Vocal Health The Important Tip That Will Save Your Voice

Vocal Health The Important Tip That Will Save Your Voice Suzy S. Lots of rehearsals coming up? Feeling under the weather? In this article, singing teacher  Elaina R.  shares an important vocal health tip that can save your voice!   The tenor in my professional vocal quintet is named Mark. It’s a perfectly good name, but for a singer it can be frustrating. Nearly every day someone announces that they are going to “mark,” and poor Mark gets confused. Sometimes even Mark has to mark. What the heck am I talking about? Marking is an important skill that every singer, amateur or professional, must learn in order to stay healthy. Learning about this vocal health tip  (and how to do it properly) can save you from a whole host of problems, including vocal fatigue and injury. And if your name is Mark, I apologize in advance for any confusion this may cause. What Is Marking and When Should I Do It? Marking is a type of modified singing meant to minimize strain on the voice. It limits volume and range while maintaining rhythm and pitch accuracy. Most importantly, marking is a tool you can use to avoid getting vocally tired and hurting yourself during vocal rehearsals of any kind. This includes rehearsals for choir, musicals, operas, show choir, a cappella, even personal rehearsal time. Marking comes in handy when: You have to sing the same taxing thing over and over.  This can happen: For the benefit of collaborators (e.g. piano accompanists, orchestra, other singers) When learning new music, either with others or on your own. There’s no reason to sing a vocally difficult passage forte  10  times just to learn it. You are feeling vocal fatigue (pain or discomfort in the throat, difficulty getting a clear vocal sound, general feeling of strain) You are vocally compromised by allergies or illness (maybe you are getting over a cold and don’t want to overdo it) A quick note on marking in rehearsal: be sure to let your conductor, director, and/or pianist know that you will be marking beforehand. Marking is completely acceptable to any conductor or accompanist (in fact, it shows how mature you are!), but if you don’t let people know, they might be confused as to why you sound different than usual. How to Mark There are two main ways that singers mark. However, before we get to how to mark, let me give a little disclaimer. Marking can be just as tiring, if not MORE tiring, than singing in full voice if you don’t do it properly. You may think you’re taking it easy, but you still have to think about breath, resonance, and tension in the same ways you would if you were singing in full voice. Otherwise, you could hurt yourself while marking, which completely negates the purpose of  this vocal health tip! Got it? OK, good. Moving on to the two main types of marking. Sing quieter. When marking, singers often eliminate dynamics in favor of a comfortable piano. This often involves switching vocal registration (head voice instead of high chest voice, for example). The result is a lighter, easier sound than full voice singing. Not sure what this means? Refresh your knowledge of  vocal registers. Eliminate range extremes. When marking, singers avoid high notes by transposing them down an octave. For example, if I was marking and I had an E6 in my music, I would sing an E5 or E4 instead. Mark Away The next time you are feeling vocally strained while trying to learn new music or while in a rehearsal, remember this vocal health tip. When done properly, marking  helps protect your voice from fatigue and injury, ensuring that you’ll sound great when performance time comes around. Your musical collaborators, your voice teacher, and your vocal cords will all appreciate that! Post Author:  Elaina R. Elaina R. teaches opera voice and singing in Ypsilanti, MI, as well as through online lessons. She received her Master of Music from  the University of Michigan, and she has a B.M. from the University of Southern California. Learn more about Elaina here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher

Nigella Lawson The Domestic Goddess

Nigella Lawson The Domestic Goddess Nigella Lawson: A Sensual Cooking Icon ChaptersEducation And Early CareerPersonal LifeLearning How to CookFood Writing SuccessMore About The Domestic Goddess' CharacterHow You Can Be Like NigellaNigella's RecipesMore UK Chefs Worth Reading AboutNigella Lawson is a female chef and author who has earned the reputation of being a sensuous icon in the kitchen, with her hidden innuendos and her very apparent love for ingredients.If you have watched any of Nigella's TV programmes, whereby she seductively makes her way around her home kitchen, then you too will know how she got to be known in this way.This is certainly no bad thing. It is her intensity and passion that has been her recipe for success over the years, and unsurprisingly they keep on asking for more!While a very classy lady, Nigella's cooking is not fine dining cuisine and is uncomplicated. There is something about how she guides you along the way with her soothing voice that makes her incredibly entertaining to watch.Keep reading to find out more information on th is domestic goddess,  her recipes, how she came to make TV appearances and what she does when she's not cooking!Take cooking classes here now.Nigella's most famous book release was How To Be A Domestic Goddess. Photo credit: Disney | ABC Television Group on VisualHunt.com GiovanniCooking Teacher 4.83 (12) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HalimaCooking Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HakimCooking Teacher 5.00 (5) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors VincenzoCooking Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GinellaCooking Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ArronCooking Teacher 5.00 (2) £9/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JoshuaCooking Teacher 5.00 (5) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FlickCooking Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsEducation And Early CareerLawson was born in