and memberships don’t mean much if you don't get on with your life coach. Rapport is one of the most important factors of life coaching. If you don’t feel comfortable with your coach, it is unlikely you’ll gain much from the session. It’s a good idea to get in touch with a coach before you book a session. This way you can get a feel of what the coach is like before you commit your time and money. Don’t feel obliged to continue if you don't want to â€" this is not a sales pitch, you are choosing someone to help your personal goals so make sure you find someone you’re comfortable with.Finding a Life CoachThere are many resources online where you can find the right coach for you. You can search for specialist business coaches, relationship, spirituality or even creative coaches (if you need some help finding creativity in your life!).Sites like Superprof are full of resources to find a coach. Simply type in your postcode or town and hit the search button to find a coach near you. Here you’ll find different profiles which describe who they are and what they do. Chat with them on the phone before you make a decision, check their references and be picky.Life coaching is all about you so whoever you choose if your decision!Even if you’re not dealing with a crisis in your life right now, life coaching is something we can all benefit from. It can help all of us find different perspectives on life and anything that can enrich our lives and help us lead a happier one sounds pretty good to me!

7 Online Tutoring

Get Homework Help- Online Experts Provide 24/7 Online Tutoring 0SHARESShare Educated tutors offer live online tutoring sessions using the whiteboard technology. The technology is easy to use and affordable too. Math has often been called the queen of the sciences. If you want to work on a math problem and look for an expert to teach you some fundamental concepts; Tutor Pace is an online tutoring website that provides online math experts for all your doubts. Our problem solvers are experts in all areas of math. If you get stuck with math answers anytime, you can simply log in into our session and avail guidance from an expert. It’s a 24/7 service that may be attained anytime from anywhere. There are many websites offering online sessions for those who need extra guidance for mathematics.  The sites allow sharing of whiteboard, live chat session, viewing videos right at home on your computer. The sessions may be recorded for future use. We provide highly experienced tutors who are experts in Mathematics. We facilitate students to chat with an online tutor and get live math homework help, English, science and other subjects! Online tutoring enables the tutor and the student to discuss doubts and find out answers in real-time. This service works best for students who need effective tutoring for specific subjects. Get instant help in math, science, or English from a live tutor. [starbox id=admin]

SAT Review Series Reading Comprehension

SAT Review Series Reading Comprehension ACT SAT Prep and College Admissions Blog In the first post of our SAT review video series, we approach working through a standard reading comprehension question. The SAT reading comprehension section can often be a time crunch for many students. This video demonstrates a systematic approach to quickly reading and analyzing a passage in order to answer questions. Key takeaways from this video: Always read the introduction blurb as it gives background information. Look for asterisks, footnotes, and details hidden within the passage. Briefly summarize what you’ve read after each naturally occurring section. This can assist you in answering the questions about the details of the passage quickly. Skim the descriptions, these are less important than main ideas or action statements. Look for reasons to eliminate answers and always read all the choices. For questions asking about the meaning of the word, first try to identify the meaning of the word within the passage before reading the answer choices. About the Author Jordan Salley is a senior ACT and SAT tutor for MyGuru. For more information on ACT and SAT prep, our unique approach, and our tutors, visit us here for ACT prep or here for SAT prep. This video was produced by MyGuru'sDirector of Online Instructionand expert online SAT tutor Stefan Maisnier. Visit ourYouTube channelfor more SAT videos.

