All posts by Admin

Online Training courses

If you want to learn English as a second language, there are many ways you can do that without spending a fortune. Most English learners and teachers are well aware of the fact that ESL training courses can be quite expensive, especially when held by popular teachers.

However, if you are looking for an inexpensive method to quickly learn English, rest assured all you need is available on-line.
Just look for online ESL training courses, and you will find tons of useful study materials as well as practice tests.

The first thing to do if you are planning on following one of the many online ESL training courses, is to test your English level.
You need to know what your weaknesses and strengths are so you know what modules you have to pay particular attention to.

If your grammar is weak, there are many eBooks available on the web, as well as grammar guides, tips and advice. Arm yourself with good will and memorize as many rules as you can day after day and you will find that in a few weeks, you will feel more confident when speaking English.

Stick to this method if you want your English to be impeccable.

No matter how well you know English, online ESL training courses are usually split into sections, each of which is dedicated to a specific level: beginner, intermediate, upper intermediate, advanced.

To find out in which of the above categories you fall, you may take a test on-line. The university of Cambridge’s official website allows English learners to take a free test at cambridgeesol.org/testyourenglish/.

The test is quite accurate; it consists of 25 multiple-choice questions and you have no time limit.
Consider that the more questions a test includes, the more accurate the result will be. Sp., if you are serious about learning English, take a test that consists of at least 100 questions and that covers the following sections: listening, writing, reading, grammar, vocabulary, idioms.

You might think that idioms are not important if you are a beginner, since it is native speakers and expert users who express themselves through idioms. Well, you are wrong.
English people use idioms quite often, to talk about the weather, how they are, their activities and jobs.
Even if you find yourself talking of this and that with an Australian tourist, just to make an example, you will find that they use idioms quite frequently, which is why it is crucial that you should learn a sufficient amount of idioms.

Refine your research by looking for online ESL training courses that list a few idioms, perhaps dividing them into categories, so it will be easier for you to memorize them.
Among the most useful online ESL training courses is the one offered by BBC. To be precise, it is not a real ESL course, but it offers many useful resources to people who study English as a second language.

At bbc.co.uk, “Learn English” section, you will find videos, tracks, PDF documents, lessons, idioms, explanations, tips, advice and much more to help you learn English as fast as possible.

The great thing about the materials available at bbc.co.uk, is that most of them are downloadable for free.
If you think you need to reinforce your grammar, you may save as many grammar lessons as you like to your computer.

Most online ESL training courses provide students with timetables they should stick to in order to achieve satisfactory results. At the end of the course, students will be required to take a test to check if they have improve their English and what areas still need improving.

Best Prices on Textbooks

textbooks expensive

It’s already a new school year with new courses and fresh or used new books. The high prices of buying a backpack full of The textbooks can do some serious damage to your wallet especially on a student’s budget.

textbook expensive professor

According to The College Board, students attending a four-year public college will spend over $1,000 a year on textbooks. The burden has become so great that many students choose to not even buy the books required for the courses they’re enrolled in. Some students end up downloading them online or making copies of friends books.

How to find the best prices on textbooks
The good news is that with a little research you can find a lot of books at much lower prices. Consumer Reports recommends students use price comparison sites to find better prices on textbooks for this school year. These tools are basically like Kayak for textbooks. Sorry, it’s not Uber. We know everyone loves an Uber comparison. They do the searching for you and aggregate prices from all the major sellers on new, used, rented or even e-textbooks.

Continue reading Best Prices on Textbooks

Helping Students Study Abroad With FLYTE

studentsamsterdamTravel is definately the best education. Seeing the world out of your tiny box that you live in or grow up in is an absolute must. Most families cannot afford to send their kids to study abroad. This is where programs such as FLYTE (Foundation for Learning and Youth Travel Education) comes in.

FLYTE provides financial assistance to young people who don’t have the means to travel overseas for school.
FLYTE which stands for Foundation for Learning and Youth Travel Education gives disadvantaged kids the opportunity to travel and learn.

The creator of this program writes that Travel is a life changing experience and when you explore the world, you get a better sense of the people who inhabit it. Opening yourself up to new experiences can have a powerful impact on you and help you figure out who you are and what you want to be. He’s been experiencing that impact for 10 years and travel has shaped his life and given him purpose.

He did not travel when he was younger but he writes “but as an adult I’ve worked to have the means to do so on my own. Not everyone gets a chance to travel the world or has a family that can take them on a trip, so I want to bring the power of travel to kids who might not otherwise get chance to travel abroad. I want to broaden their horizons and help them see what a big world is out there.”

Travel definitely changes peoples lives for the better. You know once you get past all the obstacles of TSA and the petty little things but those are learning experiences as well. You learn a lot about government and politics. *shrugs*
Continue reading Helping Students Study Abroad With FLYTE

How to Get an ESL Teaching Job

Finding an ESL teaching job is a lot like finding any other position in education. There are steps that must be completed to be eligible for these positions. Future educators must complete a bachelor’s degree, specialized ESL courses, spend time in the classroom, and complete a semester of student teaching before graduation.
Preparing for an esl teaching job

Anyone hoping to get an ESL teaching job needs to begin by earning a bachelor’s degree. It can be a Bachelor of Arts in English or a Bachelor of Arts in Education with a concentration in bilingual learning. These degrees require many courses in English, literature, philosophy, history and culture, and mathematics, and general college courses. Those training to be teachers learn how children and adults learn best and how to develop lesson plans that meet their needs through their education courses. They learn effective and proven ways of instructing students of all ages, and they concentrate on students in the age group that they plan to teach. Their future license will reflect this training. The license may be for early learners, elementary education, middle school, high school, or adults. Job applicants are not considered for an ESL teaching job without a teaching license.