London, England, in 1960. Her father was a politician in Margaret Thatcher's cabinet whilst her mother was part of the Lyons Coffee House clan. Nigella studied at the prestigious Oxford University, with no intentions at the time to pursue a career in the culinary arts. Instead, she took a degree in medieval and modern languages.Perhaps it is because she looks so glamorous, or because she didn't enter the world of food until an older age, Nigella Lawson manages to still seem like a young chef whilst also managing to have been around on our screens for a fairly long time! Can she really be nearing the big 6-0?Lawson made a career for herself in the publishing industry during the 1980s, thanks to her love for books, and was deputy literary editor of The Sunday Times before turning freelance and taking her hand to writing.It was not until the mid-80s that Nigella developed a passion for cooking (a passion that resulted from working as The Spectator magazine's restaurant critic) and it was only then that she began to write about cuisine, later becoming food editor at Vo gue.Nigella was once the food editor at Vogue magazine. Photo credit: HousingWorksPhotos on Visualhunt.comPersonal LifeLawson met her first husband, journalist John Diamond, whilst working for The Sunday Times, where he too was a member of staff. They married and had had two children, a son and a daughter.Diamond later suffered from throat cancer and died in 2001, leaving behind his family and causing Lawson to plummet into a bout of depression.Nigella later remarried, to art collector Charles Saatchi, in 2003. Whilst they had a famously turbulent relationship, the pair remained a couple for ten years before ending their marriage.Lawson is a supporter of the Lavender Trust, a charity that gives support to young women suffering from breast cancer.Her late husband was not the only loss that Nigella has been subjected to during her life. Nigella's mother and sister both died from cancer as well, which is why she has such strong feelings towards charities helping cancer patients.Learnin g How to CookWhile Lawson doesn't have a collection of Michelin stars to her name like some other chefs in my list of top UK chefs, she did find ways to become the star of her very own shows, notably At My Table.She hosted the shows Nigella Feasts and Nigella Express, among others, in collaboration with the Food Network too and continues to grace our screens to this day, teaching the nation how to bake  in her own unique way. Another show that US audiences will be familiar with is Nigella Bites.You, too, can learn how to cook by looking for cooking courses London. GiovanniCooking Teacher 4.83 (12) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HalimaCooking Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HakimCooking Teacher 5.00 (5) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors VincenzoCooking Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GinellaCooking Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ArronCooking Teacher 5.00 (2) £9/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JoshuaCooking Teacher 5.00 (5) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FlickCooking Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsFood Writing SuccessNigella published her first cookbook in 1998, titled How to Eat: The Pleasures and Principles of Good Food,  with simple and delicious ingredients and later followed this up with How to Be a Domestic Goddess: Baking and the Art of Comfort Cooking (for which she received an award at the British Book Awards), Feast: Food to Celebrate Life and Nigella Kitchen: Recipes From the Heart of the Home.Lawson hasn't just found literary success in the UK, she's sold millions of copies of her books worldwide.Feast is one of Nigella's cookbooks. Photo credit: chatirygirl on Visualhunt.comMore About The Domestic Goddess' CharacterFor the most part, it is not Nigella Lawson's culinary delights that wow us, it is her approach to cuisine that we can't seem to get enough of. It is refreshing to see someone cook rela tively basic dishes but take such enjoyment in the process of preparing and eating it. Her kitchen is warm and inviting, unlike some of the clinical TV sets that you see on many cookery shows.Moreover, her elegance, beauty and warmth radiate through our screens. If Nigella tells you do something in order to be a domestic goddess, you do it. This is because we bow down to her and continue to be in awe of her hypnotic sensuousness!How You Can Be Like NigellaIf you haven't already, then you must read Lawson's  How to Be a Domestic Goddess: Baking and the Art of Comfort Cooking. Aside from being a great read, it gives you an idea of what Nigella is like, her interests and passions, and plenty of feel good recipes and sweet treats included.As if it isn't bad enough that we want to be like Nigella, we also want everything in her kitchen! Thankfully, we now can buy Nigella's cookware.Good Housekeeping couldn't help but notice that so many viewers were all raving about Nigella's kitchenware and therefore tracked down the stylish items that the chef keeps in her kitchen.But if you don't have the salary to match Nigella's class and expensive taste, then they also offer some alternatives. The list includes Nigella's stripey pasta bowls, rose gold cutlery, Le Creuset casserole dishes, see-through toaster, letter mug and bundt tins.Nigella has brought out her very own lines of products, which are available to purchase on her website www.nigella.com - but they are not what you think they are.Products on the site include stationery (namely notebooks) and gift wrap items (including wrapping paper and gift boxes). The artwork for the two lines has been developed from that used on the cover of the The Domestic Goddess book, to help create a sumptuous package.Cook Like NigellaWhile Nigella isn't involved in any cooking masterclasses for novices, neither has she opened up a culinary school at which intermediate chefs can develop their range of skills, she does have a wonderful we bsite that shares some of her best and favourite recipes for