Everything You Need to Know to Learn Chinese

Everything You Need to Know to Learn Chinese Get to Grips with the Complex Linguistic History of China and Learning Mandarin Chapters What Languages Do the Chinese Speak? The History of Languages in China Which Variant of Chinese Should I Learn? The Influence of Chinese in Asia Focus on Mandarin Chinese What’s Pinyin? Tones in Chinese1.3 billion inhabitants and one sixth of the world’s population. 8 urban areas with over 10 million inhabitants and around 30 with over 2 million. 10 million kilometres squared...China is the third largest country in the world, one of the world’s biggest economic powers, and one of the UN Security Council’s five permanent members.  It’s also the world’s largest exporter, home to the world’s largest army, and second in terms of military spending.  These are the kinds of figures that should grab the attention of students and businessmen, alike!Over the course of this article, you’re going to find out everything you need to know about learning Chinese and why you should consider moving to China! NingChinese Teacher 5.00 (10) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LorraineChinese Teacher £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JoyceChinese Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicoleChinese Teacher £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KatyChinese Teacher £16/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YangChinese Teacher £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ChengChinese Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors What Languages Do the Chinese Speak?Perhaps you’re itching to put that you can read, write, and speak Chinese on your CV.Mandarin is the most widely spoken variety of Chinese. (Source: Sindhu Wijaya)But did you know that there are 81 different languages spoken in China?Which should you choose?Mandarin?Cantonese?Wu?Let Superprof point you in the right direction.  As we said, there are 81 different languages in China. 49 of them share their name with the people that speak them.Han is spoken by the Han.Z huang by the Zhuang.Buyei and Dai by the... you get the idea!The 32 remaining languages aren’t named for ethnic groups.  For example, there are 90,000 Tibetans who speak rGyalrong rather than “Tibetan”.Generally speaking, there are more minority languages and dialects in Southern China while there’s a greater degree of similarity between the dialects spoken in the North.Let’s have a look at the 3 main languages of China.Mandarin ChineseIt’s the most spoken language in China.  Mandarin Chinese or ???/??? putonghuà (“common speech”) is spoken by around 955 million people.Mandarin Chinese has been the official language of the People’s Republic of China since 1956 and is generally the language you’ll learn if you study “Chinese”. If you want to go to China, this is the language you should learn since most of China can speak standard Mandarin Chinese.You should also know that it's spoken in Taiwan and Singapore.CantoneseCantonese is spoken by over 71 million peop le. The language is spoken in Hong Kong, Macao, and a number of regions in Southeast Asia. There are some that say that the language is too simplistic in comparison to Mandarin Chinese and some Chinese people even consider it an ugly language.  However, Cantonese is the second most spoken language in China in terms of native speakers.  In Hong Kong, choosing to speak Cantonese or Mandarin can be a huge political statement.WuThere are 77 million people who speak Wu, a language spoken predominantly in Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang. This is where things might get a little confusing. For some Chinese people, Wu is the country’s second language, not Cantonese!Why is this? Even though the language is made up of various languages and dialects, just like Mandarin Chinese, it’s considered more prestigious than Cantonese.  Unfortunately, “Wu” is not accepted in Scrabble! If it was, it would be worth 5 points... The History of Languages in ChinaChinese belongs to the Sino-Tibetan lan guage family. This group includes 10 Sinitic languages (with around 1.35 billion speakers) and 330 Tibeto-Burman languages (with around 70 million speaks).Mandarin Chinese, much like a unified Chinese identity, has been promoted across the nation by the Chinese government. (Source:  Zhang Kaiyv)The Chinese writing system, along with Sumerian and Egyptian writing systems, is one of the world’s oldest. This is often referred to as “Old Chinese” or “Archaic Chinese”.  The writing system was logographic which means that the characters represent words or phrases rather than sounds. This can make it as hard to read as hieroglyphics for those not familiar with it. Those who spoke the language in the North are more closely related to Mandarin Chinese while in the Southeast, there are a number of different dialects and languages including Cantonese (Yue), Min (Fujian, Taiwan), Wu (Shanghai).Mandarin ChineseMandarin’s most famous time was probably in 1956 when it became the standa rdised official language of the People’s Republic of China.  The reform modified 2,300 complex ideograms in order to make them easier to learn for both the Chinese and foreign speakers.  This language originated from the different dialects spoken in the North with the one from the capital, Beijing, being its main source of inspiration.As a symbol of China’s economic growth, the language has become an important part of business and is the most spoken language in the world.CantoneseThe word “Cantonese” comes from “Canton”, the Western word for Guangzhou, the capital of the Guangdong province, which is considered to be the home of the language itself.  While some see it as a less prestigious Mandarin Chinese, Cantonese has strong roots in the region and has made it difficult for any other language to usurp it.It’s also spoken in a number of other places such as:Malaysia (750,000 speakers)Vietnam (500,000 speakers)And North America, where there are 180,000 speakers of the language in the city of San Francisco alone.The words “wok”, “dim sum”, and “mahjong” are all of Cantonese origin. Which Variant of Chinese Should I Learn?When it comes to business, speaking Mandarin Chinese would be hugely beneficial and with around 20% of the world’s population speaking it, there are literally thousands and thousands of jobs that require it.As the world’s 2nd biggest economic power, China is Europe’s second most popular trading partner, just after the United States, and accounts for around 160 billion Euros in trade.  Hopefully this makes your decision much easier.This is one of the main reasons that more and more students are signing up to take Chinese classes and it’s currently estimated that around 30 million people are currently learning Mandarin.  