Basic Geometric Shapes

Basic Geometric Shapes Geometric shapes are analyzed and studied under Geometry. Each geometric shape has its own set of properties such as number of sides, dimensions, area, perimeter, volume etc. Every geometric shape has its own set of formulas. Two or more points are joined to form straight lines and these lines are the sides for a particular shape. More than two lines are joined and various geometric shapes are formed. Example 1: What is the area of a triangle which has base side of length 10 cm and height of length 12 cm? Triangle is a geometric shape which has 3 sides. The area of the triangle is = 1/2 *(base)* (height) Given are length of the base side and height of the triangle. The value of b = 10 cm, h = 12 cm. This makes the solution = 1 /2 * 10 cm * 12 cm = 60 cm2. Therefore, area of the given triangle is 60 cm2. Example 2: What is the area and perimeter of the rectangle with dimensions 3 cm and 2 cm? Rectangle is geometric shape with 4 sides. The given rectangle has dimensions are 3 cm and 2 cm respectively. Length, l = 3 cm; Width, w = 2 cm. Area of rectangle = length * width The area of rectangle is = 3 cm * 2 cm = 6 cm2. The perimeter of the rectangle = 2(length + width) The perimeter of the rectangle = 2(3 + 2) = 2 * 5 = 10 cm. Hence, area = 6 cm2 and perimeter = 10 cm.

Food Groups Protein

Food Groups Protein What is Protein? ChaptersProtein StructureHow Much Protein Do We Need?Foods High in ProteinHigh Protein MealsProtein is the one nutrient that we all know our bodies need  (one of three macronutrients) and we all have our own ideas about the best sources of protein, where it originates and why we need it. Most of us also know that we need it to not only help our bodies repair themselves but as a way to make them stronger.In the last 15 years, we have been led to believe that by having higher portions of protein throughout the day (usually meat) in the place of our daily intake of carbs, our bodies are much healthier. Yet, despite the confusion centred on dietary advice, we also know that balance is usually key, so why have we been sold this idea and are high protein diets really good for us?To answer these questions, let us look briefly at what protein is, why we need it, and where the best sources actually come from.Ultimately, a protein is an organic substance made up of a mixture of essential amino acids, compounds and carbon, with a sprinkle of nitrogen, oxygen and hydrogen. It sometimes contains sulphur.There are twenty different amino acids that produce a protein but the body only produces nine of them. Therefore, our intake of protein through food is highly important and probably the reason why it has become the most debated and discussed nutrient in our diets, fad or otherwise.It is important to follow protein requirements because this means our bodies have an accurate absorption rate, helping to maintain a healthy metabolism and body weight.Get nutritionist courses here.How Much Protein Do We Need?The recommended daily amount is different for men and women as the general calorie intake is higher for men. The average woman needs around 46 grams of protein per day and a man needs 56 grams per day.The amount of protein we need, of course, depends on our body type and the amount of activity we do each day. Athletes and gym enthusiasts, for example, might need a slightly hig her, daily intake than those of us who are more sedentary. However, generally speaking, the daily intake will suffice.So, what is all this protein for?We tend to know that protein helps to build and repair tissue but it is less known that protein is used throughout the body in a multitude of different ways. Protein, therefore, provides essential nutrients.For example, did you know that our nails and hair is practically all protein? Or, that we need protein to make hormones? There are plenty more examples of how our bodies need and use protein but, ultimately, it is a nutrient our bodies struggle to function without. Protein is the building block for our muscles, bones, cartilage, blood and skin.However, too much protein and not enough carbohydrates (which many modern diets advocate) may, in the short term, help us to lose weight but in the long term, the body ends up storing the excess as fat, which means we put on weight. Excess fat is definitely not the desired outcome for a diet where we have to endure fatigue, headaches and bad breath.Here are some nutritionist courses here.Our hair is made up of complete protein. (Source:  Pete Bellis on Unsplash)Less well known is that even athletes generally obtain enough protein from their daily intake of protein so the idea that we need more protein for muscle growth is, although controversial to say, a bit of a myth.If weight gain was not bad enough, long periods of high protein diets can also damage our kidneys especially those who already suffer from kidney disease. This damage is due to the surplus of nitrogen found in the amino acids mentioned earlier.Foods High in ProteinOk, now we understand what protein is and why we need it, let’s breakdown protein-rich food in all its forms.Meat is the obvious and most well-known source of protein but it is also a good source of saturated fat, cholesterol and salt. There has been a huge shift in the last three years to plant-based diets that contain good sources of protein without the nasty bits.There is an argument that animal protein is better for us because, most of the time, it contains all the amino acids the body needs in one go (complete protein), yet these can all be found in various plant-based foods or all at once in foods such as quinoa and buckwheat, which are high-quality protein sources.Tradition, taste and convenience are often the three biggest reasons why a lot of us cannot imagine giving up meat but there are so many great reasons to go plant-based. It is something we all need to consider but it is also important to do your own research about health and nutrition as well as looking into the many other factors connected with eating meat today.By ditching meat, we automatically become more adventurous with food, experimenting and trying new foods we would have never considered before. Meat has become so convenient and satisfying due to its high fat content that it is easy to forget the wide variety of other, more sustainable and nutri tious foods available to us.There are varieties of cuisines that have so many naturally plant-based, protein sources, especially Indian, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean foods.High Protein MealsWhen it comes to high protein foods, especially plant protein, it is sometimes hard to think of quick recipes that we can enjoy on a regular basis without adding meat or fish.There are plenty of alternative ‘meat’ and ‘fish’ options out there and more and more supermarkets are stocking these types of products. However, high protein meals do not have to include meat substitutes. Despite these alternatives free from cholesterol and containing less saturated fat compared with meat, these products are still processed, which means they can be high in sugar, salt and oil.Placing protein-rich vegetables at the heart of meals and adding rice, beans and pulses, quinoa or buckwheat with lots of different herbs and spices, for example, can make meals both delicious and healthy. It is also easy t o add more protein to a meal by sprinkling chia or pumpkin seeds before serving.There are also soy products including tofu that is high in protein and easy to cook; it soaks up the flavour of any dish and a great substitute for meat on a vegetarian diet or vegan diet.Meet a good nutritionist near me here.Beans are a great, healthy source of protein. (Source:  Monkgogi Samson on Unsplash)Understanding protein as a nutrient and knowing the best sources can help us to detach ourselves from meat consumption, which, in turn, takes away the risk of high cholesterol, leading to serious health problems. Knowledge is key. It is also about adapting to new eating habits and dropping habits that we have obtained over a lifetime; the transition is not always easy.If this is the case, start small and break one habit at a time. Understand your likes and dislikes when introducing new foods and alter them accordingly. What is right for one person, may not be right for another.Make an effort to visit plant-based stores and restaurants and put new flavours and recipes to the test. Find out if one type of cuisine is preferred over another or if one protein substitute for meat has a better taste than the previous. It is not a race to transition to plant-based protein but making those little steps in the right direction can make all the difference.Some can make the switch straight away, others need time to find out what available to them and what will satisfy their taste buds. Whichever category you fall under, understanding your body and general health when it comes to consuming protein is vital. Staying healthy is the most important part.And, don’t forget, there is plenty of guidance out there. Doctors and nutritionists can be a great starting point if professional advice is something that can help drive the transition.Using Superprof for lessons on health or related subjects can also provide great support for learning about nutrition. There are plenty of tutors available in th is subject and searching for the right one in the right area has never been easier.Find out about the five food groups:CarbohydratesProteinFatsFruit and VegetablesDairy

