Test-Taking Tip Blocking Out Other Test-Takers

Test-Taking Tip Blocking Out Other Test-Takers When you take an exam, all that should matter is that piece of paper in front of you. But what do you end up thinking about in addition to those questions you are reading? The other people in the class; how fast theyre writing, the way theyre sitting, the moment each one stands up all finished and ready to turn in their finished product. Its human nature to be distracted by these things, but the nervous test-taking environment only accentuates it. A major piece of advice that will help you work through your test with minimal stress is that you must learn to block out those fellow students. You have the rest of the day and the rest of the week, outside and inside school to pay attention to those people now is not the time to be thinking about them. Every student is different when it comes to their test-taking abilities, so you cannot let their habits affect your own process. Some students can easily put their nerves on the back-burner and just race through a test without thinking twice. Some agonize over every single question and purposely use up every possible minute before the bell rings. Others anxiously tap their pencils against their desk, shake their feet, breathe loudly, or practice a multitude of other disrupting habits that could throw you off. You must put them out of your mind. You may also want to check out these tips on how to mentally prepare for test day. Easier said than done? Well, in this case, its mostly about the preparation. Getting into the right mindset to ignore these classmates before you enter the test-taking zone is key. Tell yourself a few things as you make your way to the classroom: No one is judging you A common reason many students feel anxious while taking a test in a room full of students is because they fear being judged for not completing the exam as quickly as others. Logically, that doesnt make sense if you really think about it. The students who are finishing their tests first are just happy and proud of themselves for completing it so fast. They are exiting that room or pulling out a book before you know it and have no worries about you. The students who are, in fact, overly-nervous and meticulously taking their time clearly have no concern for the way you are approaching the test. And finally, the students who are just anxiously looking around and zoning out, not really being able to focus on the test due to nerves, are more likely to be having the same worries you are and be more afraid of you judging them than having the time to judge you themselves. Here are some important habits of effective test takersthat you may find useful as well. Only you and your teacher deserve control over your grade By soaking up your thoughts in the actions of the surrounding test-takers, youre basically giving them power over your test score. Why should it matter if the guy next to you only needs ten minutes to finish the exam while you need the entire hour? If taking the entire hour means youll get an A, thats all that matters and even though that guy seems confident in his speedy test-taking skills, he may not end up doing so well. How would you feel later if the reason you got a poor grade was because you rushed through the test just to catch up to someone who ended up doing badly anyway? Dont let his fast process change your careful one; he is not determining your final grade, you and your teacher are. You have just as much power as they do Remember, you are all in the same boat. Other test-takers may be just as easily intimidated by you as you are by them. You might get freaked out by that insanely quick person who turns in the exam right away, but maybe youll appear insanely quick to someone else who can barely finish the test in the allotted time. There is no sense in tormenting yourself over how well everyone else is doing when you are part of everyone else to another nervous student. Its a vicious cycle that everyone just needs to let go of. No one test-taker has more influence over the class than anybody else. Stop assigning the power and just focus on you and your test. Ready to let go of this unnecessary worry and take your test? Repeat these thoughts to yourself as you head into the classroom and those papers on your desk will be the only things youll see. You may also want to check out these test taking tips on how to review an exam before you take it.

Italian Language Course Examination PLIDA

Italian Language Course Examination PLIDA Learning Italian: Why Pass the PLIDA? ChaptersWhat is PLIDA, Exactly?Variations of PLIDAEvaluation CriteriaHow to Prepare for PLIDAWhere Can You Sit for PLIDA?To Sum it All UpCurrent statistics count more than seventy million native speakers of Italian.Further tallies indicate that more than one hundred twenty five million people claim Italian as a second language.Do you want to be among that number? Certify your Italian skills.If so, you should know about the PLIDA: Progetto Lingua Italiana Dante Alighieri.In English, that would be: Italian Language Project Dante Alighieri.PLIDA is a language certification program attesting to your competence and degree of mastery of Italian as a second language.On the surface, PLIDA bears great similarity to CILS and CELI, most notably in the structure of language competence  levels, from A1 to C2.One distinguishing difference is with the institution that administers each programme.CILS is sponsored by the University of Siena.CELI is the brainchild of the University of Perugia.PLIDA is the exclusive purview of the Società Dante Alighieri, or The Dante Alighieri Society.Let us now find out everything we can about sitting for (and passing!) PLIDA. institutes of higher learning as well as research facilities.Clearly, PLIDA carries substantial weight!Whether your aim is to enroll at the University of Rome as an exchange student, or start your career in fashion in Florence, PLIDA is THE distinguishing factor on your resume, possibly serving as the deciding factor for admission.Even better: attaining a Level B2 or C1 PLIDA certification entitles you to enroll with