It should also be noted that there are plenty of international employers looking for skilled employees who know how to read, write, and speak Mandarin Chinese.In terms of demand, Cantonese is jus t after Mandarin Chinese. The language spoken in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia is currently also very popular among young students from the West. In fact, as trade with Hong Kong increases, more and more employers are looking for employees from the West who can speak their language. NingChinese Teacher 5.00 (10) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LorraineChinese Teacher £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JoyceChinese Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicoleChinese Teacher £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KatyChinese Teacher £16/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YangChinese Teacher £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ChengChinese Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors The Influence of Chinese in AsiaThere are plenty of Asian countries far and wide that are influenced by China.60% of Japanese vocabulary is of Chinese origi n. (Source: Manuel Joseph)JapanThe influence of the Chinese language on Japan can be seen quite clearly.  In fact, 60% of modern Japanese vocabulary is of Chinese origin.The presence of a Chinese army in the Land of the Rising Sun had a profound effect on the country’s linguistic landscape. You can find a number of Chinese characters being used in Japanese. These Chinese characters, known as Kanji in Japanese, are used alongside Japan’s two other writing systems: Hiragana and Katakana.However, the Japanese government likes to downplay China’s effect on the country as they believe China is still trying to exert their influence on them.KoreaAs early as the 5th century BCE, the Chinese Empire was seen as a model civilisation by the Koreans and a number of Chinese influences can still be seen to this day.  Culturally speaking, the Middle Kingdom influenced the Koreans in the following ways:Agriculture: through the different technologies of the time for cultivating rice and barley. Law: the drafting of the first civil code and the adoption of an administrative model.Just like in Japanese, Chinese characters also found their way into Korean and it’s thought that between 60% and 70% of Korean’s vocabulary is made up of Sino-Korean words.VietnamWhen speaking about the relationship between China and Vietnam, you have to be careful as it’s quite difficult to find trustworthy information on the subject.In terms of linguistics, we know that Chinese and Vietnamese belong to two different language families.  However, there are phonetic similarities between the two languages!  In fact, while there are also certain grammatical similarities between Mandarin Chinese in some cases, the phonetic similarities between Cantonese and Vietnamese are even greater.While the language is more similar to ancient Chinese, there is a clear Cantonese influence on Vietnamese due to the historical relationship between the two regions.SingaporeOf all the ethnic groups in Singapore, th e Chinese population is the biggest.  The country's comprised of four main linguistic groups: one for each of the country’s official languages. Mandarin Chinese is the language spoken by most of the Chinese-speaking inhabitants.While there’s a tendency for Mandarin households to also speak English, we can confirm that Mandarin makes up part of the city-state’s multilingual landscape Focus on Mandarin ChineseMandarin Chinese is spoken by 955 million people. With so many speakers, it’s worth focusing on this variant of Chinese.Mandarin Chinese is spoken by 955 million people! (Source: Dom J)What are the main things about Mandarin Chinese?Firstly, Mandarin is a tonal language. This means that the pronunciation can completely change the meaning of certain words even if they’re written completely the same.There are 4 tones in Mandarin:The first tone is the high-level tone.The second tone is the rising tone.The third tone is dipping tone.The fourth tone is the falling tone.Gramm atical rules:The determiner always comes first regardless of whether it’s part of a sentence (adverb before the ver), a subordinate clause, or a noun consisting of several sinographs.Negatives are made by putting a grammatical element before the verb. The character ? bù is used in the present of future before all verbs except ? you (to have) which is preceded by the character ? méi.When referring to a discouraged or forbidden action, the negation is expressed using the character or ? bié or biè before the verb.Of course, if you’re going to learn Mandarin Chinese, you’ll need to know how to count, too!One: ? or yi, pronounced [yi]Two: ? or èr, pronounced [ar]Three: ? or san, pronounced [sahn]Four: ? or sì, pronounced [seu]Five: ? or wu, pronounced [wou]Finally, as you probably know, both Japanese and Chinese follow a strict set of rules when it comes to being polite.If you want to mingle with the Chinese, you’ll need to learn how to say:Hello = nihao, pronounced [ni hao ]What’s your name? = nín guì xìng, pronounced [nin gouay shing]Yes = shì, pronounced [shu]No = bú shì, pronounced [bou chi]Thank you = xiè xiè, pronounced [chi chi]If you know the basics of Mandarin Chinese, you’ll be able to progress quickly and settle in China. What’s Pinyin?As you probably know, China has been looking beyond its own borders in recent years. This can be very clearly seen in Pinyin, the system for transcribing the Chinese language in the Latin Alphabet.Invented by Zhou Yougouang, it wouldn’t be until 1982 that the International Organization for Standardization in the People’s Republic of China recognised it as the official system for the romanisation of Mandarin Chinese.In addition to being a huge step towards the west, this system has also helped improve the literacy of the Chinese population (which is at 95% according to UNICEF).The Chinese can now also benefit from 25 of the letters in the Latin Alphabet. V is not included. You’ll also see th at Pinyin includes 5 tones. Tones in ChineseYou may have learnt during your studies of foreign languages that the English language is not tonal. Despite how well some speakers of our language can sing, tone barely plays a role in English.However, the use of tone in Mandarin Chinese is really important as well as being the stuff of nightmares for those trying to learn the language.There are actually 5 tones in Chinese:The first tone is high and level.The second tone is a high and rising.The third tone is much like a wave: a mid-range tone that falls then rises.The fourth tone starts high and then descends.The fifth is the neutral tone.Are you looking for a private tutor to help you with your Chinese?  Mandarin classes London? Search for a private tutor on Superprof.

