Important Tips For Conducting Fun Chemistry Experiments

Important Tips For Conducting Fun Chemistry ExperimentsA large amount of fun can be had with fun chemistry experiments. When you set out to conduct a series of experiments with chemicals, it is important that you make sure that you follow the right procedures. Not doing so can cause serious problems, and in turn, you can end up with an unnecessary headache. This article will give you the details you need to properly conduct fun chemistry experiments that are based on your chemistry background.It is important that you have a good understanding of what chemicals are and how they work. In order to do this, you should have a good understanding of the chemical compositions. Most classes and labs offer a good overview of the properties of some of the most common chemicals. The materials you use in experiments will be based on the chemistry class you take in high school. If you learn all the elements in all the chemical compounds in the classroom, you will be a much better student later on in life.It is important that you are able to follow directions when it comes to chemistry. You don't want to make an experiment that can't be followed, and this means you should know the basic components of all the different chemical compounds. Sometimes, you are asked to mix a combination of chemicals. In order to do this, you will need to measure out the different components and add them in a certain amount. If you don't know how to do this, you could end up with a mixture that isn't going to work, or one that is unsafe for human consumption.It is also important that you are able to isolate a chemical compound in its pure form. You don't want to mix in any chemicals, and you don't want to mix up any combinations in the process. This will greatly limit the scope of your experiments, and it will also mean that you will have to spend a lot of time making sure that your concoction is safe for human consumption. In addition, you will need to prepare all the proper measuring instruments , and you should know how to use these in order to isolate the right compound.Most chemistry classes will offer a good overview of each substance, but they will also explain how the chemical components relate to each other. After you understand the different chemical compounds, you will be able to determine which of them would be the best to use. This is especially true when you are working with chemicals that are volatile. You should never try to test a volatile compound on something that is non-volatile, or you will likely have some problems.In order to mix up different types of chemical compounds, you will need to have some basic chemistry tools. You will need a vial to keep your chemicals separate, a container to hold your solution, and you will need a scale to measure out the components. As mentioned earlier, you will need to know how to use all of these in order to conduct experiments correctly.Fun chemistry experiments can be accomplished in a wide variety of ways. Making sur e that you learn all the ins and outs of all the different compounds you are mixing can provide you with a great deal of success.

