Chemistry Olympiad - The Chemistry Olympiad

Chemistry Olympiad - The Chemistry OlympiadChemistry Olympiad is a part of the National Institutes of Health. For the past eight years, the competition has drawn up a host of new ideas on how to measure chemical reactions and to measure their variables. This is an important step in the direction of advancing our knowledge of biology and medicine.You will also be interested in learning that the chemistry Olympiad consists of thirty-two teams. In addition to this, there are sixteen subdivisions which you can choose from. Each of these groups of teams has a different focus and each one is divided into divisions as well.The Division I team for the Chemistry Olympiad is the APHIS team. They were created by the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics to give the participants a chance to obtain a complete chemical education. This is a great opportunity for them to explore and learn about all the different aspects of the various chemical processes that take place insi de of the human body. It is also a great opportunity for them to build a solid foundation for the subsequent steps in their careers.The first division of the Chemistry Olympiad is Division II. This division consists of twelve teams. This includes two teams that come from the United States and two from the European Union. Some of the best students in the country choose to go into this division because of the opportunity it gives them to gain experience.The Division III team is the Division IV team. This team has sixteen teams with two coming from the United States, five from Canada, and six from the United Kingdom. This division includes teams that have been chosen by students that have taken this year's APHIS assessment to compete in the competition.The Division V team is the Division VI team. This division is made up of eleven teams. These include teams from Italy, South Africa, Russia, and Hong Kong. This is a fun division to be a part of because you get to meet and talk with peop le from all over the world and you can learn a lot of useful information by studying their chemistry.The Chemistry Olympiad can be taken in a number of ways. It is very easy to enter so if you are interested in getting a degree from a college that offers chemistry, you can go to your local college and see if they have any programs that have been created for you.

English Listening Exercise The Future

English Listening Exercise The Future As we enter into the last month of the year 2013, we may start to think about the past and wonder about the future. Talking about predictions and the future can be difficult in English.We use will for general predictions but if we are talking about probability. We can also use could, might, or may. This weeks English listening exercise  uses a TED video featuring Pete Alcorns prediction for the 2200 uses these words frequently.Answer the questions below in comments, and well respond.1. How long does he think we are from a new enlightenment? 2. The worlds population is expected to ____ ___ at something hopefully a bit less than 10 billion. 3. What are the 2 benefits of a declining population? 4. What happened in Europe after the plague? (4 things) 5. Human history is kind of viewed as this _________ ____ from the good old days. 6. Why talk about the future? 7. Fear for the future can lead to some ____ decisions. 8. What does he predict for your great great grandchildren?What do you th ink about the worlds future? What about your countries future? As always if you put your answers in comments Ill correct them. Carlos 1. 150 year2. Top ..3. Few people make investment in properly about that / drives wages increase4. rises wages / land reform / technological innovations / .. the middle class5. downhill fly6. to avoid the nasty murders past7. rush decisions8about.I tried but I couldnt understand any words, Thanks LOIEnglish CarlosGood work.Question #2: top out-it means to level off Question #3: two things: property prices drop and wages increase Question #4: Good! you had it all the verb you are missing is: birth of the middle class.Question #5: downhill SLIDE; when something decreases in value or importance.Question #6: good; murder is the the verb and noun the adjective is: murderous.Question #7: rash-this means too quick without thought. It was a rash decision to buy the house.Question #8: a new enlightenment and a general positive future. Carlos can you try th e writing exercise? Ilka 1. How long does he think we are from a new enlightenment? 150 years. 2. The world’s population is expected to top out at something hopefully a bit less than 10 billion. 3. What are the 2 benefits of a declining population? Price of land drops, wages increase. 4. What happened in Europe after the plague? (4 things) Rising wages, land reform, technological innovation, and birth of the middle class 5. Human history is kind of viewed as this downhill flied from the good old days. 6. Why talk about the future? Because transitions are dangerous times. 7. Fear for the future can lead to some rash decisions. 8. What does he predict for your great great grandchildren? They will forget all about mouths(?) and instead they will be planning for the future and starting to build the 20sth century enlightenment. LOIEnglish Ilkagood listening skills!Question #5: downhill slideQuestion #8: They will forget all about malaise-malaise |m?'laz, -'lez| noun: a general feelin g of discomfort, illness, or uneasiness whose exact cause is difficult to identify: a society afflicted by a deep cultural malaise | a general air of malaise. Ilka Not that good! I need to repeat the listening many times Thanks a lot!

