Sq Feet to Meters

Sq Feet to Meters A Square feet (also represented as sq feet) is a unit of measurement of area and it is commonly used in the United States, Canada, and in United Kingdom. While describing the area of anything, we use this measurement and estimate the number with respect to the unit. Area determined in terms of square feet is one of the commonly used measurement values and this number can be converted from square feet to another unit. Square feet can be converted to square meters which in turn can be converted to meters. Example 1: Given area of a rectangle is 40sq feet and the length of the rectangle is 2m. Calculate the width of the rectangle in meters. Area of a rectangle, A = length * width Given: length of the rectangle, l = 2m Area of the rectangle, A = 40sq feet First we should convert the units of area from square feet to meters2. Standard conversion: 1m2 = 10.764sqft This implies Area = 40sq feet = 40/10.764 = 3.72m2 So width of rectangle = Area/length= 3.72m2/ 2m = 1.86m Example 2: Given area of a rectangle is 100sq feet and the length of the rectangle is 4.6m. Calculate the width of the rectangle in meters. Area of a rectangle, A = length * width Given: length of the rectangle, l = 4.6m Area of the rectangle, A = 100sq feet First we should convert the units of area from square feet to meters2. Standard conversion: 1m2 = 10.764sqft This implies Area = 100sq feet = 100/10.764 = 9.29m2 So width of rectangle = Area/length= 9.29m2/ 4.6m = 2.02m

