Saturday, April 4, 2020

Where to Get Good Resources For Aerosol Chemistry

Where to Get Good Resources For Aerosol ChemistryBecause of the growth of higher education in these days, students find it easy to master the principles of aerodynamics and its application in outdoor areas and indoors. During this time, students of this subject will need the right kind of study material to help them in the easier process of mastering the subjects.As a matter of fact, the materials that you will use in an aerosol chemistry course is not only required to help you learn the principles of the subject but it also needs to be informative. This kind of study material can be in the form of textbooks, worksheets, books or other electronic media. In addition, you can learn to use the software that is available for use with your study material. Even if you have to purchase your own study material, you must remember that there are no shortcuts to success.Remember that each one of you must have the time to properly study. As a matter of fact, it is suggested that you must have th e time and means to properly devote in learning. If you don't have the time, then learning in a time-consuming manner is not a good idea. The result of that is that you might waste your time and also be unable to gain what you need from the aerosol chemistry course.In order to properly help you in this, you can consider having small study groups. For those who have access to the internet, there are the online study resources that you can use. These online resources are very convenient for those who have time constraints and thus they must use them.With this, the online study resources can be a great help to those who are busy and can't afford the time to fit study in their schedules. However, the online resources need to be worth their cost since you need to pay for them. If you don't want to spend so much money on a course, then you should focus on the more common textbook options. But if you must have the right kind of materials for studying, then the most appropriate may be the b ooks. You need to understand that books are just that - books. Therefore, there's no need to spend a lot of money on something that's simply not necessary. These books will help you in taking those long and tedious subjects that require an excellent grasp of the subject.Even if you choose books for your study material, you need to ensure that the book is good enough for you. You may want to invest in the cheaper ones since it would probably save you money in the long run. Nevertheless, this is an effective option that you must take.

Monday, March 23, 2020

7 Anxiety-busting Visualization Techniques for Introverts - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / 7 Anxiety-busting Visualization Techniques for Introverts - Introvert Whisperer 7 Anxiety-busting Visualization Techniques for Introverts Nearly one in five Americans  are  affected by an  anxiety disorder  each year, and way less than half of those receive treatment. It stands to reason. When you’re suffering from anxiety, the idea of leaving the house and telling your troubles to a stranger may not be that appealing â€" particularly if you’re an introvert in the first place. Not everybody needs a doctor for their anxiety. But if it’s distressing you or making it impossible to live your life, it’s important to do so before things get worse. So how can you motivate yourself to pick up the phone, make that appointment, and then take the bus to the clinic? The answer lies in a set of visualization techniques that can help to calm your anxiety whether leaving the house is your goal or not. For example, you might start with the ‘blue light’ technique. Close your eyes and imagine you’re enveloped in a pleasant ball of glowing blue light. Breathe the light in and allow it to fill your mind and body, picking up those grim, gray thoughts like toxins, and then breathe it all out. Keep going until there’s no gray left. How about when you’re on the bus and everyone looks like they want to talk at you? Use your mind to escape. Imagine you’re lying on a warm, sandy beach. Imagine the smell of the air and the sound of the waves. Imagine sinking your feet down into the warm sand. Relax, and time your breathing to the rhythm of the waves. Don’t miss your stop! Do these techniques work for you?  Here’s  a handful more  visualizations to help you through different anxiety-causing situations throughout the day â€" and they’re tailor-made to do by yourself! 1. Double-paned window technique

Friday, March 6, 2020

Historys Most Important Sculpture Artists.