English Collocations with Read - English Lesson via Skype

English Collocations with Read - English Lesson via Skype Reading is a wonderful pastime and hobby. It is a great way to spend your time and while you always have a book with you, you will always have a friend.  The following are expressions with the word READ or English collocations with read as they’re commonly known.There are many ways to read: to read for fun  (just to enjoy it as a pure pleasure)  there is reading for work or study  using text book (reading factual or educational books).This academic reading often requires you to read detailed reference books or instruction manuals.The internet now has also changed our approach to reading and many people preferring the option of E-readers (electronic books). However, whether online or in hard copy the pleasure should be the same. English Collocations with Read Here are some expressions with read:READ OUT LOUDread in a way that other people may hear youThe teacher will often ask the pupil  to read out loud  to the class to practice pronunciation and diction. (to learn to read and pronounce the words correctly).  Where the teacher does not want to be disturbed she might ask the class to read quietly to themselves  while she corrects the homework. Here the children will open the book and read it methodically line by line without being heard.When giving the pupils homework or home assignments she/he might ask the kids to read through or over  a few chapters in the book and discuss it in class the following day.“Read through chapters 2 and 3 for your homework and we will discuss it together tomorrow. Also read over the piece on the History of the Great War for next week” he instructed them before the bell to end class sounded.READ FROM THE TOPread from the beginningWhen actors or actresses are auditioning for a part in a film or theatre p roduction they have to stand in front of the director or producers and read their lines (audition or practice). The director will instruct them to read from the top. English Collocations with Read - Infographic Enjoyed this infographic? Here's what you can do next: READ YOUR MINDto know what someone is thinkingIt is always funny (strange) when someone you are talking to guesses or anticipates what you are going to say before you have even opened your mouth. We think these people can read our minds.Some magicians do this as part of their stage performance and seem to know somehow what letter or card or number you selected. It is all a mystery to me but I really enjoy such performances.When Johnny got home he was really hungry and when he opened the door he got the familiar smell of pizzas.  â€˜Oh Mum he said you are a mind reader  I was going to order one as I am starving.  Thanks!’ Idioms and Expressions with Read Here are some idioms and other English expressions  with read:TO READ SOMEONE THE RIOT ACTwhen somebody is very angry because of something you did and didn’t doJennifer was only 17 but she had been drinking a few beers with her friends for quite a few months. One day her father  saw her in the park with her friends with cans of beer in their bags. He really read her the riot act  and when he finished he told her she was grounded for a month. (could not go out with her friends)READ THE SMALL PRINTmake sure you understand the contract fullyWe are always warned when buying something important or when considering signing any contract that we should take great care and read the small print. This is where terms and conditions are written that might be important later on.   Retailers often hope that the small print will not be noticed.Catherine was buying a new laptop.  It was expensive and she had saved her money for quite a few months to buy it. Her father told her to read the small pri nt.READ BETWEEN THE LINESThis does not mean literally. However,  when something is written between the lines it usually refers to something not written but a hidden meaning or something important that you need to be aware of before you proceed.The Foreign Minister made a statement to the press conference ‘If country ABC continues to move into our territory as they have been doing recently, then we may have to take certain actions to protect what is ours.’ Reading between the lines he meant they would defend their territory with force if they had to.READ SOMETHING INTO SOMETHINGThis means to think or believe there is something important in what someone says even when it was not intended.You can also use it negatively  DON’T READ SOMETHING INTO SOMETHINGJames asked his girlfriend if she wanted to go with him to the concert. She said no and he was a little disappointed. She said  â€˜Don’t read anything into that please. I don’t want to go because I have an important exam the next day and I have to do some study.’Well, I am off now to read a book. I am in the middle of a wonderful old classic “Our Mutual Friend” by Charles Dickens. There is nothing I like better than to curl up (nice and cosy) on the sofa reading an interesting book. This one is really good and I am trying to resist (stop myself) from reading it from cover to cover (from beginning to the end) in one day. I just cannot put it down (cannot stop!).