How to Choose Your Yoga Mat

How to Choose Your Yoga Mat Yoga Mats: The Most Common Yoga Accessory ChaptersWhy Practise Yoga?What Types of Yoga Mat Are There?3 Criteria to Consider when Choosing the Best Yoga MatThe Best Yoga Mat Brands and ShopsDetails are important. Some of yoga’s main goals are to improve your confidence and make you more relaxed.While a yoga mat is one of the optional yoga accessories, a lot of people swear by using them because not only is it more comfortable, it also separates you physically from the rest of the world. If you use a mat that isn’t for yoga, a mat that’s the wrong size, or just a mat that doesn’t make you feel like doing yoga, it’s quite likely that you’ll find it difficult to let go and get started with yoga.practising yoga at home...Whether you're attending a yoga class or doing yoga at home, some mats can be taken anywhere. (Source: StockSnap)The PricePrice is a criterion for anything you’re going to buy. Is it important when it comes to yoga? Not really.In fact, you can find good yoga mats for £50 and excellent ones for arou nd £20. If you prefer doing yoga on your living room rug, then do it! However, once you start doing more challenging yoga routines, you might find you want a little more cushioning than your rug provides. Additionally, you can't take your living room rug to yoga classes.While there are plenty of advantages to yoga mats, the most important thing is your well-being and your taste. Like Suzanne Bryant-Cunha, a yoga teacher in San Francisco says:“You have to want to spend time with your yoga mat”Given how much time you’re going to spend with your mat doing sun salutations, stretches, and muscle toning, the price is one of the least important criteria, since you’ll rarely be spending much more than around £50. Even if you do spend the upper limit, it’ll be a very low price for the amount of use you’ll get out of it.While the cheaper mats might seem like a good idea, they mightn’t last as long as the others. However, they can be a good idea for those who’ve just taken up yoga. You can find a good mat for between £15 and £20. On the other hand, a good mat made from natural or recycled yoga mat material can cost between £30 and £50.Don’t forget that the size of your mat is also very important. If you're tall, you might need an extra long mat. You don't want to be doing your downward dog and find that both your hands and feet are sliding because they're not on the mat.Join in on the topic: should runners practise yoga? and how to combine running and yoga.Don't forget that your mat has to be the right size for you. (Source: HannahWells)If you're a beginner and not sold on the restorative properties of yoga yet, then you probably don't want to be stretching your budget by paying a fortune for a really durable yoga mat like they have in professional yoga studios if you're barely going to use it.I did a search for yoga classes near me and found a Superprof yogi who gave me advice on choosing the right mat!The Best Yoga Mat Brands and ShopsThe Best Y oga ShopsIf you’re just getting started, you’ll probably be really enthusiastic and looking at some of the best yoga mats around.It’s a good idea to check out big sports shops like Decathlon that have a lot of yoga gear. Of course, in these places, you probably won’t find as many mats made of natural or recycled materials. For these, you need to start looking at specialised yoga shops.While there aren’t as many of these around, you can find plenty of them on the internet as well as through large online marketplaces like Amazon.The Best Yoga BrandsDepending on what you’re looking for and what you need (straps, patterns, material, etc.), here are a few brands you should check out:Chin Mudra. This is one of the cheaper brands and is very good value for money. You’ll pay around £20 for a comfortable non-toxic mat. This is a great option for beginners. Gaiam. Similarly, this is a great band for beginners. They also come in some nice patterns. These are available for betwee n £15 and £30.Sports brands like Reebok, Nike, etc. These can be quite expensive and don’t last as long. I’d avoid getting one of these.Lululemon. This is a successful brand. There are heavy options (around 3kg) meaning that they’re best being used at home. They’re comfortable and non-porous meaning they won’t get as dirty. They cost around £50.Manduka. This is some of the top-of-the-range yoga mats. You’ll pay upwards of £50 for these large mats which have a very good lifespan. They also have mats for two people.Hugger Mugger: This brand does a huge variety of fitness equipment and yoga mats. The mats start at around £20 and they also do recycled foam blocks, yoga props, and bolsters.Find out how you can get started with meditation and yoga...There are a huge variety of yoga mats available. (Source: Ben_Kerckx)If you know of any other good brands, tell us about them in the comments.Have you got your mat? Now you just have to work on your exercises and your mediatio n. In addition to yoga mats, you might want to get a yoga block or two, a yoga mat bag or a strap if you're going to be travelling with it, yoga towels, and cushions for meditation. As always, ask your instructor what you're going to need and what they recommend.To wash your mat, just use a cloth or yoga towel to wipe off the sweat after each yoga class or routine. You can also use between 5 and 10 drops of essential oils. Some can be put in the washing machine, too.Let Superprof answer your questions about practising yoga...In Conclusion:Forget about sleeping pads or pilates mats, there are plenty of other mats for yoga. You should also take into account the size and thickness of yoga mats since this will vary depending on the type of yoga you’re doing. If you’re just starting out, there are affordable yoga mats for beginners.Avoid PVC mats since there are plenty of natural options available.If you've hired your own private yogi, you should ask them which mat they prefer for th e type of yoga they teach (Vinyasa yoga, Ashtanga yoga, etc.), whether you'll need a cushion for meditating, yoga blocks for a certain posture, and whether they prefer that you get environmentally friendly equipment or an eco yoga mat.Now discover the best documentaries for learning all the facts about yoga...