History’s Most Important Sculpture Artists. The Sculptors from History You Really Ought to Know ChaptersAnonymous. The Forgotten Figures in the Ancient Art WorldPhidias (c. 480-430BC). The Maker of the Masterpieces of Greek SculptureDonato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi (1386-1466), or Donatello. The Founder of the Italian Renaissance in SculptureMichelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564). The Height of the High RenaissanceGian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680). A Baroque Sculptural Legend.Antonio Canova (1757-1822). Hero of Neo-Classical Sculpture.Auguste Rodin (1840-1917). The Birth of Modernist Sculpture.Constantin Brancusi (1876-1957). A Major Influence on Modern Sculpture.Pablo Picasso (1881-1973). The Famous Painter and Sculptor.Robert Smithson (1938-1973). Making Sculpture from the Land.Sculpture is one of the visual arts that has been with us since the earliest days of our being human. Long before the first art museum or curator, long before the first school of art, way before even artworks were thought of as art â€" made by artists, by individual painters, by a sculptor â€" sculpture w as with us.So, we are talking about a long time before the Greek and Roman ages, long before Hellenistic antiquity, Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, back to the most ancient civilizations of which we know.  The history of sculpture is coterminous with the history of humanity.And sculpture as an art form has come a long way since then - creating lots of different sculptural styles. From religious sculpture and primitive figurines, from prehistoric reliefs and figurative carvings, our sculptural history has blossomed.Western art and sculpture now include everything from kinetic sculpture to landscape gardens, paper sculpture and glass sculpture to architectural sculpture, snow sculpture and outdoor sculpture to public art, abstract sculpture, and all varieties of cross-disciplinary work.But who were the big names that made this transition possible? Who were the most important sculptures to take us from the monumental figures of Ancient Greece to the abstract sculptures of today? And how did they do what they did?It’s time to find out! CalumDrama School Entrance Teacher 5.00 (15) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToriSpanish Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliviaSchool support Teacher 5.00 (2) £21/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarkESOL (English) Teacher 4.76 (17) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JenniferMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LouiseAutoCAD Teacher 5.00 (3) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyPercussion Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolasGuitar Teacher 5.00 (2) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MyriamOrganic chemistry Teacher 5.00 (13) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JonathanEconomics Teacher 5.00 (9) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Oluwakemi imoleMaths Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexPhysics Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdamSinging Teacher 5.00 (14) £48/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValentiniMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MilenaMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RashmiEconomics Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsAnonymous. The Forgotten Figures in the Ancient Art WorldThe trouble with focusing on sculptors in the history of sculpture is that the notion of the individual artist is a concern of the modern and contemporary world. Back in the Paleolithic and Upper Paleolithic, in the ancient civilizations, and even as late as Roman art and beyond, people didn’t necessarily sign their name on the work.Consequently, unlike the contemporary artists that need recognition in the modern art economy, some of the most iconic statues of the ancient world were made by people we have no idea about.Take the Great Sphinx of Giza, a hugely famous statue, or the figurative sculpture of the Löwenmensch or the Venus figurines made of mammoth ivory or ceramics. We could go on: the medieval cathedrals and the stone sculpture tradition of the Scots and Scandinavians, the Greek and Roman statues that remain unattributed, the public art projects that, throughout history have been constructed collaboratively.Although you won’t find them in any museum of art, all of these forgotten figures deserve a mention.Phidias (c. 480-430BC). The Maker of the Masterpieces of Greek SculptureOne of the earliest named figures in the history of sculpture is Phidias, an Ancient Greek, from Athens, who designed and constructed some of the most important works in the classical period.He is known for having created the statue of Zeus at Olympia â€" one of the wonders of the ancient world â€" as well as a number of colossal statues of Athena, at the Acropolis, at the Parthenon, and the Propylaea.All of these, unfortunately, are now lost. But this doesn’t detract from his importance. Throughout the ancient world, Phidias’s name was known, and he is known for guiding the direction of future Greek sculptural design.Conveniently, in the fifties, we found the workshop of Phidias â€" and from this could confirm that all of these masterpieces of sculpture did indeed exist.Learn more about the world's most famous sculptures here! Phidias contributed to the work of some of most marvelous works of ancient GreeceDonato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi (1386-1466), or Donatello. The Founder of the Italian Renaissance in SculptureWe’re going to call him Donatello. One of the greatest â€" and most influential â€" sculptors in history, he turned the attention of Italian sculptors at the time back to the classicist principles of ancient Greece and Rome. With that, he kickstarted the renaissance in sculpture that was to change the course of the history of art.His most famous work is probably the Bronze David â€" one of the early Renaissance statues in the round â€" which depicts a boyish biblical David with a sword. Otherwise, the bronze statue of Gattamelata in Padova is considered one of his masterpieces.Whilst his works themselves are not exceptionally famous for those outsides of the art world, his work was hugely, indisputably, influential.Learn everything about sculpture!Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564). The Heig ht of the High RenaissanceWe usually associate the Italian Renaissance with Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, and Donatello. The fourth name in this last â€" and the last of the Ninja Turtles â€" is Michelangelo, whose own sculpture of David is perhaps the most famous sculpture ever.It’s incredible really that someone can be just so damn talented, but Michelangelo excelled at pretty much everything he laid his hand to. Alongside sculpture, there’s the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel â€" which probably goes down as the most breath-taking work of painting ever produced.Anyway, he was also hugely influential on the cultural landscape around him and following him. His Statue of Victory was massively influential on the Mannerist style that followed, whilst the marble sculpture of Moses and others at the tomb of Julius II still have an influence over contemporary sculpture today. CalumDrama School Entrance Teacher 5.00 (15) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToriSpanish Teacher 5 .00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliviaSchool support Teacher 5.00 (2) £21/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarkESOL (English) Teacher 4.76 (17) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JenniferMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LouiseAutoCAD Teacher 5.00 (3) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyPercussion Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolasGuitar Teacher 5.00 (2) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MyriamOrganic chemistry Teacher 5.00 (13) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JonathanEconomics Teacher 5.00 (9) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Oluwakemi imoleMaths Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexPhysics Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdamSinging Teacher 5.00 (14) £48/h1st le sson free!Discover all our tutors ValentiniMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MilenaMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RashmiEconomics Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsGian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680). A Baroque Sculptural Legend.For the arts, between the fourteenth and eighteenth centuries, the home was Italy, where artists were developing the naturalistic, representational, and expressive potential of different materials.Gian Lorenzo Bernini, following in the footsteps of the great sculptors of the Renaissance would only develop further their achievements, moving the history of art into the Baroque. Indeed, it is thought that he wanted to prove himself, in the art of sculpture, a worthy successor to Michelangelo.His most famous works include the Ecstasy of Santa Teresa, The Rape of Proserpina, and Apollo and Daphne. Yet, he didn’t stop with mere sculpture.Bernini was also an architect and town planner, and it is impossible to go to Rome and miss the massive influence that he had on the city.Find some good art classes here. Bernini continued the spirit of the Italian RenaissanceAntonio Canova (1757-1822). Hero of Neo-Classical Sculpture.After Bernini’s Baroque â€" and subsequently the rococo style that took the dynamism and decoration of this style to a greater extreme â€" sculptors calmed down a little. They returned to the classical values of Greek and Roman sculpture.This meant simplicity, nobility, and naturalism â€" and Antonio Canova was probably the most successful in capturing these values.His most famous works are Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss, Perseus Triumphant, and The Three Graces. And, yes, he was Italian too â€" and lived in Venice his whole life. Canova is known for his neoclassical styleAuguste Rodin (1840-1917). The Birth of Modernist Sculpture.Rodin was one of those artists who was the continuous recipient of criticism throughout his life. Rejected by academic art school, and generally not accepted by his peers, his work was generally seen as quite unconventional.However, this struggle is one of the great testaments to his originality. These days, he is considered to be the father of modernism â€" the general description of the concerns of art at the beginning of the twentieth century.Rather than focusing on classical mythology, allegory, or religious themes and narratives, Rodin’s work was more impressionistic, more focused on the individual subject, and less polished in its finish. He took the statue’s pose off its pedestal and opened the door to the more subversive and innovative works that would follow.See his work in one of the best sculpture collections in the world.Constantin Brancusi (1876-1957). A Major Influe nce on Modern Sculpture.Incidentally, the Romanian Constantin Brancusi was one of Rodin’s students. However, like Samuel Beckett with James Joyce, he found the instruction by such a genius quite stifling.Brancusi left Rodin’s studio and made a career of his own in sculpture, developing an immediately recognisable style. Generally considered abstract in his work, Brancusi sculptural style moves away from the figurative sculpture that preceded him. Instead, he focused on simplicity of shape and form.The Kiss, or the Sleeping Muse, are probably his two most famous works, whilst the Endless Column is perhaps the most famous of twentieth-century outdoor sculpture.Pablo Picasso (1881-1973). The Famous Painter and Sculptor.Picasso is one of the most famous names in the history of art â€" and most people would be able to recognise one of his works. He has an incredibly distinct style, which came to be known as Cubism.Whilst known primarily for his painting, Picasso was almost as prolifi c in sculpture â€" and maintained this style across the different media.He is also known for pioneering the art form known as the assemblage â€" something like a three-dimensional collage usually made up of found objects.Robert Smithson (1938-1973). Making Sculpture from the Land.In the twentieth century, the limits of what artists could do â€" and what they could define as sculpture â€" burst open. It was a century of committed artistic innovation which brought with it a proliferation of styles, media, and themes.One of the most radical innovators in twentieth-century sculpture was Robert Smithson. His work focused on making art out of the land, manipulating land to make it artful.His most famous work is probably the Spiral Jetty, constructed in the Great Salt Lake in Utah, US.

