The college application essay
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Friday, March 6, 2020
What is an Equilateral Triangle
What is an Equilateral Triangle There are different types of triangles based on the sides and the angles of the triangle, and one such type of a triangle is the Equilateral triangle. An equilateral triangle is a triangle which has all equal sides, which implies all the 3 sides are equal in length. Because the sides are equal, the 3 angles are also equal to each other. Since the sum of all the angles in any triangle must add up to 180, hence each angle in an equilateral triangle measures 60. Example 1: What is the area of an equilateral triangle which has the side length equal to 5m? Given the side of an equilateral triangle, s = 5m An equilateral triangle has all the 3 sides equal to each other in length. Hence all the sides are equal to 5m. Area of an equilateral triangle, A = 3/4 * s2 Area of the equilateral triangle, A = 3/4 * (5m) 2 Area, A = 3/4 * 25 = 10.8m2 Hence area of the given equilateral triangle, A = 10.8m2 Example 2: What is the area of an equilateral triangle which has the side length equal to 6m? Given the side of an equilateral triangle, s = 6m An equilateral triangle has all the 3 sides equal to each other in length. Hence all the sides are equal to 6m. Area of an equilateral triangle, A = 3/4 * s2 Area of the equilateral triangle, A = 3/4 * (6m) 2 Area, A = 3/4 * 36 = 15.6m2 Hence area of the given equilateral triangle, A = 15.6m2
Online Math Tutor Chat
Online Math Tutor Chat Live Chat With Online Math Tutors Can Help You Boost Your Math Grades Is your child struggling in their math classes and finding it hard to pay attention or understand their teachers? Does a big classroom environment make it difficult for them to learn or ask questions? Tutor Pace tutors can provide your child with a one-on-one learning environment to help with their homework so that they can learn new study habits and raise their mathematics grades. Math can be confusing at times, but Tutor Pace can ease all of these worries, and provide your child with one-on-one virtual tutoring for all of their math needs. All you need is an internet connection, a comfortable place to learn, and the determination to achieve awesome grades. Tutor Pace Online Math Tutoring Program Features: Tutor Pace tutoring progam can help boost your child confidence, strengthen subject comprehesion and gains important math learning skills: 24/7 access to our math tutors. No more worrying about business hours. Pre-scheduled and on-demand appointments. Help whenever you need it. Personalized learning from your own home. No more drive time or taxi moms. Choose and keep your favorite tutor. Familiarity and consistency for your child. Instant feedback and recordable sessions for your convenience. No need to remember everything at once Our Online Tutors Can Help with Learning All Math Subjects! Tutor Pace can help you with all math subjects, including algebra, calculus, geometry, probability, statistics and more. When you work with our math tutors, you will get the opportunity to discuss your homework, develop a new study plan that works with your learning style, and the time to ask questions to better understand the problems. We will use our diagnostics tests to help identify your childs key strengths and weaknesses so that you can pinpoint their trouble areas, and overcome them. This will give your child not only the math skills they need, but also the confidence that they need to ace their next mathematics exam. Watch Your Childs Confidence in Math Class Skyrocket with Tutor Pace! Here at Tutor Pace, we use many different resources to ensure that your child has the best tutoring experience. You can be confident that your tuition dollars are well spent as you watch your child progress and advance after each online tutoring session. Our tutors work at your childs unique learning pace, so there are never issues with falling behind. Our primary focus is to help your child grow. ?Throughout our tutoring program, we use many tools to maximize success including: 500 math practice worksheets Engaging and interactive question and answer software Effective diagnostics tests to identify students strengths and weaknesses Numerous free math exercises Online math flashcards Our tutors are ready to stand by your side to meet all of your math tutoring needs. Our tutors can help you get your assignments completed quicker and more successfully. Chat with Your New Online Mathematics Tutor Today If you have questions and want to get your child started with their new one-on-one personal math tutor, contact us today! We would love to be a part of watching your child grow in learning mathematics and developing the confidence that they need to ace all of their math tests. Get Math Help from Online Math Tutor Now! Are you worried that your math grades are falling? What if you could get a math tutor online to go over with your math problems and you take control of learning at your own pace by working with a tutor in one-on-one environment. In one-on-one online math tutoring, our tutors help you develop a skill so you not only master the subject but also build confidence and therefore receive higher grades. Students who opt-ins for our tutoring program have actually raised their grades from Bs to As after completing our online tutoring program. Our math tutors develop a personal student learning plan (SLP) by using an interactive and engaging technology (such as math fun games, iPad, diagnostic tests). These techniques in fact help in identifying students weaknesses and strengths areas. Tutor and student work together to stay focus on the weak areas and therefore improve learning in overall subject. Help Your Childs Get a Head-Start and See their Skills and Confidence Soar: It is not uncommon for a child to have their confidence issues at one time or another, we help build their self-esteem and help them develop a healthy sense of their own abilities. During the entire tutoring program, student is asked to use : 500 math worksheets to practice. Question and answer tool which student find it to be very interactive and engaging tool. Diagnostic tests: a very powerful tool to find out students weakness and strengths. Free interactive math exercises. Math flashcards online. Chat with a Live Math Tutor Online Can Really Help During exam time, students need more help than ever before. Our Tutors stand ready when you need them before or during your exam time to provide the help you deserved. You get personalized one-on-one attention to get your math homework help and assignment done quicker and easier. Our Tutoring Program Features: Expert math tutors online 24/7 Get help in any math subject, from calculus and trigonometry to calculus and statistics Connect with tutor either from your computer or mobile device No appointments to make for your session Live on demand or