6 Beautiful Songs for Piano and Voice

6 Beautiful Songs for Piano and Voice Suzy S. Sometimes, its good to take your singing practice back to the basics, and just sing with a small ensemble. Most satisfying of all is working only with a good pianist the level of detail just you and one other musician can achieve when working on material for piano and voice is very valuable to your development as a singer, no matter what stage youre at. If youre stuck for ideas of what to work on, the following six songs one religious, two modern pop classics, one German-language lied, one jazz standard, and one music theater number may give you some ideas. They wont all be suitable for your voice type, nor will they all be suitable for your current level of ability, but these six songs for piano and voice can give you an idea of which composers or artists to start your search with. Schubert Ave Maria Perhaps the most beautiful and appropriate setting of the Latin text for this combination, Ave Maria is the perfect addition to any singers repertoire of songs for piano and voice. Suitable for singers at an intermediate level and up, it demands great purity of line, good breath control, and a moderate level of vocal flexibility. When working on this song, concentrate on evenness of tone, and experiment with dynamic contrast. Adele Someone Like You British sensation Adele supplies a variety of modern classics for the female singer. This breakthrough hit requires considerable vocal control, however, and a solid technique. Make sure that you arent changing the shape or sound of the vowel as you change pitch on it, and practice exercises of arpeggios through the fifth on ah and ooh vowels before you sing this song to help you master this. The Fray How to Save a Life Lyrics-driven pop songs for piano and voice are an excellent addition to your vocal repertoire, as they make you pay close attention to text, and how to color it. For this song in particular, the vocal line itself isnt that difficult, and a beginner to intermediate singer should be able to master it quite quickly. However, bland and colorless words can be a problem for a beginner singer, so rather than preparing for this song with vocal exercises, practice speaking the text aloud, and pay special attention to your diction. Schubert An die Musik We make no apologies for including a second Schubert song in this list of songs for piano and voice; the undisputed king of song repertoire, Schuberts beautiful An die Musik is an ideal first foreign-language song for a beginner singer, as it covers many of the singing basics that you will cover in your first few lessons, including sustaining a lyric line, mastering vocal leaps, and managing dynamic contrasts. George Gershwin The Man I Love Gershwins great jazz and big band standard is the ideal starting point for a female singer at an intermediate stage of vocal development to learn how to develop flexibility within a rhythmic pulse, and how to improvise around an existing written vocal line. Classical singers have been experimenting with similar vocal embellishments called cadenzas for hundreds of years, and its a great way to add some excitement to your singing. Lerner Loewe On the Street Where You Live (My Fair Lady) Sung by the hapless Freddy Eynsford-Hill, this is a perfect addition to the music theater and concert repertoire of a young male singer. Ideal for learning purity of vowels, it will also help for work with high notes and working toward a big climax at the end of the song. Aim for breathless, enthusiastic innocence and dont be afraid to use your full voice. For every song you discover by a composer that you like, try to find at least one more, as this is an excellent way to build repertoire and to explore music that you might not already know. Finally, although exploring repertoire can be fun on your own, make sure that youre also working with a good teacher, who can help you find songs that are appropriate for your specific development and abilities. Have fun! Want more song recommendations?  Check out our list 400+ songs to sing here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of prescreened teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for safe, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo  by Thorsten Krienke