The beginners guide to teaching abroad in Asia

The beginner’s guide to teaching abroad in Asia Every year, Asia continues to be a top teaching destination for teachers abroad, offering a wide array of career opportunities for both ESL and certified teachers. Right now, schools across Asia are actively recruiting new teachers for teaching jobs in Asia for the upcoming school year. While teaching in Asia is an exciting, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, teachers need do their research carefully before applying for teaching jobs abroad. To help you get started, we’ve compiled some helpful information on the best places to teach abroad in Asia: China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Singapore, including average teacher salary, benefits, typical start-up costs, cost of living, as well as the most popular areas to find teaching jobs in each country. Country Average Teacher Salary Benefits Start-up Costs Cost of Living Teaching job hot spots (urban/rural) China 10,000 - 13,000 RMB (approx. $1,500 - 2,500 USD) Airfare, housing allowance, vacation time, health insurance Initial daily expenses Low Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen Japan ¥250,000 - ¥300,000 (approx. $2,200 - 2,625 USD) Airfare, health insurance, end-of-contract bonus Initial daily expenses Low in rural areas Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, as well as rural areas South Korea 1.8 - 3.0 million KRW (approx. $1,500 - 2,600 USD) Airfare, 50% health insurance, contract completion bonus, rural placement bonus Initial daily expenses Medium in urban areas Seoul, Pyeongchon, Songpa, as well as rural areas Taiwan NT 40,000 - 62,000 (approx. $1,260 - 1,900 USD) Airfare, health insurance, housing allowance Initial daily expenses Very low Taipei Thailand $800 - 1,200 USD Airfare, health insurance Housing, initial daily expenses Very low Bangkok, Chang Mai Singapore $4,500 SGD (approx. $3,170 USD) Airfare, relocation allowance Housing High in urban areas Singapore Looking for more advice on teaching in Asia? Join our forum to connect with current teacherstoday!

Newsletter August 2012

Newsletter August 2012 TutorZ.com is a nationwide network of tutors. We match students and parents with the best tutors for their specific needs. Summer school at TutorZ.com meant to improve the safety and security of our customers information. TutorZ has deployed SSL certificates enabling the encryption of data sent between browsers and TutorZ’ secure server. You can see this protocol in action when you look at the left corner of your browsers address bar. There it says https and probably shows a lock symbol too. Moreover, in August 2012 TutorZ has made social sharing of our blog articles super easy. Our readers can find the Facebook Like, Google +1, and the AddThis buttons right below the articles. Happy Sharing! Find me a tutor Featured Tutors Dr. Sener Minneapolis, MN Teaches: Applied Math, Biophysics, Science, Calculus, CLEP, GED, GMAT, GRE, ACT, MCAT, NCLEX-RN, PRAXIS, SAT, Turkish, USMLE My teaching style is EXAM-oriented. Ill show you why you dont need to spend hours on unnecessary parts of a subject. Dr. Jenny Bremerton, WA Teaches: ACT, ADD-ADHD, Algebra, Anatomy, Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, Science, Psychology, Chinese, Elementary, Piano, Swimming Jenny is an excellent communicator, adept at sizing up situations, independent worker, determined, self-motivated, detail-oriented. Prof. Bruce Brentwood, NY Teaches: Computer, Python, Logic, Java, Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics, Essay Writing, Proofreading, History, English, Elementary Focus on understanding concepts and developing skills and strategies to solve problems. Sunny New York, NY Specializes in Chinese and the Mandarin Dialect Im patient and humor and have special ways to make my class easy and fun. My time is flexible and can give you the class in your best time. Prof. William Ivy League Bethpage, NY Teaches: Biology, Chemistry, CLEP, English, French,   German, Grammar, Greek, History, Latin, Math, MCAT, Philosophy, Physics, PRAXIS, Science, Spanish, TOEFL Students can expect to gain a practical sense of how these three are essential for reading, arguing, and, ultimately, thinking critically. Armyl Joseph (AJ) Jersey City, NJ Teaches: Medicine, Nursing, NCLEX-RN, TOEFL I do personalized teaching which means that I am assessing the areas which the students are having difficulty, giving them personalized exams and drills; and personalized lectures well. Read with TutorZ Best Articles from our Blog We invite tutors, parents and students to enjoy our articles on some interesting education-related topics: Lincoln, NE â€" The Premier Educational Center in the Midwest Lincoln is a wonderful city that remarkably combines the amenities of a small regional city with the benefits of a fast growing metropolis. It presents brilliant business development, cultural, employment and education