Use English Learning Stories For Better Language Skills

Use English Learning Stories For Better Language SkillsThe best way to learn English language is by using an English learning program. Not only it is the fastest and easiest way to learn but also it allows you to focus on what you are interested in. Moreover, they are affordable and also give the student time to listen to various languages from the comfort of their own home.These days, there are many different products in the market which can help you learn English. You can get these free download from websites and from other sources. You can download a program from various sites if you have a fast Internet connection. And of course, you should try to avoid getting things from free sites that have a virus or spyware.You can find these English learning stories in newspapers and magazines and they can be available in different stories and articles. Another option is that you can find these free downloads in the Internet. You can just go to search engines and find all these websites off ering free downloads.You will find that there are many different online sites that can offer you English learning materials. You can browse through the selections and select one that suits your requirement. Also, you can get these online programs from some sites that allow you to get free downloads only for a limited period.Once you have decided which site to visit, you should know how you can learn this language easily. There are many sites which allow you to sign up and login, so that you can practice the language with them. In some sites, you can even get complete explanations of the language.Apart from these free download, you can also get printed materials such as books, dictionaries, compilations and flash cards. These may be very useful in many ways and you should try to avail these as soon as possible.Many people do not have enough time to learn English because of their busy schedule and the availability of English learning materials helps to solve this problem. If you are i nterested in English language then the next best thing you can do is to try and download these English learning stories free download. You can also use this opportunity to get acquainted with new words in the language.

How to Get the Vocal Range of Famous Singers

How to Get the Vocal Range of Famous Singers Sign up successful 1. Chest Voice Our chest voice is our main voice and typically is where we sing the notes we are comfortable singing. Chest voice for men typically is lower than a chest voice for women. Most famous female singers sing in chest voice â€" the easiest for them. However, most famous male singers sing in their mixed voice. 2. Mixed Voice Mixed voice is the voice above the chest voice; here, men are able to sing higher notes (think Chris Brown and Trey Songz). Notes in mixed voice for women are typically higher than chest but not as powerful as their full voice (most famous female singers do not typically use their mixed voice very much). 3. Falsetto Both men and women have falsetto â€" although many women typically don’t sing in falsetto. Most people do not count falsetto as part of their vocal range, but a falsetto can still be very useful; if you’re a man and can’t sing certain notes, using falsetto to reach them can prove helpful. Male singers who use falsetto are Chris Brown and Justin Timberlake. Female singers who use falsetto are Leona Lewis and Beyoncé. Falsetto is basically your “false voice” and is what some people refer to as your “girl voice” when referring to male singers. 4. Head Voice Head voice is quite uncommon among both male and female singers, and even rarer in male singers. Head voice is typically less than an octave and notes in this voice are high and powerful â€" think Leona Lewis, Beyoncé, and Ariana Grande. Men can sing in head voice but typically cannot exceed its typical range â€" up to about E6 â€" while women can sing up to about G6 (like Ariana does), but it is highly recommended that you do not exceed its suggested range (G5 to E6). 5. Vocal Fry/Whistle Register Vocal fry is extremely rare in music and typically only used in country music. Vocal fry is typically only used by male singers and notes in this voice are very low. Whistle register is also extremely rare and for most people the only singer they know who can sing in whistle is Mariah Carey. Most people know very little about this voice and though many suggest you cannot sing in this voice â€" especially men â€" I think that anyone can reach this voice. Suggested Video: What is My Vocal Range? How to Expand Your Voice Anyone can expand their vocal range but it takes a lot of practice, time, and patience. I used to be able to only sing in chest voice and falsetto, but now I can sing in every voice that I mentioned â€" I have around a 6.8-octave vocal range. If you want help expanding your range then just hire me as your tutor and I’ll help you expand it little by little with every voice lesson. Here are the steps well take: First step:  Discovering your current vocal range is our first step. I will play a virtual piano, and you will sing each note I play (if you have mimicry then this will be easy) until we have found your vocal range. If you know your range already then we skip this step. Second step:  We then discover your weak spots â€" where your voice sounds weak, where you have trouble, and where you need help. After this we can then start expanding your vocal range. Third step:  I will then teach you and give you tips and suggestions on how to sing lower or higher â€" depending on what you want. Here is where our lessons will vary completely seeing as each student is different. Fourth step:  Every time we discover a new voice I will teach you to bridge your voices together so there is no gap between them. Typically this is our last step with each voice. Working with a voice teacher is also key if youre trying to learn a particular  song a professional instructor can give you specific tips and pointers to help you. For a great example, check out this tutorial for singing Christina Aguileras Beautiful by our friends at Mollys Music. Emmanuel M. teaches singing and songwriting exclusively online. A California State University, Fullerton graduate and native Spanish speaker, he also teaches essay writing, study skills, and Spanish. Learn more about Emmanuel 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  Went Backward