Discover the Incredible Links Between Art And Biology

Discover the Incredible Links Between Art And Biology Examples Of Art In Biology Tuition ChaptersLife Drawing â€" The Human FigureHuman Anatomy ArtAbstract Art And The Human FormBiological PhotographyBioArt - Taking Art To The ExtremesA Quest To Find The Perfect Body?Horticultural ArtAlthough it may not have crossed your mind before to find a link between Art and Biology, the two actually share many connotations with one another. Classically, Art has been the study of humans and other organisms, with a strong focus on highlighting the intricacies of nature.Of course, illustrations and images are required for your academic textbooks, in order to teach you about scientific concepts, but Biology has a much bigger connection to the world of Art than just that.Keep reading to find out how Science and Art combine to celebrate biological processes and phenomenon. If you don't already, this will teach those art lovers among you to love Biology too! MahimaBiology Teacher 5.00 (10) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AndyBiology Teacher 5.00 (2) £15/h1st lesson free!D iscover all our tutors AlishaBiology Teacher 5.00 (10) £9/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SaifBiology Teacher 5.00 (9) £22/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FrankBiology Teacher 5.00 (8) £90/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HeavenliBiology Teacher £9/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SiobhanBiology Teacher £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MackenzieBiology Teacher 5.00 (2) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsLife Drawing â€" The Human FigureThe human form has been the subject of many paintings over time,  but while photographs of nude bodies are still somewhat controversial in today's society, historically there was no shame in nudity in art.Figure drawing has been around for many centuries and describes the sketching of the human figure, male or female, in various shapes and postures. Purely observational, artists following this particular style of art have limited freedom to express themselves because they are using a liv ing and breathing person standing before them to compose their works of art.Even in prehistoric times, society was concerned with anatomy and drawings suggest an already sophisticated view of the human form. In the late 1700s, the ability to master drawing was seen as a prerequisite for artists and so many had to spend hours in the drawing room practicing their craft.Take your A level biology courses on Superprof.Life drawing is the process of studying the natural human form using art media. Photo credit: San Sharma via Visualhunt / CC BY-SATo this day, art students continue to draw models, often in a circle or semi-circle so that no one has the same perspective.Contemporary artists might choose to exaggerate or distort aspects of the model’s appearance to bring something extra to their art piece, balancing composition with style. Those  who do life drawing are encouraged to learn how to draw figures of all types, thus opening up their eyes to the fact that all body shapes are dif ferent.Discover some A level biology distance learning courses here.Human Anatomy ArtWhile life or figure drawing is quite matter of fact in its execution and is very much about putting down on paper what you see on the surface, some artists are more interested in what lies beneath.So many of us go through our lives without really knowing much about the intricacies of our bodies, like our anatomy and the processes our organs go through to keep us alive every second of every day. (Not to mention all of the emotional states that our mind and body experience over our lifetime.)Figure artists, however, draw humans in a very realistic style, displaying an understanding of the structure of the human body, including muscles, bones and organs. One of the best examples of this is Michelangelo's series of studies of nude men.Like these artists who study the human body in an attempt to recreate it on paper, once you begin studying the finer details of our bodily parts then your eyes will be op ened to the sophistication of our figures. Having appreciated what our bodies can do, and how well they do it, you will never look at them in the same way!Rembrandt famously painted a series of paintings focused on surgeons  which, although less detailed than Michelangelo's sketches, brought about interest in human anatomy.With less information and knowledge of what was beneath the layers of our skin back then, the fascination with autopsies and dissection was of course quite astounding. People were naturally curious about corpses and the artist’s motif was to reflect on these lessons in anatomy.Abstract Art And The Human FormThe Spanish artist, Pablo Picasso, was a very important figure in Art during the 20th century, and had a very particular style when it came to expressing the human body.Not one to follow trends, the innovative artist rearranged the traditional outlook of the male and female bodies into an abstract form. He completely abandoned known form and brought to the su rface the question of what is real and what is illusion, playing with feelings and emotions too.This approach has even more relevance today, with so much emphasis on looks and the idea of what is beautiful. If Picasso were still alive and painting today, we wonder how we would have depicted the falseness of cosmetic surgery or the startling transformations that come  from modern methods of applying make up or using controversial hair dyes? MahimaBiology Teacher 5.00 (10) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AndyBiology