opportunities. As a college town, Lincoln offers a wide choice of good universities and colleges. It is a perfect place to raise a family, be a college student or just visit for some fun. TutorZ.com Improves its Social Media and Payment Functionality “We want to make it easy for our customers to stay in touch with us and to be well-informed about all our  recent  updates. That is why we are happy to implement these new social media tools which bring us closer to our highly estimated users.” says Dariya Lopukhina, Marketing Director of TutorZ.com. Education â€" a Milestone on the Way to the American Dream (dedicated to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 65th birthday)   Arnold Schwarzenegger’s biography is a brilliant example of a true American success story. Hard work and self-confidence may help to realize even the most daring dreams. However, proper educational background is also one of the main catalysts of the individual progress. New Video in TutorZ Youtube Channel Hola! Here in the first video you can learn some basic phrases in Spanish, so that you could easily greet someone and introduce yourself. Spanish Basics Part 1 The second and third videos show you Spanish words and word combinations for traveling, so youll never get lost in the airport. Spanish Basics Part 2 Spanish Basics Part 3 Spanish is spoken by more than 300 million people worldwide, and is the official or national language in a number of countries. It is widely spoken in Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Antonio, among other cities, and is used officially as a second language in the state of New Mexico. In this video, we have converted English basic words to Spanish which are useful at the time of traveling. Sincerely, The Tutorz.com Team Email: contact@tutorz.com Phone: (805) 288-7338

Ultimate Guide How to Learn Multiple Languages to a High Level of Fluency

Ultimate Guide How to Learn Multiple Languages to a High Level of Fluency So you want to be a polyglot?Its not exceptionally difficult to learn how to ask for the bathroom or say I love you in 20 different languages.But learning multiple languages to a high level of fluencyâ€"such that you would be comfortable at a job interview or speaking in publicâ€"requires a whole different level of commitment and strategy.Want to know what that strategy looks like? Keep reading. Why Level of Fluency Matters When Learning Multiple LanguagesDifferent goals require different levels of fluencyIts always a good idea to have a goal in mind when you start learning a new skillâ€"and languages are no exception. Do  your language ambitions end with the ability to chat with people in bars in Moscow, Beijing and Paris? If so, you probably dont need to worry too much about understanding cultural nuances and avoiding glaring grammatical mistakesâ€"as long as your pronunciation is passable, youll be fine.What if youd actually like to become a journalist who reports stories in the Middle East and the Middle Kingdom, without using a translator or fixer? How about closing international business deals on multiple continents? Perhaps youd like to attend a foreign university?Those goals all require you to have a much higher level of fluencyâ€"because a lot is at stake if you make a mistake. Once you get out of informal barroom chats, youll start encountering more complicated and nuanced vocabulary and grammatical structures. You need to be able to both understand them and use them yourself to function appropriately in professional situations.The higher your level of fluency, the fuller your experience with the languageWhen it comes to language learning, speaking a little is not necessarily just as good as speaking a lot. Even if you dont plan to use the language professionally, it will be easier to take advantage of opportunities if you know the the language well. Lets say, for example, that youd like to take a course in Chinese cooking in Chengdu. Youll need to understand the instructors oral instructions as well as written handouts and information scribbled on the blackboard. Youll also get more out of the class if youre able to banter with classmates and ask questions confidently. Those are not beginner tasks.The ability to discuss current events, movies and even complex philosophy  also allows you to become more of an active participant in any interaction with native speakersâ€"including in barroom conversation. When you speak a language well, youre able to interact with native speakers on the same level that they would speak with other native speakers. If your language skills are more limited, youll still be able to communicate. But a huge amount of potential conversation topics with native speakers will be outside of your grasp.Higher levels of fluency are harder to achieve, but easier (and more fun!) to maintainTheres no doubt that reaching a high level of fluency takes a lot of time and effort. On the other hand, as using your targe t languages becomes easier, it