Where to Find Dance Classes

Where to Find Dance Classes The Best Places to Start Dance Lessons! ChaptersGet Dance Classes at a SchoolDance Lessons at University or a ConservatoireTake Private Dancing Lessons“Dancing is a poem in which every movement is a word.” - Philippe CollasAre you passionate about music or theatre? Would you like to learn to dance?Why not learn about new styles of dancing and learn to move your body in time to the music?Nowadays, aspiring dancers in the UK can get in touch with qualified and experienced dancers looking to transfer their knowledge of the art form to students. In just a few sessions, beginners can learn new dance steps and broaden their musical repertoires.Whether you're interested in salsa, Latin dance, Zumba, tango, or ballroom dance classes, a beginner with no sense of rhythm, an intermediate dancer looking for dance workshops, or an expert dancer wanting to attend the best dance school, you should check out this guide to where you can find a dance class or tutorial in the UK.London Contemporary Dance SchoolNational Centre for Circus ArtsNorthern School of Contemporary DanceRambert School of Ballet and Contemporary DanceIf you get into one of these schools, you can be sure that you’ll be able to move on to even more advanced dancing classes once you finish your degree. Some dancers move on to master’s degrees and even PhDs in dance or the performing arts.Why not consider learning to dance at a prestigious school instead? (Source: Silvio Barbosa)Conservatoires and universities are the routes to take if you’re serious about making dancing your career.Take Private Dancing LessonsWhether you’re looking for Latin dance, African dance, or rock ‘n’ roll classes, why not get in touch with a private dance tutor?There are a lot of advantages to private dance lessons. Firstly, aspiring dancers can learn how to dance from the comfort of their own home with more support than they’d get in a group class or workshop.Whether it's for putting on a show, the first dance at your wedding, or participating in a flash m ob, a private tutor can help you come up with the choreography. (Source: pixabay.com)With weekly classes, you’ll learn to dance with interesting and useful exercises and you won't have to worry about your class schedule like you would at a conservatoire.You could learn one or several of the following dance styles:Argentine tangoBachataBallroom dancingBollywood DanceChachaCuban salsa or Puerto Rican salsaDance fitnessFlamencoHip-hop danceLatin danceOriental danceRagga DancehallSwing danceTapThe FoxtrotWaltzIf you want to hire a private tutor, you can sign up to a tutoring agency that’ll organise private tutorials for you. However, a lot of these agencies tend to offer only the most popular styles like modern, jazz and ballet. However, the good thing is that it’s the agency’s job to find your tutor or choreographer.On the other hand, you could always look at the classifieds and find a tutor yourself. On Superprof, students can check out tutors from all over the UK and the worl d (thanks to online dance tutorials via webcam).With private dance tutorials, you can take anything from beginner’s lessons to intensive dancing courses. The main advantage to working with a private tutor is flexibility; you can choose when you work with your dance teacher, the type of dance lesson you want, and, in some cases, the dance studios where your lessons will take place.If you just want to gain some confidence on the dance floor or learn a few new dance moves, then you can find someone who teaches dancing for fun with very competitive rates. Even if you've never danced in your life, there's a tutor out there who'd be happy to introduce you to dancing and encourage you to start cutting a rug!There are also wedding dance lessons for couples looking to improve their dancing before their big day. If you're getting married and are in desperate need of some dance training for your first dance, you should look for tutors specialising in this type of dance instruction.To make su re you don’t lose money by choosing the wrong tutor, remember that most tutors on Superprof offer their first hour of tuition for free. Make the most of this hour to establish your goals, see if you get along with your tutor, agree on rates, schedules, and the other fine details of learning how to dance.If you want to learn a new routine for a particular event (like a wedding, for example), private lessons are ideal. You can tell your tutor this is what you want and they'll be able to focus on your routine during every session. Of course, keep in mind that they're the expert and don't tell them how to do their jobs!The best dance tutorials should be educational, encouraging, energetic, and fun. If you're learning to dance and you're not enjoying yourself, it might be time to work with another talented tutor. Of course, rather than wasting time and money with the wrong tutor, make sure you make the right choice by carefully choosing your tutor.Go have a look at the tutors available on Superprof to find the right dance tutor for you and start learning how to dance like a professional dancer. Or click here to read about the cost of dance lessons.

How is the ACT Scored

How is the ACT Scored The ACT consists of an overall result the Composite score and individual marks for four sections: English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science. Writing, which is not required by all colleges and universities, is assessed separately. These are some great tipson how to improve your ACT scorethat you may find useful. For the above multiple-choice sections and the composite score, the ACT utilizes a four-step process: 1.The number of correct questions is determined. There is no penalty for incorrect answers or unanswered questions. 2.A raw score is calculated. For example, if 48 of 60 answers are correct on the Mathematics section, your raw score is 48. This raw score is then converted to a scale score. Scale scores range from 1 to 36 (with 36 being the highest score). A raw score of 48 equates to a scale score of 29. Scale scores guarantee that results across multiple tests are comparable. You may also want to check out this information on changing ACT scores in 2015. 3.The composite score is generated by averaging all multiple-choice test results (English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science), and it is also a value from 1 to 36. 4.Each subscore is also reported. Subscores are smaller portions within the four sections, including Usage/Mechanics and Rhetorical Skills for English, as well as Social Studies/Natural Sciences and Arts/Literature for Reading. Subscores range from 1 to 18 (with 18 being the highest score). For the Writing section, two readers score the essay on a scale of 1 to 6. These two scores are added to one another, so the total range is 2 to 12 (2 representing a score of 1 from both readers, and 12 representing a perfect score of 6). On the ACT, the Writing result is combined with the English mark to form a Combined English/Writing score, with the written essay worth ? and the English section composing the remaining ?. The English/Writing score is reported separately and has no effect on the total composite score. Not only does the ACT provide you with these numbers, it also informs you of how well you did in relation to other test-takers. This is called your national rank, and it is presented as a percentage. For example, if your composite score is 21 and your national rank is in the 55th percentile, you surpassed 55% of the students who sat for the ACT. On the ACT score report, each section result and subscore will be ranked. If you are struggling with any section of the ACT you may want to consider taking a few ACT practice tests, reading anACT prep book,or seekingan ACT tutorto help you. Is this level of detail necessary? Absolutely! While scale scores allow you an idea of how well you performed on the ACT, rankings demonstrate to colleges and universities how competent you are in various subjects. They are thus a partial predictor of success in higher education. However, note that your score report reminds you that these marks are only estimates. Institutions will also consider your grades, extra-curricular activities, and personal statements when assessing your admissions application. [RELATED: What is an Average ACT Score?]