Learning a second language
Future teachers who will be looking for an ESL teaching job may also learn a second language that they will use when then teach their students. Many school districts do not want ESL teachers speaking the students’ first language in the classroom, but it is helpful to know the language in case it is necessary to explain something that requires students’ understanding in their language. It may be necessary to explain school rules and customs, and to answer students’ questions in their own languages. Also, teachers are able to understand students’ conversation when they are talking to one another, which can be very helpful. Even when students are told to speak English only in the ESL classroom, they will inevitably speak their first language at times.Although it is not always possible to speak every language, many ESL teachers specialize in Spanish because of the influx of Spanish-speaking students into the United States. Those who plan to teach overseas often learn Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or another language that is spoken where they plan to teach.

Student teaching in the ESL classroom
Before a future instructor can be licensed to teach in his or her own classroom, the educator must complete supervised student teaching. This occurs in an ESL setting where the student teacher practices various teaching strategies with students. These must focus on the age and mental development of the learners. This is especially important with students learning English because the language development of their first language may still be developing as a preschool child, yet a teen’s language is almost fully developed. When the student is taught on their learning level in a teaching style that is appropriate for his or her age, learning will occur more easily.

Earning licensing or certification
In addition to earning their bachelor’s degree, future educators must take classes on how to specifically teach ESL students. A Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) program is usually completed in the senior year of college, or it is sometimes finished after a bachelor’s degree is earned. Some states require a master’s degree, and in this case, the TESOL courses are completed in three to four semesters to earn a Master’s Degree in TESOL.After completing these courses, teachers are able to take a test to be licensed in their state. Each state has different licensing requirements, but all states require future educators to pass a test that shows that they are ready to begin teaching because they have the understanding in the area in which they will be providing instruction.

Continuing education for the educator
All instructors must complete continuing education to keep their licenses. ESL teachers often complete courses in TESOL that lead to a master’s degree. They also attend workshops and conferences that are held specifically for the thousands of ESL specialists who teach in the United States. Educators often subscribe to specialty journals that pertain to ESL, and they meet regularly with other language specialists and teachers of other subjects that their students must complete to discuss best practices for an ESL teaching job.

Supportive And Learning Tools for College Students

Being a student has never been easy, but let’s admit it: technology really helps a lot.
With the advent of smartphones and tablet computers, we can take notes, read books and study anywhere, anytime.
Who needs to lug tons of books around? All you need is a laptop bag or an eReader case to carry your electronic devices.

There are, then, the so-called apps, which have become popular thanks to Apple and its best-selling product: the iPhone.
Other brands are trying to keep up with Apple, which is why many apps are compatible with several operating systems.
Let us take a look at the most useful learning tools for college students.

Evernote: The revolutionary note-taking method

Evernote allows students to take notes, adding voice, photos, tags and information such as location. It even enables you to share notes with your college mates.
Evernote comes with the Evernote trunk, a feature that includes a number of learning tools aimed at helping college students excel during lessons.
The application is compatible with Apple’s products (the iPhone and iPad), Android’s devices, Blackberry, Palm Pre and Windows Mobile OS.

Wikipanion: Say goodbye to textbooks

Wikipanion allows you to access open source information just like Wikipedia. Needless to say it is a real must-have for any college students and among the most useful learning tools you may find out there. Wikipanion grants you access to content on any topic. The only problem is that it is supported only by iPhones.

GoDocs: the application you need manage your documents

GoDocs allows you to download, view and send Google documents from your iPad or iPhone. The app costs 3.99$. As good as this app may be, it does not allow you to edit documents, which may be a problem when it comes to modifying essays and case studies.
It is compatible with Apple’s products only.

Cliqset: Stay in touch with your professors and friends
Cliqset lets you keep tack of your streams on Buzz, Twitter, Facebook and other 70 popular social networks which you may use to keep in touch with your professors. This amazing application can be used by iPhone owners only.

MyHomework: an efficient digital planner

This app helps you keep track of your assignments so you do not miss a deadline. My Homework has been designed for students to submit their essays on time and reminds them when a deadline is approaching. Moreover, it notifies students when they have upcoming assignments. This app is a great alternative to your old paper planner. It can be benefited from by iPhone users only.

Rate My Profs: protect yourself from bad professors

Rate my Profs is a website where students can comment about their professors. You will find over 10 million comments and feedbacks on 1 million professors, so you know which ones you had better stay away from. The app can be download for free and is compatible with the iPhone.

eReaders

There are dozens of eReaders on the market nowadays. The most popular is the Kindle, which however supports only a limited number of colors, ranging from black to white. The latest eBook readers, on the other hand, feature full color displays that allow college students to view images while reading, which is great for those who have a photographic memory.
eReaders are excellent learning tools for college students as there is huge amount of eBooks available on-line, so students may replace their old textbooks with digital eBooks.

Sleep Cycle: Keep track of your sleep schedule.

Sleep Cycle can not do much for you if you suffer from insomnia, but it can function as an alarm clock that helps you feel relaxed by waking you up when you enter your light sleep phase. It is compatible with the iPhone.