the Italian university of your choice without having to prove your language ability through their in-house exam.You should check with your target university's admissions office, because some institutes accept B2 while others insist on C1.The European student exchange program, Erasmus, requires potential enrollees to present a B2 level certification before matriculating anywhere, just as an example.We recomme nd you test for your actual level of Italian language ability! Source: Pixabay Credit: Michael GaidaVariations of PLIDAAs with CILS, the Italian Language Project exam comprises of six levels, all independent of one another.These competency levels were established by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, or CECRL (acronym derived from the French language).You do not have to take the basic Italian exam (A1) if you can speak Italian at intermediate level, for example.Of course, if you test successfully at Level C2, indicating mastery, clearly you know how to conjugate irregular verbs and all about Italian grammar, and no further testing would be required.It is vital to test at the level that corresponds to your actual Italian speaking abilities.Sitting for a test level lower than your abilities with the language will give you bragging rights, but does not accurately reflect how much you've learned from your Italian  lessons.An excellent score on the B2 bears less im port than a moderate to good score on the C1.PLIDA differs from other certifying Italian language exams because it offers versions for specific target audiences.Junior PLIDAThis assessment is meant for non native Italian speakers aged 13 to 18.Formulated for adolescents, the topics included in this exam range from school and learning experience to family life and pastimes.Proctors tend to be less formal in their interview methods for the spoken Italian portion of the exam, ever-mindful of not exacerbating the stress young linguists may labour under.Teenage test takers may elect to test for Levels A1 to C1.Business PLIDAThis exam is targeted to anyone in finance, commerce or industry, who might have dealings with such  concerns in Italy or engage regularly with Italian counterparts.Here again, test topics are selected based on the population that would sit for this exam.Thus, any candidate may be exposed to writing in Italian about the economy, manufacturing or retail practices regar dless of what his business environment actually is.Professionals taking this test have the option of testing at B1, B2, and C1 levels.written, which cover the remaining two.PLIDA administrators understand that the ability to express oneself, to communicate and to comprehend, happens incrementally.Learning to speak Italian; grasping the nuances of language and culture: all of these can be proven in stages, as follows.Level A1This is the test for those who have just started their language courses.The exam comprises of vocabulary used in everyday Italian. The proctor would use simple terms and speak Italian slowly, to give the candidate every chance to demonstrate understanding of spoken Italian.Italian learners should be able to construct simple sentences, describing where s/he lives, family members, and buying food at the grocer's, using only Italian words.Level A2This low to mid-intermediate level test measures conversational Italian ability, as well as the grasp of grammar fundamen tals.Word order and using the correct verb tense  are benchmarks of mastery for this exam.Gender assignment for nouns and using the proper pronoun in context are also considered.The candidate would demonstrate the ability to exchange simple information â€" ordering food in a restaurant, for example, or asking directions.At Level A2, you should be able to order a meal in any restaurant in Italy! Source: PIxabay Credit: JoshuemdLevel B1A learner sitting for B1 â€" the mid- to high-intermediate exam, would be required to understand key points of Italian conversation, without necessarily grasping every detail of the exchange.S/he should be able to recount experiences at school or university, talk about hobbies or even work-related issues.Coherent narratives over specified subjects, albeit related in simplistic terms is the objective for this level of Italian.Level B2This certification attests to the candidate's ability to grasp relatively complex information, and render opinions on any given subject  according to the proctor's prompt, who should be a native speaker of Italian.At this advanced intermediate level, those speaking Italian as a second language would have an expanded knowledge base, both of the culture and language nuance, to include the more common regional dialects.Standard Italian, based on the Tuscan dialect, features prominently, but the examinee may also need to understand the Florentine dialect, or the speech patterns of Rome, for example.Level C1Testing at this point suggests that the candidate is fluent in Italian and has assimilated a measure of culture and history.The exam comprises of dissecting long, complex texts and of rapid-fire dialogue, the expectation being that there will be no stalling or searching for appropriate words.Correct use of idioms or popular expressions in Italian are used to measure the degree of the candidate's cultural integration.Verbal and non-verbal communication will be assessed.That latter includes: proper tone an d inflection for the context, body language and other signals that indicate control of the discussion in proportion to the proctor's input.Level C2Here, the non native speaker certifies mastery of the Italian language at or near native speaker level.With these language capabilities, the examinee could argue anything from complex social issues to technical matters.Topics addressed in this exam may include the history of Italian art, or the impact of religion on modern Italian society.From this breakdown you can see the importance of correctly assessing one's language level.Considering the diversity of these stages, you may wonder whether a candidate testing at B1 would sit for the same amount of time as a C2 examinee.How much time you are allotted for each exam