How to Know if Your German Lessons Have Paid Off

How to Know if Your German Lessons Have Paid Off How To Test Your Level in German After your German Course ChaptersOptions For Studying GermanInformation On German GCSE Level CoursesAn Overview Of German A Level CoursesWhat A German Degree Has To OfferAlternative Qualifications For German EnthusiastsSo you’ve been hard at work studying German, perhaps even visiting German-speaking countries to enhance your studies, and now know deep within that you’ve reached a certain level in the language.But how do you prove to others, as well as to yourself, that you are in actual fact working at that level?Even though the reception you get when conversing with native speakers is good, not even this type of confirmation is enough to prove to prospective employers that you can get by in the language.Recruiters will usually want concrete evidence of your language ability in the form of a recognised qualification or alternative certificate.The Goethe-Institut examinations are well-known across the world and the certificate that is awarded at the end of the course is accepted as a valid qualification by most employers and further education establishments in a number of countries.The language courses have been designed in conjunction with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), and offer options ranging from A1 (beginner) to C2 (advanced).Centres Offering Goethe-Institut ExaminationsCentres across the UK and beyond offer the Goethe-Institut certificate, including the languages centres of Durham University and Manchester University.You can choose to study German at university, either on its own or with another subject. Photo via VisualHuntThe International ECLThe European Consortium for the Certificate of Attainment of Languages, mercifully abbreviated to the three-letter acronym above, provides a standardised examination of the languages of European Union member states.Unlike its more exacting sister-test, the CEFRL, the ECL challenges second-language speakers only at four levels. They are:A2-Waystage: beyond the ability to conduct simple conversations in a language, A2 proves those candidates to be nearly at the threshold of intermediate language skills.B1-Threshold: at this level, the candidate proves s/he can negotiate daily transactions and formulate full sentences, albeit with some grammar errors and with incomplete vocabularyB2-Vantage: these candidates are able to expound on a wide variety of topics from business to the arts.C1-Effective Operational Proficiency: the candidate has the ability to formulate ideas and express them with little to no grammatical errors or deficiency in vocabulary.As with other language proficiency exams, the ECL tests in all four areas of language competence: reading and writing as well as speaking and listening comprehension.However, there are no grammar exercises; more specifically, grammar knowledge is tested by the candidate’s ability to use the language correctly. Translation does not feature at all in this exam.This ordeal is conducted in two parts: the oral exam designed to challenge liste ning and speaking skills and the written portion is meant to assess the test taker’s ability to understand and communicate non-verbally.Each of the four skills is tested by two tasks, meaning you will have two listening exercises, two writing exercises and will sit two interviews â€" possibly with two different interviewers.Candidates may choose to sit the ECL exam for German at any of the five scheduled testing dates throughout the year, and at the testing site closest to them. You only need to refer to the ECL homepage to find the location nearest you!TestDaFTest Deutsch als Fremde Sprache, literally Test of German as a Foreign Language is a language proficiency exam for non-native speakers.This standardised language exam is geared towards people who aspire to study in Germany and at academics and scientists who wish to work or conduct research in partnership with German universities.As expected by the exam’s anticipated audience, it goes further and gets more specific than th e standard CEFRL tests.Accordingly, levels A1, A2 and B1 â€" basic to low-intermediate language skills do not figure in this assessment; one must have more than a fundamental grasp on the mechanics and vocabulary of the German language to even consider signing up for it.As with all other language certification exams, this one tests all four components of language.To demonstrate your reading comprehension, you will be presented with three texts, each followed by 10 questions. These texts are progressive in their levels of difficulty and you will be expected to understand not only the information overtly presented but also grasp implicit information and nuance.The challenge to your speaking abilities is relatively short â€" only 30 minutes but requires you to address seven situations you might encounter at university: a conversation with fellow students, with your research team, with a department head.You may also be tasked with describing a graph or interpreting data, formulating a h ypothesis based on given parameters... or expressing your opinion on a certain topic.Unusually for a language certification exam, rather than simply passing or failing it, you will be awarded a level of proficiency based on your performance. Those levels are as follows:TDN3: the lowest level one must reach. Failure to do so will result in an ‘unter TDN3’ printed on your exam certificate. (That means under level TDN3). The other marks, logically, are TDN4 and TDN5.As for how they match up to CERFL’s A1-C2 scale:TDN3 and the lower range of TDN4 correspond to B2 on the CERFL scalethe upper TDN4 range through TDN5 equate to CERFL’s C1 rank.Unlike other exams in which the candidate selects the level s/he wishes to test at, the same TestDaf exam is administered to every candidate regardless of his/her proclaimed (or demonstrated) ability.None of this means that unless you’re an academic, this certification exam is closed to you if, in fact, you are highly proficient in the langu age. To the contrary, the acquisition of such a certificate has many uses.Let us suppose you have earned your BA Honors and are working toward your teaching certification, with the intent of becoming a German language teacher.It would be a good idea to prove your language competencies beyond what your Bachelors’ degree confers onto you. Sitting the TestDaF is the perfect way to do so!What if you were fortunate to take part in an Erasmus exchange programme?While the mention of that illustrious learning opportunity would indeed look very good on your CV, rounding out your proven skills set with a TestDaf certification is sure to put you ahead of the competition, job-wise!The International BaccalaureateThe concept of educational techniques for peace was formalised by a French educator named Marie-Therese Maurette.Starting out as an educator at the International School of Geneva, she went on to lead that school for a quarter-century. Her pedagogy â€" indeed her leadership of that reno wn institution were based on respect and openness and revolved around an international perspective.So impressive was her teaching philosophy that UNESCO requested that she publish an outline of it.With a pedigree such as this, it should come as no surprise that the International Baccalaureate, with its roots in Ms Maurette’s ideology, is the Rolls Royce of educational certification.Today, the International Baccalaureate programme consists of four levels; development may start in students’ primary school years and continue through middle school. It then splits into two branches, the career-related programme and the Diploma programme.It is with the latter track, aimed at 16- to 19-year-olds, that we find an opportunity for certifying one’s ability to speak and understand German.The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) provides internationally recognised and accepted qualification for gaining entry to universities all over the world.By far more challenging than ou r A-Levels, the IBDP delivers an assessment of students’ abilities in six subjects and three core requirements. They are:Theory of Knowledge: a 100-hour mandatory study course that examines the nature and limitations of knowledge as well as determining the validity and meaning of knowledge. At the end of the course, students deliver a 1,600-word essay and present their conclusions.Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS): this is the portion of the programme where students are encouraged to expand their civic obligations, release their creativity and pursue activities conducive to personal growth. The general expectation is for students to spend between three and four hours engaged in suitable tasks each week.An extended essay: the candidate selects a topic from a list and delivers a 4,000-word independent research work.None of this sounds much like certifying one’s language skills... that is, until you get to the second of the aforementioned six subjects that comprise the exam: L anguage Acquisition.In case you were interested, the first one is Studies in Language and Literature, taken in your native language.You may choose to test at Standard Level or Higher level â€" a more rigorous challenge that includes literature from your chosen second language. Please note that you will not be called on to interpret or analyse those texts; they are used merely to assess your level of linguistic comprehension.Should you elect to test at Standard Level, (there is no shame in that!) you may elect to review such a literary text rather than tackle one of the optional topics offered.So, what can an International Baccalaureate do for you?Aside from expanding your critical thinking ability and prepare you to be a better global citizen, it can certify your German language skill with authority and veneration.An IB is accepted at most if not all UK universities; you may even enrol for study in a German institute of higher learning with your IB, provided you meet their more stri ngent criteria.And, we can’t stress this enough: the prestige of having earned an international certificate of learning puts you far ahead of the competition, both in academics and in the job market!Need more tips and tricks to learn German? Check them out here.You can also find german lessons london, as well as other cities across the country,With multiple options open to you and every German language learner, there is no reason for you to delay asserting your skills!