My Experience at University of Massachusetts-Amherst

My Experience at University of Massachusetts-Amherst Tayla received her bachelors degree in finance in 2012 from University of Massachusetts-Amherst. She specializes in algebra tutoring, geometry tutoring, and more. Read on for her review of her experience at University of Massachusetts-Amherst. Describe the campus setting and transportation options. Tayla: The University of Massachusetts, Amherst has a large beautiful campus, in a rural area. They have a public transportation system to take you all across campus (its a 40-minute walk from one end to the other), and the buses are free for all students. The buses can also take you to the surrounding areas which include shopping, downtowns, and neighboring schools. I felt safe on campus; they have emergency telephone stations spread throughout campus, as well as their own police department on campus. I would say due to the rural area of Amherst, one may want to own a car. A bike is also helpful, but only an option for so many months out of the year due to cold weather and snow/icy conditions. How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Tayla: Being that the school is so large, most of the introductory courses have 300+ students, and you are able to meet with the teaching assistants for extra support. However, as you move up in your major the classes become much smaller, and it is easy to access professors during office hours. How would you describe the dorm liferooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Tayla: UMass has the best dining experiences, with their award-winning dining commons and chefs! The options are vast, and I heard they recently opened up a new dining hall with all healthy/alternative options. As for dorm life, the campus is very large with many housing areas. They also have a section for apartments and special housing for honors students. Which majors/programs are best represented and supported? Tayla: Majors and programs that are best supported are the STEM majors and the Isenberg School of Management (which I attended). Most School of Management students had to apply into the school and take prerequisites. I applied into the School of Management and majored in finance. I would say the university did a good job of supporting my area of study. 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? Tayla: It was easy for me to meet people and make friends as a freshman. The university sets up a very social atmosphere for the first-year students so that they can make friends and have a great social life. I would say, however, that transfer students maystruggle socially with the transition to a new school. How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services? Tayla: The Isenberg School of Management had its own career center that was separate from the rest of the university, and it was pretty helpful. They held many career fairs and many reputable companies recruit on campus. How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Tayla: UMass Amherst is home to the tallest library in the world, the W.E.B. Dubois library with over 20 floors. The library is open 24 hours and is equipped with a tutor/learning resource center, caf, and many floors and areas to study. The lower levels can get crowded and more social-like, but the upper floors have designated quiet areas and you can usually always find a place to study. Other areas, like classroom buildings, dorms, and student lounges are also areas where people can study. Describe the surrounding town. Tayla: UMass has an exchange program with four other highly accredited schools in the surrounding area. They include Amherst College, Holyoke, Smith, and Hampshire; and you can take classes at any of these institutions. There are also events that are held at these schools, in addition to downtown Amherst and Amherst Center. Students stay on campus and travel for fun; it all depends on what youre doing for the day/night. How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Tayla: I was generally pleased with the typical class size. To me, it is more about how the material taught by the instructor, rather than how many students are around. Check out Taylas tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Our Advice To Learn Portuguese Easily