Tips on How to Become a Better Leader - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Tips on How to Become a Better Leader - Introvert Whisperer Tips on How to Become a Better Leader Guest Author June 3, 2016 Leadership One response In this fast-paced day and age, leadership qualities are key to getting great jobs, earning promotions, and succeeding in school. Possessing leadership skills means you are able to communicate and work well with others, and most important of all, you have potential to lead and map out where you and your team need to go and what to achieve. These abilities are required if a person wants to grow in a career, or even to grow as an individual. That is why you certainly need to improve your leadership skills. Not only to be a great leader, but also to be a valuable member of the team. Here are steps to follow on how to become a better leader. Number 1: Evaluate Yourself An aspect of good leadership is constant self-evaluation. You need to know your leadership strengths and weaknesses. You can accomplish this in a number of ways. One of which is to keep a daily journal where you reflect on moments where you displayed great leadership, and on moments where you could have displayed better leadership. This will help you see what works and what does not work for you. Another tool to help you evaluate your leadership skills can be free online tests that evaluate your leadership styles, skills, and needs. You can find these at places like Mindtool. Use these tests to help you recognize and improve your existing good leadership qualities, and to recognize where you need to improve your leadership characteristics. Number 2: Determine and Plan Just like any worthy goal, you must make a plan to achieve it. In order to make your plan, you must first decide how you want to improve. Do not try to change everything about your team leader skills at once. Instead, focus on one aspect of yourself that needs to improve. Then make an action plan that has specific details of how you intend to change this characteristic. Put this plan in a place you can easily find it and refer to it often. Number 3: Prioritize One aspect of effective leadership skills is to prioritize your tasks. Practice doing this at home with chores and other responsibilities. Look at a list of things to do and decide what must be done first in order to achieve total success of the whole list. Do this with group projects and on tasks at work to impress your teachers, and you bosses. This will help you be viewed as a leader which will lead to more leadership responsibilities down the road. Number 4: Encourage Improvement Whenever you are working in a team setting make sure to encourage yourself and your team members to improve in every aspect of the task at hand. Encourage everyone to try harder, to study more diligently, and to reap the benefits of an online learning. Effective leadership skills are cultivated by constant improvement. Also, one of the main responsibilities of a leader is to encourage improvement so their teams are the highest achievers and rewarded with greater responsibilities, better grades, higher pay, and more respect from their superiors. Number 5: Admit Your Mistakes By admitting your mistakes, you show that you are humble, human, and honest. These are actually very important leadership characteristics. By being humble, human, and honest it signals everyone around you that you are not only a good person, but you are trustworthy. Use your mistakes as a learning tool. Your mistakes today may just be your strengths tomorrow if you take the time to reflect on them and make plans to avoid those mistakes in the future. Number 6: Be Confident Leaders put on brave faces, look people in the eye, and are vocal about their opinions. Leaders need to be confident and self-assured in their decisions in order to convince others to follow them. If you are shy, or have confidence issues, practice having confidence. There is something to be said for the old sage advice fake it til you make it. Number 7: Be Kind There are many leaders who use fear as a tactic to gain respect. Fear and respect are not the same thing. People who love their leaders will respect them and fight on their behalf whether or not their leaders are wrong. People who fear their leaders will obey them but, if given the chance they will turn against their leaders. Fear will get the job done in the short term, but in the long term, fear will only cause uprising. Leaders are always outnumbered. Number 8: Listen A good leader will listen to their team-members concerns and ideas no matter the quality of the idea. The simple act of listening will make your team feel heard and respected and, in turn, they will listen to you and respect your opinion. It is important to at least occasionally try to implement the ideas of team members in order to show that they are valued members of the team. Even if you only use the idea in part, taking the opinion of that team-member will encourage them to improve their ideas, and it will show them that they are wanted. Number 9: Be Honest As kindly as possible, tell your team the truth. If something did not work, tell them. If their work needs to improve, tell them. If the sky is literally falling down around your ankles, tell them. People follow leaders they can trust. It is better for your team to hear a hard truth told as kindly as possible than it is for them to be unaware of the truth and, never improve. Number 10: Respect Your Leaders You will likely always have someone who leads you and, they can decide whether or not you continue to be a leader. Therefore, part of having good leadership characteristics is that you always show your leaders their due respect. Also, by demonstrating that you respect your leaders, your team will further respect you. This is not to say that your leaders are always right, or that you even have to like their leadership style. No matter the quality of your leader, even when disagreeing with them, you must show them that you respect them as your leader. Guest Author Bio: Emily Stone, a blogger and freelance writer, with BA in Business Administration. She worked for businesses in Melbourne as a content marketer. Emily specialises in writing about business growth, career growth, and personal growth. She currently works for Real Estate Academy Australia, a specialised training centre for the real estate industry. Do you know what your next career step is?   Many people don’t. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my eBook on how to construct your Career SMART Goals â€" that will help you put together your actions and keep you accountable.   Get your copy now and start your action plan today: CLICK HERE Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleash your professional potential.

