Pilates for Men

Pilates for Men How Can the Pilates Method Benefit Men? ChaptersWhat is Pilates For and How Can it Help Men?Pilates Toning Workouts for MenStereotypically, Pilates is a form of exercise which is associated with women between the ages of 20 and 40 years old who are often seen with a yoga mat under their arm as they make their way to meet the ‘girls’ for brunch in their activewear. However, it might surprise you to know that Pilates was developed by a man, for men. Because the Pilates method was designed around the male body, it may actually be more beneficial for men’s health than women’s.So, where does Pilates come from?Pilates is named after its founder, a German named Joseph Pilates, who had been interested in total body conditioning for much of his life. In addition to working on his own build, Pilates researched the various methods of exercise used across the world to promote strength and stability in the body, taking the most effective parts of each one and using them in his own regime.The exercise method known now as ‘Pila tes’ was born while Joseph Pilates was being held in an internment camp by the British government during the First World War.While working as a nurse in the internment camp, Pilates experimented with making modifications to hospital beds which could be used to help patients build up their strength without injuring themselves further. These modifications included the use of springs and handles to provide resistance.The contraptions which resulted from Pilates’ experiments formed the basis of the Pilates reformer and Cadillac, which are used in Pilates studios today ¦ source: Visualhunt - runwaypilatesAfter the war, Pilates emigrated to the USA where he opened up the first ever studio for the method he named ‘Contrology’ due to its focus on balance, coordination and having full control over the body and mind. His method was a success and became particularly popular among dancers who had sustained injuries and wanted to prevent more in the future.So, though it may appear to fe ature movements similar to the ancient practices of yoga and martial arts, Pilates is perhaps one of the most methodical and scientific ways to exercise. Specifically designed to promote strength and coordination, the Pilates method is as efficient as it is beneficial. CarleyYoga Teacher 5.00 (5) £100/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LynnYoga Teacher 4.89 (9) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GenYoga Teacher £45/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JulieYoga Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AliceYoga Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LauraYoga Teacher 5.00 (6) £70/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors UndramYoga Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LottieYoga Teacher £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhat is Pilates For and How Can it Help Men?During his childhood, Joseph Pilates did not enjoy the best of health. Living with the effects of suffering from asthma, rheumatic fever and rickets, a young and determined Joseph Pilates sought ways to improve his physical health through exercise.After several years of bodybuilding and gymnastics, by his teenage years, Pilates had sculpted a body which was so well-defined that he was in demand as a model for anatomical drawings.We know that Pilates is good for building core strength, promoting a good posture and strengthening the joints, but what specific aims have the Pilates method been developed around? And how can the benefits of Pilates help men in particular to achieve their fitness goals?As we know, in its early stages, Pilates was designed for rehabilitation purposes, but there is much more to it than this.Joseph Pilates based his method on six key principles:Centring: This is about concentrating on the centre of your body known in Pilates as the ‘powerhouse’. The powerhouse encompasses the abdominal and pelvic muscles, which, according to the principle of ‘centring’, should drive each Pilates movement.C oncentration: Joseph Pilates firmly believed in the link between mind and body when it came to health and exercise. By learning to concentrate on the movements your body is making, you will build mental as physical stamina.Control: Originally called ‘Contrology’, Pilates is to do with having complete control over your body. Every movement you make should be entirely deliberate.Precision: Making your movements precise is also about having complete control over your muscles as well as developing an awareness of the relationships between the different parts of your body.Breath: Like yoga, Pilates exercises include the coordination of inhalation and exhalation with each physical movement to enhance the effects of each one.Flow: As Pilates is a method of total body conditioning, making transitions between movements as graceful as possible is essential to