Learn How to Play the Lute Right Here.

Learn How to Play the Lute Right Here. Everything You Need to Get Started with the Lute. ChaptersWhat is the Lute?Famous Lute Performances.How to Play the Lute: Some Basic Lute Techniques.Where to Find Lute Lessons.You are more likely to think of the lute as a musical instrument at home in a Renaissance court, alongside kings and queens, jesters, and nobles.This, of course, is not at all far from the truth â€" the lute being one of the most important instruments in early modern music. However, with a resurgence in its popularity over the last century or so, you reading this won’t be the only person interested in learning the instrument.Whilst the classical guitar is certainly more popular these days â€" another stringed instrument, on which much of the lute repertoire is now played â€" the lute is, really, an altogether different beast. With its distinctive shape and sound, and a history that stretches back through centuries and centuries, if not millennia, it will never be such a mass-produced instrument as the guitar is now. Each one, pretty much, is unique.And whils t this gives budding lutenists â€" or lutists â€" an extra challenge, it makes playing the instrument something extra special.So, let’s see how you can become a lutenist yourself. Here, we’re going to talk you through the basic knowledge you’ll need to play this ancient instrument â€" knowledge of its history, its varieties, some of the more well-known lutenists, and the basic techniques and places where you can find lute lessons.Are you ready? After this, you’ll be ready to join a Renaissance court yourself. And you can learn about the playing the cittern and playing the mandolin too! PeterGuitar Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EdgarGuitar Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PaulGuitar Teacher 5.00 (12) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DanielGuitar Teacher 5.00 (3) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToddGuitar Teacher 4.75 (4) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SamueleGuitar Teacher 5.0 0 (5) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KurtGuitar Teacher 5.00 (3) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RyanGuitar Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhat is the Lute?The lute is the name given to any plucked string instrument that has a neck and a rounded back. This should give you a sense of the different varieties that this instrument has â€" whilst this fact is the result of the non-standardised nature of the instrument. Things such as musical instruments weren’t standardised back in the day when the lutes were still important instruments.A lute is usually described as having either a pear-shaped or tear-drop shaped body â€" both being, seemingly, the same thing â€" whilst the fingerboard can either be fretted or non-fretted.When you are playing the lute, you may well be playing only one of a range of different instruments â€" as there remains no standardised ‘lute’ per se that is made by a luthier. Regardless, though, the technique s you will learn for one can be fairly unproblematically transferred to the next. A seven-course lute by Descant (image from Lark in the Morning)A Bit of History of the Lute.These days, the lute is a bit of an obscure instrument, often seen as the guitar’s ancestor.Its history potentially goes back even as far as the fourth century BC. Beginning perhaps in Egypt and Babylonia, the lute spread across Mesopotamia, when it could be found from Greece to India and even China. During this period, it remains of the same family as the Arab oud.This instrument remains important throughout history, up until the sixteenth century when we finally find records of its repertoire in Europe â€" with composers like John Dowland writing lute music under Elizabeth I.At this point, its wooden pear-shaped body was combined with gut strings and often gut frets too, whilst the strings were either played with a quill or in fingerstyle.Yet, the Baroque was the golden age of the lute, when it varied dramatically in size and structure. There are reports that some lutes had over thirty str ings â€" which are often played in pairs, or courses â€" which meant that certain variations had to be made to the structure of the instrument.However, after the end of the eighteenth century â€" when lutenists essentially just played the basso continuo or continuous bass â€" the instrument fell out of popularity, being replaced usually by keyboards.Learn about playing the ukulele!Different Types of Lute.Since the mid-twentieth century, the lute has been played a bit more, usually by guitarists and people who are interested in early music and baroque music.Yet, there are a whole heap of different types of lutes from history that are worth being aware of. Let’s take a look at some of these now.The vihuela once was a popular type of lute from fifteenth-century Spain. Fretted, and shaped a bit like a guitar, the vihuela actually become the modern-day viola â€" as people began to use it with a bow.The theorbo is a large instrument of the lute family which were developed during the lat e sixteenth century. They have a much larger neck than most lutes and have as many as fourteen courses of strings.A cittern is not quite a lute as it doesn’t have the rounded back. Rather, it is flat and it has wire strings.Aside from these three, there were, as we have said, very many different types of lute throughout history â€" with different ranges and tonalities, stretching from soprano to bass.Famous Lute Performances.Whilst much of the lute repertoire was written back in the sixteenth and seventeenth century â€" with composers such as Dowland, Anthony Holborne, and Denis Gaultier â€" there have been many musicians in recent years who have begun to play their repertoire once again.Many of these have been classical guitarists, who have transposed the original lute music onto the modern instrument, whilst others have been specialist lutenists.Let’s take a look at some of them here. Julian Bream - Britain's greatest lutenist (Image from Andrea Fortuna)Julian Bream.Julian Bream is the UK’s greatest classical guitarist and lutenist. And whilst he had a huge influence in bringing the classical guitar to respectability in the UK, the work he has done with the lute was just as impressive.In forming the Julian Bream Consort, he brought increased interest to Renaissance music and Elizabethan music â€" but also brought to public attention significant parts of the lute repertoire that had previously gone forgotten.To British eyes, he is one of the most important lutenists of modern times.Joachim Held.Music professor and lutenist Joachim Held has won awards for his lute performances that have never previously been won by another lute player. In this way, he is bringing even further attention to this ancient instrument.Held continues today to tour the world with his instrument.By the way, learn how to play the banjo!How to Play the Lute: Some Basic Lute Techniques.So, ho w exactly do you play the lute? If you are already fairly competent with playing the classical guitar, you will have a bit of a head start.But let’s take it slowly in two parts firstly. Here, we are going to talk about tuning lutes, and then about the basic right hand techniques for plucking.How Do You Tune a Lute?Tuning a lute all depends on how many strings your instrument has, what period it is from, and, essentially, your personal preference. Like any strung instrument, tunings can be changed.However, there is something of a tuning standard today â€" although no such thing existed before the twentieth century.Going from the lowest string in pitch, the standard tuning would give you something like G-C-F-A-D-G, with each note doubled with the two strings of each course.Basic Right-Hand Techniques.Contemporary lutenists these days usually use a similar technique to that of the classical guitar. Here, the right arm reaches over the instrument’s top corner so that the hand is arr anged with an arch between the index finger and thumb.Positioned as if your hand can enter into the sound hole of the instrument, this gives you the maximum agility and comfort â€" and the use of all of your fingers.However, if you have ever seen an old painting of a lutenist, you will notice that the technique is slightly different. The arm is positioned so that the fingers are parallel to the direction of the strings, meaning that you would pluck primarily with the index finger and thumb in a pinching motion.This latter technique has generally been superseded by the former these days.There are lots of other stringed instruments you can learn too!Where to Find Lute Lessons.Now all you need is a tutor to guide you in your process of learning the lute.A tutor is the best way to learn a musical instrument, offering regular support, professional experience and knowledge, and friendly advice and inspiration.And whilst the lute is a bit of a niche instrument, there are still plenty of op portunities for you to receive tuition in the instrument. Let’s see where. Learn the lute!Check Out Superprof’s Lute Tutors.Superprof is a platform that connects budding students with tutors across the world. We have nine lute tutors in our network that offer private lute lessons either in person in selected cities worldwide or online.Go Online for Lute Repertoire and Tablature.You can find plenty of resources for learning the lute for free online. Just search for lute tablatures and you’ll find them no problem!The Lute Society.The Lute Society is, as you can imagine, a society that promotes and supports this particular musical instrument.They also offer tuition across Europe, with nine lutenist teachers available in the UK.