depends on the level you sit for Source: Pixabay Credit MonikaWIn fact, the timetable for each ordeal is:Exam Listening    Reading    Writing    Speaking    TotalA1       35 mins       30 mins    40 mins    10 mins      1h55A2       25 mins      30 mins    40 mins    10 mins      1h45B1       35 mins       30 mins    50 mins    10 mins     2h05B2       35 mins      30 mins    50 mins    10 mins     2h05C1       35 mins       45 mins    90 mins    15 mins     3h05C2      40 mins       45 mins    135 mins   15 mins     3h55ScoringWhereas the timing for each level is slightly different (save for the B stage), scoring remains the same across all levels.Any candidate can achieve a maximum of thirty (30) points on each of the four portions, with the bar set at eighteen (18) for passing.Should you attain a score over 18 on three of the four areas, your passing scores would remain valid.You would only have to retake the exam segment that was found to be insufficiently proven.How to Prepare for PLIDAAs you learn French, as you learn Russian; as you learn Korean or Arabic, so it is with learning Italian.Learning any foreign language requires time and effort.Before tak ing any proficiency exam, you should maximise your chances of earning high marks by taking a preparatory course that focuses exclusively on the standards of this assessment.There are several ways to do that.The Dante Alighieri School in Siena offers an intensive immersion program that lasts two weeks.As a student there, you would enjoy three hour-long lessons per day, Monday through Friday, for a total of thirty lessons.Of particular mention: these preparatory language lessons are held in small groups, of no more than five students per session.The cost for these concentrated Italian lessons is €750.00, plus the cost of a trip to Italy. Nowhere in the UK is this type of tutelage offered for Italian language courses.Well, that is not exactly true. You could engage a private tutor; one who may employ such immersive tactics.If you live in the Manchester area, you could address yourself to the Dante Alighieri Society on the University of Manchester campus.They offer weekly preparatory courses for all levels of PLIDA. If you live elsewhere in the UK, you could request their help online; they do support distance learning.On the other hand, if you are willing to take Italian courses online, you could surely find all manner of apps and chat partners that can further your ability and confidence in speaking this romance language.You may even get lucky and find free Italian lessons! Think of how your Italian pronunciation and comprehension would improve, conversing with native Italian speakers online!There are three PLIDA testing centers in the UK Source: Pixabay Credit: PexelsWhere Can You Sit for PLIDA?Any official centre recognized for the administration of the PLIDA complies with directives of the Dante Alighieri Society in Rome, even though each centre operate autonomously.Dante Alighieri Society is therefore recognized as the official coordinator  of the PLIDA exams.Their partnership with the Sapienza University of Rome ensures delivery of the most  academically s uperior, culturally relevant and up-to-date test materials possible.If you are already in Italy, you could sit for the exam in Pisa, Turin, Milan or Tuscany... just to name a few of the more famous  cities.Should a sojourn in Italy not be on your horizon â€" and you're not there already, you could sit for PLIDA at any of UK's three approved testing locations:University of ManchesterCambridgeExeter University.Please check here for the most recent updates to the testing schedule, for all locations, worldwide.As for cost: all rates are set by the Dante Alighieri Society  as follows.Both A level exams cost €65.Level B1 € 85Level B2 € 95Levels C1 and C2 € 135An additional €15 is attached to your testing fee to provide you with one year's membership in the Dante Society.Considering the benefits and advantages this relationship brings you, we may consider that money well spent!To Sum it All UpYour ability to speak Italian will be recognised at the highest levels of government and academia in Italy, meaning you can pursue your higher education at the university of your choice, from Naples to Sardinia.Furthermore, you can let go of any worries over working in Italy, or forming any business partnerships with native Italians.After demonstrating proper use of Italian vocabulary, you will be in full compliance with the laws regarding foreign transactions.Earning PLIDA certification, at any level, translates to official validation of one's Italian language skills.It is vital to test at your level, rather than too high or too low. Besides the obvious money factor, a certification mismatched to your true abilities will, in the end, hamper your efforts and momentum, rather than help them.Taking a PLIDA prep course would serve you well in determining your level â€" how well you know Italian words and phrases. Another reason for taking such a class would be to speak more fluently, and gain greater exposure to Italian audio.These preparatory classes are designed to refl ect the most current exam standards, which means that you will gain exposure to mock tests and perhaps even the exam proctors, who may function as tutors when no exams are scheduled.No matter which way you slice it, certifying your Italian learning through PLIDA will only bring you beneficio.Dai, caro!Consider taking DITALS: Didattica dell'italiano come lingua straniera.  A  pair of exams meant for non native speakers who intend to teach Italian as a foreign language. Or the CIC,  Certificato dell'Italiana Commerciale â€" in English: Certificate of Commercial Italian.Find a private tutor to take Italian lessons on Superprof:Learn Italian onlineItalian classes LondonItalian classes Glasgow

What is it Like to Attend the University of British Columbia