Brain Rules Part 2 6 More Ways to Improve Brain Function

Brain Rules Part 2 6 More Ways to Improve Brain Function Improving Academic Performance In this second installment of Brain Rules, I’ll introduce 6 additionalbrain rules to leverage in understanding the ways we think, learn and retain new information. Hopefully, you can incorporate some of these into your routine to help you study more efficiently and effectively. ATTENTION Despite the proliferation of technology in our lives; tools and resources, to help us multi-task for school and work, the human brain can only focus on one thing at a time. Therefore, it’s imperative to find a nice quiet place to study and focus on the task at hand. Sure, you can listen to some music on your earbuds if that helps you tune out the world around you, but you should not be simultaneously texting your friends or surfing-the-web. When we are learning new information in a course lecture or a presentation, most audiences check out after 10 minutes. Therefore, the speaker must know how to engage their audience through anecdotes and a colorful delivery. We can put these tools to use when studying as well. If we simply read our textbook for hours in preparation for an exam, it probably won't hold our attention either. After reading a chapter in your book, take a quick break to watch a video corresponding to the subject matter. You can find these tools via great sites like Khan Academy or Crash Course videos cover material from complex mathematics to chemistry and even US History. This way, you are more likely to pay attention and retain the material. SENSORY INTEGRATION The reason that we are more likely to retain information that keeps our attention is that it usually stimulates more than one of our senses. Therefore, when we enhance our study sessions beyond reading and taking notes, we are practicing sensory integration by stimulating more of our senses at once. Humans' senses evolved overtime to work together. For instance, our vision influences our hearing, so when we see something and hear it these two senses work in tandem to better cement a memory. How can you incorporate sensory integration into your study skills? Try to infuse your learning process with as many senses as possible. Read something, write it, recite it aloud, draw a diagram of it â€" this way you are incorporating; sight, touch, sound, and vision increasing your chances of retaining the information. SLEEP Just because your body is asleep does not mean your brain is. Neurons fire in our brain all night long while we sleep, perhaps replaying what we’ve learned that day. We need sleep to learn. A lack of sleep impedes our attention, memory, quantitative skills, logical reasoning and manual dexterity. These are all skills we utilize when studying, learning, retaining and recalling information. What is the point of putting in many hours of studying only to be unable to retain and recall the information due to a lack of sleep? Don’t pull all-nighters. Whether studying for finals or a major college or professional school admissions exam, the night before the test you should be focusing on de-stressing, eating a healthy dinner and going to sleep at a reasonable hour. If you have given yourself adequate time to prepare for this crucial exam, you should not feel hard pressed to do last minute studying. EXERCISE Exercise boosts brain power by increasing oxygen flow to the brain, raising our mental sharpness and cognition. In recent years, colleagues have began going for “walking meetings,” instead of being cooped up in an office or conference room, co-workers will step outside to walk and talk. Aside from getting some fresh air or a change of scenery, this type of meeting also promotes getting moving, rather than remaining sedentary at a desk. In addition to this, the exercise during your walk gets your blood pumping and ultimately your brain firing. You can even put this into practice when studying. When you hit a wall and your mind starts to wander, go for a brief walk, this will increase blood flow to your brain and help you to reset. You could also walk with a classmate and quiz each other over the material along the way. EXPLORATION We learn through exploration, and not by passively taking in information. Just as the steps in the scientific method, we learn by observation, hypothesis, experiment and conclusion. When learning new information of any subject matter, not just science, it pays to put these same steps to use. Observe the material, whether from a class lecture or reading your textbook, hypothesize regarding the larger implications of this new material, what is its place in the larger narrative or subject matter? What conclusions can you draw from the new information? Remember to remain flexible and not rigid when learning, our brains are malleable into adulthood so we can continue to learn and take in new information. If you are rigid and regimented in the ways you learn and have reached a plateau in your studying, try infusing your learning with a new method, approach problems from a different perspective and you may be more successful. WIRING Every brain is wired differently, no two humans have the same brain, not even twins. The way our school system is set up is counter-intuitive to this fact as we are all graded on the same scale and held to the same standards, despite learning and understanding information in totally different ways. How does understanding this impact your everyday learning? First off, stop comparing yourself to your peers. If we all are wired differently, then it is unfair to compare our ability to learn, comprehend or perform to other classmates. This is not to say that you should be totally oblivious to the performance of those around you, because ultimately a certain amount of competition can be healthy. But overall, it would serve you better to tap into the ways you learn, and whichtactics are most affective for you to learn and retain new information. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Understanding how ourbrains are wired and the ways they operate is an invaluable tool in using our mental acumen to the fullest potential. Pinpointing the tactics we respond to when absorbing information and surefire ways to retain that information can be priceless in our pursuit of learning.