Online Venn Diagram with Lines Tutors

Online Venn Diagram with Lines Tutors A Venn diagram is a diagram in which the sets are represented through circles and their relations are shown by overlapping the circles and in other ways. Venn diagrams are one of the best ways of representing sets and relations and they are very helpful as they give a lot of information about the number of elements present in each set, and the number of elements present in common for different sets etc. Venn diagram with lines is the diagram where lines are used to represent the region of different sets. Example 1: In a classroom, there are students who play basketball and students who play tennis. What kind of students does the Venn diagram with lines represent below? In the above given Venn diagram, we can see two circles and these two circles represent the set of students who play basketball (B) and tennis (T). The region shaded in the Venn diagram is the portion common to both the circles (sets). Hence the shaded region represents the number of students who play both basketball and tennis. Example 2: In a classroom, there are students who like ice-creams and students who like cookies.Construct a Venn diagram with lines and represent students who only like cookies. To construct a Venn diagram, we always start by drawing the circles which represents set of students who like ice-creams (I) and students who like cookies (C). To represent students who only like cookies, we must shade the region which only belongs to cookies. Hence the Venn diagram with lines shown below represents the given situation.

Your Guide on How to Learn Cantonese.

Your Guide on How to Learn Cantonese. You’ll be Speaking Cantonese in No Time! ChaptersWhy Learn Cantonese?How to Speak Cantonese.In conversations about learning Cantonese, you’ll have probably heard the commonly expressed sentiment and caution: ‘it’s really hard’. However, more often than not, the people who are telling you this don’t really know a thing â€" and have never even tried to learn the language themselves.So, don’t let this put you off. This caution should never be used as a reason not to learn. Because you’ll be giving up before you’ve even started.But, if we’re being honest, sure learning Cantonese is hard. But it needn’t be any harder than any other new language in which you want to develop your conversational fluency. Sure, the traditional characters are different. Sure, the tonal language is unfamiliar. And, sure, it will take a little while to get proficient with the pronunciation. But that’s all part of the challenge. Here, we are going to look at the easiest way for you to become more fluent in the Cantonese language. W e can assure you that it won’t be as hard as you think it is.So, take a deep breath â€" and let’s dive in. NingChinese Teacher 5.00 (10) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LorraineChinese Teacher £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JoyceChinese Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicoleChinese Teacher £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KatyChinese Teacher £16/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YangChinese Teacher £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ChengChinese Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhy Learn Cantonese?Cantonese is the language that is spoken around the city of Guangzhou, in the province of Guangdong. That’s where it originated (hence the name ‘Cantonese’, after Guangzhou’s old anglophone name, Canton) â€" and that’s where it continues to be spoken, alongside Hong Kong and Macau where it is an of ficial language.Alongside these regions, it is also spoken in Guangxi and is used as a lingua franca among much of southeast Asia â€" such as in Vietnam and Malaysia particularly. Right now, there are about sixty million native speakers of Cantonese â€" however, these are slowly declining as speakers are preferring to learn and use languages like Mandarin Chinese.These numbers are equivalent to the number of native speakers of Italian. And, in a world in which many other languages in mainland China are going extinct, the people of Guangzhou seem to be determined to keep their language going. You'll be speaking Cantonese in no time!Culture and Cantonese.One of the great reasons to learn Cantonese â€" beyond the fact that, like learning any foreign language, it is supremely good for you â€" is that the language is at the heart of all things Hong Kong.Language and culture are always inextricably linked. And to enjoy the many joys of Hong Kong culture, it’s a shame not to have any language skills.The Hong Kong pop music scene â€" or Cantopop â€" is huge. And, whilst it has been much more influential in the past, it still produces a lot of hits. If you have any familiarity with Leslie Cheung, Alan Tam, or Anita Mui, it would be good to understand what they are singing about, no?The same goes for cinema. With the Hong Kong film industry being one of the largest in the world â€" with stars such as Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee â€" Cantonese was given massive cultural clout across the globe.As we said, beyond the fact that a second language is just a really important thing to have in your life, learning Cantonese opens up a world of culture that would otherwise go underappreciated.How to Speak Cantonese.We said that to learn to speak Cantonese is no more difficult than learning a language in general. It’s not. Yet, language learning does have one major challenge: it’s not that learning the language is hard, but that committing the time to study is. When we are working full time or at school, it’s not always the easiest thing in the world to sit yourself down in the evening to concentrate hard. But this, first of all, is precisely what you need to do.Put the Time Aside.Without a deliberate time set aside to commit to another language, you will never achieve what you hope to achieve. This, unfortunately, is an indisputable fact.People who say, ‘ah yes, I want to learn Cantonese’, have not really achieved anything. The first sign of progress â€" and the sure-fire way to future fluency â€" is really to have that allotted time.This can be daily, this ca n be twice weekly, depending on how quickly you are hoping to improve. However, with the number of different things that language acquisition requires â€" learning the Chinese characters to nailing the pronunciation, learning new words to engaging with the grammatical aspects of the language â€" the more often the better.So, commit to regular time slots. Be realistic â€" just as long as you keep it regular. Practice reading Cantonese!Don’t Worry Too Much about the Cantonese Script â€" at First.The most commonly intimidating thing about learning the Chinese languages is the Chinese script. Usually, anything with a script that isn’t roman â€" from Cyrillic to Arabic â€" inspires frowns and mutterings of ‘oh dear’.The Cantonese script is pretty much the same as in standard Mandarin, using both the simplified and traditional forms. (However, Mandarin and Cantonese remain two mutually unintelligible languages.)And it’s true, learning to read and write Chinese characters is hard. So hard, in fact, that many Chinese people don’t do it either. But this is precisely the point: you don’t need to learn the characters to begin with.Learn just the Romanised versions. It’s much easier â€" and better for your confidence â€" to practice the spoken forms first, and then return to the written text when you have a grasp of what you are doing.Learn more about reading Cantonese!Nail the Cant onese Tones.The other notorious thing about Cantonese â€" and Chinese language learning in general â€" is the tones. In English, we can’t seem to understand the fact that a vowel could be said six different ways.However, strangely enough, that’s exactly what we do in English too â€" it just doesn’t change the semantic content of the words.There are six types of tone: dark flat, dark rising, dark departing, light flat, light rising, light departing. In the Romanized written form, you will see these respectively numbered from one to six.The easy way to learn these is with a tone chart, which diagrams the respective sounds you need to make. Learn it by heart â€" and that’s another thing cracked.Fill Your Life with Cantonese.With your phonetics covered, you now need to fill your life with Cantonese. Let’s call this language immersion â€" although you are still in the UK.That means listening to Cantonese radio, watching Cantonese movies and TV, and reading as much Cantonese con tent as possible. The latter will come later, as you slowly begin to integrate knowledge of the written language into your learning. Yet, the point here is that, to get to grips with a language, you need to live it and breathe it!That means using language apps like Babbel, Duolingo, or Memrise on the bus to school or the commute. Alternatively, it means writing down new words and phrases onto flashcards so that you can practice them and memorise them at any time.Set Goals â€" and Achieve Them.One of the key methods by which to learn another language â€" or indeed, to learn anything â€" is to set yourself goals and work towards them.Goals work by directing your focus and your attention: with something to aim for, and a set date by which to achieve it, you’re much more likely to get moving.So, think about it. Set a date by which you will have nailed the phonetic aspect of the language: the tones, the vowels and consonants. Set another date by which you will be able to learn Chinese characters â€" at least a few of them. And set another date by which you want to have your first dialogues to practice your spoken language.Without some decent goals, you may well end up just practising what you know already â€" and not improving at all.Learn about writing in Cantonese! The world is full of language we take for granted - learn it!Be Interested by the Language: Speak about What Interests You.When trying to speak in Cantonese, or when trying to listen to a particular radio station, or whatever, you need to make sure that the subject under discussion is actually interesting to you. This is not so banal or obvious as it seems. So many language classes use material that is completely uninspiring for many students and so leaves them uninspired.If you are interested in sport, why would you want to listen to a show about makeup? If you work as a lawyer, why are you trying to learn the language of an electrician?Finding something to talk about that is interesting to you will make you want to continue learning. And you’ll pick up the language that you actually need rather than that which you feel you should know.Learn more about developing your Cantonese vocabulary.Find a Cantonese Tutor â€" or a Native Speaker to Practice with.Finally, there is no better t o way to learn a new language than to talk to someone who is fluent.Whether this is a friend, a girlfriend, a complete stranger at a language exchange class, or a private tutor, a native speaker will bring your spoken Cantonese on leaps and bounds. As long as they (and you!) are patient, and you do it regularly, this will be the best time to improve your productive language skills.

