Tutoring English in China - Is it Right For You?

Tutoring English in China - Is it Right For You?Tutoring English in China is a great way to boost the world's language skills and get your career on the fast track. This may be a new concept for some, but I can tell you that it really is possible. If you are interested in getting involved in English teaching in China, read on.English is the second most spoken language in the world and now is the perfect time to start making some extra money with this language. It is no secret that many companies in China are looking for people who can speak English as a second language. If you love teaching English in China, then you will love teaching English in China as well. There are even paid internships available for native English speakers.Some of the most popular classes to teach English are ESL (English as a Second Language) and ESL/TESOL (Teach English as a Second Language). Both of these classes are based on the EFL or the English Fluency First method. EFL is simply an oral method that tea ches you the written English language and gets you used to speaking it. EFL is the foundation of all other English teaching methods. You can find more information about ESL on their website.A good place to start looking for a job in China is actually your home country. Most people will tell you not to even look in your own country. Why? Because there are a number of English teachers in China looking for American or British students. This will leave you with less competition but it is worth looking.To help you in your search for jobs in China, I will give you a hint about some of the more popular companies in China that hire English teachers. First, First Choice Education is a small English education company that is known for providing high quality tuition services. Second, the MandarinChinese Academy, which is part of Peking University, is a large private university that has over 6,000 students enrolled in its programs.Most of the English teachers in China are looking for English te achers who can teach ESL and TEFL (Teach English as a Foreign Language). As I mentioned earlier, ESL is the most popular type of teaching in China. For example, Mandarin Chinese is the official language of China and is a very popular and widely used form of communication.These two private universities also have private institutes in China that are very popular among Westerners. They also hire TEFL teachers for teaching English in China. The Shanghai Jiao Tong University, which are the only university in China that offers a full course in English Language Training, as well as English Composition and English Grammar, is located in the city of Shanghai. Those who are able to find jobs at these schools will probably make the most money.So, if you are looking for a way to help make money in China and help others do the same, English tutoring in China is a great way to start your new career. You may want to get involved in an institution like First Choice Education that has many paid inte rnships available. There are also many volunteer positions available at the Mandarin Chinese Academy to help English teachers learn more about the language.

Spanish Vocabulary Intro to Spanish Prepositions

Spanish Vocabulary Intro to Spanish Prepositions Suzy S. Its tough learning a new language, but  have no fear an easy lesson is here! Here,  Spanish tutor  Jason N.  shows you how  to use prepositions to connect words together and create simple sentences A Look at Prepositions in Spanish Luckily, prepositions are  pretty  straightforward when it comes to  learning to speak Spanish.  Prepositions in Spanish are not too different from ones in English. Just like in English, prepositions connect words together and often focus on direction, place, or time. They usually precede the word or words they connect. There are simple prepositions, which are usually one word, and compound prepositions, which are typically  multiple words. Here, I focus on simple ones. Let’s go over the three most important prepositions: a:  meaning to, at in English de:  meaning of, from in English en:  meaning in, on, at  in English Prepositions in Spanish are mostly used the same way in Spanish as they are in English. Once you get comfortable with memorizing the vocabulary, it should feel like common sense, except for a few (almost all rules have exceptions). Now lets take a closer look at these three Spanish  prepositions. The first preposition is a, which allows you to discuss topics such as movement, actions, and time.  Below are some examples of the uses of a. Movement or motion (to)  Vamos a Atlanta el viernes  (We go to Atlanta on Friday)  Fuimos a San Francisco  (We went to San Francisco) Connect one verb to an infinitive (not translated directly)  Voy a jugar  (I’m going to play)  Aprendí a escribir  (I learned to write) Show how to do something (on, by, with)  Fue a pie  (She went on foot)  Lo hacen a mano  (They do it by hand)  Escribían a lápiz  (They used to write with a pencil) Introduce a person the “personal a” in Spanish, which has no direct English translation   ¿Conociste a Tim? (Did you meet Tim?)  