Finding the Right Freelance Online Tutoring Jobs

Finding the Right Freelance Online Tutoring JobsWith the recent growth of the Internet, freelance online tutoring jobs have become very popular. Since so many people now use the Internet to do everything from shopping to driving, many companies are searching for employees. Because of this, they are searching for people who can provide quality online tutoring.There are many different things that a company looks for in potential employees. You may be surprised to know that most companies actually do not hire people with degrees in their field. This is because it is very expensive and because many companies do not hire someone who has a degree. Instead, they look for someone who is able to teach, in addition to earning a living.To find out if you have these skills, take some time to search the Internet. The more searching you do, the more likely you will find a great company that wants a person like you. If you have a lot of experience teaching, you may also want to apply to some online schools to get some real world experience.Another thing that many companies look for is the ability to create income for them. In other words, they are looking for someone who is able to teach the students, as well as paying the bills. If you have experience as a tutor, then this is the best way to go.Because of the increasing demand for tutors, there are some people who have taught before and now want to teach again. However, this is not for everyone, because even if you have a college degree, many tutoring schools still prefer to hire tutors who have never had a degree.There are many opportunities, even if you don't have a lot of experience. You can choose from freelance online tutoring jobs in the United States, Canada, Europe and even overseas. own business If you want to have your own business or work from home, then there are also many freelance jobs available for you. The one thing that you need to remember is that you need to have a job that you really love. If you love wha t you do, then you will be able to find the right freelance online tutoring jobs.

Financial Lessons for College Bound Students - Private Tutoring

Financial Lessons for College Bound Students BobbiM Apr 24, 2013 Today we welcome John Gower, who is knowledgable about all things finance (i.e., How to Pay for College). In this article, hell share with you some tips on how to manage your money before you enter college and especially while youre in college. As high school seniors prepare to head to college, the prospect of independence is near. However, that independence might not be as hands-off as they (or you) would like. Managing your child’s expenses while they are living at home is quite different from doing so while they are in a dorm room halfway across the country. Before the big move-in day, consider these tips for steering your soon-to-be college freshman towards a life of financial independence and success. 1. The basics: Staying in the green If you have not done so already, help your student open a basic checking account. Many banks offer accounts targeted to students with no minimum balance or maintenance fee. The account you open does not necessarily have to be at the same bank you yourself frequent. A better gauge of which bank to pick may be the proximity to the campus your child has chosen to attend. Finding an account with the lowest fees and having easy access to an ATM for cash withdrawals ought to be the driving concerns, as most else can be managed online. Tuition and housing costs aside, there are still a number of expenses that necessitate the use of a checking account. The occasional weekend trip, basic personal expenses, or a work-study job on campus are a few of many activities that will force your student to start some sort of budget management habits. Teaching your child how to manage his or her checking account without incurring overdraft fees is a great stepping-stone for the future. 2. Money management: No excel worksheet needed The average student loan debt for a graduate in 2012 was around $27,000. Whether or not your child’s education costs will be covered by loans, grants, scholarships, college savings, or a combination of the above, keeping your student aware and involved in the payment schedule is a place to start responsible financial habits. This does not entail leaving your student out in the cold to deal with complex financial aid issues, but instead giving them some additional responsibility. This can be as simple as making tuition payments themselves (on time) or being in charge of paying for housing each month. If that seems like too much to handle from the get-go, consider instead making out a small home utility bill such as cable or internet in your student’s name to get the same benefit of building responsible and timely payment habits. 3. Plastic: Put away those scissors for now Due to new regulations passed in 2009, banks are now prohibited from passing out free water bottles, t-shirts, and other goodies on campus as recruiting efforts to get students to sign up for credit cards. So while you don’t have to worry as much about your student coming home on their first Thanksgiving back with a pocket full of plastic, there is still good reason for concern. Start building good credit habits early, as when your child reaches the age of 21 they can apply for credit cards without a co-signer. There are a number of benefits to helping your student build credit. A high credit score will help them once they are out in the real world signing apartment leases, getting credit history checked by employers, and applying for car loans. Credit cards of course have their pitfalls. They have the potential to be widely misused if not grounded in the fact that plastic is indeed spending real money that must be repaid in full. In order to fully understand this, your student should know what the terms minimum payments, annual fees, and APRs mean at the very least. If you have allowed your high school graduate to piggyback on your existing credit card, remember to keep a close eye on the account, as anything they do has the potential to hurt your credit history. The tips above are a great starting point for beginning a conversation between you and your college-bound senior. Start small, and most importantly communicate and be available to guide your child as they navigate tricky financial waters in college. John Gower is a writer for  NerdWallet, a personal finance website dedicated to helping consumers find the best free checking account, high interest savings account, rewards credit card and more.