all to see.The list of recipes includes some vegetarian, some vegan and many more traditional dishes incorporating fish, poultry, beef, pork, lamb and game.Furthermore, her baking section lists a range of succulent and mouth-watering puddings for you to try and impress your guests with at home.Nigella is always cooking for her friends, and loves to be sat around the dining table eating delicious food, drinking sumptuous wines and laughing and making memories. With her help, you too can find ways to love life through sharing food.Nigella's RecipesFurthermore, you can learn to cook like Nigella by finding a range of her delicious recipes, including dinner recipes, side dishes, as well as ideas for snacks, lunch, brunch and drinks, online. The BBC Good Food site alone lists the following recipes by Nigella Lawson:Herbed leg of lamb, Golden egg curry, Asian-braised shin of beef with hot and sour shredded salad, Pork loin with Parma ham and oregano, Thai noodles with cinnamon and prawns, Old rag pie, Roast squash and sweet potato soup with buttermilk blue cheese sauce, Beef and aubergine fatteh, Radicchio, chestnut and blue cheese salad with a citrus, mustard and honey dressing, Breakfast bars, Turkish eggs, Parmesan French toast, Waffles, Egg tortilla pie, Parmesan shortbreads, Halloumi with quick sweet chilli sauce, Baby aubergines with oregano and red onions, Squid and prawns with chilli and marjoram, Devilled eggs, Maple-roast parsnips, Sweet and sour slaw, Potato and pepper bake, Tuscan fries, White chocolate cheesecake, Italian Christmas pudding cake, Queen of puddings, Sunken chocolate amaretto cake with crumbled amaretti cream, Sticky toffee pudding, Rocky road crunch bars, Emergency brownies, Ginger and walnut carrot cake, Lemon tendercake with blueberry compôte, Forgotten cookies, Cranberry-studded mincemeat, Bread sauce, Pomegranate Christmas cocktail and Christmas Martini.What a list!More UK Chefs Worth Reading AboutNigella is not the only UK-born and bred chef who has influenced the nation.To find out which other UK cooks have made it into my selection of top British chefs, take a look at the blogs below:  Mary Berry,  Jamie Oliver,  Gordon Ramsay

French Grammar Rules Conjugating Verbs in Le Futur Tense

French Grammar Rules Conjugating Verbs in Le Futur Tense Suzy S. French verbs come in many tenses. Lucky for you, French tutor  Carol Beth L.  is back with a lesson on conjugating verbs in the future tense So you know how to conjugate regular verbs and some irregular verbs in le présent. You are also familiar with the passé composé, and maybe even the imparfait. But when youre speaking French, you dont just need to talk about what you did yesterday and today. You also need to talk about what you will do tomorrow! Among French verb tenses, le futur best fits the description. The formation of le futur is relatively straightforward for all three major categories of regular verbs. The same set of endings can be applied consistently across the board: Je  ____-ai Tu  ____-as Il, elle, on  ____-a Nous  ____-ez Vous  ____-ons Ils, elles  ____-ont For regular -er and -ir verbs, take the entire infinitive form of the verb (the same form youll typically find in a dictionary), and add the appropriate ending. Le futur of manger (to eat) Je mangerai Tu mangeras Il/elle/on mangera Nous mangerons Vous mangerez Ils/elles mangeront Le futur of finir (to finish) Je finirai Tu finiras Il/elle/on finira Nous finirons Vous finirez Ils/elles finiront Once the appropriate ending is added, place the correct form of the verb in context. Je finirai mes devoirs ce soir. I will finish my homework tonight. À partir de demain, je mangerai plus de fruits et de legumes frais. Starting tomorrow, I will eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. For regular -re verbs, remove the final -e and add the same endings above listed above. Le futur of rendre (to return) Je rendrai Tu rendras Il/elle/on rendra Nous rendrons Vous rendrez Ils/elles rendront One advantage of using the future tense with -re verbs is that many of the irregular -re verbs act regular in the future tense. This includes mettre (to put or place), croire (to believe), boire (to drink), and connaître (to know or be familiar with). Once you have determined the verbal form to use in the future, like the previous forms, insert it into your sentence: Tu rendras ton livre a la bibliothèque demain? You will return your book to the library tomorrow? Many irregular verbs have irregular roots in le futur. A few of the most common include: aller ? ir- être ? ser- avoir ? aur- faire ? fer- savoir ? saur- venir ? viendr- revenir ? reviendr- tenir ? tiendr- voir ? verr- revoir ? reverr- devoir ? devr- In context, you might say (or hear someone else say): Cet été, nous serons des étudiants parfaits! This summer, we will be perfect students! Vous aurez froid sans manteau. You will be cold without a jacket. Ils reviendront bientôt. They will come back soon. As a side note, in English, we can also express future events by using the verb “to go.” For example, you might hear someone say, “Im going to do my homework later tonight.” This format works as an alternate future form in French, as well. Simply conjugate the verb aller in the present tense, and then add linfinitif of the verb you need to put into the future. Je vais voir un film ce weekend. Im going to see a movie this weekend. On va étudier ensemble demain. We are going to study together this weekend. This is a relatively simple format to incorporate when speaking, because it is so similar to English â€" for many people, even easier than adding the futur endings. However,  le futur is relatively simple, too; and with the complexities of some French verbs, it is a very useful addition to your linguistic toolbox! Carol Beth L. teaches  French lessons in San Francisco, CA. She has her Masters in French language education from the Sorbonne University in Paris and has been teaching since 2009.  Learn more about Carol Beth here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo by  Elliot Gilfix

Learn to Speak Italian with Ease