getting the full benefits from the routine.The six Pilates principles are not only fundamental to getting the most out of your work out, but they are also goals in themselves. For instance, making sure that each movement comes from your ‘powerhouse’, or centre, will build a strong core, but it is also an aim to be pursued in order to fulfil your potential in Pilates.Check for venues for yoga near me here.Doing Pilates can help you feel more energetic during the day ¦ source: Pixabay - MatanVizelThere is much to be learnt and many rewards to be had by doing Pilates, but what makes it such a good workout for men in particular?Once regarded as a fitness craze which swept the West, the popularity of Pilates seems to have been driven by women and is pregnancy safe. However, contrary to popular opinion, there are many ways in which Pilates is optimised for men.Here are just some things that make Pilates a great exercise technique for men:Be strong as well as flexibleWhile working on increasing the range of motion of your joints and therefore overall flexibility has many benefits, the traditional methods by which this is achieved do not generally appeal to men.In practices such as yoga, the stretches required to reach certain poses may not offer much in the way of building strength. Pilates, on the other hand, takes a dynamic and functional approach to both flexibility and strength with movements that increase capability in both areas simultaneously.Tone your figureWhile Pilates does build full-body strength, it won’t build you the bulky muscles you might get at the gym. However, instead of isolating and building certain muscles, Pilates exercises strengthen your body as a whole. The result of this is that after several months of Pilates lessons, you will likely notice that you have a more lean, toned physique.If you’re looking to improve your strength and tone-up, the method developed by a once sickly child turned anatomical model could be just what you need.Build a healthy mindJoseph Pilates’ belief in the link between physical and mental wellbeing inspired many of the movements that are used in Pilates classes today.The principle of concentration in Pilates centres around paying attention to your body and the way in which it is balanced as well as focussing on breathing. This gives Pilates many meditative qualities which build mental endurance and improve mental health.For many men, meditation is not as appealing as looking after their body. Thankfully, Pilates kills two birds with one stone.Pilates Toning Workouts for MenThe Pilates method is made up of many specific movements designed by Joseph Pilates to target various muscle groups and joints. The beauty of these exercises is that they can be modified or made easier without compromising their benefits.As you get to know more about Pilates through attending classes at your local leisure centre or following  online video Pilates tutorials at home, you will begin to recognise these movements and learn about their purpose.Here are a few Pilates moves you can expect to see in classes and online:Supine TwistThis exercise works the abs and increases spine mobility.Begin by laying on your back on the mat in a ‘tabletop’. Stretch your arms out to your sides with your palms facing up, then bend your knees and lift them above your hips with your feet together. Slowly move your knees to one side of your body (keeping your back flat on the Pilates mat) then bring them back to the centre. Repeat on the other side.You should feel a burn in your abdominal muscles. To increase the difficulty of this exercise, straighten your legs.Chest Lift with RotationYou’ll have probably seen this being done in the gym before â€" but did you know it was a Pilates move?To start, lay in a ‘tabletop’ position with your knees bent, feet on the floor and your hands supporting the back of your head. As you exhale, engage your abs to lift your chest off the floor, making sure that your neck stays relaxed. Next, rotate to one side, making sure that your core is engaged at all times and you are not resting on you r sides. While your chest is still lifted, rotate to the other side. Repeat this a few times before you relax.Working your core can be hard, but Pilates improves your performance in other sports, too! ¦ source: Pixabay - HansSide PlankThis is probably another Pilates workout exercise you’re already familiar with. The side plank also targets the abdominals as well as the back muscles.Start on your side with your shoulders stacked on top of each other, then place your elbow underneath your shoulder as you raise your body off the floor. Make sure that your torso is always in-line with your legs, and place your top foot in front of the bottom one for support. Hold this pose for as long as you can, ensuring that your hips don’t sink and your whole body is in a straight line.Take a look: there are some great outlets for yoga near me!