schedule-based tutoring Ability to choose and keep your favorite tutor No drive time to learning center Instant feedback to student and parents after each session and test Cover all topics including algebra, calculus, geometry, probability, statistics and more. Each session are recorded and archived to replay later for practice. Do not worry about your difficulties in mathematics; I assure you that mine are greater. Einstein, Albert (1879-1955) If you ask mathematicians what they do, you always get the same answer. They think. They think about difficult and unusual problems. They do not think about ordinary problems: they just write down the answers. Egrafov, M. Inspirational Success Story: I still remember the day when a shy 6th grade student named Vanessa took her first online math lessons with me. Vanessas vice principal had actually recommended her to utilize Tutor Pace after school tutoring service program. I asked to the student to take a diagnostics test so I can find out where she was struggling in math. After seeing her result from diagnostic test, I decided to develop a student learning program for her and planned to boost her confidence by teaching her to add fractions. I knew from my previous experience that children build anxiety and nervousness about math when they first start working on math problems. Because I developed my lesson plans which involved multiplications, math magic and math techniques but when I asked Vanessa if she knows anything about multiplications, she stated she had no idea what the multiplications meant. Even she was struggling with the counting a number. She was terribly kept saying that I dont understand it at all But with the right lesson plan, I was able to help her into developing mathematicians. My secret was for her to carefully guiding her adventure in numbers
Thursday, March 5, 2020
Interesting Phrasal Verbs Learn English with Harry
Interesting Phrasal Verbs Learn English with Harry Here you will learn interesting phrasal verbs. Ive taken them randomly, theyre not very normal phrasal verbs. So hopefully youll understand them and find a use for them in your English conversation.First one isPUT IT DOWN TOMeaning: to blame something or to think that something happened due to a particular reason Interesting Phrasal Verbs Its a multi part phrasal verb, and we can use this in many ways. For example,if I am suffering from a bad cold or sore throat or generally dont feel well. And somebody had said:?? How did you get the cold??? I think I put it down to the fact that Id been working hard recently. Ive been tired, Im not eating properly. So Id put it down to that.Meaning I will blame or thats my excuse.We can also use PUT IT DOWN TO if somebody is in a bad mood perhaps, and when youre talking to them, they get a little bit snappy, meaning they give you a very gruff or a sharp response. And then they say:Iâm really really sorry. Look, just put it down to nerves.So again, they are blaming or attributing their bad manners or little bit of a aggressiveness and their vice, theyre putting it down to the fact that they have to make an important presentation in the next few days.The government put the increase in crime down to the fact that young now are using computer games too much.The next phrasal verb is to SINGLE OUTMeaning: to select or to pick someone or something particularlyFor example, in school, the students are all pretty good. Theyre getting good marks. But one particular student has done really, really well consistently. So the teachers single out this student for a special merit award.Youve all done really well, but Mary Smith has been singled out to receive an award as the person who has gone beyond what they needed to do and has performed exceptionally well in all subjects.You can use single out phrasal verb with a positive or with a negative meaning.In the above example I gave you about school, were using it in a positive way.Also in school you might find some boy or girl is a little bit different from the other children. They get picked on or bullied, which nobody likes to see happening.So they were singled out for some attention by other students because they are different.We could also use single out phrasal verb in a sporting context.For example, you have a very, very skilful player on one team. Such a player is usually singled out by the opposition for special attention. Phrasal Verb Drag Out Meaning The next phrasal verb is TO STICK TO SOMETHING.Meaning: to continue doing something that you promised or decided to doWell, of course we can use this in the literal context when we are cooking and you forget to put enough on oil or something in the pan and do your meat or whatever youre cooking will stick to the pan and youre have to scrape it off.But stick to means when we decide not to change our mind or not to change our opinion about something.If youre playing a game of cards, poker, perhaps, you decide to stick to the hand that you have, the cards that youve got, you dont want to change any of them because you think youve got a good hand and therefore youve got a good chance of winning.Or you can say, Ill stick to my decision.So here is how you can use stick to something in a sentence: What are you going to do at the weekend? Well, I was going to just have a quiet night in. Why, what are you suggesting? Well, you know, with the us are thinking of going for a few beers and then p erhaps to a nightclub. No, I think Ill stick to my original idea. The quiet nights sounds a little better. Ive got to get up for work tomorrow. Phrasal Verb Pile Up Meaning And then the final phrasal verb I have in this particular podcast is TO GET ACROSS.Meaning: make your point to so that somebody understands where youre coming fromTo get across in its literal means to be able to go from one side of the street to the other, to get across the road to get across the bridge.If you want to use it metaphorically to get across, we usually refer to points or information. To get across your point.If youre having a debate and argument or discussion with somebody, its really important that you get your point across. So to get your point across a means to make your point to so that somebody understands where youre coming from and perhaps helps you to win that argument or discussion. Or you might like to get across to somebody that youre annoyed.So you know, you stand up and you ask a question and you say to whoevers in charge of the meeting or eh, somebody in authority:Id like to get across to you how annoyed I am about the situation in our streets.So to get acr oss your point means to make sure the other person listening to you understands exactly what youre trying to say and the reason why youre making that point. Okay.So to get across your point, to get across your ideas. Or to get the point across. Yeah, you can use it in that context. Hopefully, you enjoyed interesting phrasal verbs. Phrasal Verb Narrow Down Meaning