Learn to Speak Italian with Ease Italian Lessons: How Can You Learn Italian Easily? ChaptersHow Can You Learn Italian Easily and quickly? A Choice for the Future!Easy Italian: Where Can You Learn Italian in the UK?Speaking Italian When You Already Speak EnglishLearning Italian as a Second Language at SchoolIs Italian an Easy Language to Learn? Films Can Help!Easy Italian: Learning the Language with TVLearn Italian with CartoonsReading in Italian. It Can Be Easier than You Think!Learn Italian with Italian Music!How Can You Learn Italian On-line?The UK and Italy have more in common than you might think. For one, you can find plenty of Roman ruins in both countries. There are also few friendly sporting rivalries between the two countries when it comes to football and rugby.There are around an estimated 200,000 people who speak Italian as their mother tongue in the UK and around 30,000 British nationals live in Italy. Somewhere between 4 and 5 million Brits visit Italy every year and around 1 million Italians come to the UK.There are also plenty of words in both Italian and English that share a common history which can help make learning Italian that bit simpler.When you learn a language, it’s rarely easy in the beginning. However, there are a few tips and tricks that can help you quickly improve your level in Italian.If you’re interested, we have a few of them in this article.Most students tend to ask the same set of questions:How can you learn an Italian accent?How can you learn Italian quickly and easily?How can you learn Italian quickly and easily?How can you learn basic Italian?How can you learn Italian quickly and remember it in years to come?How can you translate Italian?How can you buy from Italian websites?How can you learn to speak Italian for free?Which are the best Italian courses? DanielaItalian Teacher 5.00 (9) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LuciaItalian Teacher 5.00 (4) £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarilùItalian Teacher 5.00 (8) £22/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarcoItalian Teache r £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AntonellaItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £14/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GiusyItalian Teacher 5.00 (3) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EnricoItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FedericaItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsHow Can You Learn Italian Easily and quickly? A Choice for the Future!Guidance counsellors, head teachers, and teachers will all tell you how valuable learning a language like Chinese, Russian, or Spanish will be in the future and they’re not wrong. Language learning is really important! However, there are also so many people starting to take up these languages that when they master them, there’ll be tonnes of people who speak them.Make a list of your goals for learning Italian. (Source: pixabay.com)Why not look a little closer to home than Russia and China and focus on Italian?  While it’s not the foreign language every one’s talking about, it could be a lucrative choice for the future!  Sceptical?We understand. Italy was hit hard by the recession, after all.  Its unemployment rate still remains one of the highest in Europe. However, it’s also the Eurozone’s 3rd-largest national economy.While everyone talks about Germany and France, you can’t overlook Italy. There are a lot of fields in which Italy excels including:BankingFashionLuxury goodsTourismAgricultureCateringDesignAs we said earlier, millions of Brits visit Italy every year. With nearly 5 million British nationals going a year, Italy remains a popular destination. Most Italians visit London in the UK.With this massive cultural exchange taking place on a daily basis, you can start to see why learning the Italian language could be a huge advantage.Businesses are looking for employees who can speak foreign languages beyond a few words and phrases and Italian is one of the lesser-known languages in demand.Easy Italian: Where Can You Lea rn Italian in the UK?Where can you easily learn Italian in the UK?  This is an important question to consider if you want to start talking Italian today.You probably won’t be surprised that most “Britalians” can be found in the capital. However, other cities with large Italian populations include Manchester, Bedford, and Glasgow. These are probably the best places to find a native tutor. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t any Italians anywhere else in the country.There are also decent numbers of Italians in Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Southampton, and Newcastle.Of course, Italy is the best place to learn Italian. (Source: pixabay.com)That doesn’t mean if you live in a village with no Italians that you can’t learn Italian. In fact, there are plenty of Italian tutors and Italian night classes available up and down the country. Don't forget that in this day and age, you can also learn Italian online. There are plenty of online resources for anyone interested in lea rning a new language.If you’re living in a small village, you could always consider taking to the Internet and finding a webcam tutor who can teach you Italian over Skype.While Italian tutorials and courses aren’t as commonplace as languages like Spanish and Chinese, that doesn’t mean they’re impossible to find. You just need to know where to look for them.If you live in a university town, you can contact language departments at the university who will either offer their own courses or maybe put you in contact with a qualified tutor.This type of teaching is usually more academic than a coffee and a chat and will also probably cost you more, too.Private tutorials through platforms like Superprof are the first places you should check if you’re happy to pay for your tutorials. You can find both qualified and native tutors near you or on-line.As you can see, there’s a solution for everyone, no matter where you are in the UK.Speaking Italian When You Already Speak EnglishIt†™s human nature to want to learn something as quickly as possible with the least amount of effort. However, don’t run before you can walk.Italian can be tricky, despite how much of its vocabulary shares common ancestors with English vocabulary. Conjugations can be a pain, for example. Get ready for verb tables!With that said, it is possible to make learning Italian for beginners easier.  