What is it Like to Attend the University of British Columbia Kevin earned his bachelors degree in political science and philosophy from the University of British Columbia. He specializes in English tutoring, psychology tutoring, and a number of other subjects. Below, he shares his experience at the the University of British Columbia: Describe the campus setting and transportation options. Kevin: The University of British Columbias campus is truly like no other. Its about 1,000 acres on the tip of a peninsula that is separated from the vibrant city of Vancouver by a 2,000 acre belt of temperate rainforest affiliated with UBC. Because of this, you can go to one of the beaches or hike in the rainforest without technically leaving the university. The stunning natural beauty of the campus and the well maintained new buildings make it unsurprising that many movies and TV shows shoot on campus. The facilities are top notch; it has eight major on-campus libraries, seemingly endless classrooms and labs, a particle accelerator, anthropology and biodiversity museums, a concert hall, and much more. The campus is crisscrossed by several university and city buses and connected to Vancouver proper by several buses. A bus to Point Grey or Kitsilano (neighborhoods with a lot of student housing) takes about 15 minutes, while a bus downtown may take 40 minutes. Biking is easy, and a car is probably more trouble than its worth (parking is very expensive). The campus feels very safe, especially since it has its own police force and is surrounded on three sides by water and by a forest on the fourth side. How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Kevin: As an arts student, I never had any trouble meeting with professors. They usually respond to emails within a day; the longest I had to wait for a meeting was three days. They all have office hours, and you can usually talk to them after, if not during, class. All of my professors were not just polite, but genuinely friendly and personable. Ive heard some professors can be more difficult to talk to in math and the sciences (especially in lower level classes), but I think this is the case in most universities. How would you describe the dorm liferooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Kevin: The two dorm complexes (Totem Park and Place Vanier) are on campus, but feel like towns in their own right. Each has the standard facilitiescafeteria and convenience store, coed or single-sex buildings/floors, and one common room per floor. Since the campus is so sheltered, almost everyone for literally miles is either a student or on staff. Because of this, after classes end for the day and most of the staff goes home, campus becomes something of a student city. There are many restaurants, and a cafeteria in each dorm, but groceries can be difficult to get, store, and afford. I should also note, campus security is taken seriously: the campus is well lit, regularly patrolled, littered with emergency help buttons, and a free safe-walk service is available (although crime is virtually unheard of). Which majors/programs are best represented and supported? Kevin: UBC is particularly proud of its engineering, forestry, earth and ocean sciences, computer science, cognitive systems, physics and astronomy, life sciences, international relations/political science, education, law, business, and anthropology departments. Forestry/earth and ocean sciences, engineering, physics, and life sciences (and increasingly computer science) seem to get the most funding. I double majored in political science and philosophy and minored in religious studies. I studied what I did simply because I loved it and I consistently had excellent professors. My case is a bit extreme, but the majority of students seem to graduate with at least a minor, if not a second major. Also, a large number of clubs and other academic societies are sponsored by UBC, permitting students to explore their field, meet other students with similar interests, and network beyond UBC. How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Kevin: I am not the most social person in the world, but the dorm life and frequently small class sizes made making friends easy. Greek life exists, but only plays as significant of a role as you want. Personally, I never had to encounter Greek life, but I have some friends who seemed to enjoy it. How helpful is the Career Center and other student support services? Kevin: If you are in the sciences (especially forestry/earth and ocean sciences and computer science), the Career Center is absolutely helpful. Most of my friends in the sciences had no problem getting paid internships or lab positions. In the Pacific Northwest, the oil/minerals, lumber, finance, and tech industries are booming, plus UBC is a huge wealthy research institution hungry for talent. How are the various study areas such as libraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Kevin: The total amount of study space is tremendous, but the student body is also very large. Given this, during most of the year good quality study space is easy to find, but it can get overcrowded come finals. Describe the surrounding town. Kevin: UBC feels extremely isolated despite being located in the middle of an urban area of over two million people. In their first year, most students live on campus and leave to go downtown or to the surrounding neighborhoods only about once a month, simply because everything you need is on campus. Buses connect UBC to the rest of Vancouver, but very few first years bother. Upper years tend to live off campus and more frequently go downtown or explore the surrounding neighborhoods, which are very nice, but also very expensive. Regarding outdoor activities, there are several nice beaches and large wildlife reserves, and the bay is great for sailing. The relatively close city of Victoria is also fun to explore. How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Kevin: The student body is very large (over 60,000) but upper level classes tend to be small. Many introductory classes are large120-200 studentsbut others are not. This is especially the case with the sciences (particularly biology) where large class sizes are the norm in 100 and some 200 level classes. For me, an arts student, even in my first year most of my classes had between 30 and 60 students and it was not difficult to get one-on-one time with professors. As you proceed to higher and higher classes, students specialize or drop out, so class sizes are smaller. By my fourth and fifth years (most students take five years), I would have maybe one class per term with 60 students. By the time I graduated, most of my professors knew me by name and I was on a first name basis with several. Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one you regret the most. Kevin: I graduated from UBC in 2014 and immediately went on to do two years of grad school in Europe. On my way home, I stopped back in Vancouver to visit some friends who still lived there and also just to be in the city. I decided to spend one of the few days I was there on campus. I looked up a former professor of mine and decided to drop by unannounced and say hi as he got out of his 100 level class. I waited outside the rooms glass door for his class to finish, but after he was done he was mobbed by five or six students who wanted to talk. Now, I hadnt talked to this professor in two years and he teaches five courses, which means something like 320 students per year. By the time he opened the door, he was smiling over an outstretched hand and greeted me by name. Good to see you, Kevin! Just a seconddo you have a second? I nodded and he continued answering the first years questions about Nietzsche with excited tones and wild gesticulations. After a few minutes, he turned back and we just started chatting like old friends. We talked about family, my time in Europe, and life in general. We walked to a cafe by his apartment and chatted for well over two hours before I had to run on account of dinner plans. That man changed my life, but unlike most professors at most schools, he is also part of my life. The thing about UBC thats so special is, yes, it will launch you onto whatever path you choose, but it also stimulates you as a person and helps you become, not just a professional, but a full human being. Check out Kevins tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Metacognition Demystified

Metacognition Demystified At AJ Tutoring, a primary goal of our academic tutoring as well as our study skills process is to teach students how to learn in the way that best suits their unique minds. In order to accomplish this, our professional tutors aim to move beyond homework help and the specifics of today’s lesson to develop our students’ academic skills on a deeper level.Albert Einstein once said, “The development of general ability for independent thinking and judgement should always be placed foremost, not the acquisition of special knowledge.” But what is the general ability for independent thinking and judgement, and how would it be placed “foremost”? This post aims to demystify metacognition and briefly discuss the development of metacognitive skills, which are crucial for becoming a more effective thinker and learner at any age. What does “meta” mean? Meta is self-referential; it indicates a higher level of abstraction.Examples:Metadata (data about data; in computer science, catego rical information about stored data)Metaphysics (concerns the nature of nature)Metamorphoses (transformation of an established growth pattern; a morphing of morphing)So, it follows that meta learning is learning about learning. Metacognition is cognition of cognition. In general, a discussion of metacognition and metacognitive skills involves how to approach learning in an optimal way. Where do we see meta-learning knowledge applied today? What are some of the best examples of high-quality learning?The most prominent example is with developments in artificial intelligence. For example, you can read here about Alpha Zero, a chess program created by DeepMind. Unlike other chess programs, Alpha Zero teaches itself chess, and with remarkable success: within 24 hours of initiation Alpha Zero was able to best one of the most powerful existing chess programs. Because it teaches itself, Alpha Zero is an example of strong metacognition.Today, Google/DeepMind and AI is emphasizing neural netw orks, which models learning in a way more closely resembles the human process of learning rather than a process emphasizing rote memorization and raw power that we traditionally associate with computers’ learning.If we want to learn better, we may want to begin with analyzing learning. But is it even possible to breakdown learning? Yes, it is! Please find below a breakdown of the steps required to approach a problem or concept with an eye to improving metacognitive processes.SimplificationDetachment: The goal is no longer to solve the problem directly, but to understand the nature of the problem and situate it in a greater context.Evaluation: Identify structural aspects and components of the problem.Creation: Create a new line of inquiry via simplifying one or more aspects of the problem. This may involve removing components in order to reduce complexity.Application: Apply problem-solving skills to obtain a solution to the new problem created, or question asked.Analysis: Analyze y our results and re-evaluate the original problem. Do these results assist with the original problem?ImplicationDetachment: The goal is no longer to solve the problem directly, but to understand the nature of the problem and situate it in a greater context.Gathering: List true statements and any info that may be relevant to the problem.Production: Use the statements you have to produce new factual information relevant to the problem. Use “if … then” statements in order to deductively reason.Analysis: Re-evaluate the problem with the new plethora of information you have. Is it easier to solve? If not, continue to repeat this technique or switch to using the “Simplification” technique.Essentially, this is a concrete methodical skill-based approach to training your inductive and deductive reasoning skills. Train, train, trainâ€"the key is having lots of iterations and lots of failures to learn from. And this produces high-quality learning experiences.If you’d like to learn m ore about how we can help your student achieve his or her academic potential, please give us a call today!

