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How to Handle a Discussion-Based Class When English Isn't Your First Language

10/31/2017

 
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​The idea of taking a class in English when you are not a native speaker can be intimidating. The concept becomes even more unsettling when the course in question is a discussion-based class with frequent speaking opportunities. Despite this, there are several ways that you can prepare for your course and become more comfortable speaking English in front of others. For instance, you can:
 

Speak with your instructor

If possible, schedule a meeting with your teacher before class begins—ideally face-to-face. Use this meeting to provide your instructor with some background by explaining who you are, where you’re from, and that English isn’t your first language. It will likely help for your teacher to be aware of this, as he or she may be able to work with you to develop strategies for the course and discussion more specifically. Don’t be afraid to continue speaking with your instructor throughout the course, and to let him or her know if you are struggling.
 

Practice your speaking skills

If you’re nervous about talking in front of the entire class or a smaller group, practice your speaking skills outside of the classroom. Find a family member, friend, or roommate who is fluent in English, and spend time conversing with that person. Having regular conversations in English will help you improve your language skills.
 

Read and write in English

In addition to speaking English as much as possible, you should also practice reading and writing in English. Reading, in particular, will introduce you to new words. Try reading varied publications, such as magazines, novels, newspapers, textbooks, and so on in order to develop a well-rounded vocabulary.
 

Talk to your peers

Once your class has begun, don’t be afraid to let your classmates know that you’re not a native English speaker—especially if you are assigned to a smaller discussion group. Your peers will likely be understanding about your situation, and they may even be willing to help you with your language skills and to spend time practicing with you outside the classroom.
 

Consider working with a tutor

If you are truly struggling in your class, you can also seek the help of a tutor to work on your English skills—or on any other subject that you are concerned about. On the other hand, if you have a good understanding of all your subjects, you could volunteer to work as a tutor, which will give you another chance to practice your English skills. Explaining a concept to another student is a great way to refine your language use.
 

The key to begin handling a discussion-based class when English isn’t your first language is to practice English as much as you can, and to communicate your situation with those around you. With a little experience under your belt, and the understanding of others, you should have little problem making it through your discussion-based class.
 
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Catherine Martin is a contributing writer for UniversityTutor.com, the world’s largest global marketplace for finding independent tutors.

Educational Edge: 4 Hottest Degrees for the Next Decade

10/28/2017

 
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As the economy becomes more and more geared toward specialization, education becomes more important for those who want to make a good living in the modern world. While education in general is great for increasing your earning power, demand for certain skills makes some degrees more valuable than others.

Here are four of the hottest degrees that will allow you to fill in-demand, high-paying jobs over the next decade.

Healthcare Degrees
Though not one individual degree, the cluster of degrees focusing on healthcare provision and research are undeniably excellent choices for those who want to make great money in the coming years.

One of the best things about getting a degree in healthcare is that you don't need to become a doctor to make a great living as a medical professional. Nurse managers, for example, make an average salary of $81,000 per year. At present, there is a substantial shortage of nursing and healthcare managers, making this a great field to get into for anyone looking for a secure career.

Material Science
To facilitate advancing technology, scientists today routinely create new materials. These materials range in use from high-tech electronics to everyday construction projects. For those interested in the hard sciences and looking for a career with a huge amount of potential in the 21st century, a material science degree might be just the ticket.


Computer Science
By far the biggest difference between the modern age and any era that has come before it is the proliferation of computer technology. As a result, the demand for workers with computer science degrees has skyrocketed.

A degree in computer science can open doors into a wide range of different career paths, including data science and web development. For those who want to pursue high-level careers in computer technology, there are even several options to earn a master’s of computer science online available in the field.

Environmental Engineering
Caring for the environment has become a big business in and of itself. As such, engineers specially trained in minimizing environmental impacts are in high demand. Environmental engineers can be employed in everything from public waste treatment planning to private-sector environmental compliance.

These engineers have a specialized skill set that most ordinary engineering students don't acquire in their studies. This makes a degree in environmental engineering both a good guarantee of job placement and extremely lucrative.
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Though there are many degrees that offer great career potential, these four are among the hottest at the moment. If you want to get into a steady, well-paying career that is suited to the economy of the 21st century, a degree program in any of these fields is an excellent place to start.