Thursday, March 5, 2020

Whens the Right Age to Start Voice Lessons

Whens the Right Age to Start Voice Lessons Sign up successful How do a child’s vocal cords look like and act before puberty? The young child’s vocal cords before the age of puberty are small and thin  with no difference between a pre-pubescent male and a pre-pubescent female.  When an adult sings high notes, their vocal cords become thin and small, and the  opposite is true when he or she sings low notes. Therefore, because of the nature of  a young child’s vocal cords, their tessitura (the place where it feels the most  natural and comfortable to sing) will be higher and lighter and they will have some  difficulty singing lower notes. What and how should your child sing at the age before puberty? The pre-pubescent child both male and female should be singing and doing  vocal exercises mostly in the higher range, and should be focusing on repertoire that  sits high in their voice. It is important for your elementary-aged child to avoid  singing songs that are too low, because the vocal cords have not  developed in that area yet and will not be able to produce a healthy sound in the  lower range. Singing too low too early can wear on your young child’s constantly  developing voice, while not singing high enough will inhibit him or her from  improving vocal range. What happens to the vocal cords during puberty? Puberty is the most delicate vocal developmental stage for the young singer.  This is because both genders undergo a very dramatic change in their bodies, their  emotions, and their vocal cords. The female vocal cords start undergoing changes  from around age 10 to age 14. During this time, her vocal cords start to thicken,  which results in breathiness, huskiness, and a little unsteadiness in the voice. A  male’s vocal cords also thicken during puberty, resulting in a significant pitch drop  in his voice. However, he is still able to sing in his previous high range, and should  continue to do so during puberty in order to keep his upper range after puberty. What and how should your child sing at the age of puberty? For a female singer to successfully get through this change, it is  important for her to focus on singing lightly (singing too loudly will harm the  changing female voice), and explore singing repertoire in high, middle, and low  ranges. The breathiness in the changing female voice is caused by an inability to  properly close the vocal cords, and can be corrected by different techniques that  focus on chord closure and that focus on preventing air from escaping through the  vocal cords. For a male singer to maximize range after puberty and to reach his full  potential in range, he should sing low, middle, and high notes in the lower chest  register, the middle mix register, and the upper “soprano” head register. The use of  this last register is often neglected or forgotten in the male changing voice, but is the  most important register to sing in to keep his high range in the future. In order to  maintain a healthy transition into the mature adult vocal cords, the pubescent male  should not sing too loud or too soft, just like the pubescent female. For both males  and females during the pubertal stage of development, natural vibrato will find its  way into the voice, but should not be manufactured or consciously made by any  means. What about after puberty? While the vocal cords reach full maturity by age 18, vocal development does  not stop for the majority of the singer’s life. Therefore, it is important to continue  furthering vocal instruction and technique for as long as the singer would like to  pursue singing. The most important technique that a singer should focus on  throughout all the ages and stages of vocal development is correct diaphragmatic  breathing and support of the voice with the body. So, what REALLY is the right age to start singing? The most successful singers start their vocal instruction very early in life. If  they are correctly instructed throughout the developmental stages of the vocal  cords, the result of the mature vocal cords will be beautiful, healthy, and  rewarding. So, to answer the question simply there is no age too young to start  voice lessons, but at every age different instructional techniques must be employed  in order to create a healthy, strong, long-lasting, and beautiful voice. Atalia M. teaches singing,  composition, ear training, music theory, and more via online lessons.  She received her Bachelor of Music, as well as her Master of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Redlands. Atalia has  performed many opera roles and currently teaches online students all over the world. Learn more about Atalia 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  morgan.davis

Key GMAT Sentence Correction Concepts Diction

Key GMAT Sentence Correction Concepts Diction GMAT MBA Admissions Blog As we wrote in our recent article on how an understanding of common subject-verb agreement traps can help you improve your GMAT verbal score, the GMAT Sentence Correction section is the only part of the GMAT Verbal section where you can quickly and clearly acquire new skills and knowledge to improve your score. Unlike Critical Reasoning and Reading Comprehension, where performance is in large part a function of your long term commitment to reading and writing critically, GMAT sentence correction offers ample opportunity for quick acquisition of new knowledge that directly helps you answer more questions correctly. As we discussed last time, in this section, you’ll be given a sentence to read, and part of it will be underlined. Your task is to determine whether and how to change the underlined section so that the sentence is written correctly. As discussed last time, three ideas must be kept in mind as you answer these questions: Grammar, Meaning, and Style. In our last article we addressed subject-verb agreement, which is a matter of grammar, but can impact meaning, too. Today, we’ll address diction, which is more directly a matter of meaning, since it refers to word choice. Diction As Wikipedia will tell you, diction is about word choice, and how those choices impact the meaning, clarity, and style of a piece of writing. On the GMAT, you will often see passages underlined, and it will be clear that either of two choices is correct. But, which choice is best? Here are some typical pairs of words that are often used interchangeable, but which have distinctly different meanings. 1.) Among/Between a. Among is used when there are more than two things: Among, X, Y, and Z, I prefer Z. b. Between is used when there are only two things: You must choose between the GRE and the GMAT. 2.) As/Like a. “As” = “in the capacity of.” For example: Joseph Soandso serves as the appellate judge in the umpteenth district of Narnia. b. “Like” = “similar to.” For example: The GMAT is not like any other test you have ever taken. 3.) Like/Such as a. “Like” = “similar to.” So, Joe likes sports like hockey, basketball, and soccer means that Joe likes sports that are similar to hockey, basketball, and soccer. b. “Such as” = “for example.” Joe like sports such as hockey, basketball, and soccer means that Joe likes hockey, basketball, and soccer. 4.) Their/His or her a. Substituting “their” for his or her is a common mistake that is becoming part of day to day English. i.Incorrect: Does everyone have their copy of the 13th OG? ii.Correct: Does everyone have his or her copy of the 13th OG? 5.) That/Which a. “That” introduces a restrictive clause â€" a clause that is essential to the meaning of a sentence. b.Example: The car that has voice activated ignition is the Chrysler on the far side of the parking lot. c. “Which” introduces a non-respective clause â€" a clause that is not essential to the meaning of a sentence. In this case the non-restrictive clause is surrounded by commas. d.Example: The car on the far side of the parking lot, which is a Chrysler, has voice activated ignition. 6.) Who/Whom a. “Who” is a subject pronoun, so it will perform the action of the verb. It serves the same function as “he” or “she” b.Example:Who gave you this book? He gave me this book. c. “Whom” is an object pronoun, so it will receive the action of the verb. It serves the same function as “him” or “her.” d.Example: To whom did you give the book? I gave the book to her. Of course, the above is not an exhaustive list of scenarios on the GMAT that involve diction. However, it’s helpful to keep in mind the concept of proper diction, and as you read for pleasure, work, school, or specifically for GMAT preparation, notice when proper diction plays a role in the meaning of a particular piece of writing. In our next article, we’ll address how the principles of logic can be applied to improving your GMAT verbal score on the sentence correction portion of the GMAT. About the Authors This article was written by MyGuru founder Mark Skoskiewicz, a 2010 graduate of the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. However, it pulls very heavily from materials developed for MyGuru’s small group GMAT prep class. These materials were written by John Easter, one of MyGuru’s senior GMAT tutors in Chicago, the instructor for this class, and the founder of Jedi Prep. hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(215486, '6baac2ae-05a3-4610-9d1f-265c8cbd809f', {});