becomes more fun to use them and continue to improve your ability. At lower levels of fluency, an activity like watching a movie is an intellectual stretchâ€"and its not relaxing at all.Once your level improves, however, its fun and easy to watch a movie in your target languageâ€"and youre able to do so without taxing your mental capacity. Its also more likely that youll be using your languages as part of your career, which is important for language maintenance, especially if youre maintaining more than one language.How Learn  Multiple  Languages to FluencySo if your goal is to reach fluency in multiple languages, here are some tips for you:If youre starting from zero, study two languages at a timeYoull reach fluency in multiple languages faster if you start by  learning two languages rather than proceeding one at a time. You can make a substantial amount of progress in a language with half an hour of study time per day, and most people find an hour to tal (half an hour for each language) a reasonable amount of time to dedicate to languages every day.You wont get mentally overwhelmed from two new languages at a timeâ€"but any more than that is more likely to lead to confusion, overload and burnout. Pace yourself. Reaching fluency in many languages takes time, and youll get better long-term mileage if you dont take it too fast at the beginning.Study new languages in your stronger language(s)Once youve reached a certain level of comfort in one of your target languages, you can  learn subsequent languages through it, solidifying both your knowledge of the stronger language and helping you get ahead in the new language. As an example, you might listen to a podcast for French speakers learning Chinese, or get a French-Chinese dictionary instead of an English-Chinese one.If you happen to be living abroad, this is easier. When I lived in France, for example, I took both a Chinese class and an Arabic class. I learned some  French in both classes. In my Chinese class, we read a story that involved magpies (pie  in French,  que ?  in Chinese). My French was pretty good, but my vocabulary did not include magpie, so I had to look up the word when I got home from class. I suspect if it hadnt been for the Chinese class, Id never have learned how to say magpie in French.A quick note about laddering, or using one foreign language to learn another: It is usually only possible if both of your target languages are relatively common. Dont expect to use Finnish to learn Bengali, for exampleâ€"there just wont be enough language material out there.Live abroadIts easier to use the laddering technique if youre living abroadâ€"taking a class full of French speakers learning Chinese is not really possible unless youre in a French-speaking country. Living abroad also makes practicing at least one language easier. If youre surrounded by one of your target languages all the time, youll have a lot more mental energy available to focus on another two foreign languages youre trying to improve.Of course, the idea of living abroad can be daunting. How will you support yourself? Where will you live? How will you meet people? Here are a couple ideas for making a move abroad  more manageable.Connect with other people from your home country who have lived/are living in the place youd like to move to.Take a short-term trip before making a permanent move abroad. Even a week spent in the city youd like to move to will give you an idea of how you actually like the place, what neighborhoods you might like to live in and what sorts of jobs would be open to you.Figure out how youll make money. Maybe  youll have saved up enough money to not work for several months or a year, in which case you dont have to worry about this at all. Otherwise, figure out if you can teach your native language, work remotely or get a job in your field in the new country.Cultivate equally strong relationships with each target languageYour goal should nev er be to become a polyglot. Instead, it should be to become bilingual in each individual language you intend to learn. If fluency is your goal, dont start learning a new language just to bump up your numbers.Instead, you should have a concrete reason for learning each language, such as:Learning Spanish so that you can understand Flamenco lyricsLearning Russian to communicate with your in-lawsLearning French because youd like to study French cuisine in FranceHaving a connection to a language means a strong, emotional desire to be able to use the language. It also means that your reasons for learning the language should be constants in your life, rather than motivations that are likely to dry up after a year or two.Create an immersion environmentAn immersion environment is important for  learning any language, but even more important if your goal is to learn two or more to fluency. Youll need to maximize your time, and that means creating ways to expose yourself to your target languag e constantly.  