Ani Oaks is a freelance writer and web enthusiast. You can read some of her published work on her Google+ page. ​​

Connected Educator: the Top 10 Digital Tools for Teachers

10/21/2017

 
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Universities, colleges and English programs are integrating more digital technology every year, while teachers are gaining the education they need to adopt them. However, you can take a step up and use some of the most common educating tools on the market to better connect with your students and keep yourself organized. Below, are the top 10 digital tools you can use to optimize your classes for the modern age.

Google Apps offers a suite of apps and tools alike to help teachers. Including Google Hangouts and Drive, there are plenty of ways you can communicate, collaborate, and share your knowledge with students. In fact, it’s one of the most popular tools used by schools and teachers across the world.

Evernote is a great note-taking app that’s valued more than the New York Times. However, it’s important for any teacher to keep their variety of classes and schedules organized. Not only for teachers, but it’s also a useful tool for your students as well. It is recommended especially hard time keeping their classwork organized.

Dropbox is similar to Evernote and Google Drive, in which it also helps keep your notes and documents organized. Acting as a cloud-based collection of files and photos, Dropbox also has a “Dropbox Paper” feature, which doubles as a word processor. Nevertheless, it’s the perfect tool for any educator or student to use in the classroom.

YouTube has been a long time industry favorite of educators across the world. If you’re trying to get a free documentary or virtual lesson for your students, YouTube is the easiest way to go. However, it may be blocked in your school. In that case, you can either use a smartphone or tablet on a cellular network with an HDMI cable that can connect to your classroom’s projector.

Twitter is a well-known resource used by millions of educators. Although some may still not feel the necessity to create their own social media profile, Twitter helps teachers reach out to their students and offer a more broad way of communicating.

Skype has been a common educator tool for years and is a proven, effective way to talk to others around the world. Plus, it helps saves schools and teachers money talking to students out of the classroom. Taking advantage of it can help spread the popularity and interest of your classes.

Edmodo makes it easy to create an online classroom. It allows your students to share resources, learn together, have discussions, and view their grades. Edmodo is also simple to use, making it one of the best tools for educators out there.

Class Dojo helps to make learning, even more, fun for students. This platform transforms the classroom into a game, helping students to stay engaged and behaved.

Socrative is a platform that is growing in popularity every day. This engagement platform allows students to raise their hands and participate both physically and digitally.
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WordPress Creating a class blog can be an excellent way to keep students and parents informed about what is going on in the classroom. You can use WordPress or any other blogging platform to make this even easier. Post announcements, assignments, and reading materials, too.
 
With these ten digital resources, you can easily take your classroom into the 21st century. From blogging to online classroom tools, teachers can help their students learn and engage more than ever before.


Lizzie Weakley is a freelance writer from Columbus, Ohio. She went to college at The Ohio State University where she studied communications. In her free time, she enjoys the outdoors and long walks in the park with her 3-year-old husky Snowball. Connect with her on Google+ and (@LizzieWeakley).

ESL Student? 6 Must-Dos for Studying in an English-Speaking Country

10/10/2017

 
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Has the English language been a part of your life even though you are not a native speaker? Are your favorite singers from English-speaking countries, or, do their songs have English lyrics? I bet you’ve already passed the point where you need a dictionary for every English word. You may even have good conversational skills.

Even though your English skills are above average, studying in an English-speaking country requires native-like English skills. The terms used will be very difficult to understand. If your English skills won’t meet the minimum requirement, you will lose lots of valuable information. One misunderstood word can completely change a sentence’s meaning.

Apart from that, using the information you gather from classes, you’ll have to write academic assignments. Taking into consideration the snowball effect, those few words you didn’t understand, will turn into huge gaps in your knowledge base.

One thing is for sure, for you to study in an English-speaking country, you need native-like English skills. So, how can an ESL student study in an English-speaking country? Here are 6 things you ought to do if you want to do this.


