Using The Internet To Learn English On The Go

Using The Internet To Learn English On The GoIf you want to learn English on the internet, you are probably worried about how to get started. After all, not everyone has the same level of language skills and the internet can be a good medium for learning foreign languages.The first thing you have to decide is what kind of English you will be learning. If you are a student, your learning will revolve around learning the subject matter at hand (the college or university, for example) while the rest of the time you will have to concentrate on using the English language to communicate with people around you. If you are just out for a social chat, you may want to start off with casual conversation and then take things further in more sophisticated terms later on.Once you have decided what you would like to do, there are a number of ways to learn English on the Internet. It depends entirely on your preferences, of course, but there are some common sense tips that can help make your time on line more productive.It is always a good idea to set a time limit for yourself. If you feel comfortable with what you are doing, you can probably wait until you finish studying, no matter how much time you have left. If you find it hard to keep track of your time, you should try to set aside a certain amount of time to study every day. In any case, it's important to avoid excessive use of your time as you might end up spending more than you would like.At the same time, it's important to set a schedule for how long you would like to learn at one go. A good approach is to plan out a study schedule which covers the various courses you wish to attend.Learning on the Internet also requires that you plan on timing everything for optimum learning. You will only learn the most effective methods when you actually see them put into practice.Having a good grasp of the English language on the internet is not very hard. It's simply a matter of planning your study time, following an appropriate s chedule and using the internet's resources as you learn.

Interacting With Professors - Private Tutoring

Interacting With Professors BobbiM Apr 17, 2014 Some general tips about interacting with professors. First impressions are important, and its important to make a good impression on your professor right from day one. -Sit up front in class. When you are up front, you are more likely to stay alert and focused on the lecture, especially if you are in a class with lots of other students. If you cant get a seat up front, at least try to sit in the professors line of vision. -Ask questions. Professors may begin or end each class with a question and answer period. Others will tell students to raise their hands at any time during the lecture if they have a question. Ask well thought out questions. -Ask for help sooner rather than later. Nothing makes a worse impression than waiting until the day before the test, or worst yet, five minutes before the test, to ask a question about course material that was presented a week earlier. As soon as you realize that you are having trouble, make an appointment to see your professor, a tutor, or some other person designated to provide assistance. -Read the syllabus. The syllabus contains a wealth of information and should always be your first source when you have questions about grading, course pacing, or expectations. Therefore, its important not to waste time by asking questions whose answers are outlined on the syllabus. -Know and follow the class rules. Most professors have pet peeves about something. Its important for students to know what rules are in place and to follow them. Dont be the student in the class that the professor uses as an example of inappropriate behavior. -Talk with your professors via email. Excerpt from  College Success Strategies  by Sherrie L. Nist and Jodi Patrick Holschuh.

The importance of sharing resources!

The importance of sharing resources! We've had an amazing 2015 here at Tutorfair thanks to our fantastic community of tutors and students!  We asked a few of our favourites to share their adventures with us.  Here, James  tells us about  the importance of sharing tutoring resources! James M Tutor gathering can be a tricky business. We are, by nature, solitary creatures. But one wind swept morning in November, 11 plus specialists travelled from far and wide to converge on the Tutorfair offices. For those that hibernate during the day this was to be an especially gruelling affair. Fuelled by coffee and inspired by Edd’s roundtable room arrangement, cleverly focussing our creative synergy into a focal point, we began to probe the deepest mysteries of the 11 plus universe. After finding out each other’s names and where we all live, of course. The 11 plus can be a tricky beast. Tutors and parents alike are swamped by literally tons of exam guides, websites and ‘motivational’ tips. How to discern the truly useful from the mere padding? Unhealthy amounts of coffee aren’t essential for solving this conundrum, but it helps. Another issue is the sheer diversity of tests. Many a tutor, expecting all entrance exams to be similar, has been quickly humbled by a nifty Google search. This reveals that exam papers from one school often have no resemblance to another. Moreover, the likes of Westminster and St Paul’s have entrance exams so fiendish they may as well be scribed in Egyptian hieroglyphs. And even if you could read Egyptian, you still couldn’t do them.   However, help was at hand. Drawing on the expertise of all those gathered, we managed to distil a nifty set of tricks, tactics and resources. Rob L surely deserves a prize for understatement of the year. He said he had ‘some’ tutoring tips to offer, before whipping out his fantastically written and newly published guide to English 11 plus comprehension. Not to be outdone, others drew on role playing and fancy dress techniques to elicit calm and composure from their students. Although this sounds like an excuse to inappropriately channel misplaced thespian energies of our youth, it can work wonders for reassuring a nervous pupil. The dreaded 11 plus interview is a ticking time bomb for many a pupil. However this was rapidly defused when we found out that between us, the tutors in the room have records of hundreds of past interview questions across all the top schools. Many a desperate parent has cajoled me with demands for such information, assuring me that ‘no price is too high to pay’. So it was amazing to find it here, just floating around in the collective ether at Tutorfair HQ. If there was agreement on anything, it’s that there is no ‘magic bullet’ for successful 11 plus tutoring. If there were, the Tutorfair offices would boast diamond studded coffee mugs and platinum door handles. Instead there are a myriad of approaches that can and should be used, depending on the student’s needs. And putting the student first should always be at the heart of successful tutoring.   If you’re a tutor and want to get involved in an upcoming meeting to share insights, please get in touch. We really can work together to make tutoring better for everyone.   I for one would like the diamond studded coffee mug to be the standard drinking implement at Tutorfair HQ.   After all, what’s wrong with a bit of bling?   Want to  book James  for 11+ admissions tutoring?  Or perhaps  you want to share your own resources? There's something for everyone at Tutorfair!