Observé a Michael Jordan  (I observed Michael Jordan) State the time (at, is) Cenamos a las seis  (We eat dinner at six oclock) Estamos a martes  (It is Tuesday) The second proposition is de, which lets you say where something is from, how something compares, and descriptions of things. Below are some examples of the uses of de. Demonstrate possession (of)  Atlanta es la capital de Georgia  (Atlanta is the capitol of Georgia)  La clase de Jason  (Jason’s class) Address cause (from, with)  Están cansados de manejar  (They are tired from driving)  Estamos contentos de nuestro hijo  (We are happy with our son) State the origin (from, of)  Ã‰l es de México  (He is from Mexico)  Soy es el más inteligente de mi clase  (I am the most intelligent of my class) Describe a noun with another noun or infinitive (of)  Una taza de café  (A cup of coffee)  El jugo de toronja  (Grapefruit juice) Compare (than)  Sara es la más alta de todos los alumnos del sexto grado (Sara is the tallest of all 6th grade students)  Hay menos de  cinco personas en la clase del profesor Angel (There are less than five in professor Angel’s class). Bonus: Learn more about Spanish comparisons here! Idioms/phrases/sayings De pie (Standing) De ahora en adelante (From now on) The third proposition is en, which tells you where something is, how something is done, and when something occurs. Below are some examples of the uses of en. Specify location (in, on, at)  Están en mi casa  (They are in my house) Mira la pintura en la pared  (Look at the painting on the wall) Ellas están en la habitación  (They are in the room) Designate time (in) Iban a Los Angeles en el otoño  (They used to go to LA in the Fall) Viene en una semana  (She is coming in a week) Show how to do something (on, by, with) Vamos a Washington en avión  (We go to Washington by plane) Te vas al doctor en Uber  (You go to the doctor in an Uber) Idioms   En serio (Seriously) En broma (As a joke) En vivo (Live) Theres more where that came from!  Heres a handy Spanish prepositions list: Final Note If youre comfortable with these already, try tackling Spanish transition words. There are a lot of prepositions at your disposal, but dont let that scare  you! A consistent schedule for practicing Spanish  will help you improve at a steady rate. Sooner than later, these prepositions will be second nature in your vocabulary. Dedicate yourself to learning, but most importantly, have fun! Need more Spanish preposition practice? Find a Spanish tutor near you! Post Author:  Jason N. Jason N. tutors in English and Spanish in Athens, GA.  He majored in Spanish at UC Davis, lived in Mexico for 3 years where he completed a Master’s degree in Counseling, and studied Spanish Literature and Psychology at the University of Costa Rica. He is currently attending the University of Georgia.  Learn more about Jason 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

Claude Monet

Claude Monet Claude Monet, the Outdoors Artist ChaptersThe Early Life of Claude MonetSojourn in Paris, Part IMilitary Service and Paris, Part IIClaude Monet, the Father of ImpressionismLater Works and LegacyMany people tend to confuse this French artist with one who has a very similar name: Edouard Manet.That confusion might deepen once you realise that both men wore beards, loved to paint outdoors and even painted each other! They also each painted a self-portrait; you might refer to them to see how similar they were in appearance.Still, there is a chance that, once you learn Monet’s story â€" of renegade defiance, you will easily be able to tell the two apart!Monet had a rather... convinced attitude about himself and his abilities that nobody, neither his wealthy father nor his military commander could seem to break. Conversely, he had many good friends, Manet included, that stuck with him through thick and thin.Monet was a ground-breaker who engineered one of the art world’s most enduring art movements but, unlike other pa inters of the mid-nineteenth century, he gets little notice these days. Maybe he needs a bit more exposure.Maybe exposing his life and deeds will help shed light on just how important he was in the evolution of painted works and how he influenced some of the most famous painters of his time.Superprof is happy to take on that role! FernandoPainting Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EmmaPainting Teacher 5.00 (5) £75/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DavidPainting Teacher 4.75 (4) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NatashaPainting Teacher 5.00 (7) £37/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors StefaniaPainting Teacher 5.00 (4) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SakinaPainting Teacher 5.00 (1) £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LorrenPainting Teacher 5.00 (2) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Off2themoonholliePainting Teacher £8/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsThe Early Life of Claude Monet Monet's canvases generally reflected an outdoor theme Image by David Mark from PixabayBorn on November 14, 1840, Oscar-Claude Monet was the family’s second child. Both of his parents were Parisians; so it came to be that his first five years were spent in the City of Light. They then relocated to Normandy, where his father took over the family business.His mother was a cheerful woman, one for whom gaiety was a natural state of being. She had been a singer in Paris so, when her son declared that he wanted to be an artist, he had his mother’s unwavering support.His father was a different story. Dad had envisioned his son taking over the business someday and was sorely disappointed that young Claude wanted to execute brushstrokes for a living. Their differences would become a matter of contention in later years, even putting Monet Jr’s life at risk.Claude Monet chafed at being indoors. He would rather pass his time outside, in nature, sketching everything he saw. He earned a bit o f money by drawing caricatures of his fellow students while enrolled at the School of the Arts at Le Havre.With his extra money, he sought out lessons with local art teacher Jacques-Francois Ochard. The lessons were very traditional for that time; they consisted of drawing the human form from a plaster cast, not a model.Claude’s mother died when he was only 16 years old. Grief-stricken, he moved in with his aunt who was also an artist.Discover the amazing story behind Leonardo da Vinci’s famous work, the Last Supper...Sojourn in Paris, Part IMost likely at the insistence of his aunt, Claude, now a young man, set off for Paris to haunt the Louvre and take in the most famous works of art.While there, he noticed many apprentice artists with their sketchbooks, copying