The Top Five Podcasts for Parents of Children with ADHD

The Top Five Podcasts for Parents of Children with ADHD Books can be enormously helpful when it comes to learning new strategies for parenting a child with ADHD. While everyone wishes they always had the time and patience to sit down and read, most parents need something that can fit easily into their busy schedules. Podcasts, with episodes lasting 30-40 minutes, can fit into a busy lifestyle and allow you to multitask when you listen while youre driving, getting things done around the house, or exercising. Here are the top five podcasts that I recommend for parents of kids with ADHD. Parenting Your Challenging Child Presented by Dr. Ross Green, developer of the Collaborative and Proactive Solutions approach to parenting and author of The Explosive Child, this podcast provides practical tools based on the Collaborative and Proactive Solutions approach. Most of the episodes are from his radio talk show, where he responds to parents who call in with the challenges they are experiencing with their child. Real questions from real parents with real solutions. What could be more helpful than this? Distraction Looking for a podcast that will help you see the positive aspects of ADHD while also highlighting tools you can use to manage the challenges that come with the diagnosis? This podcast by ADHD expert Dr. Ned Hallowell, author of Driven to Distraction and other popular ADHD books, may be just what you are looking for. Tilt Parenting Deborah Reber, author of Differently Wired: Raising an Exceptional Child in a Conventional World, hosts a podcast that features interviews with parenting experts, authors, psychologists, educators, and more, on topics related to parenting differently-wired kids. While not all of the episodes focus specifically on ADHD they also cover topics related to giftedness, learning differences, sensory processing issues, and autism parents of kids with ADHD will find many of the episodes highly relevant to their childs experience and symptoms. ADDitude Magazine ADHD Experts Podcast ADDitude Magazine is a wonderful resource for parents of kids with ADHD. In this related podcast series, ADDitude shares webinars led by experts in the field of ADHD. These webinars include question-and-answer sessions focused on topics related to ADHD symptoms, academic performance, family relationships, and treatments. These podcast episodes run longer than average, lasting about one hour each. CHADD Podcasts Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD) is the nation's leading nonprofit organization serving people affected by ADHD. This outstanding organization produces two podcasts ADHD 365 and All Things ADHD that address a variety of topics for anyone dealing with ADHD. If you are a parent who has ADHD (or think you may have it yourself), in addition to parenting tips, youll also find helpful episodes focused on managing your own adult ADHD symptoms. ABOUT DR. MARY ROONEY Mary Rooney, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California San Francisco. Dr Rooney is a researcher and clinician specializing in the evaluation and treatment of ADHD and co-occurring behavioral, anxiety, and mood disorders. A strong advocate for those with attention and behavior problems, Dr. Rooney is committed to developing and providing comprehensive, cutting edge treatments tailored to meet the unique needs of each child and adolescent. Dr. Rooney's clinical interventions and research avenues emphasize working closely with parents and teachers to create supportive, structured home and school environments that enable children and adolescents to reach their full potential. In addition, Dr. Rooney serves as a consultant and ADHD expert to Huntington Learning Centers. ABOUT HUNTINGTON Huntington Learning Center is the tutoring and test prep leader. Its certified tutors provide individualized instruction in reading, phonics, writing, study skills, elementary and middle school math, Algebra through Calculus, Chemistry, and other sciences. It preps for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington programs develop the skills, confidence, and motivation to help students of all levels succeed and meet the needs of Common Core State Standards. Founded in 1977, Huntington's mission is to give every student the best education possible. Call us today at 1.800.CAN LEARN to discuss how Huntington can help your child. For franchise opportunities please visit www.huntingtonfranchise.com. This website does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The material on this site is provided for educational purposes only.

How Your School May Have ruined your essay writing and online writing

How Your School May Have ruined your essay writing and online writing Most of us eventually realize that the things we learned in school don’t always apply out in the real world. This fact is especially true in terms of our writing habits.I have been a private writing instructor for close to 10 years now and entered college at 16 myself. Most of my students are college students, though I’ve also taught middle and high-schoolers. Public education is a stressful and often thankless field, and I am not criticizing the many wonderful, hard-working teachers of the world. Rather, I’m pointing out that the average English teacher’s job is to teach you the grammar and rules of VERY basic academic writing, generally in preparation for standardized tests. While these are undeniably important skills for that context, they don’t all transfer to college and the real world. Here are three things that worked for your school papers school that you want to avoid online and in your admission essay. Finally, why am I talking about online and admissions in the same breath? These days, many colleges are now accepting online and html applications. If this does not apply to you, just file away the info about web writing for later. You're going to need it once you get to the university of your choice!*Pointless ElaborationIf you’ve ever found yourself tempted to refer to Webster’s dictionary while struggling to write an introduction, you’re not alone. Similarly, if you’ve ever wanted to use something like “For the entire history of [insert field here], man has sought [insert value here]” to open a paper, you were probably doing so to fill up the assignment’s minimum page count. By requiring you to fill up a certain amount of pages, your English teacher unwittingly taught you to use a lot of words to say very little. In online, college, and business contexts, being concise and clear are your top priorities as a writer. Let me repeat: good writing is clear, concise content. Avoid summarizing to fill space: it tends to be redundant, especially when you can link to/cite whatever you’re referencing. Think about your audience, and assume that they know the basics of your subject. Avoid jargon and clichés like the plague. They don't make you sound smarter.*Terrible Document DesignMost high school and college papers require the same recycled format: 12-point, Times New Roman font, double-spaced. Usually you will have to have a header. The double-spacing is practical in this context. For a teacher, it’s much easier to make notes and corrections in the spaces between lines. However, this practice also leads to many students never understanding the importance of white space. Though subtle, white space is one way that you know this paragraph isn’t about the exact same topic as the one just before it. The space between paragraphs and headers helps the reader visually navigate a piece of writing. This visual cue is especially important online, where people tend to skim writing for its most interesting and relevant pieces. Headers and lists serve a similar function, though if your teacher was an MLA style purist, you probably never had occasion to use them in school. *Wordy, Excessively Formal Prose“Don’t write how you talk” is a common mantra of the grade-school English teacher. In the age of text-speak, most kids need to be told not to use acronyms and abbreviations. But often, this point gets driven home to hard, causing older students to try to “sound smart.” A common side-effect of this is using unnecessarily long or obscure words: “utilize” instead of “use,” “equilibrium” instead of “balance,” etc. Rather than making the writer look smart, these verbal gymnastics make the writer seem pompous. (Ironically, someone who does this can be described as “sesquipedalian.”) Avoid verbose or confusing terms by choosing the simplest way to say what you need to say. Don’t say “due to” or “in lieu of” where “because” or “instead” will get the job done. As a rule, online writingâ€"whether on a blog, social media, or message boardâ€"tends to be informal. Context is the key to making decisions about mechanics and grammar. Avoiding contractions may be appropriate for a research paper, but in blogging that’s simply not the case (see what I did there?). A sentence fragment would be out of place in a literary analysis, but can offer emphasis and style in conversation or story-telling. Many college applications have a narrative option for the essay prompts--mine had one about escaping from a pit of menacing wolves with a list of pre-prescribed items!Calvin and Hobbes, credited to creator of that legendary comic!As a rule, online writingâ€"whether on a blog, social media, or message boardâ€"tends to be informal. Context is the key to making decisions about mechanics and grammar. Avoiding contractions may be appropriate for a research paper, but in blogging that’s simply not the case (see what I did there?). A sentence fragment would be out of place in a literary analysis, but can offer emphasis and style in conversation or story-telling.For your essay, you will:Avoid contractions, Allow yourself many drafts/brainstorms/ideas/topicsBe yourself/Brag a little (but make it a humblebrag!)Clearly and Concisely Convey your ContwntBut beyond that, stand out! What is unique about you? Why are you any different and why should the reader not sail your essay into the garbage? Grab attention and go forth from there! Good luck! If you're in Austin, I can help you craft the perfect essay.