Intermediate English Holiday Vocabulary - Useful English for everyday use

Intermediate English Holiday Vocabulary - Useful English for everyday use Holidays are great when everything goes according to plan.  However, what do you do if there is a last minute hitch? Here are some English words and phrases connected with something going wrong.Travelling by air is still one of my favourite parts of a holiday. Even with the  lengthy queues to get through security and passport control.However my patience are severely tested when I hear that my flight might be cancelled due to a strike by the pilots or the cabin crew. These strike are sometimes notified in advance so at least you can act  accordingly but often it is a lightening strike and there is nothing you can do. Such a situation happened to my wife this summer. She was notified by text that the flight had been cancelled .The text arrived only 30 mins before the plane was due to depart so absolutely nothing she could do. What made it worse was the fact she had enjoyed a short holiday and was now trying to return home. English Holiday Vocabulary - If Something Goes Wrong It sounds ideal. There you are in a foreign airport with no flight to take you home. We all dream of having an extended holiday. However you would prefer the circumstances to be different.  My wife had checked out the apartment. She had returned the car she had rented and was  dragging   a suit case behind her.Thankfully she had her phone charged and she could at least make contact with a help desk. After many calls and some frustration she was able to book an alternative flight for the next day. This was leaving from a different airport so once again she had to hire a car and then drive to another city , and find accommodation for one more night. This all turned out alright in the end and she made the flight. However, this was only half of the story the alternative flight was only to another city so still over 500 hundred kms from home. There were only two options remaining. 1. To hire a car and drive or 2. hop on a train. The cost worked out pretty much the same so after an anxiou s day following the flight cancellation it was decided that a relaxing train journey would be best. And so finally after 2 days of additional travelling she finally arrived home. A little annoyed due to the additional journeys but with a good memory of an enjoyable holiday.However, this was not the end of the story. Firstly, our car was in a car park in the city where her journey had begun 10 days earlier so the car had to be collected. There would be additional  charges for leaving the car longer than originally intended and we needed to seek compensation from the airline who cancelled the return flight home. All invoice had been carefully retained.These included the extra car rental the re-arranged flight together with the train fares and out of pocket expenses for food and accommodation. We searched for the on line site and completed the claim form and submitted all the documents. We were expecting a long delay and perhaps some argument from the company. However, to my very great surprise my wife very happily told me that the company had agreed to refund almost all of her extra costs. There is a God! Never give up hope! Hope your travels always go according to plan, but now you know you English holiday vocabulary IF something goes wrong. English Holiday Vocabulary - Learn Words and Phrases according to plan no problemlast minute hitch a problemto travel by air to flylengthy longqueue (British English) = line (American English)strike industrial actionto notify in advance to let someone know when something might happenaccordingly have a plan B (an alternative plan)lightening strike happens without warningextended longercircumstances situationto check out to leave, to move out of a hotel, apartment, etcto drag to pullto make a contact to callhelp desk customer service desk/helplinealternative flight another choiceto turn out to happen, to work outhalf of the story not completeoption choicepretty much aboutcharges coststo seek compensation to make a claimto retain to keepout of pocket expenses additional expensesto complete to fill into submit to send Useful English Holiday Vocabulary Don't keep this to yourself, tell the world:

College Decisions 3 Things to Think About - TutorNerds

College Decisions 3 Things to Think About - TutorNerds 3 Things to Think About when Focusing on College Decisions Students will soon find out which colleges they were accepted to and have a huge decision to make. They need to think about campus life, quality of teaching staff, a living situation, financial issues, and career choice. It’s overwhelming for students to make a decision that will affect the next four years of their life, so its important they take a step back and look at the big picture. Spring is a stressful time during the school year as it is but seniors have even more to worry about. However, choosing a college should also be fun and exciting, and students are encouraged to remember all of the achievements they made to get where they are right now our experienced college admissions consultants are here to help with all of our college decisions. 1. Campus Life Seniors should think about what their life will be like on campus before making a final decision. Does the college guarantee a dorm for freshman? Where will they live sophomore through senior year? Is affordable housing available near campus? Students should also think about social and networking opportunities on campus. Will they be able to network with other students within the same major? Does the college offer on-campus organizations that advocate for specific groups, such as women in business or minorities going into law or engineering? If a student has a special need will they be able to work with an advocate on campus? Even simple issues, such as a meal plan or fun places to hang out in between classes is an important part of every students college decision. 2. Quality of teaching staff Professors and instructors will play a huge role in every college student’s education. Does the college make it a point to hire as many full-time instructors as they can afford? In this case, teaching staff will be focused more on their students and maintain a reasonable schedule. Are professors more focused on research? Are most classes taught by a TA? If so, what is the ratio between TA and student? Does the University hire mostly adjunct instructors who will be leaving campus straight after class to teach at another university in another city? Quality of teaching staff includes experience and education but also the number of time instructors have available to spend with students (Irvine AP Tutor Tips: 4 Ways to Prep for AP Exams). 3. Career counseling Most applicants think about the four years they will be attending a particular university but, starting a career seems too far into the future. One of the main points of going to college is to have adequate job placement opportunities upon graduation and make a good salary in a field that the student is excited about. As a result, career counseling is an essential part of a good university. What sort of career counseling does the university offer, if any? Does the college offer intern placement assistance or job placement assistance upon graduation? How many graduates receive a full-time job offer in their field within a year or so of graduation? Students are encouraged to think ahead when it comes to college and career. Our private Orange County college admissions consultants have a 97% success rate. Call us today for more information and to book your consultant. All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at pr@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us write.