Algebra and Geometry Online Tutoring - Online Tutoring

Algebra and Geometry Online Tutoring - Online Tutoring Algebra and geometry is the tool used in abstract algebra, finding the zeros of polynomials etc. This tool is also used to find out the limits related to the algebraic curves such as circle, lines, parabolas, ellipse, hyperbola, cubic curves etc. This tool uses both algebraic and geometric functions together in solving algebraic curve. By the algebraic curve we mean the curve related to geometry and the equations related to algebra. This tool after using both algebraic and geometry functions returns the output value in a very quick time. This can be better understood by the following examples:- Example 1:- Find the zero of the polynomial f(x) = x2+ 3x +5 Solution :- Given function is: - f(x) = x2+ 3x +5 We have to find the zero of the polynomial f(x) = x2+ 3x +5. This can be found out by substituting the value of x as zero. Therefore, f(x) = x2+ 3x +5 So f (0) = 0+ 3(0) + 5 So f (0) =5 is the zero of the polynomial f(x) = x2+ 3x +5 Example 2:- Find the zero of the polynomial f(x) = x3+ 5x +100 Solution :- Given function is: - f(x) = x3+ 5x +100 We have to find the zero of the polynomial f(x) = x3+ 5x +100 This can be found out by substituting the value of x as zero. Therefore, f(x) = x3+ 5x +100 So f (0) = 0+ 5(0) + 100 So f (0) =100 is the zero of the polynomial f(x) = x3+ 5x +100

Six Tips for Creating a Positive Learning Environment

Six Tips for Creating a Positive Learning Environment You became a teacher to make a lasting difference in the lives of young learners. One of the best ways to have an impact is to create a positive, encouraging learning environment in which students feel cared for and supported. Here are six tips on how to do so: Develop good student relationships. Be friendly and upbeat. Treat your students as individuals. Ask questions about their lives to get to know them better, and encourage them to get to know each other as well. Build good school-home connections. Your relationship with parents is important, too. Send home an email and/or note early in the year. Let parents know how to reach you, your expectations and plans for the year, and how much you are looking forward to helping their children grow this year. Invite any input on how their children learn best and how you can make this year a great one. Put your trust in your students. Give them a say on certain decisions. Set your expectations and rules and then let them know that you believe in their ability to hold themselves accountable. Guide your students toward discovery. Dont give them the answers. Pose the questions, and then invite them to solve problems. Offer encouragement every step of the way, but put them in the drivers seat when possible. Have them explain concepts to each other and to you and congratulate them when they figure things out on their own. Make students feel like valuable contributors. Everyones ideas matter in your classroom, and everyone deserves respect. Encourage students to voice their opinions and offer their input and thank them for being brave enough to do so. Share why you love your subject. Theres nothing quite as convincing about why a subject is interesting as a passionate teacher. Dont be afraid to tell your students what you enjoy about different subjects and why learning got you excited when you were their age. A positive learning environment will get your students fired up about learning. Take steps to make your classroom a nurturing, comfortable place, and your students will reap the many benefits.