Teacher 5.00 (2) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlishaBiology Teacher 5.00 (10) £9/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SaifBiology Teacher 5.00 (9) £22/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FrankBiology Teacher 5.00 (8) £90/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HeavenliBiology Teacher £9/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SiobhanBiology Teacher £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MackenzieBiology Teacher 5.0 0 (2) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsBiological PhotographyAlthough not exactly considered a popular form of art, photography has a very important place in the world of Biology, and particularly in the area of crime investigation.On crime scenes, photographs are taken as a visual representation of how the scene was left, including any relevant objects or, in the case of massacres, corpses. In the case of fatal attacks or robberies, a crime scene investigator will arrange for photographs of the deceased to be taken. If you have watched CSI: Miami or Silent a Witness, you will be very familiar with this process.Photography plays an important role in crime scenes. Photo credit: Colin Remas Brown via Visualhunt.com / CC BYWhile most photographs are kept guarded in police files, some chilling photos are released to the public, including some macabre photos showing New York crime scenes in the 1910s which have been printed as part of a book called Murder in the City, by Wil fried Kaute.Although the pictures were not intended for the public, they have been collated and serve a purpose to show what crime looked like in the Big Apple during this decade (where homicide rates were extremely high).BioArt - Taking Art To The ExtremesBioArt, is a relatively new art practice whereby artists and scientists are creating pieces (mainly in the lab but also in studios and galleries) made from live tissues, bacteria and other living organisms. Pioneers of this branch of art are determined to transform the science into works of art by using their bodies and other living things and by adopting the help of engineers and scientists.Orlan, for example, is an artist who uses cosmetic surgery procedures to change her appearance to resemble famous images of women in art, using the procedure as part of the performance.Her aim is to focus on the power of technology to transform our physical appearance.  Orlan’s work also pushes boundaries in terms of human health with her nu merous experiments with going under the knife. That sure is dedication to one’s craft!A Quest To Find The Perfect Body?Having considered all of the above examples, can we conclude that Biology’s place in art is centred around finding the perfect body?While many people in society share roughly the same ideology concerning feminine and masculine beauty (hence why the same actors and singers are voted as the ‘sexiest’ or ‘best looking’ in magazine and television polls) it would seem that this belief of what is attractive and what isn’t is very much influenced by the times.Just to prove that this is the case, you are unlikely to look at a painting from the 1700s, of a then very beautiful women or a strappingly handsome man, and to think that they are good-looking. This is because, as with most things, tastes change and external factors play a big part. What  on earth might those from the 18th century have had to say about Kim Kardashian’s famous pear-shaped body, or Arno ld Schwarzenegger’s bulging biceps?The answer to the aforementioned question is therefore an astounding no. We can safely say, however, that Biology’s place in Art is to embrace the human body including all of our unique traits or imperfections, while also celebrating how strong and powerful our bodies are as well as referencing all that they are capable of doing.Horticultural ArtMoving away from the controversies of the human body, however, plant matter has equally been the focus of many artists’ attention over the years.Perhaps it is their ability to reproduce, just like humans, that draws us to flowers, or maybe it is simply because they look so nice.Anatomical images of flowers are very popular among homeowners, with many prints and drawings being available to purchase online and in art or poster shops, but the subject is also very closely linked to your biological studies.Horticultural drawings are commercially very popular but they also serve a purpose to the scientific community. Photo credit: Swallowtail Garden Seeds via VisualHunt.com / CC BYDuring your Biology GCSE course, you will be required to learn about plant reproduction, including the male and female sex cells and the process called pollination.The flower is the reproductive organ of many plants and is therefore a hugely important piece of nature, as well as being a pleasant thing to look at.There is such a thing as Scientific Botanical Art, which describes the ability to draw plants to scientific standards, i.e. using observation to create detailed illustrations of plants and their make-up.This is a very important branch of art as it vital to helping scientists within the botanical field to recognise and distinguish species from one another, while documenting this information in the formal classification of plants.Biology affects our everyday lives.In order to lean more about the sensational breakthroughs within this field, click here.Alternatively, you can read our blog on some of the vocabulary that you will need as a Biology student.Moreover, you can discover more about how the subject has evolved over the years by visiting this blog.Find biology tutors.

