Chinese Kids Learning English - Are They Really Better Spoken English Speakers?

Chinese Kids Learning English - Are They Really Better Spoken English Speakers?Can Chinese kids learn English as a second language in a short time? If you have a good program for Chinese learning, then yes. Not all of them offer the same programs or give you the same lessons. Some programs teach the same thing at the same pace, while others differ greatly.The nice part about an English curriculum is that you can pick and choose which language lessons to work on. You can use the entire lesson to your advantage and work on more than one topic at a time. And you can usually learn English at your own pace and at your own speed. You can work on a single aspect of the language or work on the entire course. It is up to you.Let's say you are teaching an elementary class. You can pick any one of the online classes offered by a particular company, to work on the whole curriculum. If it is a comprehensive class, then you can start working on an adult level.This will give you a chance to practic e and work on each concept in the English language and not just in your classroom. You can listen to podcasts with audio-tapes and get feedback. You can work on any one of the courses and not just one. That way you get a chance to make it your own. If you like the lessons, you can move on to more advanced lessons as you learn how to apply them to real life situations.However, if you choose to work on an adult curriculum, you will not be able to learn English as a second language the same way you would in a classroom. Many Chinese kids learning English are in a different situation than you are. They are adults who have probably been living in the United States for some time. They have probably met people who speak English and they have probably made friends.They know English and there are certainly more words used in American English than in Chinese English. The same is true of Japanese. They may find themselves comfortable with a language at a later time but most will learn it very quickly. So instead of rushing into a classroom setting, they might be able to work at their own pace. And they will learn more quickly than you, no matter how long they stay in school.Regardless of the choice you make, you are going to have fun learning English with Chinese kids. A lot of Chinese kids learn English as a second language in schools. We must find ways to help them improve their English.

Ask a Law School Admissions Expert Andrea Kilpatrick

Ask a Law School Admissions Expert Andrea Kilpatrick Varsity Tutors brings you insider tips and advice straight from nationally recognized admissions experts. Andrea Kilpatrick is the Director of Law Admissions at Admit Advantage, a leading admissions consulting company that provides admissions assistance for college, MBA, and law school applicants. She received her Bachelors degree from Princeton University, a Masters of Education degree from the University of Oxford, and a JD from HarvardLaw School. Andrea worked as a consultant with McKinsey Company for eight years and held a leadership role in the firms Nonprofit Practice for three of those years. She now lends her expertise in law school admissions to the Admit Advantage team. VT: How much time should be set aside to adequately prepare for and complete a Law School application? Andrea: The time dedicated to completing an application varies by student. For most applicants, we suggest beginning the process a couple of months ahead of their personal deadline to allow recommenders time to complete letters. The time a student must spend on an application depends on the specific law school. Some applications are longer than others and require more time. 60-80 hours is not unreasonable. VT: What is the single most important thing applicants should focus on with this application? Andrea: Applicants must determine how the sum total of their experiences and achievements can be crafted into a coherent and persuasive story that will move an admissions committee to accept. VT: What are the biggest mistakes one can make on a Law School application? Andrea: Telling an admissions committee why they should accept you as opposed to showing it. Admissions committees dont need an applicant to do their jobs for them, but they do need an applicant to include all the experiences, stories, and data for them to do an appropriate analysis. Sometimes, applicants fail to include important information because they dont feel it is relevant from a legal perspective. No one has been a lawyer before going to law school, so admissions committees are looking for evidence of potential success in unusual places. VT: What do Law School admissions officers look for most in an applicants essays/personal statements? Andrea: All law school essays must demonstrate exemplary persuasive writing skills. The content of the personal statement can and should vary by applicant. VT: Is there anything on a students application that would automatically disqualify them from being considered for the program? Andrea: Aside from lying, there are no disqualifying factors. Differences in grades or LSAT scores might dictate the tier of law school to which an applicant can apply, but there are no required majors or prerequisites. Even a legal record can be explained on a law school application. VT: What about the Law School admissions process differs the most from undergraduate admissions? Andrea: Law schools generally have a rolling admissions process. Applications are reviewed in the order they are received. Applying early improves an applicants chances. Therefore it is up to the candidate to complete an outstanding application in the quickest time possible. VT: What kinds of things (experience, grades, etc.) might a student lack that would lead you to advise them not to apply? Andrea: The decision to apply is a very personal one. If an applicants goal is to be admitted to an accredited law school, there arent many reasons not to apply outside of personal or financial ones. However, if a student aspires to attend a top tier law school, we may suggest that the applicant retake the LSAT, or consider additional experiences before applying if necessary. VT: Is there anything you might see on a students application that would quickly put them ahead in the running? Andrea: Every application is different. Good grades, good test scores, and attending a prestigious undergraduate institution help, but they are no guarantee. Admissions committees are looking for a well-rounded applicant and only a strong overall application indicates that. VT: What advice do you have regarding LSAT test prep? Andrea: If you can afford it, sign up for professional test prep. If not, practice on your own using previous tests lots of previous tests. You can learn to perform better on the LSAT through practice. VT: What do law school admissions officers look for in recommendation letters? Andrea: Admissions officers want to see that the recommender knows the applicant well. Getting a letter from a very prestigious recommender who doesnt know you well will not help an application. A recommender has to be able to speak to the candidates skills and character. The specific content of a recommendation letter depends on the candidate. We want to be sure the letter emphasizes those areas of strength that may not have been touched on elsewhere in the application. Visit Admit Advantage for more information. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