The Top Five Video Games for College Students

The Top Five Video Games for College Students Super Smash Bros. Brawl photo via Flickr user J from the UK. 1) Super Smash Bros. Nintendos all-out brawler for the Wii lets up to four people duke it out in a cartoony way that seems deceivingly simple. A strategic fighter game that many college students have played at some point or another before college, Super Smash Bros. is one of the best video games to play with roommates, floormates, new friends, and even your RA (speaking as an RA, I can attest to going a few rounds with residents). Anyone can pick up and button-mash, but those with more practice can really go at it, making this the perfect video game to grace a college dorm room. 2) Halo This Xbox-exclusive series which may very well be the Xbox Ones last vestige of hope (oops, sorry not sorry) is widely popular as a somewhat more casual first-person shooter. You play as a Spartan, a super-soldier sent to fight against aliens from the Covenant using all manner of futuristic guns, grenades, and laser swords. Whether through a pick-up cooperative game with a friend or two either online or in person, or a fast-paced multiplayer versus game online, Halo effectively entertains the easily-distracted college student. The Sims box photo via Flickr user joshwept 3) The Sims 3 The Sims have been around for-flipping-ever and are still, believe it or not, successful enough to still be coming out with new expansion packs for their latest installment, The Sims 3. I mentioned in a previous article about the best PC games for non-gamers  that The Sims 3 is a god game. You control your Sims every move (*cue Every Breath You Take*) and have endless possibilities at your disposal to micro-manage your Sims lives. What makes The Sims super appealing towards college students, perhaps, is that feeling of being in control while in the real world, we are learning to take control of  our  lives. Just a theory. 4) Left for Dead 2 Havent you heard? Zombie is the new vampire craze. Or maybe its always been about zombies. Left for Dead 2, an oldie but goodie, is a cooperative first-person shooter game for PC and Mac that pits you and three other survivors against zombie hordes. Almost anyone can play since its for both PC and Mac and its usually pretty cheap during Steam sales. Since it relies on online play, you can team up with friends sitting right next to you or across the country. Ive played Left for Dead 2 in my dorm and at home with my college friends, making it an easy, great way to game with friends no matter where you are. Animal Crossing New Leaf box art, via Amazon.com 5) Animal Crossing: New Leaf Animal Crossing launched way back when on the trusty Gamecube.  Animal Crossing has a simple premise you play a villager who comes to a town populated by animal inhabitants and work to repay your mortgage while making friends, collecting bugs and fish, pulling weeds to maintain the town, and the like.  The latest installment, Animal Crossing: New Leaf for the 3DS has been making rippling waves in the gaming community, placing you as the mayor of your  new town and as such have many more responsibilities and privileges.. While I havent yet played New Leaf, I am a huge fan of the series and many of my college friends have been waxing poetically about the game. What makes Animal Crossing: New Leaf great for college students is firstly, the ability to share friend codes with others and visit each others town and secondly, the ability to close and open your 3DS anywhere and play for just a few minutes or a few hours. With the mobility of a college students life, Animal Crossing is a gre at game to consider, one that I hope to get my paws on soon. Do you have favorite video games for college students? Let us know in the comments!