the most famous paintings: works by Botticelli, Michelangelo, da Vinci and Gauguin. Undaunted, Monet took out his sketch pad and started drawing the scene.At the time, it was quite conventional to paint only indoors. L andscape painting was generally done from memory; seldom did anyone haul their easel and paints out of doors. Monet tried his best to adhere to that principle but he simply couldn’t abide by it.While still in Normandy, he had learned from his friend Eugene Boudin to paint out of doors. That suited his temperament very well; he hated being confined â€" by walls or by convention.Sitting by the windows in the world’s most famous museum of art helped him satisfy that craving for being in nature. It also compelled many of the artists vying for the best light to wonder why he was blocking what light there was to be had.He came to know and eventually become friends with several of those budding artists, Manet among them.  But first, he had a higher calling to fulfil. Monet's themes tended toward the pastoral Image by David Mark from Pixabayfrustration with his art classes.He soon broke his promise to his aunt. He dropped out of formal art lessons to pursue tutelage under Charles Gleyre, a Swiss artist who had taught a number of painters. He happily opened his doors to Monet, introducing him to other painters-in-training, Pierre-Auguste Renoir among them.On breaks between sessions and outside of class, these fervent young painters would discuss works by famous artists and what they would do differently in reproducing those amazing works of art.How well do you know art history? Discover the most famous artists and the world’s most expensive paintings...Claude Monet, the Father of ImpressionismFed up with the criticism, rejection and narrow selection criteria for having one’s work shown at the official Paris showcase of up-and-coming artistic talent â€" the Salon, Monet, along with his comrades-in-brushes founded their own art appreciation socie ty.The Anonymous Society of Painters, Sculptors and Engravers came into existence in 1873, intending to thumb their nose at art snobbery by putting on their own members’ work on display; often they were artists rejected by the officially sanctioned Salon.Besides Monet, artists included were:Auguste RenoirEugene BoudinCamille PissarroEdgar DegasJames WhistlerPaul CezanneLater artists included Paul Gauguin, Cals, Lepine and Rouart but, no matter who showed their work or how long the show lasted the press and public were less than kind. Undaunted, these mavericks of the canvas continued to expound on new ideas for producing avant-garde works.Wouldn’t it seem like Vincent van Gogh would fit into their group?Among the ideas bandied about was painting outside. After all, it was a bit difficult to produce landscape art without actually being outside to witness it. Besides, the light was better outside...Claude Monet, having always preferred the great outdoors, spearheaded that movement by showing an oil on canvas painting titled Impression, Sunrise. It was universally panned.In fact, the journalist who wrote it up coined the phrase ‘impressionist’, meaning it as a term of derision for those who would embrace that art movement.  The impressionists embraced the term, calling themselves ‘French Impressionist’ as a badge of honour.Henri Matisse, a later-generation French painter, disdained the impressionist label... Monet's gardens were lush, offering much to fuel his depictions of nature Image by Juliane Lutz from PixabayLater Works and LegacyHaving declared himself an impressionist painter â€" one who worked outdoors, no less, Monet set about substantiating his claim that natural light is ever-changing and essential to creating works of art.He finished a painting reproduction of his friend Manet’s work titled Le Dejeuner sur L’Herbe, albeit on a larger scale and with different people.He travelled around quite a bit at this time to avoid the ravages of war. He sojourned in London for a time and then headed to the Netherlands, where he was thought to be a revolutionary spy. Only after the war ended did he return to France. It was during that time, from late 1871 to 1878 that he was the most productive.While Monet is best known for painting impressionistic nature scenes, he was also known to work in a studio, painting models.One such woman, Camille, became his wife in June of 1870. By that ti me, they had already had a child together and experienced abject poverty, getting thrown out of lodgings in the city and country alike.Monet often painted his wife and sometimes his child but no tableau is more poignant than his beloved after death. There is some dispute over her cause of death but none over Monet being rent with grief. For a time after her passing, his paintings took on a sombre hue.Later in life, Monet found both love and success as an artist, so much so that he was able to buy a property and have the gardens landscaped to his exact specifications. It was there that he painted his famous Lilies.Monet had gotten into the habit of painting the same scene several times to illustrate the difference that light makes. To that end, he painted a series titled Water Lilies which, along with van Gogh’s Starry Night, are the most renown among impressionist paintings.Perhaps the worst condition to plague an artist would be the loss of vision; that is exactly what befell Mon et. He developed cataracts, which caused the works he painted during that time to have a reddish hue â€" he was able to see that colour better than any other.After a successful operation to remove them, he continued painting until his death in 1926. His lovely home with the lush gardens and lily pond were donated by his son to the French Academy of Fine Arts.  It is a huge attraction for art lovers from all over the world.Now learn how Spanish painter Pablo Picasso went from being a post-impressionist to Cubism, ultimately leading the modern art movement.