LSAT Tip of the Week Improve Your Time

LSAT Tip of the Week Improve Your Time LSAT Law School Blog This week, we will focus on how to improve your time on the analytical reasoning (logic games) section of the LSAT. You have probably heard the importance of diagramming, and improving your time ties back to improving your diagramming. If you need a refresher on diagramming, head to The LSAT Trainer for some techniques and check out Magoosh for some common rules that will help you diagram. Now, once you are caught up on the basics of diagramming, let’s bring you up to speed on how to be speedy. The first thing you should do once you have made your basic diagrams is make some inferences. What does this entail? Well, every fact given to you in the question is important so make note of it in your diagram and make it a new potential scenario. So, if the question says that X sits in the first seat and Y must sit next to X, then we know that Y has to sit in the second seat if he has a seat. So, make a note of this. There are usually 2-3 of these so look out for these “hidden” rules a nd make sure you include them in your diagram as the odds are that there will be a question about this “hidden” rule and this will save you 3-4 minutes easily. Imagine all the extra problems you can solve in that time!

Commonly Confused Homophones in English - Advanced English Level

Commonly Confused Homophones in English - Advanced English Level Have you ever looked at some English words that are spelled differently pronounced the same but have different meanings? These can be somewhat confusing for even native speakers so I can imagine them being extremely confusing for those trying to tackle the issues of pronunciation, meaning and the correct spelling.In fact there are over 440 such word pairs where the spelling is different the meaning is certainly different but the pronunciation is exactly the same. These are known as Homophones.Examples of English homophones:MADE/MAIDMade (v) â€" past tense and past participle of the verb ‘TO MAKE’I made up my mind to learn English with a native speaker.Maid (n) a lady’s maid or helpShe really missed the old days when every lady had her personal maid to help her with the housework.BAND/BANNEDBand (n) â€" a group of musicians, a music ensembleHe was a good singer and also played the guitar. What he really wanted to do was join up with a band and make some records.  Banned (v) â€" past tense and past participle of the verb ‘TO BAN’ to stop or preventHe was charged by the police for driving without a proper licence and was banned from driving for three years.EWE/YOUEwe (n) female sheepThe farmer went to the market to buy some new livestock. He bought some cows and some sheep. The sheep were all ewes as he already had a ram (male sheep).You pronounIt is important that you understand the basic mathematical formula if you wish to study it seriously.FLEW/FLUFlew (v) past tense of the verb ‘TO FLY’I went on holidays last week. I visited Thailand and flew there in 8 hours.Flu (n) virus or bug that affects your healthThe school was closed for a week as many children had been taken ill with a flu virus and the management did not want others to become ill also.BOARD/BOREDBoard (n) a group of people who control a company or school or similar organisationThe board of management meet every month to discuss the progress of the business. There is a chairman o f the board who controls all the meetings.Bored (v) â€" past tense and past participle of the verb ‘TO BORE’The film was bad. The story was awful and after twenty minutes I was bored stiff.WAIST/WASTEWaist the area around the middle of your body.The Doctor measured her waist to check her health.Waste rubbish or left over food no longer needed.The food waste was collected and placed in rubbish bins to be collected by the city’s waste collectors.WAVE/WAIVEWave the hand movement we use when saying good-bye to someone OR the part of the sea that surfers ride on when surfing.When she left for her business trip her husband waved goodbye at the train station. The waves on the sea were very high due to the very strong wind.Waive refers to a decision to give up or do without something.The business was not performing very well. The CEO waived his bonus payment to help the companies’ cash flow.WEIGHT/WAITWeight the size of people or things measured usually in Kilos.He was very hea vy the Doctor suggested that he lose some weight very quickly.(to) Wait is a verb that refers to the action when we are expecting something to happen. It can also be used as a noun.When he called to the Dentist he was asked to wait in the waiting room until the dentist was available. The wait (noun) was difficult as he was very nervous.PLANE/PLAINPlane the shortened version of airplane or aeroplane used to travel from country to country.He went to the airport early so that he could book his seat in the middle of the plane.Plain means something blank or without colour or uninteresting.He wanted to write a note and asked for some plain white paper. The food he ordered was plain and did not taste very good but the doctor had ordered him to eat only plain food without sauces.BEAR/BAREBear   refers to the large animal which hibernates during the winter. It can also mean to carry or bring something.The bear is a large animal that has several forms. The polar bear located in the artic z one and the brown bear in many states of the USA.Bare usually refers to something/somebody without any cover or clothes.The model was bare except for the yellow hat that she was modelling!!There are many many more homophones…What homophones do you know? Let us know in the comments below.We recommend to read:  Make or Do? tips to help you make the right choiceWhere do you live?  Making suggestions in English