An Introduction to Oil Painting

An Introduction to Oil Painting All a Beginner Needs to Know about Oil Painting ChaptersOil Painting for BeginnersBeginner Techniques in Oil Painting â€" and Some More Advanced OnesHandy Tutorials and Resources to Improve Your Oil PaintingWe’re guessing you’re here because you want to stand alongside some of history’s geniuses of oil painting. You want to be rubbing shoulders with Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Da Vinci, in the pantheon of the greatest oil painters of all time.Or maybe not; maybe your oil painting ambitions are a little more modest. Maybe you just fancy splattering that canvas with something beautiful, being able to wield a paint brush, or creating an oil painting of which you can be proud.Whilst the first may be a little challenging â€" although not to say impossible â€" the latter is within everyone’s grasp. And we’re here to help you get there.That’s why we’ve prepared this beginner’s guide to how to paint with oil. And although it is one of the more difficult painting mediums to master, its effects â€" its bold, vivid colo urs, its beautifully textured quality, and its glossy vibrant finish â€" make it one of the most rewarding media in which to work.So, let’s have a look at some of the things that you will need to have to start painting â€" and some of the things that you will need to know. There’s a fair few of them. However, with practice, you’ll be as good a painter as you want to be.Let’s take a look. FernandoPainting Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EmmaPainting Teacher 5.00 (5) £75/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DavidPainting Teacher 4.75 (4) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NatashaPainting Teacher 5.00 (7) £37/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors StefaniaPainting Teacher 5.00 (4) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SakinaPainting Teacher 5.00 (1) £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LorrenPainting Teacher 5.00 (2) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Off2themoonholliePainting Teacher £8/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsOil Painting for BeginnersSo, what do you need to know before you get cracking with your oil painting? That’s what we’re going to be answering here.However, the answer depends on what exactly you want to be doing. Obviously, everyone has a few things in common. Yet, the amount of detail and the types of techniques you’ll want to learn depend on the sort of painter you want to be and the level of seriousness you’ll want to put into learning to paint.Here, we’re going to be looking at the very basics, for those who are totally new to painting on canvas. Because that is always the best place to start. Oil painting is fun!What is Oil Painting?To begin with, then, what is oil painting?Oil paint is a particular type of painting medium that is known for its viscosity, its slow drying time, and its use by some of the most important painters in history.It’s made â€" as you can probably expect â€" from oil. From vegetable oils, primarily â€" including linseed oil, walnut oil, or the oil from poppy seeds. Oil is a great medium in which to suspend colour pigments because it has a very high saturation, meaning that oil paints can hold a lot of the colour, so they become incredibly bold on the canvas.In comparison, watercolour â€" in which pigments are suspended in water â€" does not produce such vividness of colour.The other characteristic thing about oil paint is that it is very slow drying, to the extent that some colours don’t dry fully even after months. This means that artists can retouch and correct their works after much time has passed.In comparison to acrylic paint, say, which is incredibly fast drying, this feature of oil painting makes it ideal for beginners who shouldn’t need to rush.Some Key Tools You’ll NeedTo excel in oil painting â€" or, indeed, to get anywhere at all with it â€" you are going to need a certain number of practical tools with which to work.You can imagine what most of these will be.Paint brushes are a pretty good place to start. But note the plural: you’ll probably need more than one of different sizes before you can get going. Flat brushes are good for larger scale paint application, whilst round brushes are good for detail.Meanwhile, canvases â€" primed and sized â€" are going to be necessary too, as well as a colour palette in which you can mix your colours. The mixability of oil paints is one of the perks of the medium â€" so don’t neglect it.Otherwise, something to clean your brush â€" and water won’t do. You need a white spirit of some kind. We’ve moved past the days of turpentine, however, so try an artist’s whi te spirit. Any art shop will sell it.Find out more about starting out in oil painting!Beginner Techniques in Oil Painting â€" and Some More Advanced OnesOnce you have rushed out and bought all those things that you’ll need, it’s good to think about what techniques, skills, and knowledge you are going to need to make some progress in your painting.Here’s where it all gets pretty serious, because if you don’t nail some of the fundamental aspects of this, your painting might not last as a painting for too long. The canvas can rot, your paint can flake or fade, and the whole thing can crack if you do the wrong thing.But enough of the scary stuff. Really, it is very difficult for it all to go that wrong. Just do as we suggest and it will all go swimmingly. Start on your journey of oil paintingPreparatory Techniques in Oil PaintingSo, what do you need to know before you start painting? There are three things really:How to prime a canvas or surface;How to thin your paint; andThe laws of paint application.You can see the details of all this in our article on oil painting techniques for beginners, but let’s run through some of the basics here.In regards to the first point, if you paint in oil on a surface that has not been primed â€" such as an unprimed canvas â€" you are going to be exposing the threads of cotton or linen in the canvas to the oil. This will make the fibres in the canvas rot â€" and your paint will begin to flake off.Secondly, you know that you are going to clean your brush with white spirit â€" because water and oil don’t mix. However, these spirits are also essential for thinning your paint too.Why would you want to do that? Sometimes you don’t want your oil paint to be as thick as when it comes out of the tube (su ch as when you are doing underpainting). As such, you can add spirits â€" and oil too â€" to your paints to make them less thick.Finally, there are two primary laws of oil painting: fat over lean and thick over thin. In both cases, you want the fast drying paint to be applied first. Thick paint â€" and ‘fat’ paint, that paint that is oilier â€" needs to be applied later. As the thicker and fatter paints dry slower, thin paint on top will just crack.Use Different Oil Painting Techniques to Achieve Different EffectsMore advanced techniques come in truckloads â€" and the different techniques you’ll want to learn will depend on the styles in which you want to paint.If you are interested in traditional landscape painting, you might want to try your hand at blending â€" the technique in which you mix together the boundaries of adjacent colours on your canvas. The effect smoothens the whole scene.If you are more a Van Gogh fan, you’ll want to consider wet on wet painting (or alla p rima, as it is known), or impasto.Handy Tutorials and Resources to Improve Your Oil PaintingFinally, if you are looking for guidance or inspiration in your oil painting, there are plenty of places in which to look.From the newer forms of entertainment and instruction â€" such as podcasts and video tutorials â€" to blogs, books, and the original paintings of famous artists themselves. All of this can provide inspiration and motivation in your own work.Oil Painting Podcasts and VideosPodcasts and online videos are some of the most popular places for people to get their information these days. And this doesn’t exclude the world of art either.In terms of oil painting tutorials via video, the best place to look is of course YouTube, where painters such as Florent Farges and Lena Danya give live demonstrations of their work.If you want to just learn about the history of oil painting, or about ideas around the creative process, check out the podcasts of Tate Museums. They cover just abou t everything, with a quality that you would expect.Learn more about resources and tutorials to help with your oil painting!Find Inspiration from the History of ArtHowever, there is no better place to look for inspiration and guidance than in the history of art itself. From Da Vinci and Rembrandt to Van Gogh and Wassily Kandinsky, history is full of oil paint artists â€" who are probably the reason that you wanted to paint in the first place! Those paint brushes won't stay clean for long...