Accounting Homework Help Online-Gain Extensive Support on Time to Put down Accounting Tasks!

Accounting Homework Help Online-Gain Extensive Support on Time to Put down Accounting Tasks! 0SHARESShare Do Financial Statements and Balance Sheets not allow you to sit in comfort with their complex material? You feel nervous about producing Income Statement or Profit and Loss Report? Seek online support from Tutor Pace and find a way out for better performance. Accounting homework help online-need for excelling in Basic and Cost Accounting Accounting homework help online from Tutor Pace is the right solution for you to gain confidence to attempt any idea in Standard Costing or Variable Costing just like that. Your confusions about Assets and Liabilities vanish in the air and you are the number one to provide perfect financial information about any organization in academic terms. It is all possible due to the unique cloud based technology followed in Tutor Pace through white board writings, voice chat discussions and video presentations. The tutors are well qualified with proper background check to analyze any of the queries put forth by the students in Accountancy and they make sure that their students cross the river of difficulty with their help    without any struggle. Accounting homework help online from Tutor Pace is the ideal measure to overcome your struggles in Accountancy and earn great scores. [starbox id=admin]

A Guide To Learn Hindi

A Guide To Learn Hindi Learning Hindi: All You Need To Know ChaptersWhat Is The Hindi Language?How To Find A Hindi Teacher?What Is The Cost Of Hindi Lessons?Best Tools For Learning HindiIs It Hard To Learn Hindi?How To Learn Hindi On Your Own? GiusyHindi Teacher 5.00 (3) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AnchalHindi Teacher 5.00 (4) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NehaHindi Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AkshayaHindi Teacher £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SuhaniHindi Teacher 5.00 (4) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MedhaHindi Teacher 5.00 (2) £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PriyankaHindi Teacher £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SaurabhHindi Teacher £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhat Is The Hindi Language?With over 250 million speakers across the north of India alone, it is a wonder that Hindi lessons are not more widely accessible in schools in the UK and the rest of Europe. Especially, that is, when you consid er that statistics show that nearly 425 million people in the world speak this form of Indian language as a first language and around 120 million as a second language.Some Background Information On IndiaThe second most populous country in the world, India is a powerful Asian country in many respects. Not only is it a multilingual and multi-ethnic society, it is also a nuclear weapons state and regional power, it boasts the second largest standing army in the world and it is home to a variety of protected natural habitats and diverse wildlife.Ask anyone who has spent time in one of its 29 Arabic  states, and they will all tell you that India is a special place, and each for their own reason.The Importance Of HindiSo, whether it is spirituality, food, art, architecture or industry that takes you to this fascinating territory, wouldn't it be amazing to understand a little more about the culture and languages of India before you cross its borders? Furthermore, wouldn't you like to know why Hindi is such a good language to speak? Of course some residents you come across will be an English speaker, however, learning a language like Hindi doesn't have to be difficult and will help with your conversation skills.Make sure you practice those greetings!Hindi is the most widely spoken language in India and derives from Sanskrit, written in the Devanagari script.  Because of their similarities, learning how to speak Hindi will help you to speak  Sanskrit, Urdu, Nepalese, Bengali,  and Gujarati.Check here to find and take Hindi classes now.Hindi derives from Sanskrit, written in the Devanagari script. Photo credit: romana klee on Visual HuntHow To Find A Hindi Teacher?It may be stating the obvious, but the easiest way to find Hindi classes in your area is to do a search online and see what language lessons are being offered.While most results will come up on an Internet search, don't forget to consult local schools, colleges and universities to see if they offer any evening classes for adults. Alternatively, if looking for a child, there may be some weekend or after school classes available run by either trained teachers or parents of pupils.Just because Hindi isn't on the conventional school curriculum, it doesn't mean that educational establishments can't and won't offer lessons in this important language.If you don't have any luck finding group classes, then you may like to consider one to one tuition with the likes of a friend of a friend or a professionally trained private tutor. Of course, if you don't know anyone within your circle who has connections with the Hindi language, then you may be forced to look for a tutor with the help of Internet once again.Since finding individual tutors for private lessons can be quite hard (for instance, will they be listed on Yell, advertised on a community webpage or up for grabs 'Things for Sale' Facebook page?) be sure to look in the right place for your prospective tutor. There is no better place for this than Superprof.com.Superprof is an online tutoring platform for tutors to advertise their services and to connect with pupils. Here, you will be able to search for a tutor in your chosen subject, filter by area (however this may not be applicable if you are happy to carry out lessons via video call) and also sort in order of price.Learn Hindi online with one of their expert tutors and understand all you can want to know about Hindi as a beginner, like Hindi vocabulary, Hindi phrases and how to read and write the language. GiusyHindi Teacher 5.00 (3) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AnchalHindi Teacher 5.00 (4) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NehaHindi Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AkshayaHindi Teacher £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SuhaniHindi Teacher 5.00 (4) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MedhaHindi Teacher 5.00 (2) £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PriyankaHindi Teacher £10 /h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SaurabhHindi