When learning multiple languages, its best to do immersion in one language at a time.Immersion can be either physical (such as living abroad) or virtual/digital, such as watching movies, reading newspapers and listening to music exclusively in your target language. When creating a virtual immersion environment, virtual private networks (VPNs) allow you to access content like television and movies that are geoblockedâ€"meaning that theyre restricted in certain countries.Essentially, a VPN makes it appear as if you’re using the internet in another country rather than the United States (or wherever you currently are).  By using a VPN, you can access online content as if you were in Germany, France, Japan or any other country of your choice.  An easy way to set up a VPN and magically change your location is by installing HideMyAss! VPN on any of your devicesâ€"it works on your computer, smartphone and internet-enabled TVs and game systems.FluentU is also a great way to get both language immersion and  language instruction, since it turns real-world videos into personalized language lessons.How to Take Your Fluency in Many Languages to the Next LevelOnce youre fluent in many languages, heres how you can take it to the next level:Live in a multilingual cityIs it possible to have immersion in more than one language at a time? If you plan correctly, yes. There are several cities where multiple language coexistâ€"Strasbourg, France and Fribourg, Switzerland both speak French and German, and would be ideal spots for someone looking for an immersion in both languages, for example.Alternatively, living in a multilingual city like Brussels or New York City will make opportunities to practice unrelated languages easier to come by.Maintain a multilingual social networkPracticing your language skills should not just be about flashcards and exercisesâ€"you need to be able to have fun with the language! If you are trying to improve and maintain various language s, its essential to make friends who speak your target languages. This allows you to practice languages while socializing, and provides the emotional connection to the language that will make it more likely for you to continue making progress over the long haul.Heres some ideas for meeting (and befriending) speakers of other languages:Go to language-related events organized on Meetup.com. In my experience, a fair number of native speakers attend these events.Attend events at local cultural organizations like the Cervantes Institute, Confucius Institute or the Alliance Française. Ive been to holiday celebrations at the Confucius Institute and to several events for French-speaking business people at the Alliance Française, and both have had lots of native speakers.Seek out immigrant communities who speak your target languages. This might mean attending religious services in one of your target languages, doing your grocery shopping at ethnic stores and/or living in a neighborhood wit h a lot of people who speak your target language.Use your languages at workWe spend a lot of time at work, and if youre able to make your work time do double duty as language practice, youll have that much more time to practice. Making time for all your languages is the biggest challenge for polyglots, which is why its so important to multitask and use work time as yet another opportunity for language practice. Using your languages at work is generally only possible if you speak your target languages quite well.I think its possible to use your target language as part of most professions, but here are some industries where youll be especially likely to use foreign languages:Tourism. I used to work as a tour guide in New York City, and easily used all of my languages as part of work.Translation and interpreting. For obvious reasons, working as a translator or interpreter requires a high level of fluency and can also let you use many languages  on the job.Journalism. You dont need to s peak a foreign language to work as a journalist, but writing about immigrant communities and/or foreign countries will give you a chance to practice your target languages!There are many, many more ways to use your language skills on the job. Although being a real estate agent isnt necessarily a language-heavy career, you could easily build a reputation as the Spanish-and-Chinese-speaking real estate agent in your area and work with immigrant communities who speak those languages.The same goes for a lot of professions. Using languages at work requires a little creativity, but can often work with any career!Build a multilingual familyAside from work, though, we tend to spend a lot of time with our families. Ideally, polyglots will be able to use family time as language time, too. If you happen to marry someone who speaks one of your target languages (or all of them!), good for you. It will make it a little easier to practice that language. But its certainly not a requirement for multi lingualism.However, spouses are an important