Online Types of Angles Tutors

Online Types of Angles Tutors Angle is formed between two lines or rays and an angle is the measure of rotation between those lines. There are different types of angles in geometry. An angle which is less than 90 is known as an acute angle, an angle which is exactly equal to 90is known as a right angle, and an angle greater than 90is known as an obtuse angle. An angle that is exactly 180 is known as a straight angle and the angle which is greater than 180 is known as a reflex angle. Example 1: Angles in a triangle are 45, 45 and x. What is the value of the third angle? Sum of the angles in a triangle= 180 This gives: 45 + 45 + x = 180 Now in order to solve for x, we can add the numbers first. This implies: 90 + x = 180 Hence, x = 180 - 90 = 90 Therefore the measure of the third angle, x = 90 Example 2: A line divides another straight line into two angles. If one part of the angle is 97, then what is the other part of the angle on the straight line? Given one part of the angle on the straight line = 97 Let the other part of the angle on the straight line = x Total angle on a straight line = 180 This implies: 97 + x = 180 Hence, x = 180 - 97 = 83 Therefore the measure of the other part of the angle, x = 83

6 Advantages of Online Tutoring for Students

6 Advantages of Online Tutoring for Students Improving Academic Performance Although online tutoring has been around for a while, many students (and their parents) haven’t yet caught on to the possibility of meeting with a tutor virtually, let alone come to recognize its benefits. Once the idea moves from the realm of theory to the realm of actuality, however, attitudes generally change from skepticism and incredulity to enthusiasm and appreciation. Much like telecommuting and virtual commerce for other businesses, online tutoring provides a number of distinct advantages that not only make it competitive with in-person tutoring, but actually superior in many cases. Here are a few of them. 1. Availability Geography isn’t a limitation for online tutors, and neither, generally, is time. If you’ve ever tried to deal with the restrictions of finding a tutor who is local, proficient in the subject you need help in, and can meet according to your schedule, you should be able to appreciate this immediately. Once you remove the restrictions of geography, time zones, and commuting, finding the right tutor for your needs suddenly becomes a lot easier. 2. Selection The corollary of availability is selection. Rather than praying to get lucky enough to find a single tutor who meets your criteria and can work with you, when searching for online tutors you are much more likely to have a selection to choose from, which allows you to be discriminating. In addition, the broader selection also affords you the benefit of working with multiple tutors who specialize in different areas, enabling you to choose tutors who are experts in the specific areas where you need help. 3. Value The corollary of selection is value. Being able to discriminate means that tutors have to rely on merit rather than scarcity to win your business, and you don’t have to settle for second (or third) rate. It puts you in the driver’s seat when tutors have to compete for your business, rather than the other way around. 4. Convenience Add into the mix the convenience of being able to meet with a tutor without having to leave your house (or your dorm room). If you insist on having a face-to-face meeting with a tutor, then one of you is going to incur the expense of travel time and fuel costs, and unless you happen to find an exceptionally altruistic tutor, chances are it will be you. Plus, leaving the house (or having a visitor) generally means you have to change out of your jammies. 5. Accessibility Convenience assumes that you have a choice, but what if you don’t actually have any options for local tutoring? For some, making the decision to seek tutoring online may mean the difference between getting help and not. 6. Technology Often people who haven’t experienced online tutoring fear that the technology will be a hindrance, but in many ways it is an advantage, especially for young people who are used to chatting on skype and not intimidated by new software. When sessions are online they are easily recorded for future reference, and a good tutor will make use of technology for illustrative purposes by using photos, animations, drawings, and diagrams. Not to mention there are resources readily available that wouldn’t be if you were sitting across a table (Wikipedia, anyone?). At MyGuru, we have a “Premium” WebEx account â€" www.webex.com, which allows us to: Write on a virtual whiteboard Share our screen with students Record sessions for later viewing by the student â€" we find this to be a powerful feature Upload files Participate in audio, video, and text chat during the session We’re also performed online tutoring using Skype, Join.me, and are currently testing a new platform called Snapclass. The technologies available today allow online tutoring to mimic in-person tutoring to a surprising degree. Summary To be honest, we are amazed that online, 1-1 tutoring isn’t used more often. One factor not mentioned above is cost - when a great tutor doesn’t need to travel to a session, he or she is often much more likely to charge less per hour. What have been your experienced with online tutoring? Would you, or have you, tried it? Please visit the Online Tutoring page of our website to learn more and to request a tutor near you! hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(215486, '6baac2ae-05a3-4610-9d1f-265c8cbd809f', {});

Activities to Promote Leadership Aptitude

Activities to Promote Leadership Aptitude There is such a thing as a born leader, but the truth is, you can cultivate leadership aptitudes in your child from an early age. Whether your child grows up to become a powerful business person, a teacher, or a doctor, the ability to lead people toward a goal and be a positive influence on others is invaluable. Here are six activities that will help your child develop and strengthen those leadership skills: Volunteering at an organization that helps people. Leaders have empathy for others, and there is no better way to build childrens empathy than to put them in situations where they can help others who are less fortunate or need support. Empower your child to take action (or get involved in an effort already underway) when he or she sees something wrong in the community and wants to fix it. Running for student council. By its very nature, student council, whether in elementary school, middle school or high school, is a great way to show your child what it means to inspire change in an organization (a school in this case). Student council will also build your childs public speaking, teamwork, and organizational skills. Joining a club and becoming an officer. Any extracurricular involvement will benefit your child in a multitude of ways, but taking on a position such as secretary or treasurer (or even president or vice president) is especially good for your child. Such a position will build your childs sense of responsibility. Becoming part of a team. This could be a soccer team, a dance troupe, a glee club or something entirely different. A team environment helps participants cultivate their abilities to collaborate and work effectively with different types of people. Working with children. This might be most applicable when your child becomes a teenager. Whether its babysitting, assisting in a preschool art class or coaching a childrens team, working effectively with younger children requires many of the same competencies that leaders need. Your teen will learn how to manage disorder, get others attention and motivate children to work toward similar tasks and goals while building his or her patience in the process. Being in charge of something. At home, you can help nurture your childs inner leader by giving him or her something to manage independently. Chores are one option but think bigger. Is there some part of your familys modus operandi that your child or teen could take over? Do you have a family business with which your child could get involved? Even if your child isnt planning to become a Fortune 500 CEO, leadership development is extremely beneficial. Your child will grow up to be more confident, adaptable, resilient and capable. He or she will become more proficient at making decisions and listening to others ideas (and articulating his or her own). Encourage your child to engage in activities that nurture their leadership skills. The positive effects will be long-lasting.