Teacher £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhat Is The Cost Of Hindi Lessons?Hindi lessons can cost just about anything, depending on a number of factors.Instructors will base their pricing on their knowledge, training, and experience, as well as on the length of the lesson or course, how many pupils are included in the session (this will determine how much one-to-one time can be spent with each learner) and perhaps the starting level of the learner(s) entering the language course.Teachers may also need to adjust their pricing according to what you want to gain from your lessons. For instance, if you want to learn technical language for business purposes fast, then they may have to prepare a whole set of new resources tailored just for you and the specified timeframe.Expect to pay around £20, give or take, for an hour's lesson.Best Tools For Learning HindiAside from purchasing dictionaries and finding some language te xtbooks at your local library or WH Smith, why not consider some interactive online tools dedicated to language learners? Duolingo is a popular language app, however, there are many more free language learning tools to choose from too.You may find n=books to help you learn Hindi in a library or book shop. Photo credit: The City of Toronto on Visualhunt.comRocket LanguagesRocket Languages is a website that offers free lessons in Hindi, including  Hindi common phrases, salutations, and pronunciation tools. As well as the many resources on offer, there's a forum for Hindi learners so you can speak to others in your position and exchange ideas and tips.The Hindi version of this 'Rocket Languages' series is called 'Rocket Hindi'.Glossika HindiGlossika Hindi is a product that helps learners progress in Hindi.By encouraging you to listen to Hindi spoken phrases and reproduce the sentences (and then repeat!), you can learn key grammar lessons and master your pronunciation.HindiPod101The Hin diPod101 course is part of the Innovative Language series which teaches students using a podcast-style format with videos to stream.All lessons can be downloaded to your device for use offline and include a range of features such as a database for vocabulary, a flashcards app, grammar lessons and more.There's a multitude of audio and video lessons available at various levels.Is It Hard To Learn Hindi?Hindi is unlike English in many ways, but that doesn't mean to say that it is difficult to learn.Hindi is written from left to right, which is something that English speakers are familiar with! It's also fairly easy to read Hindi as words are generally written as they are pronounced because each character of the alphabet has a different sound. This is quite refreshing for speakers of European languages who often have to learn words one at a time as opposed to chunks of sounds and memorise exceptions to the many grammatical rules!The other good thing about Hindi is that it doesn't have a rticles (i.e. words for 'the' or 'a'), yet all nouns have genders to remember (a bit like in French). It may seem like a minefield at first, but you will see that the genders do start to come naturally.How To Learn Hindi On Your Own?Acquiring a new language on your own is always going to be a challenge, so if after reading the above you still want to go it alone, then you may want a few tips to help you along.1. Look For Some Resources, Even If They Are FreeFirstly, you simply cannot learn this language without using some resources.If you don't want to spend money on books and student guides, then you can opt for free language resources like the lessons found on the BBC website, for example. The dedicated Languages page for Hindi features facts about Hindi, including where it is spoken and how to use the language respectfully, along with the Hindi alphabet, a list of key phrases and other useful guides to help with your language learning journey.Alternatively, if you want to immerse yourself in the Hindi language then see if you can get hold of some newspapers for Hindi communities. Newspaper articles are good practice because the content is usually quite basic and easily understood by foreigners.As well as written resources, you should never forget to find tools that help you listen to spoken Hindi.To hear natives talking in Hindi (remember, however, that the different regions have different dialects so be sure to stick to one form of Hindi wherever possible), try tuning into an Indian radio station or finding a TV channel dedicated to Hindi speakers. Most people with Sky TV will have access to such programmes broadcast in India.2. Don't Give Up Too QuicklyAs a solo learner, it can be really easy to become despondent and lose all faith in your ability to pick up the language. If you get off to a slow start, then don't get down about it. It is probably just down to the fact that you are still learning how to learn Hindi, whereas others who are being led by a l anguage instructor will have the advantage of being led down the easiest and most direct path to language acquisition.If you struggle to pick up key phrases, then take a step back and try to break the language down into smaller, more digestible chunks. For instance, go back to the start and learn how to conjugate your verbs, revise nouns and their gender, and build up your learning from here.Just think to yourself, what kinds of things did you learn first as a child picking up your mother-togue, or what were your first lessons in French / Spanish about? While sentence structure is different in Hindi to that of English and other European languages, remembering to focus on the basics can be key.3. Travel To IndiaIt may seem incomprehensible that a stay in India could teach you more than a dozen lessons with a professional, but visiting a country and practicing immersion can teach you so much in the way of language and culture and thus facilitate your language acquisition.Imagine being stood in a village in northern India with all of the conversations around you, signs written in Hindi, local traditions taking place... there's nothing quite like it and you can't replicate this.To learn more about Indian culture, visit the country yourself and witness their traditions. Photo credit: Arian Zwegers on Visual Hunt / CC BYThe younger you are, the easier it is said to be to pick up a foreign language yet if you leave yourself completely open to learning and are willing to show yourself up by trying to communicate with the locals, then you will pick up the language in no time.You just need to be brave in taking that huge step of settling in an unknown country first!