Should you take the SAT or ACT in 2014

Should you take the SAT or ACT in 2014 One of the most common questions we get here at AJ Tutoring is whether a student should take the ACT in addition to (or instead of) the SAT. Read on for more information to help you make the decision!How do the SAT and ACT differ?ACT questions are generally more straightforwardThe ACT has a science section, which the SAT does not haveThe SAT tests more vocabularyMath on the SAT only includes algebra and geometry, while math on the ACT includes more advanced trigonometryThe SAT is split up into more sectionsThe ACT is a faster-paced testSo, which test should my student take? Its difficult to predict which test is a better fit until students actually take the tests and compare their scores.  Subjectively, most students prefer the ACT because it feels like an easier test.   However, after the scores are scaled, most students get similar scores on both tests.  Some students, though, perform much better on one test and since colleges accept both tests for admission, we always recommend trying both the SAT and ACT!How can my student take a practice ACT test? AJ Tutoring offers free proctored practice tests for current students most Saturday mornings at our Palo Alto, Menlo Park, and San Jose offices.  Students are welcome to take a practice ACT, which we will score and compare to prior PSAT and SAT scores.   If its clear that the students score is much higher on one test than the other, its an easy decision thats the test we should focus on in the spring.  However, if the scores are similar, we recommend preparing for both tests.How do we prepare for the ACT? Because so much of the content on the tests is similar, AJ Tutoring offers a shorter ACT hybrid program for students who have already completed a full SAT preparation with us.  The ACT hybrid program, which is typically four sessions, focuses on strategies and timing unique to the ACT.   If your student is only planning on taking the ACT, we also offer a comprehensive 8-9 session preparation for the ACT a lone.To find ACT test dates for 2014 and to register for the ACT, please go to  the ACTs website.If you would like to register your student for a practice ACT  or would like to speak to a director about ACT tutoring in more detail, please give us a call at (650) 331-3251 or email us at info@ajtutoring.com.  Were looking forward to speaking with you!

Jimmie Johnson Foundation Announces Winners! - Heart Math Tutoring

Jimmie Johnson Foundation Announces Winners! - Heart Math Tutoring Jimmie Johnson Foundation Announces Winners! Jimmie Johnson Foundation Announces Winners! May 2, 2014             JIMMIE JOHNSON FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF THE BLUE BUNNY HELMET OF HOPE CHARLOTTE, N.C. (May 2, 2014) The Jimmie Johnson Foundation announced today the five winners of the Blue Bunny Helmet of Hope, a program that allows fans and consumers across the country to nominate not-for-profit (501c3) organizations that support K-12 public education. Each of the winners will be awarded a $25,000 grant. The 5 winners are: • Crayons to Classrooms in Dayton, Ohio • Champions for Learning in Naples, Florida • HEART Tutoring in Charlotte, N.C. • Le Mars Community Schools Foundation in LeMars, Iowa • Reading Partners in Denver, Colorado The final five were selected via public vote. Approximately 438,658 votes were cast for the 10 semi-finalists during the voting period. “We are thrilled with this year’s Blue Bunny Helmet of Hope program,” Johnson said. The competition was tough. The public rallied around the semi-finalists to show their support. It was exciting to see the number of votes go up each day. All of the semi-finalist organizations were very deserving. Chani (wife) and I are honored that the Jimmie Johnson Foundation, in partnership with Blue Bunny, is able to support the great work of the 5 winners.” In addition to a $25,000 grant, each of the five winners will receive a Blue Bunny ice cream party and special recognition on Johnson’s race helmet during the Sprint Cup Series race on July 27, 2014 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. To date, the Blue Bunny Helmet of Hope program has contributed more than $560,000 to 71 different charities. “Congratulations to the five winners of the 2014 Blue Bunny Helmet of Hope grants,” stated Mike Wells, President CEO, Wells Enterprises, Inc., maker of Blue Bunny ice cream. “The rallying effort by the fans and supporters of each of the 10 semi-finalists was impressive and illustrates the energy and passion around the purpose and mission of each organization. It is an honor to help each of them further the important work they are committed to around education.” About the Jimmie Johnson Foundation Chandra and Jimmie Johnson launched the Jimmie Johnson Foundation in February 2006. Johnson, the six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion, drives the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet SS in NASCAR’s top series. The mission of the foundation is to assist children, families and communities in need throughout the United States. The foundation has committed more than $6.7 million to various charities. The Foundation currently focuses on K-12 public education. For additional information on the Jimmie Johnson Foundation, please visit www.JimmieJohnsonFoundation.org. About Blue Bunny Wells Enterprises, Inc., maker of Blue Bunny ice cream, is the largest privately held, family-owned ice cream and frozen treat manufacturer in the United States. The company was founded in 1913 and is headquartered in Le Mars, Iowa, the Ice Cream Capital of the World. Wells produces more than 1,100 ice cream and frozen novelty products, including its signature brand, Blue Bunny ®, super premium brand, 2nd St. Creameryâ„¢, and the iconic Bomb Pop ®. Wells also manufactures licensed frozen treat brands including Yoplait ® frozen yogurt and Weight Watchers ® frozen novelties. Visit bluebunny.com. Contact: Amanda Prothero, Jimmie Johnson Foundation 704.308.7439 aaanm Penny Copen, True Speed Communication 704.875.3388 x 810 Liz Croston, Blue Bunny 712.548.5522 oben