Do I need to speak Mandarin to teach English in China

Do I need to speak Mandarin to teach English in China It can seem like a daunting experience to travel overseas to work in a country where you don't know the native language. But don't let the fear of not being able to speak Mandarin keep you from teaching English in China. Do I need to learn Chinese to teach English in China? The short answer is - nope! It’s not necessary to speak any Mandarin (or Cantonese) to be hired to teach in China. In fact, it’s actually preferred that you don’t speak anything aside from English to your students. Most, if not almost all, overseas English teachers working in China don’t speak more than a few words of Mandarin. Elibility requirements for English teaching jobs in China, like Teach Away’s very own Explore program, are usually English fluency, a bachelor’s degree, a TEFL certification and not a whole lot else. If you’re looking at teaching in an ESL or language center pretty much anywhere in China, not speaking the native language will be seen as an advantage by your hiring school. Schools will want their students to be fully immersed in the English language when they are in the classroom. (As you probably know, this is the most effective way to learn a new language.) Yep, you heard that right - not speaking Mandarin is an asset when it comes to applying for English teaching jobs in China. As the teacher with native English language skills, you’re expected to communicate to your students fully in English, although you may have a local teaching assistant there in case of an acute language barrier. More often than not, your students will know at least some English, so you will likely not be starting from scratch anyway. Recommended reading: Requirements to teach English in China (Video) Can I teach English abroad without knowing the local language (or being bilingual)? You can teach English in China without a degree (and 3 other myths people think are true) How to cope with language barriers while teaching English in China So you’ve got communicating with your students in the classroom covered, but what about getting around outside school hours on your own? With locals that may not speak a word of English? Does the thought strike fear into your heart? We get it, Mandarin isn’t necessarily the easiest language to pick up. But just as your students will find it easier to learn English by being forced to listen and communicate in the language, you’ll be surprised how easy it is to learn the basic Mandarin phrases you need to get by! Before you go, take time to memorize some basic phrases and their pronunciation. If you can show that you have a basic grasp of the language, locals will be much more open to helping you out if you need it! You’re bound to end up in a situation with a communication error, but take these experiences in your stride and learn from them. Sign up to Teach Away today for access to the latest teaching jobs around the world. Cheatsheet: Essential Chinese phrases for English teachers English phrase Chinese translation Phonetic pronunciation Yes Shì Sheh No Bù shì Bu-sheh Hello Nihao Nee how Good morning Zao Zhow Goodnight Wan'an One-un Thank you Xièxiè Shieh-shieh My name is Wo jiào Wuh jeow How much? Duo shao? Dwuh shauw? Where is the bathroom? Xishoujian zài nali? See-sow-jian zai na-lee? Check, please Mai dan My dahn A few other things to put your mind at ease when it comes to your less-than-stellar Mandarin skills: Banks will usually have someone who can speak English to help you out. In fact, many ATMs in China have an English language option. Restaurants will typically provide a picture menu to make ordering easier. There are plenty of language apps that can help you communicate on the go. We’re big fans of WayGo for that purpose.