Buying Your First Ukulele 3 Things to Consider

Buying Your First Ukulele 3 Things to Consider Suzy S. Thinking about buying a ukulele? Learn the ins and outs of finding the best ukulele for you in this guest post by Casselberry, FL teacher Laurie K... So you are ready to buy your first ukulele! Awesome, step one is complete Decide to play the uke! I am going to go over three basics when considering this new and fun instrument, in order to find the best ukulele for you: Size Prices Styles Size There are four sizes for ukuleles: Soprano, Concert, Tenor, and Baritone. Most likely you are reading this article with an image of the soprano in your mind. Soprano ukuleles are the more popular size and come in more variety. The concert and tenor sizes are also tuned like a soprano ukulele, but are slightly bigger in their bodies, with longer necks and more frets. This makes them popular among professional players. The baritone ukulele is actually tuned to the the lower strings of a guitar (D, G, B, E). So, youll have a one-up if you are already a guitar player! The baritone ukulele is fun but is much bigger in size and has a lower tone overall… which goes against the two main reasons people are attracted to ukuleles: size and sound. So my guess? Youre looking for a soprano. Prices Ok, yes, you can buy a ukulele for $12. But I caution you to only buy these for your toddler children… they do not stay in tune! The cheapest ukuleles are going to be around $20-30 and they will be a much different sound and material than ukuleles priced at $50 and up. My recommendation is to go for the $50-up price range. Youre going to get a nicer material and most come with Nylgut strings. If you buy cheaper, youll most likely end up spending on new strings, which can definitely upgrade a plastic uke. So to save you that trouble, go a little higher. If youre on the fence about being able to play, its fine to go with a cheaper uke too; you can always upgrade later! Styles The cheaper styles are Mahalo and Makala ukuleles. These brands are mostly made of colorful plastics and can sound alright if re-strung with Aquila strings. I personally bought a Makala Dolphin bridged uke that was a light blue color. It was super fun to play but was a challenge to keep in tune. You can watch my YouTube review of it below: My first ukulele was actually a gift. It is an Ovation-style uke the Applause by Ovation UAE20 Soprano Ukulele and its an acoustic/electric, meaning I can play it unplugged and also plugged into any amplifier. I own a small Vox amp and it sounds amazing both ways. I was a lucky girl to start with this uke and I have to say its probably in the range of $120-160, but very worth it! I have performed many shows and it barely ever needs to be tuned, the material keeps it from being affected by humidity, and its beautiful! (To watch my Ovation Applause ukulele in action, check out my video  here!) For the best beginner ukuleles, I suggest the following brands: Lanikai LU-21C, Kala KA-C, Cordoba 15CM Concert Ukulele.  I have not tried them all, so I do suggest going to a local music store like Guitar Center to try some different brands. You can also search for online and YouTube reviews. Have an awesome time finding the perfect ukulele for you! Mine has been with me from the beginning and Ive continued to add on to my collection. Let me know if you find something new and exciting! Id love to hear from you. Happy uke-ing! Laurie K. teaches ukulele, songwriting, painting, and more in Casselberry, FL. She received her Bachelors degree in Visual Arts along with a minor in Music, and her experience includes leading  Music Together classes with families and children aged from 1-5. Learn more about Laurie 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  William Bigelis

Why Learn Spanish 9 Great Reasons

Why Learn Spanish 9 Great Reasons 9 Reasons to Learn Spanish ChaptersWhy Study Spanish: To Visit SpainThe Benefits of Learning Spanish: One of the Most Spoken Languages WorldwideSpanish Speaking Countries Are Some of the Most Desirable Destinations to VisitSpeak One of the World’s Most Beautiful LanguagesSpanish Can Be Quite an Easy Language to LearnWhat Business Opportunities Does Spanish Hold?Job Opportunities Are Endless if you Speak SpanishLearning Spanish Exercises Your BrainMissing Out of a Rich Hispanic CultureThere are a number of different advantages to language learning. On a very basic level, learning a foreign language allows us to travel more easily, as well as making us more employable in the eyes of many different companies and organisations around the world.When it comes to the Spanish language, this couldn't be more true. In fact, Spanish regularly features highly on lists of the most useful languages to learn.But developing your language skills in Spanish has a lot more different benefits and advantages than just learning b usiness Spanish to enhance your career prospects.With this in mind, here are our 9 reasons for speaking Spanish as a second language: TadeoSpanish Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AnnickSpanish Teacher 5.00 (6) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PeterSpanish Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LowriSpanish Teacher 5.00 (8) £90/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MartaSpanish Teacher 5.00 (6) £22/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SharonSpanish Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TanyaSpanish Teacher 5.00 (1) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Jose manuelSpanish Teacher £14/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhy Study Spanish: To Visit SpainFirstly, it would be a real shame if you never visited Spain.  