Our Advice To Learn Portuguese Easily Learning Portuguese Is Easy Once You Know How ChaptersTips To Remember The Portuguese AlphabetHow To Master Portuguese PronunciationBasic Portuguese GrammarLearn How To Write In PortugueseLearning a language and gaining fluency in it is always a rewarding experience. Portuguese, in particular, is a wonderful language to learn, seeing as it is spoken by over 200 million people across the world and is considered the seventh most spoken language in the world.However, it’s not known as being a particularly easy language to learn for native English speakers, as Portuguese does have its own challenges when it comes to things such as communication, notably pronunciation, and the differences between Brazilian Portuguese and Portuguese.Having said this, it’s very possible to learn Portuguese, whether you’re a complete beginner, intermediate, or near-fluent speaker, and we highlight some of the ways you can learn the basics of this language below.Regularly test yourself on your knowledge of the Portuguese alphabet â€" for instance, can you recite it back to front?; andSee if it helps to find a rhyme or song that teaches you the alphabet in Portuguese â€" it may help you commit it to memory.The Portuguese alphabet is one of the first things you should consider learning in Portuguese. (Image Source: CC0 1.0, geralt, Pixabay)How To Master Portuguese PronunciationAs noted above, Portuguese pronunciation is known to be a bit tricky for English speakers to master.This is in part due to the fact that Portuguese is not a phonetic language. This means that the way a word is pronounced in Portuguese does not necessarily mirror how that word is written.This means that,  in order to improve your speaking skills in Portuguese, you should ideally try to learn how Portuguese letters are commonly pronounced, and how common combinations of Portuguese letters (for example, CH) are pronounced.Additionally, one way to really improve your Portuguese pronunciation is to develop your listening and speaking skills in Portuguese.By re gularly speaking with a Portuguese native speaker, or by listening to Portuguese language shows or radio programmes, you may find that:You have a better understanding of how Portuguese native speakers pronounce common greetings and expressions;You have a chance to ask a Portuguese native speaker whether you’re pronouncing certain words correctly; andYour Portuguese comprehension skills improve overall.Finally, bear in mind that Brazilian Portuguese and Portuguese are spoken differently. This means that, if you’d like to learn Brazilian Portuguese, that it may be better to focus on speaking with Brazilian Portuguese speakers and listening to Brazilian Portuguese more than you listen to Portuguese people and Portuguese-language shows, and vice versa.Superprof has a range of tutors that specialise in either Brazilian Portuguese or Portuguese, meaning that you should be able to find a tutor in your local area  or online that can help you learn the type of Portuguese that you would l ike.Part of learning Portuguese is developing your Portuguese speaking skills. (Image Source: CC0 1.0, Clker-Free-Vector-Images, Pixabay)Basic Portuguese GrammarAnother key aspect of learning Portuguese is to understand the fundamentals of Portuguese grammar.While grammar often isn’t considered a particularly fun or exciting aspect of a language to learn, the fact is that understanding a language’s grammar is key to developing your proficiency in that language.For instance, once you’ve learnt basic Portuguese grammar, you should be able to do things such as:Conjugate basic regular and irregular Portuguese verbs in the present tense;Understand basic Portuguese syntax and construct your own sentences in Portuguese;Know the genders of common Portuguese nouns.What’s more, once you’ve learnt the very basics of Portuguese grammar, you can continue to build upon your existing knowledge. For example, you can start to learn more complex tenses in Portuguese, from the future and pas t tenses to the conditional. This, in turn, should improve your proficiency in Portuguese, and transform you into an intermediate or even advanced learner, as opposed to a complete beginner.When you first start learning Portuguese grammar, there are a few different approaches that you can try:Try to identify which aspects of Portuguese grammar are most important to you as you learn the language â€" for example, are you more interested in being able to say common phrases and expressions, or do you want to know what the most common Portuguese nouns and verbs are?; orSpend some time developing your knowledge of all fundamental grammatical areas â€" from your vocabulary to your knowledge of pronouns and understanding of the Portuguese alphabet and how certain letters and words are pronounced.The main thing is to try and ensure that you practice Portuguese grammar regularly, regardless of whether you’re learning Brazilian Portuguese or Portuguese. This is because committing basic gramm ar rules to memory will make it easier to learn more complex areas of the language, and should improve your overall level of proficiency in Portuguese.If you need any help learning Portuguese grammar, you could always try to reach out to a tutor at Superprof for some bespoke grammar exercises to make sure that you are improving your overall knowledge of Portuguese.There are a few ways you can improve how you write in Portuguese. (Image Source: CC0 1.0, Free-Photos, Pixabay)Learn How To Write In PortugueseWhen you learn a foreign language, you’re often told that you should develop four different skills in order to improve your knowledge of that language. Those skills are:Your ability to read in the foreign language (reading skills);Your ability to write in the foreign language (writing skills);Your ability to speak in the foreign language (speaking skills); andYour ability to listen in the foreign language (listening skills).Ideally, none of these skills should be developed in pure isolation. This is because often, the skills can complement one another. For example, when you speak to someone in Portuguese, you’re not only developing your speaking skills, but you’re also training your listening skills when you listen to your friend or conversation partner respond to what you were saying.While every Portuguese learner should take the time to develop each of the above four skills, it is equally true that some skills generally take longer to master. In this sense, many people find that they would like to improve their Portuguese writing skills, either because they feel that they write too slowly in Portuguese, or often find that they make grammatical or spelling mistakes.When it comes to improving your level of written Portuguese, then your first port of call if you’re a beginner is to make sure that you’ve got a solid grip on the Portuguese alphabet and the fundamentals of Portuguese grammar and syntax and to revise these areas regularly.Once you’ve ma stered that, or if you’re an intermediate or advanced learner, then one great way to improve your Portuguese writing skills is to set some time aside to practice writing in Portuguese.Regardless of whether you prefer to write your own small pieces in Portuguese, or you’d rather copy out passages from textbooks, newspaper articles, or books, regularly writing in a foreign language can not only increase your writing speed, but by reading works in Portuguese and copying them down, you’re also working on your overall Portuguese comprehension skills.Ultimately, if you want to learn Portuguese from scratch, or would like to improve your existing level of Brazilian Portuguese or Portuguese, there are plenty of techniques and study approaches you can use to improve your proficiency. The key is having some regular practice and having the commitment to study and ask questions to a tutor or teacher if you’re unsure of the meaning of a particular word or a particular point of grammar.Re member, if you feel stuck when learning Portuguese, you could consider hiring a Portuguese tutor from Superprof, who can help guide and encourage you to improve your understanding of Portuguese as a foreign language.