29 Powerful Language Learning Tools Within Your Reach

29 Powerful Language Learning Tools Within Your Reach 29 Powerful Language Learning Tools Within Your Reach Learning a language is like doing an extreme home makeover on  your brain.Sometimes the construction  work leaves you with some quirky new  polyglot problems, the mental equivalent of stumbling over half-demolished doorways youve been walking  through on autopilot for years.But the benefits and value added to your mental real estate make it more than worth the temporary mess.And if  youre committed to adding on a sunny Spanish-style veranda, fancy French doors or a whole new Japanese pagoda  to your monolingual starter home, youre gonna need the right tools.Starting with a solid foundation and all the way up to the linguistic detail work, there are an abundance of language learning tools to help you build your multilingual dream home.Some youve considered  using before as youve idly debated whether today is the day to start learning a new language, and others have been hiding in plain sight, masquerading as simple social networks or entertainment sites.But all of them will make excel lent additions to your linguistic toolbelt and better equip you to give yourself a  huge mental upgrade and a life-changing linguistic add-on. Here are some of our favorites from across the web. 29 Powerful Language Learning Tools Within Your ReachLaying Your Linguistic Foundations: Listening ToolsSeek first to understand, then to be understood.This insightful quote was popularized by the book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and was intended as a general piece of life advice, but its particularly relevant to language learners who want to start constructing their new linguistic knowledge upon solid foundations.There are a lot of reasons listening is vital for language learning, but first and foremost is that no matter how many phrases you memorize, you cant do anything with a language until you understand the sounds that make it up.There are many tools in the digital and analog world to help you down the path of listening proficiency, from video and radio to podcasts, music  and good old-fashioned conversation. Heres an assortment of listening tools to train your ear to the acoustics of your target language and start building on a sound foundation.Innovative LanguageFrom Afrikaans to Vietnamese, Innovative Language has you covered with one of the best free podcast series for language learners on the web. This podcast series includes video and audio lessons that often focus on cultural aspects of the country or region thats home to the target language, complete with vocabulary building exercises and helpful word lists.Its updated with new lessons every week, with material geared towards absolute beginners all the way up to advanced learners nearing fluency. You may recognize it from its podcast sites (for example, Portuguesepod101) These are the language-specific sites youll be directed to once you enter your email and pick a language. Heres just a sampling of the many popular foreign languages they currently offer:Spanishpod101Frenchpod101Germanpod101 Chineseclass101Russianpod101The material is made and presented by professional teachers, and it’s one of the most prolific and consistent language sites in the game.  Although they have a paid version of the service, thousands of professionally produced audios and videos are given absolutely free.You can benefit from this flood of language content regardless of your state of fluencyâ€"they’ve got something for absolute beginners as well as advanced learners.8tracksOne of the best ways to sensitize your ears to the sounds of a new language is by listening to its music. 8tracks is full of music playlists in any genre or language you can think of: Type your target language in the search bar at 8tracks and click go, or browse through the associated tags and artists that pop up as suggestions.Youll  not only give your ears a glimpse into the sounds of your new language, but also open yourself up to new genres and artists you may not have had the chance to listen to before, giving you a new target-language hobby from day one.Lyrics TrainingLyrics Training takes  a karaoke-style approach to language learning with music. Choose your language, pick a music video and select a level from beginner to expert: From there, the game begins, and depending on the level youve selected, youll have to fill in anywhere from a handful of key words to every word of the lyrics as you sing along. Pick a time of day when your neighbors and roommates are gone, and learn by clumsily belting it out.News in SlowMakers of the News in Slow series, Linguistica 360 helps you train your ear and build your language skills through current events. Choose from French, Spanish, Italian or German and start listening to the days events.Each episode includes a transcription in the target language with helpful vocabulary tips and explanations of the more difficult terms you encounter, a great way to build vocabulary in context while learning to recognize the sound and feel of the language.The Buildin g Blocks of Language Learning: Vocabulary-building ToolsWith some good listening tools under  your belt, your foundations are laid, and youve got some basic knowledge upon which to build the rest of your linguistic talents.The next step is to move on to the raw materials of your construction, the bricks and mortar: learning foreign language vocabulary.Its hard to say exactly how many words you need to really speak a language, or what  the best way to learn new vocabulary words  is.  