The Best Headphones for Singing

The Best Headphones for Singing Headphones for Singers ChaptersWhat Makes Good Headphones for Singers?Beats Solo3Denon AH-GC30Sennheiser MomentumJBL Everest 710Nura NuraphoneBose QuietComfort 35 II and QuietComfortSony WH-1000XM3 and WH-1000XM2Marshall Mid ANC“If they're singing about heartbreak, they've lived it.” - Paula AbdulFor singers, when it comes to over-ear headphones and in-ear headphones, most choose an over-ear headphone. Each different type of headphone has its pros and cons depending on what you plan on using them for. Headphones can be used for listening to music but also for listening to yourself sing.Almost 2/3 of the population listen to music every, 3 in 10 listen to music most days, and only 6.2% listen to music only 2-3 times a week.There are plenty of wireless headphones and many of them are designed for everyday use and include noise cancellation and great audio quality, for example.But are they good for singing?Let’s have a look at the best headphones for singers. TraceySinging Teacher 4.92 (13) £25/h1st l esson free!Discover all our tutors PortiaSinging Teacher 4.91 (11) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolaSinging Teacher 5.00 (11) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JazzSinging Teacher 5.00 (6) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PerrineSinging Teacher 5.00 (3) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TiemSinging Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TomSinging Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MiriamSinging Teacher 5.00 (4) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhat Makes Good Headphones for Singers?As you’ll have seen, headphone jacks are disappearing. Smartphones are coming out with fewer and fewer ports as wireless technology and Bluetooth replaces wired alternatives. Whether they're wired or wireless, you need to carefully choose your headphones. (Source: Taken)Headphones are following this trend and more and more audiophiles are opting for wireless headphones. They now come with apps that allow you to change the sound quality, equalise the sound, and change the ambient sound.When it comes to getting wireless headphones, there are a few things you need to think about:The sound quality: This is one of the first things you need to think of when buying Bluetooth or wired headphones. When it comes to audio balance, there can be a loss in quality via Bluetooth, which is why you need to pay careful attention to the headphones you get, especially if you’re a singer.Comfort: In addition to having a decent battery life (20 hours is a good time frame), headphones need to be comfortable. Some people prefer around-the-ear headphones, others prefer over-ear headphones, but you’ve got to see what you think of them first.Isolation: This is a hugely importan t factor as a lot of headphones offer a lot of noise cancellation. When you put your headphones on, it’s to hear yourself, not the rest of the world.Design: While this may seem quite trivial to some, for others, it’ll be a huge advantage for some. In some cases, you’ll want to try them out, see how they feel, what they can do, and how good they are.So now you should know a bit about what to look for when buying your headphones. We’ve got a few different models that you might want to have a look at.Beats Solo3Available in the “core” and “pop” ranges, these wireless headphones can connect automatically to nearby Apple devices: Apple Watch, iPad, Mac, etc., of course, with Bluetooth technology, you can connect it to almost any modern device. Headphones that may be right for one singer may not be the best for another. (Source: Free-Photos)The sound of the Beats is exceptional, too. It’s clear, balanced, and of great quality overall.  In terms of comfort, these headphones are padded and are great for blocking outside noise, which is useful if you’re singing. They come with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, too.Denon AH-GC30Most Brits listen to music every day, which is why you’ve got to carefully choose your headphones. With various accessories (including three cables), these metal and faux-leather headphones are great value-for-money.They have good battery life and two microphones built-in so that you can make calls and use voice commands. Of course, you can use the Bluetooth to connect them to a variety of different devices. Finally, the noise cancellation is great.A good all-rounder!Find out more about singing mics.Sennheiser Momentum“Singing is just a feeling set to music.” - Carrie UnderwoodIn terms of nua nce (thanks to its 18O neodymium transducer), the sound from these headphones is clear and rich. With its stainless steel sliders and flexible leather, these headphones sit perfectly on your head.These headphones have adjustable parts meaning that they’ll fit comfortably on anyone’s head. The more comfortable you are, the better you’ll be able to sing. Again, there are plenty of options for volume and playback. In short, these are some comfortable headphones that are useful for when you’re singing. TraceySinging Teacher 4.92 (13) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PortiaSinging Teacher 4.91 (11) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolaSinging Teacher 5.00 (11) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JazzSinging Teacher 5.00 (6) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PerrineSinging Teacher 5.00 (3) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TiemSinging Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TomSinging Teacher £25/h1s t lesson free!Discover all our tutors MiriamSinging Teacher 5.00 (4) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsJBL Everest 710The JBL Everest 710 is a pair of noise-cancelling headphones that combines wireless and wired technology. With these headphones, almost anything is possible. With 96dB sensitivity, these are some great folding over-ear headphones and the Bluetooth technology provides some great sound. You need to choose the headphones that you'll be comfortable wearing for a long time in the studio. (Source: rsunshine)Thanks to long battery life, they’re great for recording in a home studio. In wired mode, there’s also a microphone button you can use for commands. In Bluetooth mode, they’re among the best in their price range and have great noise cancellation.Nura NuraphoneThese original headphones include both in-ear and over-ear parts. The headphones also measure the user’s sensitivity to sounds and adjust accordingly, producing great sound for every user.These headphones won’t fold but they do make up for it with their superior build quality. They’re great for extended use.Bose QuietComfort 35 II and QuietComfortBoth these headphones are essentially brothers. Some headphones are designed with singers in mind. (Source: goranmx)What’s the difference between them?The second version has an integrated assistant.The noise cancellation and adjustable settings make both of these headphones great for singers and the audio balance is great.With 20 hours of battery life, these Bose headphones have a good build quality and are solid and shock-resistant. They’re made from nylon, stainless steel, and Alcantara, which is used in high-end automobiles.Not bad, is it?Find out more about sound cards for home studios.Sony WH-1000XM3 and WH-1000XM2Just like with the Bose headphones, these two models are like cousins. With 28 hours of battery life, they're great for spending all day and all night recording!Similarly, the sound and noise-reduction are among the best on the market and since they’re wireless, there’s Bluetooth technology involved and a quick-charge mode in case you’ve run out the batteries and need to quickly rehearse.There’s also Qui ck Attention, which turns down the volume for when you need to listen. These Sony products are great for listening to music and, more importantly, listening to your music.Think carefully about the budget for your home studio.Marshall Mid ANCWith these headphones, you can forget about the outside world and immerse yourself in your audio. With 30 hours of battery (and 20 if you’re using the noise reduction), these wireless headphones are easy to use, have great balance, are clear, comfortable, and a great all-round set of headphones.They come with a little case, take 3 hours to charge, and are sturdy little headphones. These over-ear headphones are comfortable and with soft materials make them comfortable to carry around.  With these headphones, you should be able to find some great headphones to use to listen to yourself when you’re singing and to listen back to your recordings.In the case of wireless versus wired headphones, the former tends to give you more freedom to move arou nd and while there’s a loss in quality, the headphones we’ve looked at all have a great sound.So have you made your choice? Ready to start singing?If you need more help with your singing, consider getting in touch with one of the many talented and experienced tutors on Superprof. There are three main types of singing tutorial available and each has its pros and cons so have a look at what's on offer and see what will work best for you, your learning style, and your budget.Face-to-face tutorials are between just you and your tutor. Since you're the only student, the tutorials will be planned around you, what you want to learn, and how you like to learn. Of course, this bespoke service comes at a price and face-to-face tutorials tend to be the most costly per hour of tuition. That said, they're also the most cost-effective since every minute in a tutorial is spent teaching you how to sing.Online tutorials are similar to face-to-face tutorials in that they're between a single tutor and a single student. However, thanks to the marvels of modern technology, you can be taught over the internet thanks to video conferencing software. However, since your tutor won't have to travel to you and can schedule more lessons each week, they can also charge more competitive rates.Group tutorials tend to be the cheapest per hour because the tutor's time is being paid for by everyone in the class. Unlike the other two types of tutorials, the tutor won't be able to offer bespoke tuition as they have several students to keep happy. However, if you and a few friends all want to learn how to sing, you can share the cost of private tutorials between yourselves in group tutorials.