Digital Distractions and School Performance

Digital Distractions and School Performance Learning in the digital age is a frequent topic of conversation here at Huntington Learning Center, and it certainly raises a lot of questions. For parents who grew up without technology so readily accessible like it is today, the main one is: do electronics help or hinder my childs school performance? Here are a few interesting observations about the negative impact of internet-enabled electronicslaptops, tablets and cell phonesreported from several recent studies: A 2016 Psychological Science study recorded college students laptop internet use in class and found that nonacademic internet use (e.g. social media, videos, email and online shopping) was frequent and inversely related to performance on the subjects cumulative final examregardless of interest in the class, motivation to succeed and intelligence (full article: Logged In and Zoned Out: How Laptop Internet Use Relates to Classroom Learning). In other words, even if a student was interested in a subject and deemed intelligent (based on other test scores), the use of the internet in classes had a negative impact on his or her final exam score. The same study did not find that accessing the internet for academic purposes was related to any benefit in performance. In other words, even if a student went on the internet during class for something academic in nature, doing so didnt benefit his or her final exam score. A 2019 study in Educational Psychology: an International Journal of Experimental Psychology found that students exam performance was poorer for the material taught in classes that allowed electronic use than those that did not (full article: Dividing attention in the classroom reduces exam performance). The same study also found that students in the device-permitting classroom that did not use devices still scored lower, which points to the likelihood that such students were distracted by devices around them. A 2013 study inCommunication Educationfound that of students who watched a video lecture, took notes and took quizzes afterward, thosewho did not usetheir mobile phones wrote down 62% more information, took more detailed notes and were able to recall more detailed information from the lecture than those who did use mobile phones during the lecture (full article: The Impact of Mobile Phone Usage on Student Learning). The same study found that the students who did not use their mobile phones during class scored a full letter grade higher on a multiple-choice test than those who actively used their mobile phones. While theres no question that the internet and electronic devices that connect us to it have opened up a world of possibilities for learning and knowledge acquisition, the research is clear: digital distraction is a real problem for todays students. What can you as a parent do to ensure your childs school performance does not suffer because he or she uses a cell phone and/or laptop regularly (in class or outside of it)? Here are a few tips: Teach your child about the importance of concentrating during set periods of time and also taking mental breaks while working. This practice improves focus and retention and encourages your child to separate school work and screen time. If your child doesnt need the computer or phone while doing homework, he or she should set them aside. Teach your child how to set rules for study/homework time and hold him or herself accountable to those rules. Encourage your child to establish short-term objectives for every homework session. Having a to-do list to work from will help your child stay on task and avoid digital distractions. If your child is struggling to focus, it may be that he or she needs help developing a good study systemand its certainly possible that something else is going on. Call Huntington at 1-800 CAN LEARN to learn how we can help your child become a more efficient, productive student in the digital age.

Five Private High School Application Mistakes

Five Private High School Application Mistakes Improving Academic Performance If you’re applying to private high schools soon, you need to plan the months you’ve got ahead of you. The admissions process is very competitive, and you have to make sure you’re on top of your game every step of the way. While there are definite protocols to follow such as reading the application instructions carefully and going through multiple drafts of your essays, there are also some don’ts to keep in mind. Take a look at 5 mistakes to stray away from throughout your private high school application journey. Underestimating the Campus Visit Campus visits can be a critical part of your evaluation by the admissions office. You’re being observed more carefully than you might think, as the tour is not just for your benefit. From the administrative staff processing your intake information at the admissions office to the student guiding your campus tour, each person has the opportunity to provide feedback on your disposition, demeanor, side conversations with your family, eye contact, general level of interest in what was going on around you, or anything else they might want to include in your file. Instead of being distracted elsewhere, take advantage of the visit to convey that you’re genuinely excited about the school through active engagement and enthusiasm. Scripting Your Interview There is a happy medium to strive for in order to excel with your interview. The interviewer is trying to ascertain your fit for the school and how you might interact with other students in activities and the classroom. They want to see your interest level, palpably, in the interview. This means that you need to express your passion and have specific anecdotes and examples about yourself at the ready. However, you do not want to script your answers. It’s tempting to come up with a practiced monologue in response to “tell me about yourself” or “why do you want to attend this school?” These rehearsed answers interrupt the natural flow of conversation and make you seem robotic rather than the autonomous, critical thinker that the school is hoping will thrive in their community. Failing to Include Anecdotes in the Parent Statement Parents find it hard to resist the temptation to go on and on about their kids in these “formal” essays that they write as part of the application. Nonetheless, the same lessons of application writing for students apply to parents as well: it is imperative to show rather than tell. Parents need to channel the impulse to talk about their kids into a productive stream of honest anecdotes that show what the student is like, as if it were a short clip being played to the admissions office. This is far more effective than reciting conclusory praise! Banking On - or Only Applying to - One or Two Schools Most people acknowledge that it would be silly to only apply to one or two colleges if you are aiming at the most selective schools in the country, but don’t carry over that attitude to the private high school application process. In some cases, these high schools are even more competitive than certain colleges, especially in the case of highly esteemed and historically successful schools such as Horace Mann and Harvard-Westlake. Don’t underestimate the selectivity of your top-choice institution and keep a variety of options open for yourself as you work on your school list. Assuming Standardized Timelines for Application Deadlines The bottom line is, different schools have different deadlines. Some will be at the end of December or in early January. Some will be as late as April or March. Often times, students are completing their interviews and campus visits well before their applications are submitted, whereas this would be an unusual process on the college side. With different admissions testing requirements, various deadlines, and limited timeframes that students can take off to conduct interviews (October break, Thanksgiving, etc.), it’s imperative to plan early. As you can see, mistakes can occur as early as your initial visit or as late as the interview phase! You must be careful throughout the application process and maintain a high level of organization to stay ahead of what needs to be done. Carefully avoid these errors, and you should be on your way to presenting your best self to the admissions office. About the Author By David Mainiero, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of InGenius Prep.