As we said before, the vocabulary shares similar roots.If you listen to certain Italian words, you can probably guess what they mean.  This means that nobody really starts learning Italian from scratch.You’ve already a rudimentary understanding of the roots of a large number of Italian words.Italian food has given English a lot of words. (Source: pixabay.com)The pronunciation can be a bit tricky at first. The letter “c” sometimes being pronounced like “ch” and the letter “g” being pronounced like “j”, for example. However, most of the other letters won’t hold too many surprises .There are also tonnes of Italian words in English that are commonly used.paparazzia cappellaciaograffitighettoal dentebravofiascoYou see? There are a number of Italian words you already knew! Then you just need to learn a few basic phrases: “Buongiorno” (Hello), “Buona sera” (Good evening), “Grazie Mille” (Thank you very much), “Prego” (You’re welcome), “Per favore” (Please), “Tutto va bene” (Everything’s fine), “Basta!” (Enough!), “Arrivederci” (Goodbye), etc.Once you’ve got these down, you’re ready to start really learning Italian!Learning Italian as a Second Language at SchoolWith foreign languages no longer compulsory at GCSE, there has been a drop in students taking them. However, this could be to your benefit as you’ll be more highly sought after if you take Italian lessons at school.There are even fewer students taking languages at A Level and as a degree. Nowadays, a large number of students taking a language A Level are those who a lready speak the language as their mother tongue.Spanish is the only language in the UK that has seen more students taking it as a subject. Fewer students are studying French and German as well.  For one, if you choose to take Italian, you’ll definitely be in a small class.  This means your teacher can focus more on you and you can get the most out of every class.Furthermore, the British Council rates Italian more important for Britain’s future than Russian. DanielaItalian Teacher 5.00 (9) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LuciaItalian Teacher 5.00 (4) £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarilùItalian Teacher 5.00 (8) £22/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarcoItalian Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AntonellaItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £14/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GiusyItalian Teacher 5.00 (3) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EnricoItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FedericaItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsIs Italian an Easy Language to Learn? Films Can Help!La Dolce VitaFederico Fellini’s masterpiece is considered one of Italian cinema’s most important works. It follows Marcello Rubini’s quest for happiness in Rome and is great for students learning Italian.There are plenty of recognisable Italian landmarks in film. (Source: pixabay.com)In fact, the film covers his long journey through the Italian capital, showing off the city’s beautiful architecture in the process.This film was so successful for Italian cinema that Rome earned the nickname “Hollywood on the Tiber”.Why not learn Italian and discover Italian cinematic culture, too?GomorrahThe 2008 film directed by Matteo Garrone covers the story of 6 people involved in organised crime. It won the Canne Film Festival’s Grand Prix du Jury and was made into a TV series in 2014.Gomorrah is one of the most important Italian films and recei ved favourable reviews as well as doing well at the box office. Italian students can also learn more about the aesthetics of Italian cinema as well as some of the expressions used in modern Italian.It’s worth a watch before you go to Italy!Easy Italian: Learning the Language with TVCorleoneCorleone is a biographical series that covers the life of Salvatore Riina, better known as Toto Riina, who was a member of the Sicilian Mafia.Viewers can relive the adventures of Toto Riina including his arrest by the Italian police while also taking in the beautiful sights of Sicily.Italy is a beautiful backdrop for visual media. (Source: pixabay.com)Corleone is especially important for anyone going to Sicily since the show takes place in Sicilian, the language spoken in and around Sicily.Having a knowledge of the minority languages in Italy would look great on your CV, wouldn’t it?I CesaroniI Cesaroni is an Italian series that came out in 2006 starring Claudio Amendola and Elena Sofia Ricci. The series was inspired by the Spanish show Los Serrano. You can follow the woes of Giulio and Lucia, two lovers who end up living together and bringing their children with them.The series was hugely successful in Italy. It takes place in the Garbatella area of Rome. Learners of Italian can learn more about everyday Italian life as well as Italian used at home.Learn Italian with CartoonsPinocchioEveryone knows the story of Pinocchio, the puppet who wanted to be a real boy, thanks to the famous Disney adaptation.However, Enzo Alo, the director of the Italian version, didn't like the Hollywood version so he later retold Carlo Collodi's classic story.Pinocchio is one of the most famous pieces of Italian literature. (Source: pixabay.com)This version of Pinocchio takes place in Tuscany. The colours used in the film are incredibly vivid and reminiscent of the Italian Comedia dell’Arte style.It’s the perfect film for children learning Italian.Geronimo StiltonThe 2009 series was based o n the children’s stories written by Elisabetta Dami. The hero, Geronimo Stilton, is a talking mouse and the editor of The Rodent’s Gazette. While Geronimo is a journalist first and foremost, his real passion is writing stories and Italian cuisine.While the series was never aired on British TV, the DVDs are available. Of course, it’s better to watch this show in Italian rather than watch the English dubs.The cartoon is highly recommended for young children learning Italian.Reading in Italian. It Can Be Easier than You Think!The Name of the RoseYou have to read Umberto Eco’s 1980 novel.The book, which was later made into a film by Jean-Jacques Annaud, is a historical murder mystery set in an Italian monastery. The story takes place in the 14th century making the book rather unique in terms of European literature.Reading this novel is particularly useful as you can learn about Italian history and theology in addition to learning more about the language. However, you’ll need a decent level of Italian to read the book in its entirety.  