part of your family, and ideally polyglots are going to want a spouse that at least appreciates multilingualism. Even if your spouse speaks the same native language as you, its great if he or she speaks at least one other language.Children also represent both challenges and opportunities for polyglots, and using your children to help advance your language goals doesnt require restricting who you can marry. To take advantage of the language potential of raising children, make teaching them your target languages a priority. Here are a couple ways to do so:Hire nannies who speak one of your target languages, and instruct him or her to use that language with your child(ren).Read childrens books in your target languages with your kids.Enroll your kids in an immersion programâ€"they will probably be teaching you new words within a couple of years and parent-teacher conferences will suddenly become language practice opportunities.If you live in a reasonably multilingual city, try to find families who speak you target languages who also have kids around the same age as yours. Encourage playdates. Chat with the parents while the kids play.Have at least one hobby related to each languageGranted, that might add up to a lot of hobbies if you speak six or seven languages! However, a hobby related to your target language provides a crucial part of your emotional connection to the language. They are also a potent reminder that learning a language isnt always an end in and of itself, it is a means of connecting with another culture and communicating with people.Whats a language-related hobby? Lets say you practice tai chi and speak Chinese. The fact that you speak Chinese opens up new opportunities for studying tai chi.  The reverse is also trueâ€"attending a tai chi course in China will give you more opportunities for studying Chinese, since studying tai chi with Chinese classmates opens up otherwise inaccessible opportunities for friendship.Here are some examples of hobbies that can be enhanced by language learning:Cooking. Perhaps I think of it because I love to cook, but a love of cuisine is the perfect match for polyglots, because it can be synergistic with  all  of your languages. Watch cooking shows in French, study cooking in Chinese, read Russian cookbooks. All languages have a matching cuisine, and if you know the language youll have a lot more resources available to you when it comes to learning about the cuisine.Music. Music is another relatively versatile hobby when it comes to language learning, because most cultural have some kind of musical tradition. I knew a Japanese woman in China who took  erhu  lessons (an  erhu is a two-stringed Chinese instrument), whereas I took guitar lessons in Spain and knew several American students who took voice lessons in Russia.Dance.  Most serious students of Flamenco speak at least some Spanish, because Flamenco teachers in Spain almost never speak English. A rabic-speaking bellydancers will have a lot more success finding a teacher in the Middle East or just connecting with visiting teachers in their home country. Like Samba? Wouldnt dance lessons in Brazil be greatâ€"and that much greater if the classes are in Portuguese?Consume mediaâ€"books, movies, news, musicâ€"in all your languagesMedia is your best friend for maintaining and even improving your language skills! Heres the good news about reaching a high level of fluency: Once youre there, watching a movie or reading a book in your target language is fun, not work.This is another time when VPNs come in handy, because many television shows are only available in the country they are produced in (but can be a source of fun and language learning!). News sites are also a fabulous way to stay current on whats happening in countries where your target language is spoken and practice your language skills. If youre on a budget, libraries often have a surprisingly wide selection of books in f oreign languages.When it comes to learning multiple languages, your level of fluency matters. The more fluent you get, the more fun you are going to have with the languages and the more likely it is that youll be able to stay fluent over the long haul. There are plenty of ways to both get to a high level of fluency and stay thereâ€"and you dont need to do all of them for any one language.If youre learning and maintaining multiple languages, its best if you can do at least one of the above techniques for each of your languagesâ€"maybe use one of your target languages at work, another with your spouse and children, and go to religious services in a third language.Before you know it, youll be on your way to total fluency in many languages.Emily Liedel  is a writer and polyglot. She speaks French, Spanish, Russian, German and Mandarin Chineseâ€"her goal is to speak all of the official UN languages fluently (HINT: Arabic is the language left on her list). She writes about language learni ng and living abroad at www.thebabeltimes.com.