How to Learn a Foreign Language with Brainpower 5 Winning Mindsets

How to Learn a Foreign Language with Brainpower 5 Winning Mindsets How to Learn a Foreign Language with Brainpower: 5 Winning Mindsets Do you want to know the ultimate tool for learning a new language?Its a simple, 7-letter word.Can you guess what it is?Heres a hint: Its behind  all the  learning methods, techniques  and hacks  youve ever learned.It fuels and motivates you. It’s the very key to conquering any language.You interested?I’m talking about your mindset.Its  the most powerful force in learning.  It can turn night into day and day into night. It’s the secret  why polyglots acquire new tongues as if by magic.  It’s also the culprit behind many language learning failures. Ever wonder why some people never pick up a language even if you offer them all the tools and resources in the world?The whole game is all about mindsets. It’s all about what goes on inside your head. But what are mindsets? And why are they so powerful?That’s exactly what we’ll talk about next. Then, later, we’ll dive into 5 of the most potent language learning mindsets exploited by the greatest language learners today. Wha ts a Mindset?A mindset is a way of thinking.Mindsets are powerful because theyre our “stubborn beliefs” about something. They guide our thoughts and determine our actions. For example, if you believe that you’re the hottest guy in the room, you’ll act accordinglyâ€"swaggering like a million bucksâ€"even if nobody notices. Or, if you believe you’re bad at sports, you’ll be oblivious to the fact that you happen to be a great bowler or rower.It’s because your mindset is your reality.  Your truth. In many ways, a mindset is “set.” It resists challenges to the contrary. It would take a ton of evidence to make you abandon a well-entrenched belief.For example, if you believe that you’re no good at math, youll always be on the lookout for experiences (a.k.a. evidence) that prove exactly that. On the other hand, youd discount, overlook and even deny experiences to the contrary. Youd still believe that you’re terrible with numbers even when in standardized tests it was p roven that youre in the 95th  percentile (meaning that you’re better than 95% of all those who took the same test).Youd also probably not notice that you’re doing mental math all the time and are actually quite proficient at it.Mindsets are that important. They determine what we think and how we act.When Lincoln freed the slaves, it was born out of the belief that “all men are created equal” or, arguably, his set determination to end the Civil War.  When Tom chases Jerry into a hole, its because of a mindset.And guess what? The speed with which you acquire a second language, or if you acquire it at all,  hinges on what specific mindsets are rattling in your head.Why Is It Important to Have the Right Mindset for Language Learning?It’s the “Map to the Mine”There are a million-and-one things you can do in order to learn a language. There are a thousand-and-one tools available online that can take you to where you want to  go.You can  enroll in a language class or you can fly off to the country of your target language. You can create flashcards, sign up for online courses, download apps, read books, download free e-books, listen to audiobooks, track down podcasts and watch videos and movies.Some of these will work for you, others wont.Now, out of the myriad choices, how will you navigate the road to language acquisition? How will you take your pick?Easy. Your mindset does the choosing.If you believe learning a new language costs an arm and a leg, then you’ll go for those expensive and prestigious courses.  If you believe that learning a new language takes years and a serious commitment of time, then youll gravitate to those more long-term courses often taking place inside the classroom.If you believe second language learning is only for the brightest fellas, you may not even start or try.Like a map, your language learning mindsets will determine what route you’re gonna take, how far youll go or if you’re even gonna take the journey in the first place. It’s very important that you have the correct map to guide you through the maze that is language learning.Your language learning mindsets wont always lead you to the promised land. Sometimes, they’ll lead you astray. Sometimes they’ll lead you around in circles, into dark alleys and dead ends.  So if you’re learning French and getting nowhere in spite your best efforts, it may be time to take a clear accounting of your mindsets. Because they may be the very things that are tripping you up.It’s for the Rainy DaysLanguage learning is an adventure. There will be days when it seems like you’re unstoppable in your German studies. There are nights when Spanish verb conjugation is a breeze or when French pronunciation feels like ABC.But then again, there are those times when nothing seems to be working and, no matter what you do, you see no improvement in your Mandarin efforts. You seem to have hit a plateau and you feel like banging your head against the Great Wall of China. “Why did they have to create tonal language?” you ask.You know what will rescue you from the pits?  Right!  Your language learning mindsets.If you’ve got the right ones in your head, they’ll be in there telling you, “Hey, don’t worry ‘bout your mistakes buddy, they’re normal.”“Why don’t you try talking to that native Chinese speaker you just met?  He can teach you so much about his language.”“Okay. Its movie night. Wanna watch a Spanish foreign classic and hit two birds with one stone?”You see, your “stubborn beliefs” will pull you through the difficult times. When you’d rather give up and be contented with your basic “Hola” and “Buenos días,” your mindsets will give you the strength to push on. Assuming, of course, that you’re holding onto some very useful ones.The next section contains five of the most awesome mindsets to have when learning a language.  The most  successful polyglots on the planet today swear by them.How to Learn a Foreign Language with Brainpower: 5 Winning Mindsets1. Selfishness Can Be a Good ThingSo why do you want to learn Spanish? Why Korean?  What makes Russian your choice?The truth is, theres no one answer to these questions. Everyone has a  personal reason for learning a particular language. So, nows the time to get a little selfish and tap into what  you really want!Perhaps an overseas promotion hinges on you picking up the country’s language. You may have met someone new, and she happens to be Italian and speaks very little English. Perhaps you’ve always fancied yourself speaking fluent French, eating and feeling at home in French restaurants. Whatever your motivation may be, it’s as valid as the next man’s.Personal motivation is very important in language learning.  Thats the  reason why very little retention happens for schoolchildren who were enrolled in foreign language schools and classes by their parentsâ€"lack of personal motivation. They didn’t choose to be in th at class. Their parents enrolled them thinking it would serve them well later in life. There was no personal motivation, only parental motivation.Personal motivation is a very important factor in  second language acquisition. To be an effective learner, you have to really know the purpose of why you’re putting in the hours. What’s your reason?Remember, any reason will do as long as it makes sense for you, regardless of what other people think. Some may think its superficial that you’re learning Korean because of the hot chick who lives next door, but if that’s what it takes to make you “Anyong haseyo” through the night, then that’s what it takes.Don’t be stuck on the judgment of others. Only you know what’s important for you.  