6 Free Language-Learning Apps to Get Fluent on a Budget

6 Free Language-Learning Apps to Get Fluent on a Budget 6 Free Language-Learning Apps to Get Fluent on a Budget Even if you’re an absolute stranger to pinching a penny, youve surely wondered what the best way is to access language-learning resources that dont break the bank.There are so many different options available for learning a language, from classes to apps to online programs. Some are cheap, while others are wildly expensive! The trick is finding options that are fit into your budget and work for your learning style.Language-learning apps for mobile devices frequently strike the perfect balance between cost-effective and just plain effective.We are lucky to live in a moment when there are heaps of excellent language-learning apps that provide fun, convenient and portable language practice. And some of them cost nothing at all!Those free apps can pack a language-learning punch, but beware: Not all free apps are worth downloading.Wondering how to find good ones?No worries! We’ve got you covered. There are lots of amazing free apps for language learners!Let’s check some out! What Can Apps Do for a Language Program?Apps, like the devices we download them onto, are on-the-go items that offer fast, portable and uncomplicated learning.They’re right at our fingertips so there’s a potential for creating lots of learning opportunities. Schedule apps into your language program, for sureâ€"but also use apps to fill up any small pockets of spare time in your day. Waiting at the doctor’s office or in line at the DMV? Pull out your device, open an app and learn your target language while you wait. What’s not to love about that?Apps offer all kinds of options for learners. Some great things to look for are flashcards, games, reading practice, speaking exercises and quizzes to gauge progress.I’m sure you’ve heard that language immersion is the fast-track to language acquisition. Most of us can’t drop everything to immerse ourselves in another culture to learn the language, but that doesn’t mean we can’t bring immersive items to our at-home programs.Apps can do that. Apps bring culture, native speakers and authentic contentâ€"via our devices!â€"to our self-styled language-learning programs. A win-win situation, for sure!6 Free Language-Learning Apps to Get Fluent on a BudgetBeelinguappiOS/AndroidBeelinguapp is an app that makes bilingual audiobooks and e-books. Its a solid option for any language-learning program!Choose from short stories, children’s stories or novels to increase your reading, listening and speaking skills.Text appears in two languages on your screen, so you’re able to follow along with ease even if youre a beginner in your target language. For added practice, consider repeating the sentences or passages. It’s a fast, easy method for increasing your speaking and pronunciation skills!If you’re looking to practice your target language while you commute or even at the gym, forget the reading practice and go for the audiobook itself. There are three options available for audio speed so if you’re a beginner, ch oose a slower speed and work your way up.FluentUiOS/AndroidLearning languages with FluentU is entertaining and engaging.FluentU offers an immersive experience using real-world interactive videos. Movie trailers, music videos, inspiring talks and news from around the globe are just some of the offerings available. With FluentU, youll get authentic content by native speakers. In addition to great language practice, FluentU also brings foreign cultures right to your device.But FluentU isnt just a video platform. Its actually an all-inclusive language-learning program that helps you have fun as you work towards fluency in your target language. Each FluentU video comes equipped with interactive subtitles. Simply click on an unfamiliar word and youll find a definition, example sentences and links to other videos that use the word in context. From here, you can add the word to a customizable vocabulary list or flashcard deck so that you can review it later.Since all the videos feature nati ve speakers, you can be assured that every time you watch a FluentU video, youre building your listening skills and improving your pronunciation.Each video also comes with a curated vocabulary