5 tips for getting a TEFL certification online while you travel

5 tips for getting a TEFL certification online while you travel Need a TEFL certification but you’re itching to take off to a faraway place ASAP? You can travel the world and get certified at the same time with an online TEFL certification course. As Teach Away's TEFL Program Lead, I get a lot of questions from prospective students who want to get certified but don’t want to hold off on their travel plans. Well, great news: you don’t need to delay either! The beauty of online TEFL courses is that they are self-paced, super flexible and can be completed from anywhere in the world. So you can study wherever your heart desires. In fact, there are many advantages that come with studying on the road. For one thing, if you’re not sure where you want to teach English abroad, traveling can help you make that decision. Visiting different countries can give you an idea of what places are really like before you commit to living and working in one location. Or, if you decide that you don’t want to settle down in one place, you can continue your nomad lifestyle by teaching English online. That’s right: once you’re TEFL certified, you’ll have a great way to make money while you travel. Pretty awesome, right? But before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s circle back to doing a TEFL course first. How can you complete a TEFL certification course while traveling? Enroll in an online TEFL course that’s flexible and self-paced. Make sure you have all the tech gear you’ll need to take with you. Choose travel destinations with reliable WiFi access. Budget for a longer trip with a flexible itinerary. Start your journey and study wherever (and whenever) you want! 1. Choose a flexible online TEFL certification that you can do from anywhere. Everyone’s English teaching journey should start with a TEFL course because one thing is for sure: you'll need a TEFL certificate to teach English abroad. If you’re ready to start your globetrotting adventure now, there are two great options for getting TEFL certified while studying abroad. The first one is doing an online TEFL certification course. This is undoubtedly the more flexible and affordable option. You’ll learn all the same content as in a face-to-face TEFL course, plus have the freedom to study from wherever you want, whenever you want. So then you can bounce from country to country or settle in any overseas destination you choose. Worried about balancing your free time with studying? Don’t! Since online TEFL courses are self-paced, you won’t be tied down to a specific schedule or time zone. The second option is doing an in-person TEFL course abroad. But this option can be very pricey, once you’ve factored in course fees, airfare, student visa costs and accommodations. Plus, you’ll be tied to one location for weeks, whether you like it or not. So if you’re looking for a TEFL certification course that can move with your travels, you’ll find that getting certified online is much more flexible than doing a course in person. Of course, choosing the right TEFL course for you will depend on your budget and travel goals. So you should do some research before enrolling in a course. 2. Gear up with everything you’ll need to study online while you travel. If you’re planning to study online while traveling, here are some things you’ll need to take with you: A laptop with WiFi connectivity Sure, mobile devices like tablets and smartphones have come a long way. But you still can’t beat the capabilities of a laptop when it comes to completing an online course. If you don’t have a laptop already, don’t worry about spending too much. Nowadays, there are laptops out there for every budget. Just look for one that’s light and small enough to fit in your carry-on. Laptop charger This may seem obvious, but I’ll remind you just in case: You won’t get very far if you can’t plug your laptop in, so don’t forget to bring your charger! Power adaptors You also won’t get far with a charger that won’t fit in a power outlet, so you’ll need to bring the right travel adaptors with you. Before you leave on your trip, double-check the outlets and voltages in the countries you’ll be traveling to and get the right adaptors for each place. A protective laptop case Since you’re going to be moving from place to place, it’s also a good idea to bring a protective case for your laptop to make sure it survives the journey â€" especially if you’ll be living out of a backpack! Headphones Online TEFL courses often include instructional videos, so you’ll want to pack some headphones for your listening comfort. If you can fit them into your budget, noise-canceling headphones are ideal for minimizing distractions when you’re studying in public places. Luggage locks Traveling with valuables can be stressful. So for your own peace of mind, it’s always good to secure your bags with a luggage lock. And if you’ll be staying in hostel dorms, always ask if there are lockers in shared rooms where you can safely store your tech gear. So, to review, here’s the short list of the things you’ll need to add to your packing list: What do you need to pack to study while you travel? Laptop Laptop charger Travel adaptors Protective laptop case Headphones Luggage locks 3. Plan a travel itinerary with optimal WiFi access. For any online student, a reliable WiFi connection is essential! So keep in mind that even though WiFi is now a given in many countries, it’s still not accessible everywhere. That’s why making sure that you’ll have reliable internet access on your trip will take a bit of planning. A good place to start is making sure any accommodations you book have good WiFi connections. Most hotels nowadays have free WiFi available in your room, where you can study with no distractions. Hostels normally have WiFi in rooms and/or common areas. Cafés and restaurants are another good source of WiFi, but will take a little more research on your part. There’s nothing more annoying than finding a cute cafe to work in, ordering a coffee, and then finding out it doesn’t have WiFi. Getting out and going somewhere local to study also means you don’t have to cut yourself off from traveling while you study. You can get your work done while enjoying the local scenery and delicacies at the same time. Also, keep in mind that you should plan your itinerary carefully if you want to visit remote places without internet access, like national parks, campsites or undeveloped areas. You should plan to visit these places when you know you won’t need to complete online coursework. 4. Extend your travels (and study time) by budgeting for a longer trip. It’s the eternal travel dilemma: do you take advantage of a once-in-a-lifetime trip by packing in as many activities as you can, or do you take a proper break and really, truly, relax? It’s all about finding the right balance between travel and coursework. Studying is going to be an extra pull on your time while you travel. You don’t want to miss out on any experiences because you’ve got to hit the books (or, in this case, the online modules). There are a few simple ways to make sure you are staying on top of your studies and still having fun in your free time! Firstly, budgeting for a longer trip will put you under less time pressure and, hopefully, mean you can fully dedicate yourself to whatever you’re doing: whether that’s mastering a new teaching approach, or simply laying on the beach. You can also save money on longer trips by seeking out budget-friendly destinations, accommodations and transportation. 5. Enjoy traveling the world while getting TEFL certified. Once you’ve planned your trip, enrolled in your online TEFL course and packed everything you’ll need, it’s time to hit the road! But remember to be realistic. Don’t try to fit studying into a packed itinerary, or else you won’t have time to enjoy your travels. Finding the perfect balance between studying online and traveling will take some time. You won’t want to miss any opportunities in the destinations you visit, but learning something new can take time too. Two of the best tips for success for online TEFL courses are, firstly, don’t rush your studies. And, secondly, spread the work out rather than trying to cram everything in at the last minute. Most 120-hour TEFL courses take 4 weeks of full-time study to complete, but the University of Toronto OISE TEFL and International House UC Berkeley TEFL both give students 12 months to complete their online TEFL courses. To get the most out of your schedule, you can dedicate an hour or two a day to coursework and still be able to finish in as little as 6 to 12 weeks. Your travels will not only be filled with new cultures, countries and friends but thanks to your TEFL course, brand new skills too. And who knows, you might like some of the places you visit so much that you end up living (and teaching!) there in the future. Time to take the leap! Whatever stage of trip planning you’re at, you can start your TEFL journey today by enrolling in a TEFL course and working on it at your own pace. If you’d like to learn more, feel free to set up a call with me. I’m always happy to chat about all things TEFL!