Start out with some of these tools, and use your imagination to figure out which strategies work best for you.FluentUFluentU exposes you to your target language in action. FluentU takes real-world videosâ€"like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talksâ€"and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.When it comes to vocabulary-building tools and language learning in general, FluentUs video immersion method is just about the closest digital equivalent to booking a flight and movi ng abroad.Each FluentU lesson will use video content appropriate to your learner level to expose you to new vocabulary, which youll learn not through memorizing dictionary definitions, but by actually seeing how natives use words and phrases in daily speech.In addition to being one of the best ways to build up your foreign language vocabulary, FluentUs use of real-life video content makes it an excellent source of culturally-relevant language learning. As you proceed through the lessons, youll increasingly be watching the same TV and movies that native speakers of your target language are watching in their free time, giving you a better insight into whats current in pop culture and go-to conversation topics for when you run into natives.With FluentU, you learn real languagesâ€"the same way that real people speak them. FluentU has a wide variety of videos, as you can see here:FluentU App Browse ScreenFluentU has interactive captions that let you tap on any word to see an image, defin ition, audio and useful examples. Now native language content is within reach with interactive transcripts.Didnt catch something? Go back and listen again. Missed a word? Hover over or tap on the subtitles to instantly view definitions.FluentU Interactive TranscriptsYou can learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentUs quiz mode. Swipe left or right to see  more examples for the word you’re learning.FluentU Has Quizzes for Every VideoAnd FluentU always keeps track of vocabulary that you’re learning. It uses that vocab to give you a 100% personalized experience by recommending videos and examples.DuolingoAs a language learning tool, Duolingo turns a hammer and box of nails into a game youll actually enjoy playing. That pushy little green bird will coach you through the days you really dont feel like working on your linguistic construction project, and youll  come out of them having perfected  new words and phrases  that youll continue to strengthen as you build up layer aft er layer of vocabulary.MemriseAnother of the most popular vocabulary-building tools on the web, Memrise is the DIY flashcard tool that lets you personalize your language learning. Mix and match vocabulary lessons ranging from basic color and number words to phrasal verbs to different ways to say I love you, and make your own mems as you go, selecting pictures and other mnemonic devices that you custom-make for your own brain.AnkiAnki is most famous for popularizing the Spaced Repetition System or SRS method of vocabulary learning. Anki is open source SRS software that you can download to your computer or use on your phone in app form, downloading any of the over 80 million available pre-made flashcards, making your own or doing a little of each.Anki uses an algorithm to track your progress and knowledge of each vocabulary term you study, helping you prioritize which words need a bit more repetition and which can go on the back burner for now, helping you repeat your drills until you ve mastered the vocabulary.The Mortar Between the Language Learning Bricks: Reading ToolsOnce  youve got some words to build with and a sound understanding of the speech sounds that make them up, one of the best ways to cement your  knowledge is through reading.Reading in a foreign language is one of the safest and most stress-free ways to explore the meanings of those words and how theyre used, as well as to continue building new vocabulary in context. These reading tools will help you develop a foreign language reading habit that  ensures your construction holds together as you continue building.WikipediaWikipedia  for the most part remains  an undiscovered treasure trove for language learners. With millions of articles available in 295 languages, it offers contextualized target language reading replete with images and links that allow you to clarify things you dont understand by reading about them in the language youre practicing rather than reaching for a dictionary definition o r a translation.FeedlyPleasure reading shouldnt be limited to your mother language. Feedly is an RSS tool you can use to create your own customized content streams, with daily updates from blogs, online magazines and other digital content in your target language. You could create different feeds for different languages or divide them into categories like Spanish periodicals, Korean film blogs and news in Farsi.Amazon Foreign Language BooksIn addition to all the free e-books available across the web, Amazon has a robust foreign language books section thatll help you find the right reading material without breaking the bank.Search for a title or just by language, and be sure to download a free sample of the book before buying it, so that you can read a few pages and make sure its both at your reading level and something youll actually enjoy swiping through.Writing Tools to Help Furnish Your LanguageWhen it comes to your literacy in a foreign language, youve gotta use it or lose it.Lea rning a language through reading books  sounds like heaven on earth for some bookworms, but if you really want to pull your freshly-mortared language together, youll need to put pen to paper. Writing in a foreign language, much like speaking, helps solidify some of the connections youve made while listening and reading, and it gives you a safe space to trial-and-error your way through new words, phrases and grammatical constructions. Here are some tools to help you get started.Lang-8Lang-8 is an online community of natives and learners where you can practice your writing and get feedback and corrections from those who know the language best. Write a few lines about what you did today, or maybe  some musings on a movie youve recently seen in your target language, then publish it and wait for the natives to come.Dont forget that exchange goes both ways: Earn points in the community by helping others and suggesting