Spice up Your Language Learning with These 13 Busuu Alternatives

Spice up Your Language Learning with These 13 Busuu Alternatives Spice up Your Language Learning with These 13 Busuu Alternatives Every now and then, its time for a change.When you graduate from high school, you move on to college, a job or a gap year. You dont just keep hanging around the cafeteria hoping no one notices.When your favorite jeans develop gaping holes, you probably buy a new pair even though you long for your fallen comrade.When you realize your growing pie addiction is probably the cause of your weight gain, you switch to diet pie instead. (Thats a thing, right?)The same is true in language education. Sometimes, you need a change. Whether youre using online courses, apps or conventional courses, even if you love what youve been using, you might just need a change of pace.That means that even if top programs like busuu appeal to you, you might be looking for an alternative.But busuu has a lot to offer. It covers 12 different languages. It promises to teach you a language in just 10 minutes per day. And it has tons of other great features, such as practice with native speakers, grammar units, voca bulary training and even official certificates of completion. How can anything possibly compete with that?Thankfully, just as there are several apps like Duolingo  and plenty of programs like Pimsleur, you can also find some great busuu alternatives if you know where to look. While they may not have all the same features as busuu, they do offer their own unique variations of some of busuus most popular options.Heres the lowdown on all you need to know about busuu alternatives. Why Use a Busuu Alternative?One reason you might use a busuu alternative is to supplement your busuu learning.  If youre enjoying busuu, you dont need to give it up entirely. In fact, busuu can pair perfectly well with other tools, including  innovative apps, such as the  FluentU Android app.You might also use an alternative for a new perspective on your target language. Each language learning product on the market approaches a language from a slightly different angle, so trying an alternative to busuu could give you a new perspective that broadens your language horizons.Or maybe busuu isnt quite right for your needs and goals.  Maybe busuu just isnt doing what you want it to. Maybe the cost is prohibitive. Whatever reason its not your perfect match, you might be looking for something similar that better meets your needs.Finally, variety is the spice of life.  Using busuu everyday could start to feel stale, so you may be ready to change it up. Adding some variety to your learning routine can reinvigorate your passion for learning. Plus, if you want to go back to busuu after having used an alternative, you might find that it seems fresh and exciting again.How to Select the Right Busuu AlternativeConsider which busuu feature you most want to replicate.Busuu offers a variety of features, including flexibility, a short time commitment, interactions with native speakers and  speech recognition.While most other options wont have all these features, its easy to find tools that have at least o ne of these qualities. If you select which feature you want to replicate, you can easily find a tool with a similar option.Determine what area youre struggling with most.What do you need to work on? Do you need speech practice? Do you need to build your vocabulary? Whats your weakest point?Identifying the areas of language learning you need to work on can help you select resources that target those specific skills. This helps you balance out your abilities and ensures you have no main weak points.Try out multiple alternatives.You wont know what you like until you try it, so go ahead and see how you like a number of different alternatives. Experimenting can help you find which option you like the best or determine which combination of options can meet all your needs.What the criteria you base your choices on are up to youâ€"you can consider the usability, interface, price, level and/or features.Spice up Your Language Learning with These 13 Busuu AlternativesFlexible AppsOne of busuus popular features is its flexibility. It offers an array of learning options that you can use whenever and wherever its convenient. If you love the flexibility of busuu, you might also love these alternatives.FluentUAvailable: iOS | AndroidWant flexible language learning that grows with you? Try FluentU!FluentU takes real-world videosâ€"like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talksâ€"and turns them into personalized language learning lessons. Every video is captioned, and the captions are annotated, putting any words definition, example sentences and an associated image at your fingertips.With FluentU, you hear languages in authentic contextsâ€"the way that native speakers actually use them. Just a quick look will give you an idea of the variety of FluentU videos on offer:FluentU really takes the grunt work out of learning languages, leaving you with nothing but engaging, effective and efficient learning. It’s already hand-picked the best videos for you and organized them by level and topic. All you have to do is choose any video that strikes your fancy to get started!Each word in the interactive captions comes with a definition, audio, image, example sentences and more.Access a complete interactive transcript of every video under the Dialogue tab, and easily review words and phrases from the video under Vocab.You can use FluentU’s unique adaptive quizzes to learn the vocabulary and phrases from the video through fun questions and exercises. Just swipe left or right to see more examples of the word youre studying.The program even keeps track of what you’re learning and tells you exactly when it’s time for review, giving you a 100% personalized experience.Start using FluentU on the website with your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes store or Google Play store.Living LanguageLiving Language has a ton of flexible learning options to fit whatever your language learning needs may be.First of all, Livin g Language offers two different delivery methods. You can take an online course or purchase their products, including books, CDs and downloadable audio files.You can also choose your pace. Online courses offer subscription options, so if you breeze through the course quickly, you can save money. But you can also just study for few minutes per day if that works for your schedule.The materials themselves are also flexible. They include flashcards, games, grammar notes and dialogues, giving you plenty of variety.Finally, one unique feature of Living Language is that it also offers some specialty courses to better meet your needs. For instance, there are programs for specific professions, including librarians, law enforcement and healthcare workers. There are also business courses if you plan on going into international business.Going on a trip? A passport course might be just what youre looking for.Memrise Available: iOS | AndroidMemrise provides flexible features, language settings an d accessibility, making it a great choice for any language learner who needs options.Features include videos with native speakers, a pronunciation guide and interactive games and activities.Memrise also offers language flexibility. For example, some of the programs on this list may teach you Spanish, but the explanations are automatically in English.With Memrise, you can change the language youre learning in within the Settings menu, so if youre more comfortable reading another language, like Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian or Spanish, you have that option. Now you can study your target language without having to read in English to do so.Plus, because you can use Memrise online or download its apps, you have plenty of options for how to use it. The apps even have an offline mode, allowing you to keep learning even without internet access.Apps with a Short Time CommitmentWish you