Our first major reason to speak Spanish is that you can get more out of visiting Spain. After all, Spain is one of Europe’s most popular tourist destinations and there are plenty of flights to the country every day from all around the world.You'll have to get used to eating later in the day if you're living in Spain. (Source: pixabay.com)There are a lot of reasons that so many people travel to Spain for their vacations. You could go to Madrid, Barcelona, or even Ibiza, if you like partying. The list of great Spanish destinations goes on and on.If you like sun, sea, and sand without having to go too far, Spain’s got it all. If you speak Spanish, you’ll have a much better idea of what's going on (it's not always obvious) and you'll be able to chat to the local people, too.If you want to stay in Madrid or Barcelona, learning Spanish will make everything much easier. If you spend time in Spain having taken Spanish courses beforehand, you can use your conversational Spanish in order to gain a deeper understanding of both the Spanish language and culture.In fact, your trip to Spain could even act as a sort of immersion course whereby you can p ractise and build on the Spanish that you have previously learnt. After all, the key to developing in any new language is practising, so where better to do this than in the Spanish capital? You will improve your pronunciation by listening to the locals, and even learn some more Spanish words and phrases.The Benefits of Learning Spanish: One of the Most Spoken Languages WorldwideDo you really want to spend your entire life without understanding a large portion of the planet?Did you know that Spanish is spoken in 20 different countries by 440 million native speakers. This makes it the second most spoken language in terms of the amount of people who speak it as their mother tongue (only Mandarin Chinese has more native speakers).In terms of the countries where Spanish is spoken, there’s Spain, most of South and Central America, as well as a few countries in the Caribbean, and Equatorial Guinea in Africa. If you love travelling, you’re spoiled for choice when it comes to Spanish-spe aking countries you can visit.Spanish history has made it widespread because of the Spanish empire and the navigators of the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries. What they did all those years ago has left us with a large proportion of the world that speaks Spanish as a first language.So if you’ve got itchy feet, it would be a shame if you didn’t speak any Spanish.  By studying Spanish, you could be opening up your horizons to a whole world of interesting cultures and traditions that you probably hadn't given much thought to previously.Spanish Speaking Countries Are Some of the Most Desirable Destinations to VisitIt is not just the fact that Spanish is very widespread throughout the world that makes it a language that you should learn, it is the fact some of the most desirable destinations on the world are located in Spanish speaking countries.For example, Machu Picchu in Peru and Chichen Itza in Mexico are two of the new 7 wonders of the world, and Iguazu Falls in Argentina and the A mazon which straddles swathes of Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, and Brazil, are two of the 7 wonders of nature. On top of this, Barcelona and Madrid were both named in the top 30 most visited cities in 2017.Even outside of these well established tourist destinations, locations such as the walled city of Cartagena in Colombia, the Galápagos Islands in Ecuador, and the ancient ruins at Tikal in Guatemala, are all worth a visit in their own right.In fact, the guide book, Lonely Planet, named 3 Spanish speaking cities in its top 10 cities to visit in 2018, whilst Chile was on its list of top 10 countries to visit.Outside of living and working in a Spanish-speaking country, the attraction of such destinations for holidays appears to be unparalleled. Fluency is not essential, but being able to at least communicate with the Spanish speakers in these places will enhance your experience when you visit.Spain is also home to some of the best beaches in the world. (Source: Flo Dahm)Speak On e of the World’s Most Beautiful LanguagesThe benefits of learning Spanish are well documented, but one reason that isn't often suggested is that it is one of the world's most beautiful languages.Spanish is a rich, beautiful, and melodic language. Whether it's one of the beautiful varieties of Latin American Spanish, or Castilian Spanish from Spain, Spanish can make your heart melt.Have you ever heard somebody speaking Spanish? Just like French and Italian, Spanish is a Romance language and is famous for being pleasant on the ears.In fact, by travelling, you’ll notice that Spanish is arguably one of the most beautiful languages in the world. There’s a reason Hispanic music is so famous across the globe.There’s a certain enjoyment that comes with speaking Spanish. Whether you’re just starting out or already know a bit, most people will agree that speaking Spanish is really enjoyable. TadeoSpanish Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AnnickSpanish T eacher 5.00 (6) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PeterSpanish Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LowriSpanish Teacher 5.00 (8) £90/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MartaSpanish Teacher 5.00 (6) £22/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SharonSpanish Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TanyaSpanish Teacher 5.00 (1) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Jose manuelSpanish