4 Ways to Become a Language Learning Genius by Taking Notes

4 Ways to Become a Language Learning Genius by Taking Notes 4 Ways to Become a Language Learning Genius by Taking Notes Think taking notes is boring?Well, if youre learning a language, taking notes not only can be interesting and exciting, but it may be essential!Believe it or not, taking handwritten notes on a subject youre learning isnt just for people from the horse-and-buggy age.If you feel like notes are boring, its probably because the way youre naturally inclined to take notes is different from the way youve been taught to take notes.Youve likely just never figured out what works for you.Once you learn why taking notes for language learning is helpful, youll wonder why you didnt start doing it sooner!In this post, were going to look at how you can create your own fun and useful language learning notes, notes that truly enhance your studies and help you learn. Why Take Language Learning Notes?A great reason to take physical language learning notes in a notebook or elsewhere by hand is that it’ll help with your long-term memory. Taking language notes that make sense to you will help you to re tain more of what youre learning. Some studies have suggested that handwritten notes can be more effective for learning than notes typed on a computer. For those of you who still prefer to use a computer to take language notes, like me, you can always buy a digital pen and take notes on a dedicated graphic drawing tablet for similar benefits.Another reason to take language notes is that youll have fewer distractions. Taking notes in an offline digital or paper notebook will not only help you to focus on what youre learning, but itll prevent distractions from things like text messages, emails, online advertisements, etc.Feeling a sense of accomplishment is another great reason to take language notes. As you can see that each page is being filled with your language notes, this will help to keep you motivated to continue taking more notes and keep learning.Now that you know why you want to keep a language learning notebook, lets look at how you can take great language notes.4 Ways to B ecome a Language Learning Genius by Taking Notes1. Learn Your Language Learning Style and Apply It to Your Note-takingLearning your language learning style is one of the best ways for you to become a language learning genius by taking notes. Do you remember those kids in high school who always got As on their tests in Spanish class, and told you they never took notes or studied?Well, first of all, they were lying, and secondly, the way they took and reviewed notes probably didnt feel like note-taking and studying to them because they did it in a way that felt natural. When you figure out your language learning style, youll also be able to excel at learning a new language the way they do.Play around with the different styles below and see what works for you!Auditory LearnersThe most effective way for auditory learners to take language notes and retain information is by listening.Text-to-speech is a great way for auditory learners to take notes aside from the methods mentioned above, because you can listen to the notes youre taking as youre taking them. Another great thing about text-to-speech is that it can be used on nearly all types of computers (desktop, laptop, tablet, smartphones, etc). Because of that, text-to-speech can be used almost anywhere to help you take great language notes.Another way auditory learners can take better notes is by recording lectures, teachings or conversations that have to do with the language theyre learning. Nowadays, youre able to record just about anything with your smartphone. You can then play these recordings back later, and theyll help you to take better notes in your notebook.To give yourself more audio material for your notes, you could also try having group discussions with fellow learners in and/or about the language youre learning. This is a great method of learning and note-taking for people who are sociable.Visual LearnersVisual learners take the best language notes while  watching movies, looking at photos, diagram s, etc. For example, watching a movie may not seem like a productive way to take language notes, but people who learn languages through visualization will be able to remember new foreign words easier by seeing them acted out visually.People with this type of language learning style may benefit from keeping a physical or a digital folder full of pictures, diagrams, graphs and movies to go along with their notes and make sense of them. You can also, of course, arrange your notes into your own diagrams, graphs and other visual aids.If youre a visual learner, you would also benefit from using visual aids to learning, not just note taking. For instance, youd probably learn well with FluentU, which  makes it possible to learn languages  from music videos, commercials, news, inspiring talks and more.With FluentU, you hear languages in real-world contextsâ€"the way that native speakers actually use them.Just a quick look will give you an idea of the variety of FluentU videos on offer:Fluent U really takes the grunt work out of learning languages, leaving you with nothing but engaging, effective and efficient learning. It’s already hand-picked the best videos for you and organized them by level and topic. All you have to do is choose any video that strikes your fancy to get started!Each word in the interactive captions comes with a definition, audio, image, example sentences and more.Access a complete interactive transcript of every video under the Dialogue tab, and easily review words and phrases from the video under Vocab.You can use FluentU’s unique adaptive quizzes to learn the vocabulary and phrases from the video through fun questions and exercises. Just swipe left or right to see more examples of the word youre studying.The program even keeps track of what you’re learning and tells you exactly when it’s time for review, giving you a 100% personalized experience.Start using FluentU on the website  with your computer or tablet  or, better yet,  download the FluentU app from  the  iTunes store  or  Google Play store.Hands-on LearnersPeople who are hands-on learners, like me, like to get their hands dirty when learning a new language. The best way for hands-on learners to take notes when learning a new language is by actually doing something, often physical, that connects their memory to a new foreign word.Actually writing down your notes on paper (or, again, on an offline computer with a digital pen) is the best way for hands-on learners to take language notes.  