Al Ruya Bilingual School

Al Ruya Bilingual School Al Ruya Bilingual School Al-Ruya Bilingual School was founded in 1996, and received accreditation from the CIS in July 2008. Students learn within an environment grounded in Islamic and Arab culture to hold onto our heritage and traditions, though we are preparing our student to be apart of the the knowledge base economy by using Arabic and English as teaching languages. The subjects that are taught in English are the English Language Art, Math, Science, Information Technology and ArtsCrafts. The subjects that are taught in Arabic are the Arabic Language, Islamic Studies, Social Studies and the specially designed Al Ruya Pastoral Program. The academic program leads to the High School Diploma and focuses on preparing students for the colleges and the universities of Kuwait, the Arab world, the USA and Europe. Al-Ru-ya Bilingual School have more than 1700 students enrolled in grades 1 to 12 with male and female students learning in two separate buildings. We currently have 91 classrooms and specialized science laboratories and there is also gymnasiums, media centers and excellent sporting facilities to support your child in receiving the best education.

All you need to know to nail that online English teaching interview

All you need to know to nail that online English teaching interview We’ve seen it all when it comes to interviews for online English teachers. The good, the bad and the just plain ridiculous. We feel it’s our moral duty to help a fellow teacher out. Some of these hints and tips might seem obvious and others will give you pause for thought. But we assure you - a teacher interviewing out there, right now, needs each and every one. We’re going to start with general tips and then break out into an exhaustive list of potential interview questions that we know have been asked before, and will be asked again. It’s up to you what you do with this information, but with great amounts of behind-the-scenes information, you can be sure you will nail those interviews and land the online English teaching job of your choice. The absolutely dos! 1. Prepare, prepare, prepare. Find out what kind of questions could be asked and prepare professional answers. It’s easy to see who has put thought into their responses and who hasn’t and a poorly prepared teacher is VERY obvious. Don’t just trust in your ability to wing it. That will be cringe-inducing for everyone involved. If you’re here, that’s a good sign… and we’ve compiled a list of both typical and not so typical questions that have been asked in online English teaching interviews before. 2. Make sure your demo is tried and tested. The likelihood is you’re going to have to perform a demo lesson and they will send you details for this in advance. Don’t wing it (bit of a theme there, but some things cannot be unseen!). Sure the content is easy, but you’re competing against a globe full of English teachers. Make sure you’ve planned and know what you’re going to say and how you’re going to explain things if the student doesn’t understand. Maybe get a friend to listen or practice in the mirror or even just deliver it to your dog. Don’t let the first time you deliver the lesson be in the interview. 3. Dress professionally and look presentable. As much as working from home is a roll-out-of-bed situation, it is with great sadness we have to say - try not to look like you just rolled out of bed. Put your best foot forward and pay attention to the details, wash your hair (maybe even style it!), and wear nice professional clothing (that would be deemed nice and professional in any country or context - shirts and blazers are a safe bet). Sign up to Teach Away today for access to the latest teaching jobs around the world. 4. Go above and beyond. If you’re asked for a teaching demo ? - make some props or visual aids. Don’t just do the basics. You’d probably going to have to critique your own performance, i.e. someone will ask you - how do you think that went? You want to be able to answer that you gave it your best and highlight some of the methods you used. E.g. So, I used the appropriate language, I was clear, I think my props worked in this particular situation… You do not want to have to say: well, it was all a bit rough around the edges, wasn’t it? 5. Read the instructions for your interview very carefully. Often times the pre-interview email can be lengthy. This is because the company wants you to be a good teacher and have given you all the information you could possibly need to prove that to them. Don’t just skim read. Make sure you hone in on any demo tips, etc. We’ve interviewed teachers who’ve paid so little attention to the email that they haven’t even prepared a demo . 6. Know your tech specs. They will ask and they might ask in a strange way, so find out things like your ISP (internet service provider), LAN speed (huh!? How fast your computer works, basically), device specs (laptops come in all shapes, sizes and capabilities - be specific), and the Windows operating system you’re using. 7. Power off your cell phone or put it in another room. Do we need to explain?! We hope not. Parting with your beloved device for half an hour will make you less distracted and prevent you doing something silly like...answering a text in an interview or taking another call. Yes, it has happened. And no, we haven’t gotten over the horror. 8. Find a quiet place to conduct the interview. No distractions and a closed door are essential to nailing an online interview of any sort. You don’t want your roommate wandering on screen and screaming “who ate my cheese?” while you’re trying to impress a recruiter. 9. Having proper lighting/framing for your interview. Spend a little time experimenting with your video mode. Make sure you’re looking well! The interviewer does not want a close up of your nose pores or any other miscellaneous body part . We have had some good teachers get denied because of poor video quality or dodgy lighting. Don’t sit in the shadows, make sure there’s plenty of natural light, or a lamp nearby so they can clearly see you and you don’t look like you’re auditioning for a starring role in The Godfather. 10. Use the device you plan to teach on As basic as this might seem, you want to use the device you will be teaching on because this gives them a good idea of what the student will see. When they start asking about device specs - you can also elaborate on the functionality of your chosen device by saying, “as you can see, I’m using it right now and the quality is great”. Note: do not say this if you’re suffering from technical issues - just try and reschedule. 