The best language learners always know why theyre doing things. And their reasons often come from somewhere deep within themselves, something organic that they themselves determine. It’s not thrusted on them. Theyre nothing like those schoo lboys who forget their lessons as soon as the examinations are over.Like I said, this selfishness-is-okay mindset will save you. On nights when you’d rather flip on the TV and watch a sitcom in your native language, youll remember to stick with your learning. So always ask yourself this very important question: “Why am I doing this? Whats in it for me?”In fact, do this exercise. Write that very question on a piece of paper and then try answering it.  You don’t have to give just one answer. You may have more than one reason. The important thing is that you make your personal reason(s) crystal clear in your head. Be selfish for once, and focus on what  you  truly want.When you’ve found your answer(s), youll have truly found something precious. Youll have found your personal North Star thatll guide you and light your way on those dark and cold nights. This personal motivation is key to succeeding in any major endeavor, including language learning. Watch  this video to see an illustration of this concept at work.2. Language Mistakes Wont Kill YouThis one’s a biggie.We know that people can be divided into two camps: (1) those who try to learn a new language and (2) those who never found the time, tendency or reason for doing so.The people who actually try to learn a language can also be divided into two camps: (1) those people who try and succeed and (2) those who try and give up after a few weeks or sessions.This mindset right hereâ€"that  language  mistakes arent going to kill youâ€"pretty much determines who succeeds and who bows out.If you think you’re going to achieve fluency with  a mindset that says, “obsess over  the grammar and make as few mistakes as possible,” then you’re living in La-La Land. In fact, one of the most famous polyglots today, Benny Lewis, is the first one to say that mistakes are okay. One shouldnt take them personally.Mistakes are normal features of language acquisition. Mistakes arent precious. Theyre a dime a dozen. The native speakers who you think never makes mistakes actually made tons of them growing upâ€"and they still make mistakes to this day.In fact, making mistakes has  always been the way to learn something. One of the reasons why children pick up languages like a dry sponge is because they arent afraid to commit mistakes and make fools of themselves. A little girl  could say  â€œShe eated my cookies, mommy,” without a care for the grammar police. Mommy will correct her and say  â€œShe  ate, honey,” and her ego will remain intact.Adults, on the other hand are quite fragile china pieces. After a dozen years in a classroom setting and thousands of exams, we learn that mistakes are injurious to our grades. And so we try to make the least number of them.  We bring this grade-conscious mindset into adult language learning and shoot ourselves in the foot.You have to accept that when learning a language you’re going to make mistakes. A lot. A lot of mistakes. They’re not to be avoid ed. They’re to be learned from. Check in with  Luca Lampariello  on thisâ€"hes yet  another famous polyglot and proponent of  learning from mistakes.In order to be a successful language learner, you have to be capable of learning from your mistakes. But that presupposes that you’re hard at work trying, guessing, estimating, being unsure and committing those mistakes.So how does this mindset lead to language learning success?For example, you’re doing Spanish verb conjugations. This is probably one of the most challenging (but also one of the most important) topics in Spanish. You better have a thick skin, otherwise those Spanish verbs will make you feel 3 inches tall.Here’s what happens when you take mistakes seriously: At first you’ll lose steam. You put off working on verbs until later in the day. Then instead of going at it daily, you start skipping some days and start slacking in your sessions. Before long, you’ve quit. Another one bites the dust.But if you just laugh  every time you trip and don’t take yourself too seriously, everything will be a matter of time. Learning the language will really be inevitable. Youll tame the language soon enough, and your ego won’t take a beating because of it.Here’s what you do next time you commit a mistake. Whether its vocabulary-related or grammar-related, doesn’t matter. Go in front of a mirror. Then smile. Yes, smile.  See that face?  You’re ok, right? It’s not a matter of life and death, right? Smile and realize that you’re gonna be fine. It’s not the end of the world. You made a mistake, so what.Smile.  And then smile some more. (Okay, maybe not too much, thats creepy.)3. Inconsistency KillsIf mistakes don’t kill you, inconsistency will definitely leave you out to dry. Its true what they say: Never put off for later the things that you can do right now.Here’s the thing. The best language learners are also the most consistent ones. Their mindset is along the lines of, “I’m gonna l earn German today. Just like I did yesterday. And guess what, I’m gonna learn German tomorrow too!”You can practically measure your success by the consistency with which you go into the learning sessions. Even the best polyglots around admit that their learning becomes ineffective when they arent consistent. It’s because consistency translates into the number of hours you put into learning.You won’t really learn a language if you do it only once a week. You can’t treat it like a hobby and practice only when you feel like it. No, you can’t pick it up where you left it last year. You’ve already lost last year’s lessons. You’ve got to do it daily.Remember the kid who was enrolled in a language class and forced to study a second language? He doesn’t remember any of it now, does he?  Why?  Lack of consistency.  It’s been years since he revisited his textbooks. He never brushed up on his vocabulary, much less added to it.  He never practiced the language at home or w ith the people he meets. There was no consistent practice, consistent exposure and consistent improvement. So he got the grades and passed the course, but he never got the language.So how can you build  consistency?  Have a daily goal  that you stick to no matter what.An example would be to set a certain number of minutes that youll devote to learning the language every night. Other learners decide on a set number of vocabulary words that theyll commit to memory each day. Still others commit to a set of activities that theyll do every day in order to practice the language.For example, you can do SRS (spaced-repetition system) on a daily basis so those vocabulary words remain clear and fresh in your head. An app that can help you with that is Anki. It’s a free program that makes remembering anything easy.Make sure that there are things that you do during the day to bring yourself closer to your ultimate goal. Consistency is the way to fluency.4. Immersion Is the Ultimate Time Saver When you hear a person begin a story with, “I spent a few years in X country” remember that you’re listening to a story about learning a language. Youre listening to a story of immersion.Immersion is the act of putting yourself at the mercy of a new language. Dedicated language learners often leave their home countries, along with their familiar traditions and customs, to go the country where native speakers of their target language live. The goal is to interact with and learn from the people there. Picking up the language in this setting is virtually unavoidable. They learn how greet, eat, work and play using the target language.In this situation, learning really not an option. It’s either you sink or swim. Immersion indeed! The only out is to totally avoid locals and hang out among expats.Immersion is  the ultimate time saver because, in a foreign country, you don’t wait for a class to start or log into your account to start a learning session. Its happening 24/7. It’s everywhere you go. That solves the consistency issue immediately.The best language learners actively seek immersion experiences. They often put themselves into sink or swim situations. But immersion  doesn’t necessarily mean going to other countries. In fact, the famous Brit polyglot, Olly Richards, didn’t need to go to China in order to learn Cantonese. He was in Qatar at the time.If youre interested in learning using his method, start with Grammar Hero (all about the building blocks), Conversations (for fast fluency) or the Uncovered courses (targeting specific languages including Spanish, French, German and Italian.)Fortunately, technology has done a great deal to help in the immersion experience. Videos, for example, can be your best friends. Theyll teach you a language and youll never even have to leave your living room. For example, youve got FluentU,  a leading provider of language learning videos, on your side.FluentU  houses a huge collection of educational videos, new scasts, interviews, movie trailers and concerts that trick your brain into thinking that youre in a foreign countryâ€"but you’re really just lounging in your room.  