Besides writing things down on paper, hands-on learners can also take language notes by using hand gestures. For example, if you want to learn to say good job in a foreign language, you could write that phrase down in a notebook with one hand and use your other hand to give yourself a thumbs-up.If youre a student in school taking a foreign language test, you can use your hands-on learning style to your advantage. If you discreetly use your hands to go over your hand-gesture not es while youre taking your test, people may think youre crazy, but youll prove them wrong when you ace your language test every time!2. Establish the Main Idea Every Time You Take NotesLearning your language learning style is only the first step when it comes to taking great language notes. Once you figure that out, the next thing you need to focus on is what the main idea of your notes is.Limit Yourself to One Main Idea at a TimeKnowing the main idea is important because you dont want just a bunch of random notes that dont make any sense. For example, if during one note-taking session, you want to learn a particular grammar point, then stay focused on only taking notes on that grammar point. Be careful to not get distracted with trying to learn too much all at once.Create a Structure in Your Notes to Accommodate Different TopicsAs you progress in your language note-taking skills, youll eventually want to organize your main thoughts into different sections of your language notebook. As an example, you could have different sections for taking notes on greeting words, the alphabet, basic vocabulary and grammar.Dont Always Go SoloLearning a new language doesnt always have to be a lone-ranger type of thing. Teaming up with a friend at a coffee shop to take notes together can be a great way to stay focused. It can also be really fun to bounce different notes off of each other to make sure the main idea stays the main idea.3. Take Language Notes on Themed Word ListsOne of the best ways to take notes on vocabulary is by organizing your notes around themed word lists. Here are a few different approaches you can take.Learn SynonymsOne great way to use themed word lists to your advantage is by using a dictionary and thesaurus to help you take language notes on synonyms. This option is great for more advanced learners, because learning synonyms with your themed word notes will help to broaden your vocabulary in the language you’re learning.Visual Thesaurus uses a mind- map format (see below) to introduce you to synonyms, related words and different shades of meaning. Currently, the Spanish, German, Italian, French and Dutch language versions of Visual Thesaurus are in beta. As well explore more in the next section, you can actually use thesaurus and dictionary resources in your native language to explore learning possibilities for your target language.When you learn synonyms by taking great language notes, you’ll no longer be stumbling over your words because you can’t think of anything else to say. Now there’s something to celebrate!Learn Uncommon WordsThe best way to learn uncommon words in a foreign language by using a dictionary is by first visiting a website that specializes in unusual words, like phrontistery.info,  to find an uncommon word and its definition. You can do this in English or your native language, but once you find that uncommon word, you can look up the foreign definition of it with an online multilingual dictionary, lik e hamariweb.com. Once you  learn the foreign definition of that word, which may include more than one related uncommon word and other related words you dont know yet, you can take notes about it in your notebook.This might sound overwhelming, but its a great way to expand your vocabulary beyond the simplest everyday usage. After all, you dont want to be talking to intellectuals in a foreign language and be stumped because you don’t understand many of the words theyre using.Even if you have no desire to talk to intellectuals in a foreign language, you can practice the uncommon foreign words youve learned with your native speaker friends and use  repetition  in your notes to reinforce what youve learned. Theres a reason teachers discipline children by having them write, I will not talk in class 100 times.By writing related words in your language notebook over and over again, even words that are uncommon for most foreigners will start to become common for you.Learn Word Pronunciation sBy using a themed word list with an audio dictionary app, youll not only learn the pronunciation of a foreign word, but youll also be able to take notes in your notebook about the pronunciation.In order for you to remember the pronunciation of a particular letter, you might write down notes like, sounds like a diesel truck, or reminds me of… Whatever the best way is for you to remember the pronunciation of the word is what you should focus on.4. Go Unconventional with Your Note-taking: Use Mind MapsUse Colors and Images in Your Mind Maps for Better RetentionFor those of you who dont know, mind maps are maps that organize lots of words around a central subject. Mind maps use colors and images that will help you to learn a new language quickly. These colors and images that mind maps use create a way for you to visualize your physical notes without needing to bring a notebook everywhere. When you can visualize the physical notes you took in your notebook at home, you can go over you r language notes from memory anywhere, anytime.Most notes are just words written down with more words to explain what the words mean, but not with mind maps. When you take notes using a mind map, you use your creativity with colors and images that will help you to learn the different types of words associated with each word branch.For example, one branch will have the word ball written in a foreign language. Then, each branch attached to the word ball will have words, pictures and colors associated with that word like basketball (orange), soccer (black and white), baseball (white), football (brown), tennis (green), etc.Make Easy Adjustments with a Digital Mind MapIf you like to make frequent changes or add things to your mind map on a regular basis, the best option is to use a digital mind map. A digital mind map will allow you to take digital language notes on a computer, and this will make it easy for you to add or change things as you progress in your language learning.There are many ways to take good language notes, but if you put these four methods into practice, your inner Einstein will come out for all your foreign friends to see.Whether youre an intellectual, a creative person or just a dedicated language learner, taking good notes will help you become the language learning genius youve always wanted to be.