The Name of the Rose is great for those wanting to perfect their Italian while learning more about the culture.Neapolitan NovelsSince coming out in 2012, the Neapolitan Novels series has been hugely successful. The stories take place at the end of the 1940s and follows the growing friendship of Elena and Lila as they try to create lives for themselves following the Second World War.The series is even more interesting considering the author has kept their identity a secret. This series is useful for those learning Italian since it also shows us the city of Naples during the post-war boom in the second half of the 21st century.Learn Italian with Italian Music!Who doesn’t love music?Thanks to the country’s Gregorian heritage and the folklore of the Mediterranean coast, Italian music has always reached beyond its borders.Listening to traditional Italian music can help you learn more about Italian culture. You can also disco ver instruments you never knew existed like the chitarra battente, organetto, and pandero.Classical Italian music is also very popular with the piano being the instrument of choice for many composers.The piano was invented in Italy. (Source: pixabay.com)However, you won’t learn much Italian from Vivaldi or Corelli!If you want to learn Italian quickly, you should focus on songs whose lyrics will help you improve your comprehension and pronunciation. You should actively listen to songs rather than just putting them on in the background. The goal isn’t to learn about the music itself but rather listen closely to the Italian nouns, adjectives, verbs, and structures used in the lyrics.Here are a few songs that you should listen to if you’d like to improve your Italian:Vivo per leiVia con meTi amoLa gattaLa donna ricciaParlami d’amore MariùBesame muchoTintarella di lunaNon partirPer teNo jazzThe French artist Hélène Ségara also brought out the album Amaretti in 2016 of covers of Italian songs.You should also read the lyrics and their translations if you’d like to learn more Italian. You can start to learn new vocabulary on your own. By regularly listening to Italian music, it’ll be easier to speak Italian, work in Italy, or study in Italy.So why not learn Italian by listening to some of the country’s biggest artists?How Can You Learn Italian On-line?There’s more to learning a language than the traditional methods you often think of: private tutorials or lessons in school. There are other methods that are also very effective.How Can You Learn Italian On-line? That’s a very good question to be asking in the digital age. There are a lot of specialised websites and apps dedicated to learning Italian. Speaking Italian thanks to the Internet has never been so simple...You can even benefit from these on-line resources if you’re studying Italian at school or with a private tutor.You can learn Italian with just a few clicks!You can't explore Italy on the internet, though. (Source: pixabay.com)There are plenty of great sites to discover and, most importantly, a number of them are completely free!There’s no need to put aside some extra cash for some of these on-line Italian lessons.Here are a few specialised sites for learning Italian that we think are useful, effective, and fun:BBC ItalianLoecsenOne World ItalianoThese websites offer courses for a range of different levels! If you’re just starting out, you can still use these sites.With all these fun exercises, sound clips for practising pronunciation, and basic grammar activities, you’ll have the basics down.Italian lessons online are a very affordable solution for those wanting to learn Italian on a budget.Apps for Learning Italian on Your SmartphoneIf you’re set on learning Italian, it would be foolish not to make use of your smartphone.Whether you’re using iOS or Android, there are plenty of free apps for both platforms! There are also plenty of apps that have been made to help make learning Italian more fun.Whether speaking, writing, listening, or reading, there are games, quizzes, and Italian lesson apps available like:BabbelNemoLearn Italian Vocabulary - 6,000 WordsImmerse Yourself in ItalianThe best way to learn Italian is immersion. After you’ve taken Italian tutorials, discovered the language and mastered the basics, why not immerse yourself in the language? You could even head off to Rome!There are so many amazing things in Italy! It’s home to so many wonders. Did you know that according to UNESCO, Italy is home to 60% of Europe’s cultural heritage sites and 40% of the world’s.That’s a lot! And it’s only a few hours on the plane!You still have time to head to Italy without getting a visa. There’s currently no limit to how long you can stay. Soon you’ll see that immersion is the quickest way to learn a language.By immersing yourself every day in the language, you’ll notice how quickly your Italian’s improving. Whether at work, out with friends, or chatting to your flatmates, you’ll see there are plenty of opportunities to practise the language any day of the week.In short, you can learn Italian quickly and easily. Why not hire a private tutor to help you cover the basics:Italian teacher LondonItalian teacher GlasgowItalian teacher Leeds

Reflections of an Anatomy Instructor