Stanford Offers Free Artificial Intelligence Class Online

Stanford Offers Free Artificial Intelligence Class Online Two Stanford professors have announced that they will offer a free online class on artificial intelligence, according to an article in theNew York Times. Stanford professors, Sebastian Thrun and Peter Norvig two of the worlds best-known artificial intelligence experts will teach the course. Over 112,000and counting people have already enrolled in the class, which is nearly six times the entire Stanford student body. Students range from high school to retirees, and the course will represent students from 175 countries. Thrun and Norvig said that they will teach this course as part of an education experiment. They are trying to use technology to extend knowledge beyond Stanfords elite student body. The vision is: change the world by bringing education to places that cant be reached today, said Thrun. Stanford will offer two additional free courses. The first will be an introductory course on database software, taught by Jennifer Widom, chairwoman of the computer science department, and the second will be an introduction to machine learning, taught by Andrew Ng. Students will not get grades or credit for the course, but they will be ranked in comparison to other students in the class, and they will receive a statement of accomplishment. Students do not need to pass a test to get into the class. But to keep up, they may need some higher math classes like linear algebra and probability theory. This class is great for any high school student interested in going to Stanford. It probably wont significantly affect your chances of being accepted, but its a perfect opportunity to get on Stanford'sradar and show them youre interested. Even if youre not interested in Stanford, participating in this class can only help your college application. Not many other students will be able to say that they took a class at Stanford. The rapid commercialization of high-speed Internet access has created a new wave of education experiments. Many other professors have recorded their class lectures and uploaded them to YouTube for free. The Stanford courses will be taught in a similar way. The three classes will use streaming Internet video for lectures and interactive technologies for quizzes and grading. Stanford has used this structure to teach smaller groups of students in the past. The professors will use a Google moderator service that will allow students to vote on the best questions for professors to respond to in an online chat or streaming video. They are exploring possibilities to personalize exams to help eliminate cheating. The Stanford professors are hoping to use the Internet and other technological advances to extend education. Ng said that he hopes to see the equivalent of a Stanford computer science degree on the Web someday.