improvements on their writing in your native language!HelloTalkHelloTal k is a mobile app that lets you connect to native speakers of your target language and learners of your language via text. Once you find some conversation partners and start chatting, you can take advantage of the apps integrated translation and transliteration functions (for those learning an unfamiliar writing system), and use the in-app function to hear the pronunciations of the words youre being texted.Foreign Language JournalsFor many learners, a foreign language journal or just an unstructured space where they can try out their language is the key to learning through writing.You can start your own page on a site like Tumblr or start a WordPress blog where you scribble random thoughts and make up your own writing exercises. Adjust your settings to keep it private if youre feeling shy, or go public and actively solicit comments and feedback from speakers of the language.Omniglot Writing SystemsParticularly for those learning a language with a non-Latin alphabet, Omniglots Writin g Systems resource is a spectacular place to start. Familiarize yourself with the new script and find links to online resources for learning it, or just keep the page bookmarked for reference as you get started writing or texting with  some of the other tools mentioned here.Touching Up the Paint: Pronunciation ToolsPronunciation is a tricky part of language learning: Its important to be easily understood, but its easy to get so lost in perfectionistic phonetic details that you lose sight of the bigger linguistic work in progress.An accent wall or some contrasting throw pillows in your house might add a pleasant pop of color, but when were talking about speaking a foreign language, accents sometimes draw the kind of attention that makes us feel less confident in our speaking and leads to making more stress-induced mistakes.You dont need to amaze the natives with your perfect pronunciation, but you also dont have to buy into the myth that adults cant learn languages as well as kids in the pronunciation department. Intermediate and advanced learners who feel like theyve got a handle on everyday communication in their target language can use some of these tools to touch up their foreign language accent.Sounds of SpeechThe International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is one of your best resources for learning about the many different speech sounds that make up the worlds languages, and Sounds of Speech is one of the best tools for practicing it.The University of Iowas Sounds of Speech tool is an excellent interactive visual guide to the mechanics of the mouth, demonstrating exactly how you need to move your tongue and other speech organs to produce specific consonant and vowel sounds, helping you get past the uvular Rs and ambiguous mid-vowels that otherwise trip  up your tongue.ForvoForvo is an exhaustive online pronunciation dictionary, and it belongs in your bookmarks bar no matter where you are in learning a language. Just search the word thats giving you trouble  and listen to user-provided pronunciations from native speakers.Getting Wired: Tools for Connecting to NativesAt the end of the day, language is about communicatingâ€"what good is your new language if you dont have anyone to speak it with?As you finish up construction on the language youre learning, be sure to find a place for yourself in its community of speakers. There are plenty of online tools for finding a language exchange partner,  but here are a few to get you started.VerblingIf you want something a little more formal than your casual language exchange, Verbling is a good place to start looking. Here you can search for professional native teachers, schedule classes with them, and make a schedule and personalized lessons as you go. Its not free, but youll find its a good bit cheaper than most in-person professional teachers, and you can go to class without getting off the couch.You’ll be able to explore hundreds upon hundreds of online language teachers and find exactly the on e who’s right for you. When you search, you’ll get to search based on prices, availability and even the other languages they speakâ€"so if your native language is Chinese or German, you can find a teacher to instruct you in that language. Plus, the technology here makes accessing tutoring sessions extra smooth! You don’t need Skype or another third-party program. It’s all here!WyzAntWyzAnt is an incredible resource for locating stellar language teachers near you. This site is professional and polished, and it features well-educated and well-qualified tutors in your local area. Why not start by seeing whos close to home? You might even find someone you know in your community who can teach you! Then your new language classes can take place at your favorite coffee shop or at your house.HiNativeHiNative lets you casually reach out to native speakers of your target language with the simple questions you never really know how to ask. Is this word masculine or feminine? How come th is word is spelled differently sometimes? Its like carrying a no-strings-attached native in your pocket, and its great in a pinch to answer those pesky questions that otherwise keep you up at night.SpeakySpeaky is one of the biggest free online language exchange communities, and youll find it offers many of the same benefits as similar sites that charge a monthly fee. Use it to find and coordinate Skype exchanges with native speakers of your target language, and be ready to help them with learning your native language as well.MeetupSites like Meetup  arent necessarily meant for language learners, but youre bound to find many linguistically like-minded individuals who are either your neighbors or travelers passing through your community. Meetup is often host to either a general language exchange meetup or sometimes a slew of language-specific meetups depending on the size of the city.CouchsurfingCouchsurfing events also often include regular