list, written transcript and comprehension quiz. All of these features taken together create a comprehensive and effective language-learning program that is also incredibly fun!You can start with a free trialâ€"and after a few weeks of binge-watching videos, youll almost surely find yourself hooked.DuolingoiOS/AndroidNo discussion about free language-learning apps would be complete without mentioning Duolingo. Most language fans recognize the program as soon as they see Duo, the little green owl mascot, who sends learners reminders to practice so they reach their language goals.Duolingo offers a game-like approach to language learning. It teaches the basics using short, entertaining lessons with appealing celebrations every time you complete a task.It offers listening, reading, writing and eve n speaking practice, and although it isnt comprehensive enough to get you fluent in a language, its a fantastic way to grab some basic skills or supplement a language class.One of the most beneficial features of this app is that it allows users to set goals. It keeps track of progress, too, so as long as you open the app daily you’re sure to move toward your language goalâ€"and have fun while doing it!LyricsTrainingiOS/AndroidLyricsTraining is the perfect language-learning app for anyone who loves to sing! (Dont worry, you dont have to be a good singer for this app to provide results!) It’s a unique approach that pairs music with languagesâ€"and the results are wonderfully entertaining.Choose music in your target language and sing along. Learners can either simply listen or choose to be prompted to fill in missing lyrics. Either way, it’s a super method for learning vocabulary, practicing your listening comprehension or even picking up a bit of cultural immersion.Listening and speakingâ€"or singing, in this caseâ€"is fun with LyricsTraining. Idioms, slang and conversational phrases show up in music, whatever the language. Those points of vocabulary aren’t always readily accessible in traditional language-learning courses, making LyricsTraining an ideal supplement full of authentic language-learning materials.There is a dictionary and translation feature that’s available for most languages.Feeling bold? There is also a karaoke mode!This is an amusing addition to a language program. Honestly, using this app feels more like play than work.FlashAcademyiOS/AndroidFlashAcademy is premised on the idea that complicated grammar drills and vocabulary sheets are, well, boring.So, you wont find any of them in this app! FlashAcademy eliminates tedious or drawn-out lessons and focuses instead on fun, entertaining language experiences.Lessons are short, and theyre based on pictures and audio, offering users an immersive learning experience similar to apps like Duol ingo. You can also access flashcard review games to help you solidify your knowledge of each lesson.Once you run out of free lesson options, you can choose to upgrade to a Premium membership, which will gain you access to the full learning course for your target language. However, the limited free program provides plenty of room to get started, especially for beginning learners.ClozemasteriOS/AndroidClozemaster works best for learners who aren’t absolute beginners. Its essentially a fill-in-the-blank game in your target language, so you’ll want to have at least some idea of what the rest of the sentence means in order to have fun playing.And I do mean playing because this app is sheer fun. It’s one of the simplest ways to solidify vocabulary, encourage thinking in a foreign language and provide reading practice.Sentences are ordered by difficulty, so as your skills increase you’re able to level up. Also, the app keeps track of the number of correct responsesâ€"an ideal situa tion for anyone who wants to track their progress!Apps are designed to improve the functionality of our phones, tablets and other devices that most of us carry around with us every day.Theyre convenient, theyre functional, they make us more productiveâ€"overall, theyre the perfect way to learn languages!Download oneâ€"or a coupleâ€"of these amazing language apps to give your language program a low-cost or no-cost boost.The road to fluency is right in the palm of your handâ€"and it’s basically a free ride!Have fun and good luck!