How important are the Key Stage 2 SATs results

How important are the Key Stage 2 SATs results With the KS2 SATs results being released to schools later this week, we thought there was no better time to look at how important they are to your child's future. What do SATs assess? SATs assess how well students have understood what they've learnt in three subjects: mathematics, reading, and spelling, grammar and punctuation. It's only the second year of the new, harder SATs so 2017 results will only be comparable with last year. Not all schools offer SATs. Independent schools can choose whether to offer them, but they usually still do an equivalent at the end of primary/prep school to assess students ability. Do the results really matter? SATs are important to the future education of your child. Many secondary schools use the results to gauge student ability in order to organise them into sets for subjects and even to predict how they will perform right through to A levels. Poor results at SATs can lead to students being incorrectly streamed through school not allowing their true potential to shine through. One would hope that secondary schools are good at identifying children in the wrong sets, but unfortunately this isn't always the case, especially where there are big class sizes. The accuracy of the OLD SATs in predicting future student grades was disputed, however the new tests are designed to be far better at measuring performance. Consequently you and your child will have a clear picture of their strengths and areas of weakness that can be improved. If you feel your child could benefit from private tuition, do feel free to register HERE. The SATs results are also used to analyse how well a primary school is performing. Understandably teachers are under pressure to get their students working to the best of their ability. They might even be denied a pay rise if results are poor, although there are changes afoot to address this. Some would argue that SATs are more important to the school than the child and that there are less stressful ways to measure competence in the classroom than formal exams at this age. Help, my child's results aren't great! Firstly, reassure them that it's not the end of the world. They may be young, but will still have felt pressure to perform well and compare themselves to peers. In fact, some schools are boycotting SATs as they fear they are too stressful for pupils. There's always plenty of time to improve knowledge in weak subject areas, especially with the whole of the summer holiday ahead. As long as your child put in their best effort there's nothing more you could have asked for. At the end of the day, we put such importance on exam results, but they can only ever provide a snapshot of ability!