Whats a Parent do With a Struggling Math Student

What’s a Parent do With a Struggling Math Student 0SHARESShare Math is a most concerned subject for tutors, students and parents for the reason that it is the most primitive and vast subject. It is used in our day-to-day lives makes parents worried if their child is found struggling Math. However, they do not know how to help their child improving them in Math. The best thing a parent can help their child to improve Math literacy is to regularly make them involved in solving practical applications of Math. This is not like teaching with pen and pencil but help them to develop the capabilities of mathematical reasoning on their own. It is observed that most often what children discover and learn outside the classroom can help learn conceptually than what they learn in class. The former tends to learn concepts more in practical and applicable situations while later often target learning concepts more in abstract and theoretical manner. Parents can merge both these realms. Learning Math outside the classroom should be like part of routine regimen. The parents should help their child develop mathematical reasoning without going much more in detail lessons. While, helping out children learning theoretical Math can be hired math tutor online. Online tutoring is the best choice that works one-to-one with individual child explaining the abstract and theoretical concepts. Online tutor involves children playing mathematical mind games like chess, poker, and monopoly.                                               The parent’s role should primarily focus transforming everyday occurrences into lessons and develop the skills and sense of applied Math. [starbox id=admin]

What Makes a Good Art Teacher

What Makes a Good Art Teacher How to Become a Good Art Teacher? ChaptersTeaching SkillsListening SkillsOrganisationPatienceStudent ManagementDealing with Noise and ChaosPresentation SkillsArt History KnowledgeTechnical Art Knowledge“The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.” - Pablo PicassoIt’s not easy becoming a good teacher. To be fair, it’s not easy being a teacher, either. Most people agree that it’s a difficult job.To help you with this, in this article, we’re going to look at the skills and qualities that every aspiring art teacher should have and how to become a teacher. CalumDrama School Entrance Teacher 5.00 (15) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToriSpanish Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliviaSchool support Teacher 5.00 (2) £21/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarkESOL (English) Teacher 4.76 (17) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JenniferMusic reading Te acher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LouiseAutoCAD Teacher 5.00 (3) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyPercussion Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolasGuitar Teacher 5.00 (2) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MyriamOrganic chemistry Teacher 5.00 (13) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JonathanEconomics Teacher 5.00 (9) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Oluwakemi imoleMaths Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexPhysics Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdamSinging Teacher 5.00 (14) £48/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValentiniMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MilenaMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RashmiEconomics Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsTeaching SkillsTeaching art, whether in a primar y school, secondary school, college, university, or as a private tutor, requires you to be familiar with effective teaching approaches. This is definitely the most important skill for any teacher. Being good at art doesn't necessarily make you a good teacher. (Source: garageband)This is often referred to as pedagogy, which is defined as:“The method and practice of teaching, especially as an academic subject or theoretical concept.”But what does this mean in practice?Teaching skills and pedagogy means being able to effectively transfer the knowledge and understanding of a concept to your students. In the hard sciences, this would be like explaining a theory in a way so that the students can understand how it applies in the real world. Similarly, you wouldn’t explain concepts in the same way to a 4-year-old as you would a teenager.It’s important that you choose the right words, approaches, and examples. A good teacher will use examples that their students can understand and relate to. Similarly, the lessons need to be structured so that the students know what’s going on and what you’re talking about it.You also need to be able to explain every problem in different wa ys. In fact, not every student will understand a given concept at first. While repeating an explanation can help, in many cases, you’ll need to rephrase it or look at it from a different angle.You can learn more about pedagogy. In fact, most of the PGCE includes pedagogy as it’s assumed you already have a mastery of your given subject. Almost every teacher certification will show aspiring school teachers how to teach. Whether you're in state schools or private schools, becoming a teacher is impossible without the basic skills to transfer your knowledge to your students.  Since most schools won't just take your word for it, you'll probably need to prove you have the necessary teaching skills to become a teacher by completing a degree in education or a PGCE, for example.In this case, you'll need to look for education courses at universities around the country. Usually, universities have a department of education or school of education that runs these courses and by getting in touc h with them, you can find out which teaching certification is best for you.Find out how to become an art teacher.Listening SkillsArt is a subject that is all about expressing your creativity. The goal for most students is to learn about artistry and translate their ideas into visual pieces.In this case, you need to listen to your students, what they want to do, and what they’re trying to express. This is a valuable skill for any teacher.This doesn’t mean you have to listen to them regardless of what they’re saying. It means that you need to help them make art out of their ideas. Discussion is an important part of art and the artistic process.Students need to feel like they’re being listened to if they have a problem understanding a certain concept. As some students are too scared to ask questions in front of the whole class, they might prefer to ask you at the end of the lesson if they feel you’ll listen.Being a good listener will help them to feel comfortable when they ru n into problems.Discover the qualifications available for art teachers.OrganisationWhen it comes to teaching art, you need to be organised as you’ll probably have loads of materials to worry about. Organisation is hugely important for art teachers. (Source: fietzfotos)You need to be organised in terms of time and space and you need to manage your classroom so that students have the space to work comfortably and express themselves.  