11. Troubleshoot in advance and make sure all your equipment is working. Call some friends/relatives on Skype (or whatever video conferencing tool is being used) and get them to rate your call quality. They will easily be able to tell you if your connection is dodgy. You also want to have practiced using the software in advance, so you don’t have to ask for tips on how to start the call. Nothing says “pretending-to-be-tech-savvy” like not knowing how to answer a Skype call. You also don’t want their first impression of you to be - flapping arms, confused face and mouthing “CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?” 12. Use proper headphones and a microphone. Pop on a good pair of headphones at the very least. This will eliminate background noise and make you look serious about getting a role. Also, they’re not that expensive in this day and age and will make sure your sound quality is top notch. 13. Be prepared to teach an ESL student in your demo. Whether you’re delivering the class to an English speaker or not, you need to act as if they are your target audience. So ham it up if you’re teaching a 5 year old how to say the English names for fruit. Also, try to remember that they won’t understand simple phrases like “Do you understand?” and make sure your lesson reflects an understanding of their abilities, i.e. grade your language! 14. Use visuals, hand gestures and TPR methods in your demo. Basically, you’re an ESL teacher - so prove it! Don’t be shy and think about your demo in terms of your training. Get out those TEFL notes and make sure you use a little spark of creativity to get the lesson across. 15. Beware the backward whiteboard! This is an easy mistake to make! If you’re going to pedal out the whiteboard, check what it looks like in advance. Make sure that your camera is flipped the right way, so the letters aren't backward. 16. Show you care! There are times in life when nonchalance is required, this is not one of them. Most online interviewers will be on the look for animated, engaged, smiley and passionate teachers. Make sure your desire to teach is clear and to really show you care, prepare some of your own thoughtful questions in advance. Maybe ask about their current teachers, the types of students, sorts of lessons delivered, room for growth, etc. If you care, it won’t be hard to think of a bazillion things you’d like to know. Why not check out the 8 amazing companies you could be teaching with today The absolutely don’ts ! Note: All examples are here for a reason. This shizzle happens in real life. So if you really want to nail that interview, take a long hard look at these mistakes and make sure you’re not making them! Do not do the interview on your smartphone. Do not hold the camera under your chin giving everyone a front-seat view of your nostrils. Don't drive a car while conducting the interview. Do not have screaming kids, barking dogs, annoyed roommates, other occupants of a café in the background. Do not be in bed, on top of a bed, lying down, sprawled on a sofa. Do not make the call from under the bed covers… Do not blame the interview if you have technical issues. Just request a reschedule. Do not conduct the interview outdoors, in a shopping mall or a dark creepy corridor. Do not act reluctant, angry or just like the interview is an inconvenience. Do not have music playing in the background. Keep your Daft Punk obsession to yourself, Martha! And finally, the type of interview questions you can expect for teaching English online jobs Our top tip for preparing for an interview is to prepare the questions below so that you’re ready no matter what is thrown at you. Then get a friend to ask you them and practice answering them out loud in the presence of another human. If you’ve sat down and prepared, you are going to come across as a candidate who cares. The questions are pretty standard and you don’t need complicated answered. Honest, straightforward answers that reflect your passion for teaching English online will fit the bill. Try to stick to relevant work experience, specific rather than vague sentences and try to smile when you’re answering. They’re going to be looking to make sure you come across as friendly and personable. (Note: you most likely won’t get asked all of these questions, but you will most likely cover similar ground in any good interview for an online ESL teacher.) Introductory questions Can you Introduce yourself? Can you tell me about yourself? Where are you from? Can you tell us about your previous work experience? Why should we hire you? Do you have a day job? Do you work for any other online teaching companies right now? Where did you gain your proficiency in the English language? Do you have any experience working with children? Teaching demo follow-up questions How do you think you did? What would you improve about your teaching demo? Education-based questions What certifications or degrees do you have? Tell me about your most recent education? Do you have a degree? Do you have a TEFL certificate? Have you passed an IELTS or TOEFL exam? Company-based questions Do you have any questions about the company? Why do you want to work here? How did you head about the job? Why do you think you’d be a good choice for this position? Teaching online specific questions What do you think about teaching online? Do you have any questions about teaching online? How would you help a shy child in an online classroom? How would you deal with a difficult student in an online group class? Are you comfortable being silly on camera? Can you handle teaching both children and adults? Are you willing to attend training via Skype? General teaching experience questions Why do you want to become an English teacher? What’s your teaching experience? How many years of teaching experience do you have? With what age groups? Can you tell us a bit about your background in education? What is your greatest strength as a teacher? What is the most important thing a teacher must do? Can you describe your teaching style? What are the differences between teaching children and adults? How much experience do you have teaching ESL? Have you ever taught Chinese/Korean/Spanish students before? Availability questions What time would you prefer to teach (morning, afternoon, evening)? How many hours can you commit to a month? Random questions that might trip you up Can you explain the difference between Good and Excellent? What do you consider as your greatest achievement? How would you present differently for age 5 and say age 12? What makes a good teacher? How do you explain something to a kid who is a beginning English learner and might not understand most of what you say? Technology-related questions Do you have a LAN connection? What type of internet connection do you have? What is the name of your ISP? What Windows OS are you using? Can you tell us about your current internet plan? What type of computer do you have?