Salaries, bonuses and negotiations getting paid to teach overseas

Salaries, bonuses and negotiations getting paid to teach overseas Money might not be the main motivator that inspires people to teach abroad, but one thing’s for sure?â€"if you’re setting off on the adventure of a lifetime you’ll want to make sure you’ve got enough yen, euros or dirhams in your pocket to enjoy it. But at the same time, you’ve probably heard stories of some teachers saving up small fortunes overseas while others get around the globe on a shoe-string budget. So why do teach abroad salaries differ so much from job to job? How do you make sure you get a fair salary when you’re moving to teach in a new country? And how can you ask for a raise when you think you deserve it? Read on to find out... How much do teachers make abroad? There are literally as many answers to this question as there are countries in the world! At the top end of the scale, teaching abroad can pay a salary that allows you to live well and save money, and at the lower end, it can entail budgeting and working for multiple schools to make a full salary. It really depends on where you go to teach. As such, it’s important to consider your motivations before you choose where you go. Are you looking for a cultural experience, a chance to make money, or a mix of both? If having a high salary is a high priority for you, you can quickly narrow your search to destinations that fit the bill, such as the United Arab Emirates or Japan. But if you’re more concerned about living in a particular country or city overseas, you’ll have to accept the norm for teaching salaries in that area. Having said that, it’s important to consider your potential salary in context. A seemingly low salary might actually stretch further than you think depending on living expenses in the city you are living in. How do I know if I’ll make enough money teaching abroad? Start researching online and ask schools you’re interviewing with what your living expenses will be in any places you expect to work in. (Sometimes during the hiring process, you're not sure which city you will be placed in until a job offer has been made). Compare your potential salary to the cost of living to really understand how your monthly payments will translate in real terms. Also, take into consideration whether the school provides housing, health insurance and airfare for their teachers. Next, you’ll need to work out what “enough money” means for you. Obviously, you will have to pay phone bills, buy groceries and have some money left over to do things you enjoy in your free time. But beyond that, think about the lifestyle you want to have overseas. What do you see yourself doing on the weekends? Will you take lots of trips to nearby cities while you’re living there? Will you need to fly home at any point? Basically, what are the non-negotiables that you want your salary to cover? And if your salary doesn’t cover them will you have the time, permission from your main employer and visa rights to take on extra work elsewhere? How do I know if I’m getting a fair salary? Once you’ve worked out whether your salary will be workable in the country you’re going to, it’s time to take a closer look at your contract. Here are some things to look out for: Will you be paid purely for classroom teaching hours or does your salary also cover other tasks like lesson planning, report writing, admin and watching students at break times? Check with your school to get a full idea of what your weekly responsibilities will be. Can you stand by all the clauses in your contract? Sometimes final month salaries or bonuses are dependent on you completing a 12-month contract or hitting certain targets. If you want to supplement your income, take a look at whether your contract allows you to work for competitors or provide private or online tutoring. Take a look at the standard salary for teachers in the country you’re working in and what kind of benefits teachers are usually given. How does your contract compare to this? What can I expect to bepaid with my education and experience? This really depends on where you plan to teach. Some organizations have very clear pay scales (such as South Korea’s EPIK program) and others may not. It’s fair to say that most schools around the world will at least pay more for a teacher with qualifications such as a TEFL certificate. Teachers with a teaching license or bachelor’s degree in education also open themselves up to the possibility of teaching in international schools, where salaries are generally comparable with what you would be earning at home. Do you have a master’s degree? That's even better! A good first step is to research what the average salary bracket is where you’re going and place yourself in that bracket based on your teaching background. Then bring up any experience and qualifications when you’re interviewing with individual schools and ask them what their pay scale is. I don’t think I’m being paid enough. How can I negotiate a raise? The big awkward question: how do you ask for more money? Should you even try? To put it simply, yes! Not being paid what you’re worth is demoralizing and infuriating, but negotiating a higher salary can be easier than jumping ship to an entirely new school. In fact, some would say it’s worth trying to negotiate your salary, even if you are happy with it because there’s no harm in asking. How to ask Having said that, how you ask is crucial. Some cultures might consider it rude that you’d ask for more money before you’ve signed a contract with them and proven what a great teacher you are in person. Others expect you to haggle a little over the details of your contract. Whatever your relationship with your school is, be polite, friendly and choose the appropriate moment to bring up the subject. And do a little research into how salary negotiations are typically approached in this particular country. During the hiring process If you are trying to negotiate a raise during the hiring process it’s best to wait until you’ve been offered a job. Make sure you know the average salary for teachers in the area to give you an idea of how far to push your negotiations and don’t shy away from talking up any experience, qualifications or other strong points you have. Another technique you could try during the hiring process is to seek out a few different job offers in the same country or city. Let your current employers know that you’re in demand from schools that pay higher wages and that could push them to pay you more. After you’ve been hired If you are already working for a school and want to renegotiate your salary, make sure you have a strong performance record and can give clear examples of what makes you a valuable employee. Rather than putting too much pressure on yourself, be patient and think of the first negotiation as a way to open a conversation. If your first request for a raise is refused, ask what criteria would make them agree to a raise in the future. Then put a time frame in place so you can go back in 2 to 6 months, with all the criteria they ask for and make your request again. More than money Another thing you could consider is negotiating for something other than cold, hard cash. Your school might not be in a position to pay you more but maybe they could increase your benefits by offering extra holiday days, a nicer apartment or guaranteed placement in an area you want. Thinking beyond money could result in a win-win negotiation for you and your school. Work for great schools Finally, aim to work for schools who value quality. Seek out employers that are firmly invested in their school’s values and community, and they’ll be more likely to know that it’s worth investing in and hold onto great teachers.