With students moving around a lot, getting out paints, pencils, scissors, paper, etc., and looking for space to work comfortably in, you need to make sure everything’s organised.You also need to be organised in terms of time, too. You need to prepare lessons, check students’ work, provide advice, and get everything done within a limited amount of time.  Furthermore, you'll have the curriculum to deal with. There are certain things that every school teacher has to cover and your teaching career can depend on how effectively you can do this.Teacher preparation is essential in primary and secondary education regardless of the subject area. While teaching degrees will probably show you how to plan lessons and courses, organisation skills are somethin g that every teacher should regularly be working on.Find out how much art teachers earn.PatienceAfter pedagogy, patience is a teacher’s second most important quality. As a teacher, you’ll need to work on your patience as students can very easily get distracted.Classes and explanations can be repeated again and again and again. Even if the students appear to be listening, that doesn’t mean any of it’s going in.  You’ll need to explain some things several times in different ways.  Similarly, you might need to repeat the same lesson several times to different classes.You might be teaching the same thing to different groups of students several times during a week. Similarly, there are different levels who might be studying the same thing. This means that classes can quickly get annoying if it’s the tenth time you’ve taught something.This is where your knowledge of different teaching methods will help. CalumDrama School Entrance Teacher 5.00 (15) £50/h1st lesson free!Disc over all our tutors ToriSpanish Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliviaSchool support Teacher 5.00 (2) £21/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarkESOL (English) Teacher 4.76 (17) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JenniferMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LouiseAutoCAD Teacher 5.00 (3) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyPercussion Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolasGuitar Teacher 5.00 (2) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MyriamOrganic chemistry Teacher 5.00 (13) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JonathanEconomics Teacher 5.00 (9) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Oluwakemi imoleMaths Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexPhysics Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors A damSinging Teacher 5.00 (14) £48/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValentiniMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MilenaMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RashmiEconomics Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsStudent ManagementEveryone probably remembers how art classes could get in secondary school. As we said earlier, these are classes are an opportunity for students to express themselves but they’re also classes in which students can get up and walk around. An art teacher needs to manage their students. (Source: Taken)The teacher needs to maintain order and ensure that their classes don’t descend into chaos. In addition to annoying teachers in neighbouring classrooms, chaotic lessons aren’t conducive to learning.Student management is an important part of your teacher education. Glue guns, scissors, and Stanley knives are also present so you don’t want students to be going crazy anyway. If art lessons are chaos, they need to be organised chaos!While sixth formers and college students will be more mature, they still need managing. You might want to put them into smaller groups.Find out more about studying to become an art teacher.Dealing with Noise and ChaosAs an art teacher, you need to be able to appreciate the noise and chaos. Even in a controlled class, students will be moving around, working together, or making noise in general.  Group work is an opportunity for them to exchange ideas and talk. This doesn’t mean they’re goi ng to be shouting but they’re not going to be in silence, either.In some cases, art teachers can use this time to get on with other work that they may need to get done.Presentation SkillsYou’ll be surprised just how much “acting” you need to do as a teacher. In some cases, being a teacher can feel like you’re in a one-man-show.Dull presentations are a quick way to send your students to sleep and the younger your students, the more dynamic you’ll need to be to keep their attention. Knowing how to engage the students and get them involved in art is essential to your success as a teacher.Not only do you need to hold their attention but you also need to make them feel comfortable in your class.  You also don’t want your students to get overexcited or carried away.Good presentation skills will ensure that your lessons remain interesting and engaging. This doesn’t mean you need to have a drama degree, though.Art History KnowledgeIf you’re going to teach art, you need to know about it. Knowledge of art history is important as you’ll draw upon this knowledge when teaching your students about art history and about various techniques. You’ll need to know about different art movements (Fauvism, Cubism, Romanticism, etc.) as well as famous artists like Courbet, Monet, Manet, da Vinci, Gauguin, van Gogh, etc.Whether you studied modern art or fine art, you’ll need to have a knowledge of art. Generally, you’ll need to have studied art before you become a teacher. In fact, most teachers will require a bachelor's degree or master’s degree to do it.However, if you've done an education degree rather than a PGCE, you mightn't have studied art as much as you'd like. You might be an expert in creating lesson plans and have plenty of teaching experience, but if you don't know certain parts of your subject, not even the best pedagogy will save you.If you want to become a private tutor, you’ll also need all these skills.Technical Art KnowledgeEvery studen t will probably expect their teacher to be decent at art. You’ll need to know about painting, drawing, sculpture, collage, etc. if you want to be able to teach students about it. That doesn’t mean you need to be the next Leonardo da Vinci. You just need to have a good knowledge of techniques and styles. Art teachers need to be experts in their subject. (Source: booksarelovely)If you’re passionate about art and hardworking, you’ll be fine!While there are different requirements for different positions and one teaching certificate or qualification may be accepted for certain teaching jobs and not others, if you have these skills and qualities and the qualifications the job requires, you can easily be a teacher and have a successful career in teaching.