didnt have to study for hours on end? A lot of busuu user s love that the program aims to teach languages in just 10 minutes per day.However, there are busuu alternatives that also offer a short time commitment. If you only have a few minutes to spare, check out these options.Duolingo Available: iOS | AndroidIf busuus 10-minutes-per-day guideline is too much for you, consider trying Duolingo, which offers bite-sized lessons that you can complete in just five minutes per day. That being said, theres nothing limiting you to the five-minute guideline you can keep on going for hours if you have the time!But the program is built around short lesson blocks, allowing you to study whenever you have time. Duolingo is gamified, though, so you might find it too addicting to stop at just one lesson.Not only does Duolingo offer lessons, it also features activities to help you practice reading, writing, speaking and listening. Thats a lot to pack into just a few minutes per day!WordBreweryWordBrewery is another great option for any learner whos crunched for time.WordBrewery works by presenting you with real-world sentences in your target language. You can listen to them, translate them, save them, save individual words or even read the sentences in their original context.WordBrewery aims to make learning as fast and efficient as possible by focusing on the most common words. To make it even more efficient, you can set the skill level and/or topic. From there, WordBrewery will track your progress to present you with sentences that are challenging but appropriate for your level.Plus, WordBrewery is designed to be used in short bursts, so no need to set aside hours for studying.Lingvist Available: iOS | AndroidLingvist is another busuu alternative designed for learners who have a need for speed.Lingvist aims to have you skip over material you already know or just dont need, allowing you to move at a faster pace. To do this, Lingvist maps your knowledge so that it can personalize the course for your needs.Lingvists main focus is teach ing relevant vocabulary in realistic contexts. But dont worry! Youll also get a hearty dose of grammar tips along the way.Too busy to take the time to hold your phone? The Lingvist app also offers a speak to answer feature that allows you to study hands-free.Bliu BliuJust like busuu, Bliu Bliu promises to teach you a language in just 10 minutes per day. In fact, if you have a free subscription, youll be limited to just five minutes per session anyway, making it easy to avoid letting language learning consume all your time.To gauge your level, Bliu Bliu will give you a quick quiz. From there, youll be presented with level-appropriate material, including videos, audio and text. All the material also comes with printed text. You can highlight a word to learn its meaning or save it to your favorites.The one caveat is that Bliu Bliu isnt designed for total beginners, so if youre just starting out, you might be in over your head with this one.Apps That Provide Interactions with Native Spe akersIts no secret that interacting with native speakers is one of the best ways to improve your language skills. Thats why busuu connects you with native speakers to help you get the practice you need.These alternatives also aim to help you practice your skills with a native speaker.HelloTalk Available: iOS | AndroidWith HelloTalk, you can find native speakers and start interacting right away.Not only can HelloTalk help you find your perfect language exchange partner, it also allows you to do voice calls, voice messaging, video calls and text messaging. You can also post questions to the community for native speakers to answer.Worried that your skills arent advanced enough to carry on a conversation just yet? Luckily, HelloTalk has you covered with plenty of useful tools, including pronunciation guides, corrections, translations and more, so theres no reason you cant start chatting on day one of your language-learning journey.HiNative Available: iOS | AndroidIf you wish you had a f riend to answer all your language questions, HiNative could just be the busuu alternative of your dreams.HiNative is a platform that allows you to ask native speakers all your most pressing language questions. You can ask questions in any language you like.You can ask your questions through text, but HiNative offers some other intriguing options, too. For instance, you can ask verbal questions,  so you can even get answers about whether or not youre pronouncing something correctly. You can also post pictures if you need some help with how youre writing a character or want someone to decipher written material you encounter.italki Available: iOS | AndroidWhether you want to just chat with a native speaker as a language exchange or youd rather hire a native tutor, italki can help you find what youre looking for.Not only can you schedule a customized, one-on-one tutoring session through italki, you can also read articles by teachers and tutors.Prefer to interact with native speakers on a less formal basis? You can connect with a partner for conversation exchange to get a little extra practice. Plus, you can ask open questions on the site, so you can ask the community to check your writing or give you language learning advice.Apps with Speech RecognitionGetting speaking practice can be hard, especially if youre too nervous to start interacting with native speakers.To help users build their confidence and perfect their pronunciation, busuu offers speech recognition technology. The following alternatives to busuu also provide speech recognition options.Mango Languages Available: iOS | AndroidIt can be hard to tell if youre pronouncing a word correctly in your target language. Are you getting all the letters right? Hows your inflection?With Mango Languages, you dont have to stress over pronunciation because youll have plenty of opportunities to compare your pronunciation to that of a native speaker. Mango Languages features audio by native speakers that you can play t o hear the pronunciation of a word.Once you think you have it down, record yourself saying the same word. Then, you can compare your pronunciation directly against that of a native speaker. If your pronunciation isnt as flawless as youd like, just keep trying until you get it down.Plus, Mango Languages focuses on practical conversational skills, so the words and phrases you work on are ones youre likely to actually use.Rocket Languages Available: iOS | AndroidRocket Languages offers voice recognition that can help you nail down your pronunciation of thousands of phrases. That should be enough to put a smile on any learners face.Courses feature conversations. You can read these conversations, play audio of the discussion and record yourself saying key phrases. If you want to simulate a real conversation, consider only playing one characters dialogue and then recording your own responses.Each course offers plenty of interactive audio lessonsâ€"over 60 hoursâ€"so that should be enough to satiate anyone looking to use a voice recognition program alternative to busuu.Babbel Available: iOS | AndroidBabbels main aim is to teach learners conversation skills so that theyre ready to roll when its time to interact in real life.To do this, Babbel features audio by native speakers along with awesome dialogues, which are wait for it interactive! Thats right, you get to record yourself responding to a realistic dialogue. Not only can this help you perfect your pronunciation, it could also increase your confidence and give you the extra boost you need to talk to native speakers more often.Want some more speaking practice? You can also record yourself speaking in the Review Manager section, thereby reinforcing key words and phrases youre studying.Not only that, Babbel offers activities that are just 10-15 minutes long, so it has more in common with busuu than speech recognition alone.So go ahead and change it up. These 13 busuu alternatives might be just what youre looking for to reinvigorate your learning.