How To Learn Italian Online

How To Learn Italian Online Massive Open Online Course To Learn Italian ChaptersLearn Italian: What is MOOC?Why Learn Italian?What Should An Italian Teacher Do?What Do To Do After Taking Italian MOOC?Learning a foreign language is always a good idea, especially when it comes to dealing with different areas of everyday life. Work, travel, meetings, everything is a pretext for memorization, immersion, or even progress, whatever the language. Italian is an integral part of a language course and learning to speak it is a perfect way to make rapid progress in foreign languages.Progressing slowly is absolutely acceptable, but why not become bilingual quickly, thanks to an Italian teacher, or simply through online Italian courses. MOOCs offer exactly that, for language courses that are as simple as they are effective. Indeed, 82% of British people consider that MOOC has enabled them to develop useful skills in their work.Different uses of this language learning, which make it possible to see Italian as a fertile ground for multilingual people. So, shall we go f or it?Learn Italian while in the Italian peninsula. DanielaItalian Teacher 5.00 (9) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LuciaItalian Teacher 5.00 (4) £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarilùItalian Teacher 5.00 (8) £22/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarcoItalian Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AntonellaItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £14/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GiusyItalian Teacher 5.00 (3) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EnricoItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FedericaItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsLearn Italian: What is MOOC?You may have already heard about MOOCs, especially if you have already decided to learn Russian, take English courses online, or take Spanish courses. It is, in fact, the acronym for Massive Open Online Course, which has now completely become part of the language of everyday life in the UK, since th is name is now an integral part of our dictionaries.There are also sometimes other names to describe this way of learning a new language, such as Italian. Indeed, you will most likely encounter names such as Open Online Training for All (FLOT), but also Open and Massive Online Courses (CLOM). In any case, the fact remains that any student, any learner, wishing to become bilingual in the Italian language, will find his happiness with the MOOCs.In a more concrete way, MOOCs are divided into two types of courses: xMOOCs and cMOOCs. The first aims to validate skills through an Italian certificate of success, while the second opens up the field of possibilities more broadly, through freer learning and broader content.CMOOCs base their learning of Italian on the link, but also on an open pedagogy, which will be achieved through networks, connectivity, but also through an exchange. The idea here is to have a kind of collaborative community, via a forum, via social networks, so that learnin g Italian will become a real pleasure.Get started and learn all the Italian phrases, Italian words and Italian verbs you can.Dante is credited with linguistically unifying Italy. Source: Wikimedia Commons)A MOOC is, therefore, a type of online course, limited in time, free of charge, whose training objectives and themes are defined by teachers, but also by participants. This is the fertile ground for this type of course, which will make the educational journey a true path of knowledge.From a practical point of view, there are also videos and online content, for which a quiz will validate the progress every week.Check out how to improve your Italian accent.Why Learn Italian?Whether you are a beginner, intermediate or advanced level, the Italian courses taken online are the guarantee of adopting an open and progressive attitude towards language learning. Indeed, MOOCs offer many advantages when it comes to becoming bilingual in Italian. Some of the benefits of this type of course incl ude:Save time with online courses,An exchange between the different learners,A real progress every week, validated by a quiz,Exclusive content, that we control as we see fit,A schedule that can be adapted according to our desires, our activities, our needs,A certificate issued at the end of the training if necessary,And many more!Among the most important objectives and interests represented by the Italian language learned online is the promotion of work. Yes, MOOCs are often highly appreciated, as they provide a solid linguistic basis, which can also be combined with a job. It should be noted that 28% of learners consider that the certificate is valued by employers, which is a significant basis, we all agree!What could be better than to feel supported and helped by Italian language skills? On the agenda: increased self-confidence, hard work and motivation, and significant efficiency. Being multilingual is always a good idea!Learning a new language, its vocabulary, its grammar,  phra ses, verbs and pronunciation is often easier when you experience a complete immersion through language and culture, conversation and listening so why not go on a trip to Italy.In addition, Italian courses London taught in MOOC, such as those at the University of Siena, are based on the principle that sound and image are the basic tools for effective progress. The interest will consequently be to feel supported in the most beautiful way imaginable when learning the language of love!What Should An Italian Teacher Do?Your Italian teacher is, at the beginning, a figure of support, a guide, who will project us upwards, make us progress in a significant way, thanks to his help and his listening. You should be able to rely on them when it comes to mastering the grammatical basis in Italian, for example.But when you take Italian courses thanks to MOOC, it turns out to be a little more vague, less palpable, for the simple reason that these are online courses. And online  courses mean differe nt support, which does not necessarily replace the basics of an Italian course in person. Yes, here, the courses are given in a freer, more autonomous way, and the teacher rather acts as an adviser.A counsellor who, although doesn't seem to be present, is there when you need him, and perhaps even more so than in private lessons. This is the advantage of an online course: more freedom, but also availability, whether it is the Italian language learner or the Italian teacher. What could be more satisfying than to progress without feeling oppressed?Even beginners can make great progress and learn to speak Italian quickly with language lessons. Everyone can study Italian and learn some conversational basic Italian words and phrases.It is important not to neglect the role of the student who, if he/she shows open behaviour, eager to discover a thousand and one facets of Italian, and ready to be corrected regularly (especially during the weekly quiz), will be able to establish a healthy and effective relationship with his/her teacher. This relationship will then allow him to progress simply, in full confidence and in full possession of his faculties! So it's not that complicated, Italian!Even modern Italian is home to many different dialects. Source: Wikimedia Commons)What Do To Do After Taking Italian MOOC?Let us face it, after a MOOC in Italian, the main idea is, as stated previously, to be bilingual. So yes, it would be a dream to be fluent in Italian, to be able to converse naturally with locals, to take a one-way ticket to Rome and watch series in the original language, but that's not the only advantage of MOOCs, and many positive points will come out of these courses.Learning Italian at a MOOC also means having the confidence to stand out from the crowd during a job interview. Because certainly, Italian is a language that we all know, since it is a European country, not too far from the UK, but few are those in the UK capable to speak it, and even less are those who are completely fluent! In this way, the MOOCs could guarantee you to add a string to our bow, at least to your professional profile!To prepare for the entrance exam to a major school, what could be better than to have an additional linguistic knowledge, which you would have learned in parallel. This is the advantage of online courses: being able to have a normal life while learning a foreign language. Mother at home, manager, civil servant, student, anyone can learn Italian with MOOC!Enjoy Italian culture by speaking Italian.Learn it, but use it too! Indeed, after the MOOC courses in Italian, it may also be a radical change of life, which would then be possible. Yes, as more and more British people decide to move abroad, all this would then be possible in Bologna, Palermo or Venice. These cases are obviously rarer, but let us also think of travel, which will then be considerably simplified.As you will have understood, MOOC courses in Italian are this type of course that allows you to benefit from a rich, varied and free teaching environment while making significant progress. Nothing and no one prevents you from enrolling in this type of course, and it gives you an open, accessible and resolutely modern image of foreign languages! Come on, let's have the Milanese cutlets and lasagna! Ciao!