7 Signs You Aced Your Job Interview

7 Signs You Aced Your Job Interview via pixabay.com 1. They discuss next steps You can pretty much assume you nailed your job interview if someone starts discussing next steps. Typically this includes paperwork, maybe a drug test, or possibly setting up a follow-up interview. If you sat through an interview in the hot seat and the interviewers are being a bit vague about what you should expect to come next, this doesnt mean youve failed the job interview, it simply means they have more candidates to explore. You can pretty much bank on it being a good sign if any kind of additional steps are discussed. 2. Your interview lasted longer than scheduled A one-hour interview over coffee turned into two and a half? Thats a good sign. It means they liked having a conversation with you and they enjoyed the things you had to say. You intrigued them with your experience and outlook on the job. You came across as interesting, qualified, and intellectually stimulating. If your job interview lasts longer than scheduled, you can take that as a pretty good sign. 3. They ask for your references If the interviewers ask for your references, you can bank on this being a good sign. Usually, the interview team doesnt ask for references unless theyre ready to move forward with your application in the hiring process. Sometimes references are called beforehand, but most likely theyre called after your initial interview. Sometimes its smart to set up a communication plan with your references. If theyre willing to shoot you a quick text when theyve been called, this can settle your nerves after a tough job interview. You know youve done well when the team is calling your references. via pixabay.com 4. If they introduce you to more people than just the interview team Sometimes during job interviews, the team will introduce you to other people around the office. This is usually initiated by an invitation to tour the facility. Assuming that the workplace isnt under strict security, you might have the chance to meet some of your potential coworkers. If youre given a tour and introduced to other people besides just the interview team, its likely that youre being seriously considered for the job. 5. They used the phrase when we see you again Whether its a follow-up interview (see #6) or a scheduled meeting to fill out new-hire paperwork, if the interview team uses the phrase when we see you again or looking forward to seeing you again, then you know youve nailed the interview (well, the first round at least!). Referring to a future meeting time means theyre interested in having more conversation with you. Whether or not theyre ready for you to sign on the dotted line yet doesnt matter. If youve made it through the initial interview and theyre dropping hints about seeing you again, you can rest assured that youve made a pretty killer impression. 6. They schedule a follow-up interview As you get closer to establishing your career (and not just interviewing for hourly jobs that will barely pay the rent), follow-up interviews will become more and more routine. One interview might not give your potential employer all the information they need about you before they make a final decision. If youve been contacted about scheduling a follow-up interview, or if they actually schedule this follow-up during your initial interview, your nerves should instantly be calmed. They wouldnt be willing to meet with you again if you werent in the pool of seriously considering candidates. 7. The introduction included praising your resume/skillset/application If the beginning of your job interview begins with how excited they are to meet you, how much they enjoyed reviewing your materials, and how excited they are to get started, youre off on the right foot. Rest assured that youre already killing the job interview if theyre blown away by your experience. Interviewing for a new job can be one of the most intimidating life experiences especially as you begin to establish your career. Sitting in the hot seat for an hour (or more!) can be nerve-wracking and cause you to sweat through multiple layers of clothing. Its intimidating to walk into a room full of people who want to judge your qualifications against a job description. Following a job interview, it can be nerve-wracking to wait for a callback. So instead of sitting on your hands to keep from checking your email every ten minutes, examine your job interview experience against these seven signs you completely aced the interview altogether.