5 Apartment Safety Tips for Fall Semester

5 Apartment Safety Tips for Fall Semester Image via Pixabay.com 2. Connect with at least one neighbor or fellow resident In the fall, new folks are usually moving to new apartments if you live in a college town. It’s a smart idea to pay attention to whether new people are moving in nearby or next door to your apartment, and get to know them if possible. Even knowing just one other resident in your apartment complex or neighborhood can be a lifesaver if you need someone to watch over your doorstep if packages are dropped off while you’re not home, or if you just want to clarify something your landlord sent out in a blast email. Make an effort to at least stop by to say hello and exchange phone numbers if at all possible. Your peace of mind will increase! 3. Consider buying a safe If you own any extremely valuable items a fancy camera, an extra laptop, a pair of those mystifying yet cool Google glasses you might get a little more anxious than you normally would about the notion of someone ever breaking into your place. These items could be the first to go. The solution? Store them in a safe. This is just about the most secure way to protect valuables. College students might not see the need for a safe (I usually picture older folks actually owning and using safes), but it can be a great investment especially if you don’t live in the safest neighborhood. If you can’t afford one, consider storing expensive valuables in a very obscure and hard to access location (like the very top shelf of your closet, an area difficult for even you to reach unless you really needed something). To further enhance your apartment’s safety, consider getting renters insurance: a relatively inexpensive way to ensure that in the event of a break in/theft, your belongings would be replaced and you’d receive compensation equal to what was stolen. 4. If you live alone, don’t make it obvious Don’t go out of your way to tell people around you that you live alone. This sounds fundamental, but more often than not, folks will bring it up from time to time without realizing the dangerous repercussions of doing so. The more you mention living alone while talking with friends in public, the higher a chance there is of the wrong person overhearing and possibly showing up at your place with questionable intentions. At night, it’s good to leave a light on when you leave the house so that your house still looks occupied (and it helps you out upon your return, when you’d otherwise be fumbling around in the dark looking for a light switch). 5. Invest in a doormat In fall semester, rain starts becoming a thing again after many dry summer months (depending on where you live, of course). To minimize the chances of you slipping on your kitchen tiles upon arrival home from school, be sure to place a good quality doormat on your front step so that you can rub the mud or water off of your shoes before you go inside. Not only is this a simple fall safety tip, but it’s also a quick way to keep your floors cleaner. Students want to minimize the need to clean! Overall, to stay safe this fall, make sure you check that everything in your apartment is working properly: drains, faucets, door locks, etc. If something is defective or otherwise broken, contact your landlord right away before the issue worsens. You’ll want to make sure your place is up to date and fully functioning this fall before the air turns colder and weather conditions get wilder. For more advice and resources for apartment living, visit your campus’ rentals office or talk to your peers, housemates, and friends about apartment safety. They just might have some tips you didn’t think of! Looking for an easy way to furnish your off-campus apartment? Renting furniture from CORT saves you time and money. See how easy it is to get great looking furniture without breaking the bank.