Critical Reasoning Question 4-Critics of Promotional Gates - Private Tutoring

Critical Reasoning Question 4-Critics of Promotional Gates BobbiM Jan 31, 2014 Critical Reasoning Question 4 Critics of strict promotional gates at the grade school level point to a recent study comparing students forced to repeat a grade with those promoted despite failing scores on an unscheduled, experimental competency test. Since there was no significant difference between the two groups scores on a second test administered after completion of the next higher grade level, these critics argue that the retention policy has failed in its expressed purpose of improving students basic skills. Which of the following best expresses the argument made by critics of promotional gates? A. Anxiety over performance on standardized tests often hinders a students ability to master challenging new material. B. A students true intellectual development cannot be gauged by his score on a standardized competency test. C. The psychological damage a child suffers by repeating a grade outweighs the potential intellectual benefits of a second chance at learning. D. Strict requirements for promotion do not lead to harder work and greater mastery of fundamentals among students fearful of being held back. E. Socioeconomic factors as well as test scores influenced whether a given student in the study was promoted or forced to repeat a grade. Think you know the answer? Correct answer: D Since the critics claim, based on the studys results, that the policy of leaving students back doesnt improve their skills, the best restatement of their view is (D). (A) fails for two reasons: one, the critics never hinted that test anxiety was the reason for poor performance, and two, (A) discusses challenging new material, whereas the tests in question assess students basic skills. In (B), were not interested in students true intellectual development-again, its their mastery of basic skills. Anyway, (B)s criticism of standardized test scores tends to go against the critics argument, which is based on those very scores. The psychological damage of being left back, raised in (C), is well beyond the scope; the critics never hinted at this. Finally, (E) fails because the critics never discussed socioeconomic factors at all-just test scores.