Plus, FluentU provides plenty of tools like interactive subtitles, multimedia flashcards and vocabulary lists. That means you can actively practice the language in all the videos youve been watching.italki is a  tool that provides an immersive experience by connecting eager  learners with willing native speakers. You don’t have to travel far to be in the shadow of a native speaker these days. You can simply video chat him or her, perhaps while you’re having breakfast on the other side of the world.You can even use italki to hire a private language tutor if youre looking to invest in a more professional touch.If you want real human contact, you still dont need to leave your home country. Instead, go to Polyglot Club and find language partners, parties and meetups right in your own city.Like I said, everything is del iciously served on a silver platter and presented to the language learners of today. All of these resources are available through that smartphone you’re holding or at the click of a mouse. But you won’t even notice them, much less take a bite, if your mindset tells you that immersion is all about riding a plane and going to live in a different country.It could take you years to save up for your trip that costs thousands of dollars. Meanwhile, thousands are getting first class language lessons through FluentU, italki and Polyglot Club right this very second.  I’m telling you, get on those three sites now and be part of that smart group.5. Doing It” Is Different from “Learning How to Do It”This one’s another biggie because doing it  and learning how to do it  look like the exact same thing. But I assure you, they’re not.  Here’s the difference.When you’re doing it,  you’re actually using  the language. That means you’re talking and, you know, moving your jaw up and down, enunciating words and stringing together sentences. It doesn’t matter that you’re butchering the pronunciation or grammar.But when you’re studying grammar rules, memorizing vocabulary, messing around on  YouTube, listening to podcasts, reading e-booksâ€"all those moments when you arent applying your skills in the real worldâ€"you’re learning how to do it.  The most effective learners not only know the difference, they know that doing itâ€"actually exercising their skillsâ€"is ultimately what matters.  So if that’s your mindset, how does it look in practice?Like this:You speak to a native even when you know you’re not fluent.In your attempts to construct a sentence, you throw out English words when you dont know the other languages equivalent.You open yourself to constructive criticism and ask your language partner how you’re doing.  You laugh at your mistakes and don’t feel like a little part of you dies every time you butcher a vocabulary word or a gramma r rule.Many people don’t want to start really practicing the language until theyve read every grammar book, mastered the pronunciation keys and memorized hundreds of vocabulary words. They hold off on writing or talking until they have all the linguistic elements down pat. These are coincidentally the very same people who are afraid of making mistakes. So they enroll in every course and get every lesson out there, but they never take their language skills for a spin.Well, that’s like trying to learn how to swim without actually jumping in the water until youve read all the swimming books.For sure, studying up on the language is necessary. But there comes a point when you just have to put down the books and start talking. How can you learn how to speak a language when you don’t even try speaking it?Do you want to go the way of the best language learners?  Then do this exercise.  I want you to ask yourself this question: Have I practiced speaking or writing  the language today?  Ask this of yourself daily.  If the answer is “no” or “not yet,” then go on the offensive and do these things:1. Read some  vocabulary words and phrases out loud. Then read them again.2. Reach out to one of your language partners (it’s always better to have more than one) and start practicing dialogues, lines, etc.You can find language partners in The Mixxer, My Language Exchange  and Conversation Exchange.Find a native speaker friend on those sites and do everything you can to get your mouth moving. Role play if you want, just get those learned vocabulary, grammar patterns and phrases into actual conversations. Don’t worry, native speakers are usually pretty  gracious to learners of their language.So there you go, five mindsets and their corresponding critical actions.But the question remains: How can you have those mindsets for yourself? How do you genuinely acquire them?  Here’s the brief answer: Look around.I want you to open your eyes for evidence that the five m indsets indeed work. Ask polyglots and the most effective language learners online, search psychology and language acquisition research journals, devour articles and absorb scientific studies. Don’t just take my word for it. In the end, I bet that Ill be telling you I told you so.See for yourself. So you can believe for yourself.Open your eyes and tell me what you find.That’s it for now, friends. I’ll see you again soon.Have a great, wonderful and awesome time “doing it.” And One More ThingAmazing resources are the keys to learning a foreign language. If youre looking for resources,  look no further than FluentU!FluentU gives you the opportunity to listen to a wide array of native speakers.  FluentU takes real-world videosâ€"like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talksâ€"and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.With FluentU, you learn real languagesâ€"the same way that natives  speak them. FluentU has a wide variety of videos, like movie tr ailers, funny commercials and web series, as you can see here:FluentU App Browse ScreenFluentU has interactive captions that let you tap on any word to see an image, definition, audio and useful examples. Now native language content is within reach with interactive transcripts.Didnt catch something? Go back and listen again. Missed a word? Hover your mouse over the subtitles to instantly view definitions.FluentU Videos with Interactive CaptionsUnder the Vocab and Dialogue tabs, youll find words and phrases from the video and a complete interactive transcript.Interactive Transcripts on FluentUYou can learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentUs Quiz Mode. Swipe left or right to see  more examples for the word you’re learning.FluentU Has Quizzes for Every VideoFluentU is also flexible. You choose what you watch, when you watch it and how much you watch. Meanwhile, FluentUs algorithm tracks your learning to present you with questions that build on what youve already learned. B ecause of this flexibility, FluentU is appropriate for any level of language learner.FluentU also ticks off the convenient box. You can use FluentU online, download the the iOS app or try the Android app.