Best Credit and Debit Cards for College Students

Best Credit and Debit Cards for College Students Have you considered the benefits of paying with a credit card? (image via pexels.com) (1) Credit cards. There seems to be a stigma attached to these bad boys, as theyre perpetually followed by the negative notion of debt till the end of your life. Quite frankly, this is the biggest (and admittedly, most ridiculous) misconception out there. Credit cards are only problematic if you misuse them to buy things you know you cant afford and fail to pay off your bill at the end of the month. Pro tip #1: Never use your credit card(s) to buy anything you couldnt afford with the cash in your bank account. If you follow this tip, then a credit card is the perfect way to build your credit history, practice responsibility, and gain some awesome rewards. Here are some of my favorite credit cards and reasons why they might interest you: Discover it Chrome. This credit card is perfect for beginners who have no credit history and have never owned a credit card in their life. It is free and easy to open one, and its the ideal card to start building your credit history with. It automatically provides you with 1% cash back on every single purchase you make, and 2% cash back on select other purchases. And, heres the real kicker: this card pays you to get good grades. Insane, right? Weve been conditioned to believe that our good grades will only one day pay off in the future, but the day is finally here our good grades are being rewarded with cold, hard cash. Journey Student. This credit card is super easy to open for credit beginners just like the last one. Its also the most straightforward one of my list. Theres no hidden fees and no confusing instructions on how to maximize benefits. For someone looking to start building their credit history with a no-frills credit card experience, this is the card to shoot for. And, just like every credit card I talk about, its free to open, and there are no annoying annual fees. Capital One Quicksilver. This credit card is free to acquire, gives you 1.5% cash back on every single purchase (which literally means you get cash back in your pocket for simply buying things you need/want), and no foreign transaction fees (which is great for someone who travels abroad regularly). If you stick to Pro Tip #1, all this card provides is benefits, without any hidden drawbacks. Because carrying one debit card is a whole lot easier, not to mention safer, than having to deal with a wad of bills (image via pexels.com) (2) Debit cards. You have one, your cousin has one, that dude living across the street has one. Everybody with a bank account, by default, has a debit card. People tend to view this as a safer choice than credit cards, but the reality of the situation is that theyre equally beneficial or dangerous, depending on the money management skills of the owner. You can accidentally spend more money than is in your bank account and ending up paying crazy overdraft fees if youre not careful, but you can also end up saving money at the ATM or earning a nice interest rate on your checking/savings account, if you know what company to open a debit card with. Thats why Im here to introduce you to a couple smart choices. Charles Schwab Checking Account. More specifically, the Schwab Bank High Yield Investor Checking Account, but Im not here to throw you off track with these long names. This bank account provides you with a debit card that you can use at any ATM worldwide, without having to pay any attached ATM transaction fees. You can trust me when I say that this sort of thing saves you a lot of money because transaction fees really add up. Not only that, but this account is totally free to open/maintain, and you get paid an interest rate (albeit small, but an interest rate nonetheless) on money you keep in not only your savings account but also your checking. Capital One 360. This bank account is free to open and free to maintain, and also comes with no hidden fees. Another very simple, straightforward checking account to maintain. And you can earn up to 2% interest on the money in your account, depending on how much you keep in there! Not to worry, however there is no minimum balance. Now, I hope Ive shed some light on the realities of owning credit/debit cards, and that Ive shown you some simple ways to ease yourself into the world of money management and finance. Do you have any of your own money-saving tips that I didnt touch on? Do you know of any awesome credit/debit cards that we should all check out? Feel free to leave your own suggestions in the comments!