Back to School Tips

Back to School Tips Our practical top tips on starting a new school year! Get Organised Your child’s school will usually provide a list of stationery and supplies such as; number of folders/binders for each subject, plastic wallets, lined paper, coloured pencils, fountain pen, scientific calculator, a geometry set etc. Go shopping together, and let your child pick out her own back to school stationery as this will allow them to take ownership of it (meaning she is more likely to take care of her new things) and get excited about the new school year. TOP TIP: Check that your child is comfortable using her new supplies e.g. the scientific calculator, or protractor as this can help ease anxiety in lessons. Get everything ready before school starts, ask your child to pack his school bag, and lay out his uniform the night before so there isn’t a manic panic in the morning! Get Back into the Routine Slowly get back into a routine so that it isn’t a shock to the system come the first day of school. Structure the day by waking up early, setting meal times, and bed times. Read our blog “The Importance of Sleep”. Switch off Screens! Gradually reduce TV time, this also includes use of the computer, tablets, games consoles and phones. Get creative and think of some other activities that your child can do during the day e.g ball games, art project, family walks, gardening. School Friends Having a friend over can help ease ‘back to school blues’ and anxiety. Ask your child ring to up a few parents and find out which children will be in the same class this year. Organise a few playdates, or a cinema trip so the kids can reconnect before school starts. Set Goals To help your child get into the right head space before starting school, sit down together and discuss his goals for the new school year. Examples might include: hand in homework on time, revise for exams in advance, raise a grade in maths. Setting goals will help structure a plan for the school year and keep to the routine. Try to avoid rewarding work that they should be doing anyway, but maybe discuss prizes for putting extra effort in. Homework Designate a space and time for homework. This space must be free from distractions so your child can focus. Try to encourage kids to have a snack and then do all of their homework right after getting back from school. This way they are still in the ‘zone’ and can relax right after. Develop Relationship with teacher Open up a dialogue with teachers at the beginning of the year. Take the time to meet them in person before or after school. Teachers are the best source of information when it comes to your child’s academic performance, however remember that the start of term can be busy so let them pick a time. Stay on schedule Familiarise yourself with your child’s school schedule. This will be provided on the first day of school, however you may also be able to request it form the school office before school starts. Sitting with your child, make note of keys dates such as field trips, school project deadlines, exams etc. By helping your child to keep on top of their schedule with gentle reminders, it will prevent last minute rushing and cramming the night before.

Nothing Is Impossible

Nothing Is Impossible Nothing is impossible, the word itself says im possible! Audrey Hepburn Beautiful Audrey Hepburn a famous Hollywood actress who left a trace in a history not only on celluloid but in Africa as a humanitarian. Audrey Kathleen Hepburn-Ruston was born in Ixelles in Belgium. Audrey was the only child of an Irish descent banker. Her nationality was British. Hepburn became one of the most successful and recognizable actresses in her time. She performed together with famous men such as a Humphrey Bogart, Gary Cooper, Cary Grant, Henry Fonda, Gregory Peck,  William Holden, Fred Astaire, Peter OToole and Albert Finney . She won BAFTA awards for her performance in the The Nuns Story (1959) and Charade (1963).  Furthermore Hepburn received Academy Award nominations for “Sabrina” (1954), “Breakfast at Tiffanys” (1961) and Do Not Wait Until Dark (1967).