The Iceberg Theory in Action 5 Tips to Make Input-based Language Learning Work for You

The Iceberg Theory in Action 5 Tips to Make Input-based Language Learning Work for You Do you wish you could learn a language through TV and movies? Maybe youve tried textbooks and classes, but they just dont work for you.Or maybe youre an introvert whos terrified  by the prospect of finding language partners  online  or in real life!Much of the online language community is big on talking about  talking. So if thats not your thing, you might feel like you cant learn a language.Well, youll be glad to know that many language learners succeed through watching TV, listening to radio and reading books, some of them without setting foot in the classroom!Some learners wait until theyre quite advanced to talk to native speakers.Khatzumoto of  All Japanese All the Time, for example, attained incredible speaking and writing skills in Japanese through television and comics.Kató Lomb, a Hungarian polyglot, learned a lot of her sixteen languages through reading trashy novels.These learning methods are  input-based.  Input can be defined as all of the things you listen to, watch  o r read in your target language.However, its not uncommon for learners to feel that their passive skills (reading and listening comprehension) far outstrip their active skills  (speaking and writing).So, how does input-based learning work? Will it ever lead to speaking and writing, or will input-lovers be stuck with their books and movies forever?For the answer, we turn to the mighty Iceberg Theory. What Is the Iceberg Theory?Ernest Hemingways iceberg analogyTo start with, heres something Ernest Hemingway wrote in Death in the Afternoon:The dignity of movement of an iceberg is due to only one-eighth of it being above water.Lets give some context to this lovely, poetic quote, shall we? Here, Hemingway is talking about short stories. He was, as Im sure many of you know, a famed short story writer. Part of what brought him that fame was his peculiar, sparse writing style. Hemingway loved to omit details. He may have imagined an entire world surrounding his characters, their personal h istories and their setting, but little of that was mentioned in his stories.Rather, Hemingway masterfully allowed just the tip of the iceberg to show to the reader. Nevertheless, Hemingway insisted that readers still had a sense of the details that remained underwater. These were the details that kept the story moving and gave it weight, just as with an iceberg.But why am I talking about a fiction writing theory?While Hemingways Iceberg Theory was created and tailored for writers of fiction, it can also affect how we view a number of things, including the acquisition of  skills  like  language learning. Dont take the prose application all too seriouslyâ€"the imagery of the iceberg is what were after.Your passive skills, your comprehension abilities, may be underwater, invisible to all except you, but theyll one day give you the balance and confidence to express yourself in your target language. When you keep feeding your iceberg more and more input, the bit above the surface will gr ow as well, and youll start seeing more results with your active skills.The Iceberg Theory is helpful if you find yourself losing confidence over your active skills, even when your passive skills might be well-developed.So lets look at some reliable ways that you can start applying this theory to your language learning today!The Iceberg Theory in Action: 5 Tips to Make Input-based Language Learning Work for You1. Seek out engaging resources for listening and reading.Firsthand, I can tell you that input-based language learning can seem like its  not having much of an effect. But every understood word is a breakthrough. Patience is key, which is why you need to keep your resources fun and engaging. Its got to be stuff that you come back to, time and time again.Luckily, there are a million ways to do that!  A lot of input-based learners like to set up an immersion environment at home, just to make sure theyre absorbing all they can.Using authentic materials, like TV and movies, for you r input keeps learning engaging and also avoids the problem of using textbook recordings for language study only to discover that native speakers talk at lightning speed!So, how do you find quality authentic resources for your input-based learning?Hit up YouTube for songs in your target language, ones in genres that youll want to play again and again.Google  online forums that discuss your language for names of podcasts, radio stations and TV show recommendations.Amazon third-party sellers are great for finding books in even the most uncommon languages.And for a completely customized but totally authentic input-based experience, theres always FluentU.  FluentU takes real-world videosâ€"like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talksâ€"and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.Build up that mini immersion environment (even if its only as big as your bedroom), and soon youll surprise yourself with how much you can understand. With input, your comprehension â€"both in reading and listeningâ€"skyrockets. Not too long after that, youll surprise yourself with how much you can express. Keep that iceberg growing and growing!2. Use tried-and-true methods.Input-based learning can involve simply consuming those native resources such as catchy  songs, hilarious  TV shows and gripping movies. Input-focused  learners might take a breather to sit down and relax with a novel.However, input-based learning can also involve very specific methods, such as entering  sentences and vocabulary items into  SRS flashcard programs in order to reap maximum retention benefits.For example, Khatzumoto, mentioned above,  mined  Japanese sentences from his favorite comic books and websites, and entered them into his SRS. He copied the sentences that he found particularly exciting or funny, and put them onto the front of the card, with an English translation on the back.Because of the algorithm used in SRS programs, he most often reviewed the cards that were most di fficult to remember. After 10,000 SRS sentences combined with 10,000 hours of listening to Japanese non-stop, Khatzumoto was fluent in Japanese before ever setting foot in Japan.Ms. Lomb, also mentioned above, learned her languages