When Should I Start Taking AP Classes

When Should I Start Taking AP Classes Thousands of high schools across the United States offer their students the chance to take Advanced Placement (or AP) classes. These classes are taught at a high level, covering more material with greater in-depth analysis and perspective. AP classesare typically on par with college-level courses, and students can take a year-end AP examto prove their mastery and potentially earn college credit. But many students wonder, When should I start taking AP classes? While this is unique for everyone, students should start taking AP classes based on their answers to the following questions: Which AP classes are appropriate for my grade level? When answering, When should I start taking AP classes? one of the first things to think about is grade level. Students can take AP courses and exams as early as 9th grade, but this is rarely recommended. Certain AP subjects, such as European History and World History, are great choices for 10th graders, but most AP classes are best suited to high school juniors and seniors. If you are an ambitious freshman or sophomore, you can work with your high school guidance counselor to ensure you are taking academically rigorous courses that will prepare you for the AP classes in your future.Don't forget to use the free resources available to you as well; theseAP practice testsare a great resource to help you prepare to take your AP exam. APTopic Number of Courses Offered History Social Science 9 World Languages Cultures 8 Sciences 7 Math Computer Science 5 Arts 5 English 2 Above data comes fromthe College Board website. Do I have prior subject knowledge relevant to any of the AP classes? AP courses are offered in a wide variety of subject areas. You will have regularly studied some of these subjects (such as English or math) for years. But you may be learning others (such as AP Psychology) for the very first time. If you are considering one or more AP classes, it certainly helps to have some familiarity with the content area. For example, if you have excelled in a particular subject in the past, the advanced curriculum may be well suited to you. However, if you havent had experience with the content area before, you risk taking on a bigger challenge than you are prepared to handle. Think of AP subjects in larger categories. For example, if you did well in Introductory Chemistry, your skill in lab sciences may translate to success in an AP Biology course. Although prior subject knowledge helps, it is not a requirement to do well in an AP class. You may just need to devote a bit of extra time to studying and completing course assignments. If you are prepping to take your AP exam, you should learn how to answer free-response questions on AP exams. Do I meet the necessary AP class prerequisites? Some high schools have APprerequisites that block students from enrolling in these courses before the school feels theyre ready. For instance, certain schools may require: prior experience in an honors-level class in the same subject a minimum GPA a certain grade level to be completed/surpassed In these cases, you may need to wait to start taking AP courses until you have met your high schools prerequisites. Speak with your guidance counselor to determine the steps you must take in order to enroll in the AP classes that interest you. If you are still unsure of your decision, here are five questions you should ask yourself before taking an AP course. When should I start taking AP classes? is a question that many students ask themselves. AP courses are challenging and exciting, and your readiness for this curriculum is key. Be sure to consider the above factors before you enroll in an AP class to ensure the timing is right for you. And as always, consult with your high school guidance counselor and teachers for recommendations on preparing for your high schools AP courses. Any topics you want to know more about? Let us know! The Varsity Tutors Blog editors love hearing your feedback and opinions. Feel free to email us atblog@varsitytutors.com.