language exchanges, plus the handy user se arch tool allows you to search for speakers of a particular language in your area who you can meet up with for a coffee and a multilingual chat.Making Sure Youre Up to Code: Translation Tools for In-context Language LearningThere are all kinds of technology hacks for learning a language that can help you navigate your linguistic construction site, but keeping that translation app on your phones home screen might not be  the best one. Relying on translation to build up the foundations and basic structure of your language is a bit like building your house with duct tape and paperclips.However,  once youve built something that more or less looks like a language, it can be an invaluable tool for checking and expanding your knowledge.In general, simple machine translators like Google Translate should be taken with a huge dose of caution: Theyre stripped of the kind of context you find in a visual dictionary, and machine translation is always an approximation at best. The urge to copy and paste into the magic decoder is strong enough that we all succumb to it in moments of weakness, but there are better options for translations that dont damage the structural integrity of your language learning. Here are a few good ones:LingueeLinguee is an online translator that offers contextualized translations that take into account the many different phrases and shades of meaning that can be applied to a single word.Type your query into the search box and youll receive two columns: the language you searched in on the left, and the target language on the right. Each will include the same sentence or paragraph in both languages, giving you the extra context to make sure the word youre translating doesnt mean something totally off the wall.Bab.laBab.la is similar to Linguee in its use of in-context definitions pulled from across the web. It also offers a few handy extra tools like a verb conjugator that will help you explore different forms and uses of the new words and phrases yo ure learning.LinqappLinqapp is the social translation app that lets you go directly to the source and get a native speakers take on your translation query. Despite all the advances in language technology in recent years, machine translation still usually isnt up to the challenge of providing descriptive idioms and native-like turns of phrase that capture nuance and connotation. Instead, turn to Linqapp to get a digitally-enhanced human translation.Welcome to the Neighborhood: Cultural Learning ToolsCulture is inseparable from language. Whatever language youre learning, its a living, growing thing, and theres no better way to learn about its life and those of the people who speak it than through target language media like TV, movies, journalism, literature and the other products of the culture that gives meaning to the language in question.Cultural learning is an abstract thing that  can be  hard to pin down in concrete terms, but there are a few tools that can help you learn more de eply about the meanings behind the words and better appreciate  the cultural benefits of being bilingual.StreemaStreema is a website and app that provides free online access to TV and radio stations in over a hundred countries around the world. Popular world languages spoken across many countries will have a wealth of stations available, but even less widely-studied languages like Amharic or Zulu are available on Streema: just browse through the Ethiopian and South African TV channels until you find something in your target language that takes your interest, and tune in to what the locals are watching.BBC LanguagesBBC Languages is one of the biggest online repositories of free language learning material, including not only free lessons and foreign language cheat-sheets, but also links to real media like TV shows, newspapers and blogs that native speakers are regularly following.Other international news outlets like CNN, Al Jazeera  and Euronews that serve linguistically diverse publ ics across the globe also frequently offer streaming news and other media resources that language learners can easily make use of to inject some current events into their language learning.AlexaOne way to get insight into what matters to speakers of your language is to see what websites they visit most frequently. Alexa is a web tool that ranks the authority of websites, and it offers a list of the most popular websites by country. Youll see many of the same usual suspects across the globe (Facebook, Wikipedia), but keep an eye out for blogs and other media sites that you can read, listen to or otherwise consume to get a feel for your target language in action.Bonus: A Good VPN ServiceMany countries offer public television stations freely online for their citizens, but that means youll need to access the content from a local IP address. Look into some free and cheap VPN (Virtual Private Network) services and install one thatll let you change your web browsers IP address at will, con vincing those servers halfway across the world that youre really logging in from within the country, and get online and oh my god this is almost over now.An easy way to set up a VPN and magically change your location to Germany, France, Korea or any other country of choice is by installing HideMyAss! VPN on any of your devicesâ€"this one works on your computer, smartphone and internet-enabled TVs and game systems.Enjoying Your New Mental SpaceJust like any construction work, your linguistic  remodel is going to be a messy process with lots of ups and downs and mental debris.But dont give up out of frustration: Just remind yourself that its worth it, and  unlike a real home makeover, youll start reaping the benefits of bilingualism long before you close up shop and finish the job.Taking advantage of the best language learning tools available and using them to learn a language efficiently  will give you a smooth path forward and leave you feeling well-equipped for the next linguistic challenge.