Great Start of the School Year 2015

Great Start of the School Year 2015 TutorZ wishes for you in 2015. A great start of the school year for January, insight and knowledge for February, the gift of joy of learning in March, no worries for April, acing the finals in May, sunshine for June to August, the most glorious back-to-school season ?for September to December. Have a lucky and wonderful 2015.

Andys October Language Challenge Week 2

Andys October Language Challenge Week 2 Andy is our new UX Designer and recently joined the italki team in September.  One of the first things he did was join the italki October Language Challenge as he really needs to improve his Chinese as you can tell from his Public Video Pledge.  Hes graciously offered to blog about his experiences and how he is going to conquer the Challenge!  Take it away Andy This week Ive been naughty.  Since my last post seven days ago, I only took one class! Shame on me! While working it is very difficult to free up some time and save some mental energy to learn a language, especially one so difficult like the Chinese.  I have to say that I have some good excuses for not being able to actually take more classes. In fact in China we had a short weekend, last saturday it was a working day to make up for the long national holidays of the first week of october. Sunday and Monday i was knocked-off by a cold (I swear its not Ebola!) and iIwas not able to focus on nothing really Although, excuses doesnt really help you to learn a language. What is actually helpful is to set up a routine and schedule the classes in advance. At least for me, this should work better. If I know that a class is coming I  can find time to prepare and to arrange my other appointments in my busy calendar. Im sure than making my study time a commitment instead of a filler for my free time will definitely improve the results. Said so, until the end of October I will wake up earlier and take my Chinese classes in the morning before going to work. I used to do the same last year, but it didnt last long because to be able to attend the classes at the Chinese Language Institute before going to work I had to wake up at six in the morning! Commuting to the school and then commuting again to work was taking up 60 to 90 minutes every time. What a waste of time! By taking classes online I will  be able to save all of that commuting time and wake up one hour and a half later. Andys calendar to complete the October Language Challenge Here is my plan: Wake up around 7.30 and review the previous lesson between 8 and 8.30 while having breakfast (instead of the news!). Take one hour class from 8.30 to 9.30, then pack my stuff and go to work. Im lucky enough to live just 15 minutes by bike from the office so i should be able to be at work before 10.  Sounds like a good plan to me! So I already booked all the classes that Im still missing in order to achieve the 12 hours of classes goal. Im planning to be done by the 24th of October, almost a week in advance! What about you?  Do you have a schedule? How does it look like?  Let me know! See you next week guys!