Reflections of an Anatomy Instructor The following piece was written by Ben Gubar. Ben is a New Jersey tutor for Varsity Tutors as well as a professor for Richard Stockton College. Mark Twain once said: The more you explain it, the more I dont understand it. In my opinion, this is the bane of every instructors existence. When I first started teaching at Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, I would hear variations of this quote from my students. My biggest job was not to impart the knowledge to the students, which is what every professor must do, but rather to impart it in such a way that students wouldnt become confused. One could say that is a big order for someone who teaches Anatomy and Physiology. As I pored over various anatomy books, I remembered what the course was like for me: thousands of unrelated facts, illustrations, and strange names. The best analogy I can use is to liken it to climbing Mount Everest barefoot and blindfolded. I thought of how I could bring facts, illustrations and names together into something that any student, of any level could understand. You see, I had freshmen that had never taken a college course, to seniors who were ready to graduate but needed an Anatomy course to enter graduate programs in allied health fields. After reviewing the material for several weeks, I decided upon a paradigm shift. In speaking with students and educators, the two most important traits of successful educators are the ability to relate material to students experiences, and to keep things light. To some, these tasks may seem easy, but at the time, they were Herculean to me. How many students today are exposed to some form of forensic exercise in the media? All of those television shows with alphabet names: C.S.I. and S.V.U. Not to mention all of the forensic shows on TruTV, ID, Discovery, Biography and so many other channels. As a forensic examiner, I began to use these tools to teach Anatomy. Many of our class discussions revolve around both clinical situations as well as the use of forensic medicine to illustrate both the anatomy and physiology of the human body. These are things that my students can relate to personally, or have seen in the media. Finally, the last piece of the learning puzzle was to prevent the formation of an adversarial relationship between the instructor and the students. Too many instructors see their interactions as us versus them. There is an easy way to break down this barrier. I term this partners in learning. My students understand that, as well as an instructor, Im their partner in making their learning easier and more valuable. This can be done by the use of various methods. Firstly, by making myself available to my students. When one perceives their instructor as approachable and available, then they are more willing to ask for help. I set aside specific hours during the week for tutoring face-to-face, via college chat sessions, or Skype. I also make time on a daily basis to check my college email account to field questions that need immediate attention. Students learn by employing various methods. They can be visual learners, auditory learners, kinesthetic learners, or any combination of the three. A cursory search of the web reveals the materials necessary to adjust teaching techniques to any type of learner. By the use of available video presentations (instructional and entertainment related), or other materials such as mind mapping, mnemonics, and charts, an understanding of seemingly unrelated facts can be combined into a coherent group. Suddenly, Anatomy and Physiology is not such a mystery, and former concepts can be used to learn new ideas. Since employing this paradigm shift, my former students have reported higher levels of retention and even stated that they now enjoy learning. For my students past and present, who are pursuing an allied health career path, learning must be a life-long pursuit. New information necessary for successfully treating patients increases exponentially, almost on a daily basis. To me, it starts with a good basis in Anatomy and Physiology. Check out Bens tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Five Tips for Teaching Your Child Perseverance

Five Tips for Teaching Your Child Perseverance Parents work hard to raise children who are responsible and conscientious students, but what other qualities are important? Co-Founder and CEO, Eileen Huntington of Huntington Learning Center says that perseverance is one of the most essential traits of high-achieving students. All parents want their children to put sincere effort into school and other endeavors, but what they sometimes forget to keep in mind is that there is so much to be learned from encountering difficult times and working through them, she says. The strongest students out there have this in common: they know that success takes hard work. How can you teach your child to persevere, even when things are challenging? Huntington offers five tips: Teach your child that learning never stops. Learning is an active, lifelong journey. Remind your child that he or she always has something new to learn and that consistent practiceof homework or any skillleads to improvement. Embrace the failures. Its absolutely critical that you allow your child to attempt homework and projects independently and let him or her work through struggles and manage frustrations without helicoptering. Stepping in to fix your childs problems robs your child the opportunity to learn from mistakes. Instead, talk with your child about trying new strategies when one failed approach doesnt work. Celebrate the effort. Yes, high grades are great, but your job as a parent is to teach your child that persistence leads to accomplishments. Make it clear to your child that what you value most is diligence in school and a good attitude, regardless of any outcome. Encourage your child to try something new. There are so many great lessons your child can learn from regularly taking on new challenges, despite the unknown outcomes. Whether your child decides to try a new activity or tackle a project on a challenging subject, let him or her know that some of the best things in life come from learning new skills and pushing oneself outside