Teaching in China with a family 6 questions to ask before accepting the job offer

Teaching in China with a family 6 questions to ask before accepting the job offer When Grace and I received our final contracts, there was a feeling of excitement that overcame both of us. Although we were making a huge, life-changing decision, many of our doubts had been put to rest as we had formulated a list of essential questions we wanted to answer before receiving our contracts. Although your circumstances might be different, I wanted to share the questions we came up with and how we ended up arriving at the answers. Catch up with Ryne’s teach abroad journey so far 1. Where do we want to live and how much do we want to save? I’ve discussed in my earlier blogs the importance of doing your research and picking the right country and region that fits your lifestyle. We chose China as the country that we wanted to work in as we appreciated the importance the country places on education, along with the many different travel opportunities that China opened up for our family. While travel and multicultural education for our kids were the driving forces behind our decision to teach overseas, Grace and I are also very fiscally conservative. We wanted to be sure we could save enough money while teaching abroad to give our family a financial head start on our return to the US in the future. When choosing the right school for us, we looked at whether the packages allowed to save one of our salaries. This was the case with the school we decided on, but I’m looking forward to reporting back once we have lived in China for a full year to see how much we have been able to save. 2. What does the healthcare plan look like? Since we have two young boys, it was important that whatever school we chose had solid health care and coverage available in their benefits package. We do plan on returning to the US each summer and through our research discovered that some school insurance plans only cover you in the country you work in. We chose a school that provides international coverage for our family, with health facilities located near the school. Since our boys are young, they’re also still receiving vaccines. This can be tricky when teaching overseas as sometimes you’ll need to have vaccines imported. Luckily, we’ve been able to plan with our current pediatrician to administer their vaccines over the summer, when we’re back in the US. 3. Who will watch the kids? Both of our boys are in daycare right now. As many of you know, the price tag for quality childcare can run pretty high. Depending on the school and country you’re thinking of teaching in, researching the childcare available is critical. One of the schools we looked at had free childcare at the school starting at six months, but other schools left it up to the teacher to figure out childcare arrangements. The school we chose has a preschool program for Reed, our four-year-old, where he’ll get the opportunity to start a multicultural early education program. We will also get to walk to school with him and pick him up at the end of our day, which was a significant concern for us. We’re planning on hiring an “Ayi” for our one-year-old, which in Mandarin means aunt. Everett is too young for the preschool program but having an Ayi is very affordable compared to the childcare we are paying for in the US right now. 4. What will we do with the house? Some of you might be homeowners. Grace and I were when we decided to teach overseas. So, we needed to decide to either sell our house or rent it out. We signed our contracts in December and our departure date is at the end of July. Luckily for us, we had enough time and had decided to sell our house. The market for renting in our area was not worth the hassle for us to deal with renters while in another country. Sign up to Teach Away today for access to the latest teaching jobs around the world. We do have family in the area that are willing to host us in the summers when we come back, as well as before leaving in July, but had also considered renting a smaller apartment before leaving. We decided not to wait until spring or summer to sell our house. We didn’t want to add the stress of moving house to the laundry list of things that needed doing before departing for China in July. We put our house on the market at the end of January and it sold within a week! We moved out at the end of February and luckily have been staying with family and saving a lot of money before we leave to go overseas ever since. 5. What would we do with larger possessions and furniture? Deciding to sell our house was a big decision but choosing what to do with all the stuff in our house was a whole other decision in itself. At first, we thought it might be easier just to have an estate sale and sell everything. But when breaking down the cost of buying all new furniture/appliances on our return from China, we felt that keeping them in a storage unit was the way to go. Due to our first contract being two years, our storage facility would only run us about $1,000 USD per year. However, we’ve agreed to readdress the issue when we complete our initial contracts because the cost of storing our furniture may become prohibitive if we decide to stay abroad for a longer period. 6. How will our retirement be impacted? As Grace and I have been paying into our state retirement funds, we were concerned with how our departure could impact this. I highly recommend looking at your local state retirement agencies as every state is different. When doing our research, we discovered that we were allowed to leave our retirement funds in the system until our return from teaching abroad. However, if the criteria changes, there’s a chance that when we return the amount our employer must match could decrease, meaning we would continue to pay into our retirement, but at whatever rate current teachers get. For now, we’re planning on increasing the amount we pay into our own private Roth IRAs as a way to continue saving for retirement. Many international schools have retirement plans, but they may not start until the end of your first contract. The school working at will provide a retirement plan after the first year of teaching. 7. What subjects are we willing to teach? Grace and I received offers from multiple schools at the Teach Away job fair, but this was one area we used as a dealbreaker when comparing numerous offers. I’m qualified to teach chemistry and biology and Grace specializes in special education and elementary. When evaluating our offers, we chose the school that provided us an opportunity to teach in one of our content areas. Grace will be working in special education, and I will be teaching AP chemistry. So there you have it - the burning questions that we had to answer before deciding to teach abroad. Hopefully, there have been some points that you might not have considered to help you in your decision to take the leap and teach abroad, too!