FluentU iPhone App is Already #67 Among Free Educational Apps on iTunes!

FluentU iPhone App is Already #67 Among Free Educational Apps on iTunes! The FluentU app is now available for download!1 day after launch, our first 44 reviews are in, and FluentU is already ranking #67 among free education apps in the US app store!What are users saying?I have waited for this app with baited breath and it has not disappointed! Unbelievable how easy and quick it is to look up and save new vocab.It ´s a wonderful and ingenious way to learn new vocabulary and grammar. You watch a real life video (standup comics, music videos, newscasts, educational programs, movie trailers, etc) with subtitles and then you are tested on the more difficult vocabulary and grammatical constructs. First you answer through multiple choice, then you must fill in the blanks and create the word yourself. It keeps track when you ´ve learned a word and when you have mastered it (remembered the word when you go back to the app at a later time.) You learn everything in context of communication so it ´s fun and effective. It ´s great for all levels. My niece is a beginne r to intermediate learner and loved it as well.Next best thing to a personal tutor in the target languageeven better than the websiteIll be looking into a premium account as materials for Japanese is scarce. Its a wasteland, people, Fluent u is the is the water well. Drink up (that sounds aggressive, sorry) :)Ive been counting down the days until the app release and Im not disappointed at all.So what are you waiting for?Go see what the fuss is all about!Check out the FluentU iPhone App on the iTunes App Store

Should You Choose a Free Download Full Version of an English Learning Software?

Should You Choose a Free Download Full Version of an English Learning Software?If you are trying to learn the English language on your own, a good place to start is with a free English learning software. There are several good options for you to choose from and you can be sure that you'll get a lot of value out of it. However, you'll have to pick between free and paid versions, so here are some important points that you should keep in mind when you decide to buy an English learning software.A free download of full version of the software will work well for you if you want to learn at your own pace. It's not the most convenient way to learn the language, but it's also much cheaper than paying for an expensive package. Of course, if you find the process of learning the language extremely easy, it's perfectly acceptable to purchase the software.If you think that you'll have problems with the use of the full version of the software, you'll have to consider buying the premium version. Thi s version contains the full software along with all of the audio, video, and interactive features that you need to make learning the language as effective as possible. It comes with an added layer of convenience that makes it much easier to learn English quickly. It also allows you to compare vocabulary, phrases, grammar, and other aspects of the language with real life examples.While some online audio courses are well thought out and entertaining, others may be a bit confusing. With the premium version, you can expect a solid set of tools and techniques to help you improve your English. You'll learn many different aspects of the language so that you'll be able to navigate better in English speaking countries.When you're deciding between the two options, keep in mind that you'll still have to make other plans for learning if you want to go beyond what the software can provide. But it's important to remember that you should not choose one option over the other. One solution may not b e as effective as the other.In the end, it really depends on you. If you find that the free download full version of the software is ideal for you, then you should definitely consider purchasing the premium version. But it's up to you which option you pick.One thing is for sure - when you are able to get more than just free download full version of the software, you'll benefit from using the premium version to learn the language. If you don't want to compromise quality and convenience for a price, there's nothing wrong with paying a little more.