New Horizons -First NASA`s Spacecraft to Fly by Pluto!

New Horizons -First NASA`s Spacecraft to Fly by Pluto! On July 14, 2015 NASAs spacecraft New Horizons became the first probe to ever visit Pluto. It successfully flew past the icy planet at 7:49 am EDT Tuesday. Since its launch in 2006 New Horizons traveled 3 billion-mile. This long-term voyage took nine and a half years. On its brief flyby, New Horizons made detailed measurements and observations of Pluto, and its moons: Charon (the largest moon), Styx, Nix, Kerberos, and Hydra. And for the first time in human history, its going to let us set eyes upon a mysterious new world. Everyone has been waiting for this historic moment. And finally it has happened! The splendid, high-resolution photos of Pluto will reveal  many unknown detail of craters, icy plains and possible mountain ranges on its surface. A couple of words about Pluto. It was discovered in 1930 by American astronomer Clyde Tombaugh, and was considered the 9 planet from the Sun. Pluto is named after the god of the underworld. After 1992, the status of Pluto as a planet fell into question following the discovery of several objects of similar size in the Kuiper belt. In 2006, Pluto was reclassified as a member of the new dwarf planet category. Some astronomers believe Pluto should still be considered a planet. Want to know more about New Horizons or Pluto? Ask one of our Astronomy tutors.