Get a head start with learning a language in a new country

Get a head start with learning a language in a new country As you begin your international teaching placements, you may be headed off to a new country with no knowledge of how to speak the native language. In some cases, you’ll be exposed to a completely different alphabet. Don’t fretâ€"use these simple tips that won’t take much time or trouble to get started learning a new language. The more you can learn, the more comfortable you’ll feel in your new city.Study lessWe know this seems counterintuitive, but there have been studies that show that simply reading textbooks and filling out workbooks when learning a language aren’t as effective as getting out into the world and activating that language. Full immersion is your friend! Don’t be shy to make mistakes, people will just appreciate the fact that you’re trying to learn their language. Take as many opportunities as you can to use your target language to communicate with the people around youâ€"even picking up a local newspaper and committing to read one article a day is more effective than studying a textbook and will help you advance more quickly.Stock up on sticky notesOne problem many people report when learning a new language is that they constantly forget common, everyday words that they imagined would be the easiest for them to remember. Using sticky notes to label everything around your apartment in your target language will give you constant little reminders to help you learn these words and work them into your vocabulary.Switch up your music playlistListening to music in a target language can be surprisingly helpful, even though you might feel like you’re doing no studying at all. Music stimulates memory recallâ€"just think about what it’s like when you hear a song you haven’t heard in years: you remember all the words. If you want to take it one step further, a lot of research even suggests that singing songs aloud in the target language may help you learn a language twice as quickly. Not to mention, your pronunciation will improve!Make new friendsThis might seem like it goes without saying, but if you’d like to make language learning one of your focuses, you should really look to make some friends outside of your teaching circle. Try local meetups, a conversation exchange, or a sports team. This way you’ll be exposed more regularly to your new country’s culture in an authentic way and you’ll learn some new language as well. You might even pick up on slang and colloquial language a bit more easily if you have a friend to show you the ropes.Reset your electronics and social networksIf you’re a frequent Facebook user, you’ve likely memorized the functionality in your mother tongue. Why not switch the default language to the native language of your new country to learn some computing vocabulary and common words? You can do this in your Account Settings.You don’t have to stop there thoughâ€"try your cellphone and laptop as well. These will begin to get you thinking about daily tasks in another language.   If you’ve found resources or tips of your own that have helped your advance your language learning, share them with us!