What Could Your Kids Gain (or Lose) This Summer

What Could Your Kids Gain (or Lose) This Summer What Could Your Kids Gain (or Lose) This Summer? For most kids, the end of the school year evokes images of sun-filled days at the pool, adventurous family vacations, no alarm clocks and extended bedtimes. However, water parks and playgrounds may not be  the only  places  your children  experience  a “slide”  this summer. Whether you call it the “summer slide” or “brain drain,” children often fall behind without any academic learning during the summer months. While summer is a great time for kids to  relax  and have fun, studies show kids can lose up to two months of their knowledge and skills between school grades, and spend six weeks relearning in the fall. Just imagine your children  forgetting everything  they’ve  learned in April and May by the time school begins. The infographic below  compares the gains and losses kids may experience over the summer. (View Full Sized Image) It’s important to remember the brain is like any other muscle and needs a regular dose of exercise to stay strong. The great news is that there’s plenty of time in the summer for fun and learning.  Kids that continue learning throughout the summer  have an academic advantage that can catapult them into the  new school year.     You might also be interested in: Four Easy Ways to Make Summer Break Fun and Educational How to Teach Your Kids About the Stars This Summer Soar Past the Summer Slide with Kumon’s Summer Learning Roundup Fun and Easy Tips to Keep Kids Learning during the Holiday Season What Could Your Kids Gain (or Lose) This Summer What Could Your Kids Gain (or Lose) This Summer? For most kids, the end of the school year evokes images of sun-filled days at the pool, adventurous family vacations, no alarm clocks and extended bedtimes. However, water parks and playgrounds may not be  the only  places  your children  experience  a “slide”  this summer. Whether you call it the “summer slide” or “brain drain,” children often fall behind without any academic learning during the summer months. While summer is a great time for kids to  relax  and have fun, studies show kids can lose up to two months of their knowledge and skills between school grades, and spend six weeks relearning in the fall. Just imagine your children  forgetting everything  they’ve  learned in April and May by the time school begins. The infographic below  compares the gains and losses kids may experience over the summer. (View Full Sized Image) It’s important to remember the brain is like any other muscle and needs a regular dose of exercise to stay strong. The great news is that there’s plenty of time in the summer for fun and learning.  Kids that continue learning throughout the summer  have an academic advantage that can catapult them into the  new school year.     You might also be interested in: Four Easy Ways to Make Summer Break Fun and Educational How to Teach Your Kids About the Stars This Summer Soar Past the Summer Slide with Kumon’s Summer Learning Roundup Fun and Easy Tips to Keep Kids Learning during the Holiday Season