How to Write Lyrics Steps to Success for Any Musical Style

How to Write Lyrics Steps to Success for Any Musical Style Suzy S. Interested in learning how to write lyrics and songs? Here, New Jersey guitar teacher  Matthew H.  explains an easy 3-step process to follow   Songwriting is not easy; just ask any composer or lyricist. While the musical composition is highly important (making sure the melody is catchy without sounding too trite), having a strong, relatable message to go along with a great tune is just as, if not more, important. Here are some tips on how to write lyrics for a good song. 1) What is the story? Too often, songwriters worry about the rhythmic structure or rhyme of the lyrics when they first should be focused on the whole point of a song: storytelling. It doesn’t matter if you are adding lyrics to existing music, creating music for the lyrics, or doing both simultaneously, you have to have a story to tell. Start small. What do you want the overall point or moral of the song to be? How should a listener feel after hearing it? Common examples include: falling in love, missing someone, feeling liberated, and so on. Once you choose a starting point, expand upon it, but write down the story as if it were prose rather than a song. For example: I miss my brother ever since he moved out of the country. I don’t get to see him as much as I used to and I feel like a part of my life will not be the same as a result. I wish things were the way they used to be when we were younger and living together at home. 2) Make your story musical. Now that you have an outline of how you want the song’s story to play out, set it to music. Even if you don’t have a solid sense of the entire orchestration or final production elements, play around with different melodic structures and rhythms. Taking our missing brother example from before, figure out which specific words need to be stressed. If youre working on the hook and you decide that the sensation of “nostalgia” takes precedence over everything else, then be sure to make that clear within the chorus with either a very clever line (avoid clichés like comparing his absence with death) or a sustained syllable within a strategic word (the o in home, for instance). A good rule of thumb is to never marry any idea right off the bat; the best way to write lyrics is to be flexible. In doing so, you’ll avoid any problems you might encounter if you insist on having a specific line a certain way. 3) Don’t be afraid to make some changes! Test out your song. Does the story make sense? Do the lyrics flow well with the music? Would everything suddenly sound much better if you switch out one word with another? These are the things you need to look for after developing your perspective and making it melodic. If you’ve been working on the song for a long time, take a break. Your ears and mind will need a distraction. After a couple days or a week even, try listening to what you have and make any necessary changes that jump out at you after having taken some time to separate yourself from your creation. When songwriting, you really are baring your soul for the world to see (and hear) in an extremely vulnerable way. If you follow the advice above on how to write lyrics, you will find the words resonate deeper than the generic pop schlock that typically permeates the radio’s Top 40. Matthew H. provides tutoring in various subjects both online and in New Milford, NJ.  He recently received his MA from NYU with a background in Sociolinguistics and related research. Learn more about Matthew here!   Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo by Rubin Starset