1.   English Skills 101

Being a foreigner in an English-speaking country is not hard if you master the basics of the language. Even though you might use the wrong verb, singular instead of plural, etc., people will understand what you’re saying. Even though they might not like fact that you don’t speak their language perfectly, they’ll get along.

    Being a foreign student in an English-speaking country is something totally different. Not only you need to master the basics but, your English skills need to be pitch-perfect.

    You have to focus your attention on the following aspects of the English language:
  • ●    Basic Vocabulary
  • ●    Industry-Specific Vocabulary(If you are studying mechanics, you should know that Clutch is not just a website)
  • ●    Grammar
  • ●    Structure
    
Andrew McConnor, Bestessays’ Lead Writer concludes “In order to improve your English skills, you need to read lots of industry-specific articles, books, etc. For you to improve your grammar, there are lots of online courses.”


2.    Befriend Native Speakers
    
Even though there’s a natural reflex of hanging out with other foreigners, try to oppose it. Even though it gives you a sense of security being with people in the same situation as yours, foreigners, in our case, is better to get out of your comfort zone.

Foreigners tend to have lots of grammatical issues and not a very appealing vocabulary. On the other side, a native speaker has a top-notch vocabulary and little to none grammatical issues. This way, your bar will be set very high and you will force yourself to pass it.

Last, but not least, let’s be honest, you don’t go to a foreign country for the sole
purpose of studying, nothing else. You are young, you need some action in your life, you need to have some fun. Who knows the best pubs, clubs, restaurants, and shopping centers in town, is it a native?


3.    Get Yourself a Teacher
    
So, you already started studying, you are one or two months into the first semester but, you are still having trouble understanding, reading, and writing English. You already started this journey, the ship left port, you can’t jump back on shore. You either ride the waves or sink.

The best way to get past this point is to get yourself an English teacher. Whether you choose offline classes or opt for online courses, it’s up to you but, you have to do it, my friend. Apart from learning the important aspects of the English language, you’ll have someone to talk to, someone who would get over your errors and help you out.


4.    Befriend Dictionaries and Use Apps

Amen to that! When I was struggling to learn English I had a dictionary tied to my hand. Just kidding, it was tied to my forehead. I was hoping that this way, I’ll be able to memorize all the words.
If dictionaries will be your best friends, the language learning apps will be your second-best friends. Here are a few you should consider.
  • ●    Busuu This easy to use app gets great results in no time at all. Less than a day spent on this app’s Premium Subscription equals one semester of English classes.
  • ●    Mosalingua For only $4,99 you get your own English teacher. Their Space Repetition Software will make sure you don’t forget the words you use only once in awhile.
  • ●    Duolingo I think this app is one of the best-known apps out there. It is adapted to lots of different languages, such as Spanish, Italian, German, Dutch, etc. This makes it easier for you to understand the syntax.


5.    Be an Eager Pupil

Whether you improve your English skills or you don’t, it’s up to you. Nobody will come to you and ask “Don’t you want to learn English? I’d like to help you out.”. Always try to improve it, make a habit out of learning English.

At the end of the classes, when teachers have the 5 minute Q&A, try to ask as many (relevant)questions. If you’ve heard some new terms, ask your teacher for more information.

Last, but not least, instead of watching one more episode of your favorite TV Show,
try to create a 30 pages-a-day rule. That’s more than 9000 pages a year. One year from now, you’ll be an English guru.


6.    Reproduce the Native Accent
    
Right, you are now mastering(ish) the English language. Your grammar, vocabulary, and syntax are pitch-perfect but, you still have your native accent. That is quite disturbing for a native speaker.
For you to get past this problem I’d suggest you start “stealing” others’ accent. If you have a friend or a colleague who is a native speaker, try to copy his accent. You don’t have time to take classes for your accent, you need to do it on the go.


Conclusion

Even though it might be difficult at first, once you master the English language you won’t have any trouble studying in an English-speaking country. Use these tips when you decided to learn English like a pro and you won’t have any trouble achieving it.


Brenda Savoie is a content marketer, private English tutor, and desperate dreamer. Writing her first romance novel. Seeking contentment through mindfulness. Check her blog BestWritingClues. Find her on Twitter and Facebook.




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