The importance of extracurricular activities

The importance of extracurricular activities There is a lot of pressure on children to succeed at school nowadays that sometimes extracurricular activities can fall by the wayside. However, there is a growing amount of evidence to indicate these activities are very important to a child's development. Social skills School groups can be rather cliquey so extracurricular activities provide an excellent platform for meeting new friends outside of school. More often than not shy children don't even notice that they have come out of their shell as they are so excited to get involved in something new. Professional skills Extracurricular activities can teach skills that are vital regardless of your age. Learning to cooperate and work together, especially in a team, is really important. A team is only as strong as the weakest player and children soon learn that they must work together to increase their chance of success. Hard work will also free up other opportunities they may not have had before, for example to be a team captain or leader. Existing school commitments can mean fitting in extracurricular activities is a juggling act. However, time management is a key skill for adult life so try to let your child organise their own timetable to fit in both. This will sit them in good stead for the future and will also help them to learn what to prioritise. Broadening horizons There are such a variety of clubs and interests out there that there is sure to be something to suit everyone. Joining a club with like-minded people can really open up their eyes to the possibilities that are out there. If your child has already decided on a possible career path, for example being a soldier, then becoming a cadet at the local group can really help affirm whether it is the career for them. If there's something that they are interested in but know little about then let them have a go. They may well find their new favourite hobby. And lastly... ... have fun! There's no point in making them join a club if they don't want to be there and aren't enjoying it. If you're stuck for inspiration then don't worry, we've outlined some ideas below: Join an arts club Join a sports club Join a debating team Learn to play a musical instrument Volunteer with a local charity

5 Tips to Celebrate National Family Literacy Month

5 Tips to Celebrate National Family Literacy Month 5 Tips to Celebrate National Family Literacy Month Whether it’s your toddler mesmerized by the pictures and activities of “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” or his Grandpa getting lost in the mysteries of a John Grisham novel, a love for books is timeless and shared across all generations. Nothing beats curling up with a good book and exploring the countless possibilities of worlds both real and imagined. “Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.”- Emilie Buchwald For many, the love for books starts at an early age in the stories our parents read to us. Providing your children with plentiful opportunities to listen to stories will help them learn to read and comprehend stories on their own. They also begin to think more actively as they listen to stories and picture the scenes described, wondering how the story will develop. When read to frequently, children can grow to love reading and will take the initiative to read more on their own. National Family Literacy Day ® is celebrated on November 1st each year and is a kickoff to National Family Literacy Month. This November, the celebration of National Family Literacy Month brings about a great opportunity for families to get back into the tradition of reading as a family. Here are ways you can promote family literacy at home. Set aside time each day for reading. Keep books visible around the house. Make regular visits to the library. Read the book version of your child’s favorite movie. Organize a children’s book club with friends in the neighborhood. Reading books that match ability and interests exposes children to new worlds. Check out the Kumon Recommended Reading List for age-appropriate book selections. You might also be interested in: 7 Ways to Celebrate Pi Day 6 Oral Reading Tips for Parents Happy Read Across America Day! Kick-off National Reading Month by Celebrating Dr. Seuss’ Birthday With These Fun Activities 5 Books to Read for Black History Month 5 Tips to Celebrate National Family Literacy Month 5 Tips to Celebrate National Family Literacy Month Whether it’s your toddler mesmerized by the pictures and activities of “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” or his Grandpa getting lost in the mysteries of a John Grisham novel, a love for books is timeless and shared across all generations. Nothing beats curling up with a good book and exploring the countless possibilities of worlds both real and imagined. “Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.”- Emilie Buchwald For many, the love for books starts at an early age in the stories our parents read to us. Providing your children with plentiful opportunities to listen to stories will help them learn to read and comprehend stories on their own. They also begin to think more actively as they listen to stories and picture the scenes described, wondering how the story will develop. When read to frequently, children can grow to love reading and will take the initiative to read more on their own. National Family Literacy Day ® is celebrated on November 1st each year and is a kickoff to National Family Literacy Month. This November, the celebration of National Family Literacy Month brings about a great opportunity for families to get back into the tradition of reading as a family. Here are ways you can promote family literacy at home. Set aside time each day for reading. Keep books visible around the house. Make regular visits to the library. Read the book version of your child’s favorite movie. Organize a children’s book club with friends in the neighborhood. Reading books that match ability and interests exposes children to new worlds. Check out the Kumon Recommended Reading List for age-appropriate book selections. You might also be interested in: 7 Ways to Celebrate Pi Day 6 Oral Reading Tips for Parents Happy Read Across America Day! Kick-off National Reading Month by Celebrating Dr. Seuss’ Birthday With These Fun Activities 5 Books to Read for Black History Month