15 Easy Ways to Practice Spanish Throughout the Day

15 Easy Ways to Practice Spanish Throughout the Day Suzy S. Learning a new language  shouldnt be  limited to textbooks and coursework! Here, tutor Kaitlin W. shares her (easy) ideas for practicing Spanish  throughout the day   I dont come from a Spanish-speaking family, nor is my family from a country where Spanish is spoken. Yet every time I open my mouth to speak Spanish, Im asked where I am from. I have a near-native accent that leaves little trace of my Anglo roots. I often make people guess what country Im from, and Ive heard everything from Spain to Cuba! Students always want to know my secret. How did I manage to essentially eradicate my native accent and achieve a level of pronunciation that native speakers themselves envy? Below are a few of the ways that I created my own self-immersion program. By including these activities in your everyday life, you can learn and practice Spanish without  feeling like its homework! Practice Reading in Spanish 1. Change the language on your devices Consider changing your phone, computer, tablet, Facebook page, and anything else with a language option to Spanish. This is an easy way to practice Spanish, since youll see more of the vocabulary on a daily basis. For example, every time you look at your phone, youll see the date in Spanish, reinforcing the days of the week and months of the year. Facebook will ask you if you would like to agregar amigos, teaching you the verb that means “to add.” Seeing a few of the same words over and over again will help the language feel more natural to you, and youll find  it becomes easier to incorporate them into everyday life with very little effort involved! 2. Research in Spanish How many times a day do you Google something that you’re curious about? I use Wikipedia at least once a day, and I always go for the Spanish version of the website first. Next time you need information about your favorite celebrity, look at their page in Spanish and see how much you can understand before switching the language to English! 3. Pick up a Spanish newspaper In most cities, these can be found for free on the street. You can also download apps and read the news  on your phone. I recommend El País, an international newspaper from Spain. I like to read the articles out loud to practice Spanish pronunciation in addition to my reading skills. This is also a great way to stay informed about what is happening in Spanish-speaking countries. 4. Read a book in Spanish I recommend beginning with teen literature or popular novels that don’t have a lot of challenging vocabulary. You can also start with poetry, which is challenging but shorter. Pablo Neruda is one of the most famous Spanish-language poets of the 20th century, and he has written beautiful love poems, such as “If You Forget Me” (Si tú me olvidas). Another great idea  is to pick a book in English that you like and read the translation. All of the Harry Potter books are available in Spanish, as well as other popular novels such as The Da Vinci Code, The Life of Pi, and The Perks of Being a Wallflower. You can find anything on Amazon! As you build your vocabulary, try some books that were originally written in Spanish. I really enjoyed La Sombra del Viento by Carlos Ruíz Zafón. This popular book uses some advanced vocabulary, but mainly tries to use common words in unconventional ways, making it a very satisfying read for a conversational Spanish speaker. Be sure to read with a dictionary and make note of new and interesting words! 5. Take notice of signs and brochures in Spanish Depending on where you are, you might see signs in Spanish pay attention to  these! If you purchase an item with directions listed in Spanish, try reading those too. You can do this with shampoo bottles while you’re in the shower, as well. 6. Play games in Spanish Once your phone is in Spanish, many of your games will appear in Spanish, too. Trivia games force you to be quick on your feet as you practice  Spanish, as many of them are timed. If that isn’t your speed, WordBrain offers an interesting vocabulary challenge in Spanish! (Editors Note: Check out some other tutor-approved Spanish apps and games here!) Practice Listening in Spanish 7. Watch TV Shows and YouTube Videos Don’t knock telenovelas  until you try them! Netflix and Hulu now offer shows and movies in Spanish, some of which include English subtitles so you can check  how much you understand. You can also watch your favorite movies with Spanish subtitles. As for telenovelas, I recommend the ones  from Mexico. The production value is higher than other Latin American countries and the accent is faint. They speak a pure Spanish. Typically, accents of Colombia, Argentina, and Chile are harder to understand if you’re just getting started. Don’t have Netflix or Hulu? Try watching Univisión or Telemundo! I love Caso Cerrado, a Spanish-language Judge Judy! You can also check out Spanish lessons on YouTube in your spare time. Heres a playlist to get you started- 8. Get Spanish language music for your daily commute Why not practice Spanish during your commute? Singing along to songs will help your pronunciation and helps you  begin to think in Spanish. Make an effort to learn the lyrics! You can get music in any genre in Spanish, just like in English. If you like soft rock, I suggest Maná. For reggaetón, a Spanish rap, try Don Omar. You might recognize Danza Kuduro! Juanes is great for pop music, and for salsa, try listening to Marc Anthony, Celia Cruz, and Juan Luis Guerra. My favorite artist, however, is a jazzy Mexican rock group called Camila! 