Teacher £14/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsSpanish Can Be Quite an Easy Language to LearnWhy learn a difficult language when you can learn an easy one?With similar roots in terms of vocabulary, Spanish can be quite simple for an English speaker to learn (as opposed to say Russian or Chinese).Over half of English vocabulary has similar roots to Spanish vocabulary. That’s because over half of English words are from Latin or French. Since most Spanish words are of Latin origin, too, this means that there is a high degree of lexical similarity in comparison to other languages.That said, you still have to put the work in. You can’t just say that because half your vocabulary shares the same roots that you’re already 50% fluent in Spanish. There are plenty of exceptions and false friends that will show you that it’d be foolish to underestimate how difficult Spanish can be.In any case, if you’re looking for one of the easier languages for an English speaker to learn, it would be foolish for you to pass up on Spanish.So if you are thinking  why learn Spanish, the comparably easy nature of the language for English speakers means that you could see quick progress in your Spanish course, or your private Spanish lessons with a Spanish teacher.What Business Opportunities Does Spanish Hold?Not learning Spanish could severely hinder you when it comes to doing business with a number of huge markets.While English still remains the language of international business, Spanish isn’t far behind. In fact, there are plenty of massive Spanish-speaking companies.That is why I started Spanish courses London with my Superprof tutor!Spanish is a huge advantage when it comes to finding a job. (Source: pixabay.com)The growth of Latin American economies, such as in Chile, Mexico, and Colombia, has led to an increase in trade. For example, the EU is in advanced talks to finalise a trade agreement with the Mercosur countries, which will make it one of the EU's biggest market opening agreements. The bloc already has a deal in place with the Andean countries of Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, whilst it is close to updating a trade agreement that it has had in place with Mexico since 2000.You get the picture: If you want to do more business, it's probably best that you start learning to speak Spanish. The good thing is that you can easily learn Spanish online. Furthermore, if you’re a business owner, there are a lot of opportunities that you might be missing by not speaking Spanish. Speaking Spanish migh t even create opportunities you didn’t realize were there.Job Opportunities Are Endless if you Speak SpanishWouldn’t you like to add something interesting to your résumé?If you speak Spanish, you will stand out from the crowd. There are far more interesting positions available for those who speak Spanish and English.Let’s not forget that it’s going to make finding a job much simpler, too. Spanish-speaking countries are developing fast. Make sure that you’re ahead of the trend!If you are looking for reasons to learn Spanish at school, then the job opportunities that you will be presented with later on in life is surely one of the biggest. Starting language courses earlier on in life will keep you ahead of the trend when it comes to grammar, verbs, and their conjugation at university.If you’re struggling to find a job back home, why not look for work in a Spanish-speaking country? Plenty of people nowadays are jetting off and working abroad. Why? Because the cost of livi ng is cheaper elsewhere.  In fact, retiring in the sun isn’t a bad option, either! You could live like royalty.Spanish speaking countries make up 4 of  the top 5 destinations for retirees, and Malaysia, Portugal, and Malta are the only non-Hispanic countries in the top 10!   If retirement isn’t currently on the horizon, there’s nothing stopping you visiting these countries. You might not want to come home after, though...Learning Spanish Exercises Your BrainIt’s proven that learning a language is a stimulating activity for your brain.  Learning a language like Spanish is a great way to keep your brain young and provide excellent mental stimulation.Speaking Spanish is like working out for your brain. (Source: pixabay.com)Thus, if you have the free time to learn a language and would like to do something interesting, you should try out Spanish. You won’t be disappointed. It doesn’t really matter what age you start learning Spanish. Taking Spanish classes in a group is a gre at way to meet people and feed your curiosity.The are advantages to all Spanish study methods, but the one that links them all in the impact that they have on the brain. As science has shown us: the brain is an organ that requires daily training. Learning Spanish is a great way to stay mentally active and may even encourage you to learn another language once you’ve finished. If you’re asking yourself whether you’re too old to learn Spanish, the answer is a resounding “no!”.Missing Out of a Rich Hispanic CultureTaking Spanish classes is a great way to learn more about other cultures.Do you like learning about new cultures and traditions? It’s great, isn’t it? Everyone has their own culture and traditions. It’s fascinating learning about them, too. Learning Spanish will give you an opportunity to get even closer to these cultures.Furthermore, learning about other cultures can teach us more about our own. “Travel shapes youth” as the saying goes. The more you know, the bigger your world becomes.Now that you have 9 reasons to speak Spanish, why not get started?  Look for Spanish tutors on our site and find a language that is as enriching as its culture.