Friends Forever! 4 Sets of Similar Languages You Can Pair for Easy Learning

Friends Forever! 4 Sets of Similar Languages You Can Pair for Easy Learning Friends Forever! 4 Sets of Similar Languages You Can Pair for Easy Learning Theyre as thick as thieves.Theyre so similar that sometimes even their friends mistake them for one another.Yes, there are some languages that have an awful lot in common.While its totally awkward when they get called by each others names at parties, the similarity between languages is really helpful for language learners. After all, if you know one language, learning a similar language will be much easier.Whether youre trying to learn several new languages quickly, or you just want to learn a language thats not far from your native tongue, understanding which ones are similar is your first step.Well show you four sets of similar languages that you can pair together for easy learning, some of which may surprise you.Make friends with these linguistic besties and youll be on the fast track to multilingualism! What Makes Some Languages Similar?The reason that some languages are so similar is that theyre part of the same language family. Wed love to tell you that language families are formed when two languages love each other very much. However, language families are actually just formed of languages that share a common ancestor.Related languages are also usually close geographically, though that isnt always the case.Due to their shared origins, languages within the same family often possess something called lexical similarity. Lexical similarity is a measure of how much vocabulary two languages share.This can also lead to mutual intelligibility, which occurs when a speaker of one language can understand a speaker of another language with little effort. Many similar languages have some degree of mutual intelligibility, which can aid significantly in  learning grammar  and  overcoming the language barrier.If youre learning a language, you might also consider learning a language similar to your target language since they have so much in common.Why Is It Useful to Be Aware of Similar Languages?One reason its useful to be aware of similar languages is because you may actually be able to understand one language by speaking another. You might even be able to do some language exchange right off the bat without knowing much about the similar language.Additionally, you may have an easier time learning a similar language once you know its cousin. Since similar languages often share some grammar rules and vocabulary, you may already know key details, so its like getting a running start on the road to fluency.Finally, being aware of similar languages will help you understand more about the roots of the language. Languages are traditionally similar because they stem from the same root language.Therefore, if you learn two languages from the same linguistic family, you can see how the original language influenced its descendants. Thatll give you valuable insights into the ones youre learning.Friends Forever! 4 Sets of Similar Languages You Can Pair for Easy LearningYou can study many of the languages mentioned below at FluentUâ€"and all you need is just o ne account to switch between languages as you wish!FluentU makes it possible to learn languages from music videos, commercials, news, inspiring talks and more.With FluentU, you hear languages in real-world contextsâ€"the way that native speakers actually use them. Just a quick look will give you an idea of the variety of FluentU videos on offer:FluentU really takes the grunt work out of learning languages, leaving you with nothing but engaging, effective and efficient learning. It’s already hand-picked the best videos for you and organized them by level and topic. All you have to do is choose any video that strikes your fancy to get started!Each word in the interactive captions comes with a definition, audio, image, example sentences and more.Access a complete interactive transcript of every video under the Dialogue tab, and easily review words and phrases from the video under Vocab.You can use FluentU’s unique adaptive quizzes to learn the vocabulary and phrases from the video through fun questions and exercises. Just swipe left or right to see more examples of the word youre studying.The program even keeps track of what you’re learning and tells you exactly when it’s time for review, giving you a 100% personalized experience.Start using FluentU on the website with your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes store or Google Play store.Similar Romance LanguagesRomance languages stemmed from a form of Latin. Romance languages include French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and Romanian. Yes, Romanian, though geographically distant, is related to these other Romance languages.The degree of mutual intelligibility varies greatly between language pairs.The most mutually intelligible pair is Spanish and Portuguese. In some cases, TV stations dont even translate between the two languages, instead assuming that Spanish-speaking audiences would understand Portuguese and Portuguese-speaking audiences would understand Spanish.Per haps the most notable difference between the two languages is in pronunciation.Other Romance languages also have some degree of mutual intelligibility. On the Romance Languages Mutual Intelligibility  notes additional similarities between Italian and Spanish. All in all, the article declares Spanish particularly intelligible to speakers of other Romance languages.Romanian is the most dissimilar from its linguistic siblings, making it more difficult for speakers of other Romance languages to understand.Based on comparing a word list between languages, The Romance Languages  asserts that many of the Romance languages are more similar than you might think. There are many look-alike words between the languages. This includes 70 percent of the words between Italian and Romanian and a whopping 89 percent of words between Spanish-Portuguese and Italian-French.If you want to see the similarities for yourself, you can compare vocabularies side by side with ielanguages.coms Romance Languages vocabulary lists.ielanguages.com is a great resource for taking advantage of similar languages, as youll find tutorials for the Romance languages as well as several others that well discuss later in this post.Some of these tutorials are even paired together so you can learn two similar languages simultaneously (e.g. Learn French and Spanish Together). You can also get language tutorial e-books covering everything from comprehensive grammar rundowns to informal and spoken language. Basically, if youre looking to become multilingual, ielanguages.com should be your first stop.Similar Germanic LanguagesThe Germanic language family covers geography in Central through Northern Europe. They all stem from the Proto-Germanic language spoken around 500 BC in Northern Europe.Germanic languages arent as mutually intelligible as Romance languages. Some northern and southern dialects of German arent even mutually intelligible.While the degree of mutual intelligibility is significantly less than t hat of Romance languages,  German, English, Dutch and Afrikaans do have some overlap, particularly in writing.  This group of languages can also be called West Germanic.Since Afrikaans is derived from Dutch, it should perhaps come as no surprise that these two languages are largely mutually intelligible. Though only considered partially mutually intelligible in written form, German and Dutch do also have similarities. You can see for yourself by perusing ielanguages.coms Germanic Languages comparative vocabulary lists.There are also some surprising similarities between German and English, like sentence structure and word order.So while Germanic languages dont share much mutual intelligibility, they still share some vocabulary and grammar rules that make them similar.Similar Scandinavian LanguagesThough technically considered a Northern Germanic group, Scandinavian languages are much more similar to one another than they are to other Germanic languages.Danish, Norwegian, Swedish and Icelandic are all considered Scandinavian languages. However, while Danish, Norwegian and Swedish are fairly closely linked, Icelandic is more distant.The Nordic Council notes that while theres some mutual intelligibility, this seems to vary a great deal between groups of speakers. For instance, young Norwegians are able to understand more Scandinavian languages due to their familiarity with dialects. Young Danes, on the other hand, have much greater difficulty understanding other Scandinavian languages.Again, you can see the similarities between languages for yourself at ielanguages.coms Scandinavian Languages comparative vocabulary lists. Youll note that many phrases are nearly identical.Similar Slavic LanguagesThe Slavic language family is a large group of languages spread through Eastern and Central Europe. The language group is thought to have originated in the Early Middle Ages from the Proto-Slavic language.These include Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Polish, Bulgarian, Serb ian, Croatian, Bosnian, Slovene, Macedonian, Czech and Slovak. These languages are further broken down into subgroups:The East group includes Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian.The West group includes Czech, Slovak and Polish.The South group includes Bulgarian, Macedonian and the Serbo-Croatian languages of Serbian, Croatian and Bosnian.Within each subgroup, theres at least partial mutual intelligibility, though theres not usually mutual intelligibility across subgroups. For instance, a Russian speaker may understand Ukrainian, but he/she is less likely to understand Czech. That being said, theres a lot of overlap in vocabulary even across groups. Wikipedias Slavic vocabulary chart shows this quite clearly.Mutual intelligibility is quite common within language subgroups.For instance, Serbian, Croatian, Montenegrin and Bosnian are so similar that theyre often lumped together as one language: Serbo-Croatian. According to writer and linguist Robert Lindsay,  Serbo-Croatian is also parti ally mutually intelligible with other languages, most notably Macedonian.Similarly, Bulgarian is quite mutually intelligible with Macedonian.Other pairings with a high degree of mutual intelligibility include Czech-Slovak, Russian-Belarusian and Russian-Ukrainian.The Slavic language family is quite large, but theres a lot of mutual intelligibility within it. If you learn Slavic languages, even if theyre in different subgroups, youre bound to notice similarities.While they may seem similar, each language is still unique and worth learning. If you pair a similar language with your target language, though, itll make learning them so much easier than learning two unrelated languages!