the comfort zone. Talk about the importance of sticking with it. Your child should set goals and define the steps to reach those goalswhile keeping in mind that he or she will encounter road blocks sometimes. When it comes to school, that means giving homework and studying his or her very best and recognizing that part of learning requires grit when things arent easy. Last and certainly not least, Huntington reminds parents that their attitude about school perseverance has a tremendous influence on their children. Share stories of times that you tried, faced rejection or failure, and learned in the process, she says. Parents should let their children know that their success in life will be directly tied to their belief that good things come to those who apply themselves and fight through adversity. Huntington at 1 800 CAN LEARN to learn about how we help develop children into determined lifelong learners. About Huntington Huntington is the tutoring and test prep leader.Its certified tutors provide individualized instruction in reading, phonics, writing, study skills, elementary and middle school math, Algebra through Calculus, Chemistry, and other sciences. It preps for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington programs develop the skills, confidence, and motivation to help students succeed and meet the needs of Common Core State Standards. Founded in 1977, Huntingtons mission is to give every student the best education possible. Learn how Huntington can help at www.huntingtonhelps.com. For franchise opportunities please visit www.huntingtonfranchise.com. 2018 Huntington Mark, LLC. Huntington Learning Center, the three-leaf logo, and 1 800 CAN LEARN are registered trademarks of Huntington Mark, LLC. Each franchised Huntington Learning Center is operated under a franchise agreement with Huntington Learning Centers, Inc.

More Factors to Active Learning - Private Tutoring

More Factors to Active Learning BobbiM Mar 25, 2014 The tasks: a factor that influences active learning. Simply put, tasks are what your professors ask you to do. You can think of them as daily tasks, such as reading your text before you attend lectures; or larger tasks, such as preparing for various kinds of tests or writing papers. Most professors are pretty clear about what the task it. They will let you know the number of tests you will have and the kind of tests they will be. Some will even let you examine old copies of old tests or student papers so that you can see the kinds of questions they will ask or what their writing expectations are. Others will give you example test questions so that you can get an idea of how the questions will be asked. But some professors arent so clear in defining course tasks. Some may even give you conflicting messages. Therefore, it is important to try to get your professor to be as clear as possible about the tasks you must undertake. If you dont know what is expected of you, then you cant select the proper learning strategies or the most effective way to approach your texts. The texts: a factor that influences active learning. Texts are crucial to learning in college. In fact, it has been estimated that 85 percent of all college learning involves reading. Whatever types of text you are expected to interact with, you should know how the particular text is organized. In most textbooks, each chapter is usually organized in the same fashion. In addition, your professors lectures probably follow the same organization each day. Even visual texts have organizational patterns. Once you have determined how your text is organized, learning the material becomes a much easier task. Learning strategies: a factor that influences active learning. Strategies for active learning have several features in common. Strategy one: declarative knowledge. Declarative knowledge is knowing what- what you need to do and what strategy you need to use. Strategy two: procedural knowledge. Procedural knowledge involves more than knowing what you should do. It is knowing how to do it. Strategy three: conditional knowledge. Conditional knowledge means knowing under what conditions to use certain strategies-knowing why. Techniques to stretch your memory. -acronyms. You can use mnemonics to learn a list by creating an acronym. This means taking the first letter of each item you are trying to memorize and making them spell something. -imagery. Forming images is another powerful way to help you remember when you review. -method of Loci. Imagine a place that is familiar to you. Then you walk down this path through your memory. As you proceed, you attach a piece of information you have to learn to different places and objects to help you remember it. Excerpt from College Success Strategies by Sherrie L. Nist and Jodi Patrick Holschuh.

GenFKD Rolls Out Its Latest Financial Literacy Curriculum

GenFKD Rolls Out Its Latest Financial Literacy Curriculum pexels.com “We offer students more tools to succeed, while advocating for changing a higher education system that is clearly behind the times,”  said co-founder and newly appointed Executive Director, Justin Dent, in the press release. “I grew up in a community where people believed in the power of education,” Dent said. “There were too many people like me who fell through the cracks finding academic and career opportunities, and its mission to change that dynamic through educational reform From cost-of-living calculators to on-campus speakers who are winners of ABC’s ‘Shark Tank’ contestants, we try to bring the role of business, entrepreneurship, economic and tax policy and true career preparation to the forefront, not the plot of Hollywood movies.” GenFKD, founded in 2014, has representatives at 26 campuses nationally who run financial literacy education programs, develop a formal curriculum for in-class or on-campus instruction, and address entrepreneurship, self-employment, economic policy and pocketbook economics. Visit GenFKD.org  or contact  david@genfkd.org  for more information or interview requests with GenFKD’s leadership or any of the student fellows on the 26 campuses nationwide.