Gerund or Noun Video with Exercise

Gerund or Noun Video with Exercise One of our long time students asked us a few weeks ago to explain when he should use the words investment, or investing. The noun or the gerund form of this word. Particularly, he wanted to know if he should write:The (investing/investment) ideas produced by the Financial Times are interesting.It was a good question, and while we, as native English speakers, intuitively knew the correct answer, it took some thinking and studying to explain it. Here are two more examples. Can you decide whether to use the noun or gerund?Deep (thought/thinking) is needed to decide to change jobs.The (sale/selling) of the company was completed in May.  Watch the video below to see the answers to the examples, and hear a detailed explanation for when to use the noun or gerund in English.Complete the exercises below. Write your answers in comments and we will respond.1. (Moving/Move) to Buenos Aires was a really good idea.2. The (decision/deciding) was very difficult to make.3. A lot of (read/reading) is required to finish school.4. It will take a big (investing/investment) to make the company grow.5. (Selling/Sale) the company was a really good idea. Simone Hi!1 Moving 2 decision 3 reading 4 investment 5- Selling LOIEnglish Good work Simone! Did you have any questions or uncertainties? Monalisasmile84 1-Moving .2-decision.3-read4- investing5-sale Hoàng Anh 1. Moving because it is an action and no article2.Decision because it has an article the and not a process or action3. Reading because it is an action , but i wonder about article a in a lot of4. Investment because it has an article a5.Selling because it is an action and no article Tiziana 1- moving 2- decision 3- reading 4- investment 5- selling

How to ask indirect questions in English ?? - Learn English with Harry

How to ask indirect questions in English ?? - Learn English with Harry Do you know how to ask indirect questions in English?  Firstly, we need to learn what an indirect question is. Then well learn what is the difference between direct and indirect questions. Lastly, well learn why it is better to ask indirect questions in English.   Direct and Indirect Questions in English Don't keep this to yourself, share it with the world! Thanks for joining me  again.Today,  were going to look again at some grammar.  Were going to look at how to ask indirect questions in English.  As you probably already know, there are two types of questions  in English.Direct and indirect.A direct question is usually:What is your name?How did you get here?Who are you?So very direct and often can sound a little bit rude.  We don’t want to sound rude, do we? And we also want to give someone a good feeling. So what do we do then? It’s really quite simple. All we need to do is to  change those direct questions into indirect questions.We just add some words or phrases at the beginning. This  takes the stress away from the who, what, where, when and turns them into indirect questions.So you sound more polite and  as a result  people are more likely to answer your question.So, particularly if youre a foreigner to English shores and you want to find some place, hotel, bank, airport, whatever it is, try and make your questions indirect.Youre more likely to get a response  and  more likely to get a positive response. Direct and Indirect Questions in English So let me give you these examples.Direct question:  Where is the post office?So if you stopped somebody in the street and asked them  a direct question like this, they might look at you, they probably would help you, but its not so polite.Let’s change it into an indirect question.Could you tell me where the post office is?Much, much more polite, much more likely to get you a positive response.And be very careful here when you see the direct question:Where is the post office?  Note the word order here, where the word is, okay?When we use the indirect question is goes to the very end of the sentence.Could you tell me where the post office is?So thats a really critical part of these indirect questions.That is a really important, because if you say it in another way, then itll  sound a  little bit strange and people will know that youre not a native speaker. Second example:Has John been invited to the party?   direct questionDo you know if John has been invited to the party? indirect questionAs I said, indirect question is more likely to get you a nice response. And again, here, look at where the verb is.And then the third example:How does this work? direct questionSo youre looking at some piece of machinery or mobile phone or some bit of technology and you just ask somebody  â€™how does this work?’    Its grammatically correct  but it sounds very rude.Let’s now turn that into an indirect question:Could you please explain how this works?Could you please explain how this works?Very indirect, very polite, and very definitely likely to get you the answer that you want.When we want to ask questions then  we try and avoid direct questions where possible. They  can come across as a little bit impolite even though you may not intend it that way. Thats often how they sound.Just by adding some nice phrases:Would you mind  â€¦  Could you ple ase  â€¦  Could I ask you  â€¦Is it possible  â€¦Do you know  â€¦you can change the sentence immediately into an indirect question.Now you know how to ask indirect questions in English.Enjoy your English!