New Features Official italki Groups

New Features Official italki Groups One important aspect of learning a language is getting connected into a community of students and teachers.  Thats why we revised our Groups function on italki.  We wanted to make it easier to have discussions about every aspect of learning a language.   What weve done is create official italki Groups for every language.   Each language now has five official groups called: Learning the language Teachers and Schools Tests and Exams Culture and Society Travel, Living Abroad and Study Abroad We made this change in order to consolidate discussions in each language.  All of the previous user-created groups still exist, and you can still create your own group.  As with before, each group is basically a forum where members of the group can create a topic and start a discussions with other group members.   We also wanted to highlight a few interesting ways you could use groups. Many teachers have asked us how they can reach students who are interested in paid tutoring sessions.  Teachers can now post information about themselves in the Teachers and Schools Group (example: Teachers and Schools for learning English).  We think this could be a great place for teachers to market to students, and for students to learn more about a teachers background and teaching style. Another interesting use of groups could be for sharing test knowledge (example: Tests and Exams for learning English.   Now if you are taking a language test such as the  TOEFL (Test of English as a Foriegn Language), the  HSK (the main test for Chinese proficiency), or the  AP Spanish test  (US College Boards test of Spanish competency) you should be able to find discussions about how to prepare for them in the Tests and Exams group for that language.   In general, we just wanted to make it easier for the italki community to connect and communicate with each other.  If you have any questions about how to use groups or want to send us any feedback on the site changes, please click on our feedback link or send us an email (feedback at italki dot com). Your opinions really help us understand where we need to improve the site. And keep reading our blog   well be letting you know about our future updates here. New Features Official italki Groups One important aspect of learning a language is getting connected into a community of students and teachers.  Thats why we revised our Groups function on italki.  We wanted to make it easier to have discussions about every aspect of learning a language.   What weve done is create official italki Groups for every language.   Each language now has five official groups called: Learning the language Teachers and Schools Tests and Exams Culture and Society Travel, Living Abroad and Study Abroad We made this change in order to consolidate discussions in each language.  All of the previous user-created groups still exist, and you can still create your own group.  As with before, each group is basically a forum where members of the group can create a topic and start a discussions with other group members.   We also wanted to highlight a few interesting ways you could use groups. Many teachers have asked us how they can reach students who are interested in paid tutoring sessions.  Teachers can now post information about themselves in the Teachers and Schools Group (example: Teachers and Schools for learning English).  We think this could be a great place for teachers to market to students, and for students to learn more about a teachers background and teaching style. Another interesting use of groups could be for sharing test knowledge (example: Tests and Exams for learning English.   Now if you are taking a language test such as the  TOEFL (Test of English as a Foriegn Language), the  HSK (the main test for Chinese proficiency), or the  AP Spanish test  (US College Boards test of Spanish competency) you should be able to find discussions about how to prepare for them in the Tests and Exams group for that language.   In general, we just wanted to make it easier for the italki community to connect and communicate with each other.  If you have any questions about how to use groups or want to send us any feedback on the site changes, please click on our feedback link or send us an email (feedback at italki dot com). Your opinions really help us understand where we need to improve the site. And keep reading our blog   well be letting you know about our future updates here.