Trumps Administration Why the Controversy

Trump's Administration Why the Controversy pexels.com So, for your benefit, here is a quick summary of who to be on the lookout for following Friday’s inauguration: The New Team: Senior Adviser: Jared Kushner What’s his role? There’s a lot that goes into the role, but he’s essentially a part of domestic and foreign policy. Why he’s controversial? He’s married to Trump’s daughter, Ivanka. It’s debatable as to whether or not this breaks anti-nepotism laws (basically, the laws that state the president can’t appoint family members). It’s also controversial because he’s the CEO of the family’s real estate business (though he will be supposedly stepping down to take on the role). Chief Strategist: Steve Bannon What’s his role? He’s basically the lead adviser to Trump. Why he’s controversial? He ran a media outlet (Breitbart News) that leaned very far to the right. For Democrats, this is a bad thing. For Republicans, not so much. Chief of Staff: Reince Priebus What’s his role? Called the president’s “gatekeeper,” he will essentially supervise the staff in the White House. Why he’s controversial? Just another Republican. In fact, he was a Republican National Committee chairman. Counselor to the President: Kellyanne Conway What’s her role? She would essentially be the president’s top adviser, working on his top priorities with lawmakers. Why she’s controversial? She was Trump’s campaign manager. In other news, she was the first female in that role to win the presidential election. An odd bit of irony for you, huh? National Security Adviser: Michael Flynn What’s his role? He keeps us safe. Kind of. He’s an adviser to the president on issues such as military and foreign policy. Why he’s controversial? He’s anti-Islam. Or at least, pro-aggression towards Islam. He’s a retired general (served in both Iraq and Afghanistan) and he’s ready to turn up the heat. Press Secretary: Sean Spicer What’s his role? Exactly as you’d think: he manages the relationship between the White House and the press. Why he’s controversial? He was the head spokesman of the Republican National Committee (just another Republican). But I think we’ll learn rather quickly that he’s going to have one of the toughest jobs over the next four years. That is if recent events have anything to say about it. Secretary of State: Rex Tillerson What’s his role? He’s the main go-to on foreign policy. He’s basically going to be managing our international relations. Why he’s controversial? He was the CEO of ExxonMobil. He also has ties with Russia and Vladimir Putin himself. So for a president that’s rumored to have a similar relationship, this is a questionable choice. Defense Secretary: James Mattis What’s his role? He’s the go-to man on defense. In other words, he runs the military. Why he’s controversial? He’s clashed with the White House previously under the Obama administration, though he has served for over 40 years in the Marines and has led forces in both Afghanistan and Iraq. So he’s qualified, but things will be very different than they were under Obama. UN Ambassador: Gov. Nikki Haley What’s her role? She’s the go-to for the United Nations. She’s going to be a foreign policy adviser to the secretary of state and the president himself. Why she’s controversial? She’s probably best known as the South Carolina governor that took the Confederate Flag down after a shooting in order to stop division, and she’s been a big advocate against some of Trump’s plans. So we’ll likely see some head-butting there in the future. CIA Director: Mike Pompeo What’s his role? You guessed it he’s in charge of CIA operations. He’s also going to advise Trump on CIA intel to keep the U.S. safe. Why he’s controversial? For a brief history lesson, he was on the committee that investigated the Benghazi attacks. In future tense, he’s dealing with a president that’s been fairly anti-CIA. So again, head-butting could be in the near future. Attorney General: Jeff Sessions What’s his role? He’s going to be running the Justice Department. So he’s basically the top law enforcement officer in the U.S. Why he’s controversial? He’s got a “spotty” civil rights history. Especially surrounding the police and Black Lives Matter issues that are ongoing, this is going to be quite a problem moving forward. Don’t be too surprised if this comes up frequently. Treasury Secretary: Steve Mnuchin What’s his role? He’s our money man. Basically, he’s in charge of U.S. debt and updating the president on our finances as a country. Why he’s controversial? He has no government background. Oh, and he’s exactly the type of person that Trump said wouldn’t be appointed under his presidency. So already, some red flags are flying high. His plans will likely only help the financial elite, according to many sources, which is a bummer for middle-class Americans. So these names will come up again be on the lookout! And at least now you have some background information for the next time you hear their names.