Early signs that your child is gifted - Tutor Hunt Blog

Early signs that your child is gifted Early signs that your child is gifted Early signs that your child is giftedPrimary schoolsOf course every parent knows their child is special. Sometimes other people don`t see just how perfect their little one is. Even teachers can fail to notice the true genius of their wonderful sweet darling. That is their failing though. A parent knows from the moment their child is born how remarkable they are; and if others fail to realise that, well, its their loss. Adopting a more serious tone - what if you suspect your child is truly gifted? What early signs of future brilliance would manifest in their early years? A new study form the Netherlands suggest that the signs of nascent intellectual gifts can be spotted in young children by the way they draw stick figures. Yes, you read that right: the way a child renders stick men and women can be a window into their cognitive powers All children draw stick figures - it`s almost like a rite of passage. The few extant specimens of my early `art` shows lots of smiling heads with long, spindly arms branching out. Not a torso in sight - but then many i`m a late developer. According to this new study, a child including a high number of extra details in their stick figure drawing may be a prodigy in the making. These details would include features such as freckles, make up, a moustache, a tie, hair on the arms, jewellery, and other such superfluous elements that I obviously never thought were needed in my `blob-man type` pictures. I believe I was embracing the minimalist style. Sven Mathijssen, co author of the paper ; `Identifying Highly Gifted Children by Analysing Human Figure Drawings: An Explorative Study` has responded to criticism over his study, specifically the claim that `drawing IQ` bears no relation to academic intelligence: `What is considered to be gifted goes beyond a high IQ. For example, the role of creativity in the form of generating novel ideas, thinking flexibly and out-of-the-box is widely considered to be a sign of giftedness. But these children give unusual answers to intelligence tests. Their answers are not necessarily wrong but cannot be considered correct, because they are not mentioned in the scoring manuals of the used tests.` Most schools have what is called a `Gifted and Talented` coordinator, and it is up to them to ensure the needs of exceptional children are met. In reality though, if a child is a true prodigy, the parents will have to be extremely active in ensuring these rare gifts do not go to waste. Early indicators of talent usually manifest in specific abilities, such as music, mathematics or language. A gifted child will have a far larger vocabulary than its peers, using both longer words, and constructing larger sentences than their friends. It is also likely that they will begin talking earlier, making significant forays into the world of language in their second year. Mathematical talent should be easy to spot - is your child adept at manipulating numbers? Do they know their times tables before any of their friends? Perhaps they show a focused interest in numbers and computer programming, and and attempt to express themselves through algebra and coding. Exceptional musical ability should also be easy to discern - does your child always appear to sing in tune? Can they remember many different melodies, and sing them on command? If they are learning an instrument, their teacher should be keenly aware of any signs of precociousness. Does your child process the rare gift of perfect pitch? Can they sing, without the aid of a reference tone, any single note on command? This simply means that if you ask your child to sing a C, or an F#, they can do so immediately. They will also be able to reproduce a melody (or part of it) on their instrument after hearing it just once. Perfect pitch is a very rare gift - one that cannot be learnt as an adult. In the west its incidence is as sparse as 1 in 10,000 people. In the eastern countries where the population speak tonal languages, such as mandarin, and words change their meaning depending on certain pitch characteristics, its occurrence is 30% higher. For gifted children to become gifted adults their talents must be nurtured. To even say a child is `gifted` is somewhat misleading. A more accurate labelling - if labels are needed - would be that they have potential. If a child with prodigious mathematical talents is not guided and taught, their mind stimulated and encouraged to grow to its full potential, they will only be frustrated, and their potential squandered. If a musical prodigy is not given the right kind of training, their gifts will atrophy, and the vestiges of their talent may be nothing more than knowing what tones the doorbell chimes with. 2 years ago0Add a Comment

World Cup Language Challengers Make a Public Video Pledge and earn an extra 50ITC