through novels, the trashier the better. As she explains in her book, she read through novels trying to parse the vocabulary and grammar as much as she could  without  a dictionary.This is called extensive readingâ€"reading without attempting to look up every single unknown word. She enjoyed the language for itself, with or without understanding, and only looked up words that appeared time and time again. With all of the input she received through her novels, she gradually built up sizeable knowledge and an intuitive sense of grammar. Whats even more encouraging is that Lomb learned most of her languages in the 40s, 50s and 60s, well before the conveniences of online radio, television or international bookstores!I personally use extensive reading and imme rsive listening in my own studies. I find extensive reading gives me a broad sense of how the language works. I read things like Harry Potter (which I know  very  well in English) in my target languages, and I decode a lot of the language by using context.In the same way, listening to foreign language radio for hours a day familiarizes me with the sounds of the language so that I can start picking out words more quickly once my vocabulary gets going.3. Think like an iceberg to gain confidence in your passive skills!Whenever you feel your confidence slipping over your stuttering speech (it happens!) or long pauses as you search for words, remember how only an eighth of an iceberg is above water. You might not have much at the tip of your tongue when people around you ask you to perform (believe me, this is how I feel about my current target language, Dutch).Some will argue that speaking is most important, that you cant say you know a language if your speaking skills are rusty. This s imply isnt true! Input-focused learning methods, those that improve comprehension, help all of us stay afloat.  Theyre the foundation of your language skills.Even in our native languages, we can only produce a fraction of what we can understand. The rest is underwater, just like with our target languages. My native language is Englishâ€"I sure can read a Dickens novel, but that doesnt mean my  attempts at writing come close. I can follow along with the dialogue in Pulp Fiction, but that doesnt mean I can talk like a Tarantino character off the cuff whenever I please.When learners favor input, passive skills will predictably outstrip the active skills.  Just remember that the bulk of your work is underwater. Thats where your vocabulary is. Its where your grammar is. Rest assured, your input-based  language learning is working.4. If you dont want to talk right away, dont! Language learning can be too focused on output.Speaking straight out of the gate is not for everyone, although it is heavily encouraged by the online language learning community.Just remember, theres more than one way up the same mountainor iceberg.I, like many, get super nervous when speaking, particularly when I try to talk too early, when my language iceberg hasnt yet grown to a size at which I feel comfortable. I might have a store of linguistic knowledge underwater, but the tiny tip of the iceberg just isnt enough to make me confident at output.Its not worth freezing up and racking up negative experiences that could jeopardize my whole project, so I wait. Improving my passive skills is wonderfully rewardingâ€"language isnt  all about talking. Reading and understanding are hugely important skills, so dont feel guilty if you prefer to overindulge in them!Eventually, youll be at the point at which speaking will seem like the next natural step by virtue of that  passive knowledge youve accumulated.5. Have faith that youll see results.Yes, input-based learning requires some patience. If youre m ore comfortable with movies and books than with chatting while youre out and about, then theres a bit of a trade-off.At the same level, an input-loving learners comprehension skills will outmatch someone who focused on conversation right away, but that same input-lovers conversational abilities will lag behind.Still, provided both keep at their languages for long periods of time, theyll both get to well-rounded fluency in the end.Have faith that increases in your comprehension  matter, and that they are crucial for improved active skills.Your iceberg will always be growing, provided you are interacting with your language, but only one-eighth will be visible. Nevertheless, as time goes on, and as your underwater bank of knowledge increases, that one-eighth will grow as well.Keep at it, and that underwater bank will be pushed above the surface, and youll find yourself speaking and writing more confidently than ever!Recognize that your knowledge is underwaterâ€"not nonexistent.Its easy to lose confidence when much of your target language is passive. You have little to show off, and youre not yet comfortable approaching native speakers.Will anyone believe youre learning a language?  How can you  prove that your language studies have not been in vain?  You cant! Not yet, at least. But forget about convincing people. Self-confidence and patience are what input-based learning is all about.Youre a dignified iceberg! Like any well-balanced, floating chunk of ice, your substance is invisible to others, but thats what makes you so mighty  and powerful.Why, you could sink the Titanic with skills  like that! And One More ThingIf youre digging these strategies, youll love using FluentU. FluentU makes it possible to learn languages  from music videos, commercials, news and inspiring talks.With FluentU, you learn real languagesâ€"the same way that natives  speak them. FluentU has a wide variety of videos like movie trailers, funny commercials and web series, as you can see he re:FluentU App Browse Screen.FluentU 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.Interactive transcript for Carlos Baute song.You can learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentUs learn mode. Swipe left or right to see  more examples for the word you’re learning.FluentU Has Quizzes for Every VideoAnd FluentU always keeps track of vocabulary that you’re learning. It uses that vocab to give you a 100% personalized experience by recommending videos and examples.Start using FluentU on the website with your computer or tablet  or, better yet,  download the FluentU app from  the iTunes store  or Google Play store.