4 Rules that will Help overcome the Language Barrier

4 Rules that will Help overcome the Language Barrier Keep in mind foreign words does not mean being able to retrieve them at the right moment. If we turn to psychology, our memory is divided into implicit and explicit, to put it simply, the unconscious and conscious. It is the second type of memory you use during exam, on a tour wherever you want to remember a particular fact (value). You force yourself to remember. If you frequently refer to one and the same cell that stores information about everything: words, addresses, bus schedules, then our consciousness translates them into another section of memory the unconscious. The time that it requires such action may be called psychological (language) barrier. Implicit memory heres a surprise can not start works without some effort. Why, if everything is so simple, we still do not talk foreign languages? The fact is, that in memorizing similar expressions at one time you used a mechanical memory. It was important to give answer to the teacher and forget? So, your brain performed this task. Now think about this. In point of fact youre not all doing mechanically. You memorized the words and build sentences out of them. The ones that you can explain to yourself, you remember, because your logical memory was helped you to memorize them. It is easier just to activate the bilingual cell, representing not the word, but image. And in the case of the proposal, the action. Agree, when you really need to get something from people and convey to them your idea, representing the final act, the term word exactly as you need. The language barrier the fear that haunts you all the time that you are using any other type of memory, except for the unconscious. How can make it work? #1 Overcome internal fears and unnecessary diffidence. It often happens that a man is just shy, and the language barrier is more psychological. A person by their nature is shy in unfamiliar situations. Try to be natural and behave naturally, the first time you start trying to speak English in England or German in Germany. You need to know that for everybody around you it is clear, that you have just begun to study language. Native speakers always help you and understand in any way. First of all you need to start to change your behavior stereotype with friends and strangers. Try to speak more, no matter how you do it. #2 Pick a simple verbal constructions and phrases and use them. From the beginning, it is important to master the skills of pronouncing simple expressions with simple tense of the verb. Build simple sentences. This golden rule will help you to communicate with people in a simple way. If a person knows how sounds, for example, words like mother or love, then to pronounce them will be not difficult. But if it turns out that all the words and structures have already parsed and understood, but pronounce them correctly still does not work. It means that practice in the pronunciation is not enough yet. #3 Training and exercises the keys to success. To start talking, not enough to parse and understand how and what to say, you need to learn and to do it physically. Language is like sports to do something successfully, you need to master the skills physically. Exercise should be as long as written in the notebook does not move to the memory and will not emerge by itself at the right moment. #4 Learn to listen and to learn. Speaking and communication are different concepts. In addition to the ability to correctly pronounce the phrases you need also the ability to listen and understand what our conversation partner says. Many people wrongly believe that learning how to correctly pronounce the phrase, it is most important in learning foreign languages. However, listening skills and the ability to understand foreign speech is much more valuable and hard to reach. It is the absence of this skill often causes fear when you need to start communicating. Fear of being not quick-witted and slow-witted, fear of saying something out of place. Exactly this is an important part of the language barrier. Very effectively, for example, in addition to the classes watch foreign language television or try to communicate in the foreign language chat rooms. Thus, we can say that immersion is the most effective way of learning foreign languages. By immersing we understand not necessarily living abroad. In any situation you should be able to use different speech patterns and phrases as soon as you have learned. Following these four simple rules you may easily mastering any foreign language without troubles. Good luck with learning!

How to Find the Best French Tutor

How to Find the Best French TutorThe best French tutor is a qualified professional who has vast experience in this field. He or she has the ability to give assistance and guidance and help you with your English speaking skills. A tutor is the perfect resource for beginners who wish to start learning French.Before starting out on the path of learning English, you must have some basic knowledge about it. It is advisable that you begin with learning the basics before working your way up to full fluency. Most importantly, you need to make a firm decision on whether you want to start slowly or try your luck at mastering the language at one go.If you are determined to learn French at one go, then there are certain tips and techniques that will be helpful for you. The first tip is that you must work hard to understand the structure of the language. You must learn to pronounce its letters correctly and learn how to use them appropriately. After learning the alphabet, you should concentrate o n learning French verb conjugation and general vocabulary.Once you have mastered the basic rules, the next step to consider is hiring a French tutor. However, before hiring any French tutor, it is advisable that you speak to your friends who have successfully studied the language. You can also consult an English translation service provider. There are several of these companies available online and in offline marketplaces.These services provide expert advice on how to pick the right teachers. You should take into consideration the amount of money you are willing to spend and what type of service they offer. Be sure to find out about their quality as well. Some may charge less than others, while others may offer better advice. It is advisable that you look at the reviews on the website of the service and see if there are any complaints from previous clients.It's also advised that you get the right tools for your learning. A good tool is a good teacher, one who understands your person al requirements and the kind of level of language you wish to learn. These tools can help you know how to develop a sound dictionary that can save your time. This will give you easy access to various French words and phrases. An excellent way to do this is by converting an existing word into French to learn its meaning.Choosing the ultimate goal and type of language learning is an important part of the process. You should be fully aware of all the aspects that you are going to adopt so that you are able to determine the way you can manage your time. It is better to choose the tools and methods you prefer to learn at one go so that you get maximum benefit from it.