E-Teachers Conference on Communities and Crowdsourcing Our Quick Review

E-Teachers Conference on Communities and Crowdsourcing Our Quick Review Last night, we got the opportunity to present at the E-Teachers Academy Conference on Communities and the Power of Crowdsourcing, hosted by Kirsten Winkler (@KirstenWinkler). Were always impressed with how Kirsten is able to organize these conferences with so many of the key players in our space. There were presentations from Languages Out There, Busuu, Wiziq and us. Kirsten has written a more detailed review of the conference, and the presentations are all embedded on her blog. If youre interested in the specific comments, you should definitely take a look. Overall, we thought the attendees were positive on the value of communities for language learning, but much more skeptical about the potential in crowdsourcing. The sense was that people could rely on help from other members in a community, provided the community was well run and focused. However, the product of collaborative work from the community was generally lacking in creativity and often of very poor quality. At italki, we have tried crowdsourcing in many areas of our site, and we are well aware of the difficulties in crowdsourcing. As we mentioned in our presentation, you dont always get the perfect answer when you want it. However, we are definiely positive on its long-term potential. We have just updated our community-based site translation feature, for example. In addition, we do think it is possible to collaboratively create language learning materials, particularly if the license for the content is under the Creative Commons. Our inspiration here remains Wikipedia. We agree that art and literature designed by committee sounds awful. However, we think it is too pessimistic to say that basic materials for language learning can not be created collaboratively. It seems to run contrary to experience of impressive resources being released for other academic subjects (see MIT Open Courseware, and Connexions). It was an interesting conference, and the discussion gave us a lot to think about. We want to give special thanks to Kirsten again for organizing it, as well as Wiziq for hosting the event with their virtual classroom. We’re definitely looking forward to the next one! Kevin and the italki team E-Teachers Conference on Communities and Crowdsourcing Our Quick Review Last night, we got the opportunity to present at the E-Teachers Academy Conference on Communities and the Power of Crowdsourcing, hosted by Kirsten Winkler (@KirstenWinkler). Were always impressed with how Kirsten is able to organize these conferences with so many of the key players in our space. There were presentations from Languages Out There, Busuu, Wiziq and us. Kirsten has written a more detailed review of the conference, and the presentations are all embedded on her blog. If youre interested in the specific comments, you should definitely take a look. Overall, we thought the attendees were positive on the value of communities for language learning, but much more skeptical about the potential in crowdsourcing. The sense was that people could rely on help from other members in a community, provided the community was well run and focused. However, the product of collaborative work from the community was generally lacking in creativity and often of very poor quality. At italki, we have tried crowdsourcing in many areas of our site, and we are well aware of the difficulties in crowdsourcing. As we mentioned in our presentation, you dont always get the perfect answer when you want it. However, we are definiely positive on its long-term potential. We have just updated our community-based site translation feature, for example. In addition, we do think it is possible to collaboratively create language learning materials, particularly if the license for the content is under the Creative Commons. Our inspiration here remains Wikipedia. We agree that art and literature designed by committee sounds awful. However, we think it is too pessimistic to say that basic materials for language learning can not be created collaboratively. It seems to run contrary to experience of impressive resources being released for other academic subjects (see MIT Open Courseware, and Connexions). It was an interesting conference, and the discussion gave us a lot to think about. We want to give special thanks to Kirsten again for organizing it, as well as Wiziq for hosting the event with their virtual classroom. We’re definitely looking forward to the next one! Kevin and the italki team