9. Listen to podcasts in Spanish While you’re sitting at your desk, in your car on your way to work, or at home cooking dinner, put on a podcast in Spanish. It could be one aimed at teaching Spanish or a Spanish-language podcast about another topic. For learning conversational Spanish, I recommend Coffee Break Spanish, which  focuses on conversations for  traveling abroad, like  how to order coffee! If you are a true beginner, SpanishPod101 is another great one.  They have all levels of Spanish for any student! Practice Writing in Spanish 10. Write your shopping list in Spanish Before you head out to buy something, look up the things you need to purchase and make a list in Spanish! As you find your items in the store  and  cross it off your list, actively think about the new word and associate it with the item you’ve just picked up. This is how I learned a lot of Spanish vocabulary for food! 11. Write a blog in Spanish Whether you write a public blog or a more traditional private journal, writing is a great way to practice Spanish. You can write about any topic that you are interested in, which makes your  learning experience fun and personalized. You could also make it as simple as writing about your day. Taking a few minutes to practice your Spanish writing is a great way to keep your mind thinking in the language and to pick up on any grammatical issues you may be having. 12. Get a Spanish-speaking pen pal There are many websites,  like  iTalki,  that connect you to people who are trying to learn English. I have met friends in Colombia and Chile this way, and we are still Facebook friends to this day! You can send emails  or  texts, or use Skype to practice reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Practice Speaking in Spanish 13. Visit Hispanic bodegas and supermarkets If you enjoy cooking, you may have fun shopping at Hispanic supermarkets and buying ingredients to make dishes from Spanish-speaking countries. If you can’t find the item you’re looking for, ask an employee for help in Spanish! 14. Talk in Spanish… even if you’re alone! Those moments when you don’t have anyone to speak with may be your best opportunity to really speak without inhibitions! Take advantage of alone time to speak out loud, even if no one is there to correct you. As long as you are practicing the sounds of the language, you are making progress! Speak your thoughts, narrate your day, and talk to your dog! We all do weird things when we’re alone why not make your weird thing productive? 15. Teach someone what you already know Teaching can be a great way to reinforce the knowledge that you already have without even realizing that you’re doing it. When you have to search for ways to explain something to someone, you’re actually explaining it to yourself all over again! This can be as simple as teaching your friends and family what youve learned. I continue many of these rituals daily to keep my Spanish as strong as ever. I also give  my students resources to implement their own immersion programs. Everyone has different reasons for learning a language, and its  important for students to know that they have control over their learning process and can  tailor their experience to fit their needs. You control your learning, so make it fun! Post Author:  Kaitlin W. Kaitlin W.  teaches in-home and online Spanish lessons in Medford, NJ. She holds a Bachelors degree in Spanish from The College of New Jersey. Kaitlin aspires to be a professional Spanish teacher and would love to help you succeed in learning Spanish. Learn more about Kaitlin  here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher

Using Gerunds or Infinitives (video and exercise)

Using Gerunds or Infinitives (video and exercise) Students often have difficulty knowing when a word should be used as a noun in its infinitive form, and when it should be used in its gerund form. Many languages, such as Spanish, do not use the gerund form the way English does. Weve got a video and exercise to help you with gerunds and infinitives.Here are some examples:She is good at (playing/to play) games.(Smoking/to smoke) is bad for your health.My house is easy (walking/to walk) to from downtown.She is (saving/to save) money to travel.Watch the video to get the answers, then try the exercises below.Now try the exercises below. Write your answers in comments and we will help you.I am good at (to help/helping people).I enjoy (to listen/listening to) people.He doesnt mind (to make/making) a low wage.The boss is not good at (to make/making) difficult decisions.(To take/taking) risks causes him anxiety.You are not good at (to express/expressing) yourself.I enjoy (to sleep/sleeping) late. Anton Kulakov I am good at helping people. I enjoy listening to people. He doesnt mind making a low wage. The boss is not good at making difficult decisions. Taking risks causes him anxiety. You are not good at expressing yourself. I enjoy sleeping late. LOIEnglish Good job Anton!