World Cup Language Challengers Make a Public Video Pledge and earn an extra 50ITC In our  last language challenge, we found that: 85% of the Challengers who actually put up a Public Video Pledge actually completed the Challenge (compared to only 48% of those who did not).  (See the previous Challenge Review) So were offering this bonus again to help you complete the Challenge! (and also because were cool like that!) If youve signed up for the 2014 italki World Cup Language Challenge, were giving away even more  ITC to motivate you to succeed!  Do you really want to complete the challenge?  Use peer pressure (in a good way) to help yourself achieve your language learning goal! Life Hacks research has shown that if you put yourself up to something by doing it in public, you follow through because others are watching. Things that you put on the Web have a better chance of getting done! BONUS 50ITC! Upload your Language Challenge Public Video Pledge Make a Public Video Pledge by uploading a video to YouTube or Youku before you begin your first session (or your first few sessions). What should you say in your Public Video Pledge? Speak in your native language Tell us why you are taking The Challenge and what language you are learning Tell us what you will commit to (i.e. I promise to take at least 2 to 3 sessions a week) Tell us what you hope to accomplish with the challenge Tell us what  team you want to win the World Cup! Speak in the language you are learning Repeat the above in the language you are learning If you can’t say anything, or your language level is at a beginner level then try to say a few words you know in the language or just say you have no ability. Label the video: “(italki username)’s 2014 italki World Cup  Language Challenge Public Pledge” The video should not be longer than 2 minutes in length. Write a Notebook Entry “I’ve made a Public Video Pledge for the 2014 World Cup  Language Challenge” and paste the YouTube/Youku URL. We will immediately award you with 50ITC once you post your notebook entry and we verify the video! Just send us an email to support@italki.com and let us know your username so we can view the Notebook entry with the Public Video Pledge link! Lindsaydoeslanguages is doing it! So should you! Lindsaydoeslanguages was one of our Challenge winners from our last language Challenge in which she learned German!  In honor of the World Cup, shes going to be learning Portuguese for  the  2014 italki World Cup Language Challenge.  Below is her Public Video Pledge.  Shell also be blogging about it and giving us weekly updates as she seeks to improve her Portuguese both on her language learning blog site  www.lindsaydoeslanguages.com  and here on the italki blog site! If youve signed up for The Challenge and you really want to finish, you should make the Public Video Pledge now!  Youll get paid for it and it will help you complete the Challenge! One quick last comment England winning the 2014 World Cup?  italki World Cup Challengers your thoughts?  Agree or Disagree? World Cup Language Challengers Make a Public Video Pledge and earn an extra 50ITC In our  last language challenge, we found that: 85% of the Challengers who actually put up a Public Video Pledge actually completed the Challenge (compared to only 48% of those who did not).  (See the previous Challenge Review) So were offering this bonus again to help you complete the Challenge! (and also because were cool like that!) If youve signed up for the 2014 italki World Cup Language Challenge, were giving away even more  ITC to motivate you to succeed!  Do you really want to complete the challenge?  Use peer pressure (in a good way) to help yourself achieve your language learning goal! Life Hacks research has shown that if you put yourself up to something by doing it in public, you follow through because others are watching. Things that you put on the Web have a better chance of getting done! BONUS 50ITC! Upload your Language Challenge Public Video Pledge Make a Public Video Pledge by uploading a video to YouTube or Youku before you begin your first session (or your first few sessions). What should you say in your Public Video Pledge? Speak in your native language Tell us why you are taking The Challenge and what language you are learning Tell us what you will commit to (i.e. I promise to take at least 2 to 3 sessions a week) Tell us what you hope to accomplish with the challenge Tell us what  team you want to win the World Cup! Speak in the language you are learning Repeat the above in the language you are learning If you can’t say anything, or your language level is at a beginner level then try to say a few words you know in the language or just say you have no ability. Label the video: “(italki username)’s 2014 italki World Cup  Language Challenge Public Pledge” The video should not be longer than 2 minutes in length. Write a Notebook Entry “I’ve made a Public Video Pledge for the 2014 World Cup  Language Challenge” and paste the YouTube/Youku URL. We will immediately award you with 50ITC once you post your notebook entry and we verify the video! Just send us an email to support@italki.com and let us know your username so we can view the Notebook entry with the Public Video Pledge link! Lindsaydoeslanguages is doing it! So should you! Lindsaydoeslanguages was one of our Challenge winners from our last language Challenge in which she learned German!  In honor of the World Cup, shes going to be learning Portuguese for  the  2014 italki World Cup Language Challenge.  Below is her Public Video Pledge.  Shell also be blogging about it and giving us weekly updates as she seeks to improve her Portuguese both on her language learning blog site  www.lindsaydoeslanguages.com  and here on the italki blog site! If youve signed up for The Challenge and you really want to finish, you should make the Public Video Pledge now!  Youll get paid for it and it will help you complete the Challenge! One quick last comment England winning the 2014 World Cup?  italki World Cup Challengers your thoughts?  Agree or Disagree?