12 English Travel Phrasal Verbs - Learn English with Harry ??
12 English Travel Phrasal Verbs - Learn English with Harry ?? Here you will learn 12 travel phrasal verbs in English.If reading is not really your cup of tea, scroll down to watch a short video lesson on Travel Phrasal Verbs. 12 Travel Phrasal Verbs in English Travelling is a year round activity as people now go on holidays more than once a year. The following are phrasal verbs that are related to travel or, as you may name them, travel phrasal verbs. I have set out some key phrasal verbs that we use in a typical holiday trip. SET OFFWhen we begin a journey anywhere of a short or long duration we have to start from some place either our home or our office perhaps.So we normally advise our friends or family that our holiday is about to start or we will set off shortly.Example: John was going to Italy for a week. He told his family that he was due to set off at 4 pm for the airport and asked if someone could give him a lift.SET OUTSimilar to set off we can also use this to describe the beginning of a journey. It sometimes refers to a shorter journey than a holiday, perhaps a trek or a walk.Example: Michael is gone for a trek. He set out about an hour ago. HEAD FORto start moving towards a place (town, city, etc)Example: We had decided to head for Edinburgh.CHECK IN/CHECK OUTWhen we arrive at our destination, a hotel or apartment on Airbnb (perhaps) we usually have a time when we can check in.And when we leave our hotel or apartment at the end of our vacation we are given a time to leave or check out.Ex ample: When I arrived in Barcelona I made my way (travelled to) to my hotel and checked in at about 2.30 pm. On my day of departure I had to check out before 12 noon. It suited me fine as my flight was due to leave at 3 pm.Scroll down for Everyday English Travel Phrases. 12 Travel Phrasal Verbs in English HOP ON/HOP OFF Im sure you are familiar with these 2 travel phrasal verbs.Nowadays most of the cities offer visitors the red bus option to get a tour of the city. This red bus is sometime a replica of (a copy of) the old London buses.These buses offer the option to hop on or off as you please at different locations around or across the city. You buy the ticket and you can get on (hop on) or get off (hop off) the bus at any location.Example: We hopped on the train and went back to the hostel. GET AROUND Travelling is very enjoyable at any time. However, it is made easier due to the advances in transport options. We can travel by car, train, plane or even ship!When setting out our plans for our holidays it is important to know how we will travel from one destination to another. Our friends may ask us what type of transport will we use.How are you getting around? = How will you travel?Example: David was travelling to 5 cities in 10 days. His friend wanted to know how he intend ed getting around. He had arranged to hire a car for that purpose.SEE SOMEBODY OFFWhen somebody is leaving for an extended time it is normal for family members to travel with that person to the point of departure (airport or train station) to wish them well and to wave goodbye. This we refer to as seeing somebody off.Example: Mary was leaving for an extended working holiday in Australia. Her parents were anxious to go to the airport to see her off. She was going to be away for approximately 6 months. Everyday English Travel Phrases 12 Travel Phrasal Verbs GET BACKWhen we go on a holiday or a business trip we usually have to come back at sometime. It is also normal for our colleagues family and friends to ask us when are we due to return when talking about our holiday.Example: Declan was going on holiday to the USA and his boss wanted to know when he was due to get back to work. So we can ask When are you getting back? or When do you get back to the office/home? or When are you due back?GET GOINGWhen it is time to depart or to leave we often use the phrase get going.We often use it together with the words its about time because usually we are in a hurry or in a rush.Example: Igor was late packing his bag and needed to get to the airport as quickly as possible. He told his wife it was about time he got going. He had to leave immediately otherwise he might have missed his flight.BREAK DOWNto stop working (a machine, a vehicle)Example: Our car broke down on the way to Nice, so we phoned breakdown recovery service.START OFFto begin a jou rney at a particular placeExample: We started off in Heidelberg, which is this old-fashioned, nice town in Western Germany.PUT SOMEONE UPto give (someone) temporary accommodationExample: My friends put me up for three nights.Do you like travelling? What was the last trip you took? Try to write a short story about your last trip and use as many travel phrasal verbs as you can. This simple exercise will help you remember them.If you would like to continue learning English phrasal verbs (Im sure you would!), continue reading my other posts. I also have a post about Intermediate English Travel Vocabulary where you can find English words and expressiong related to travelling.And if you would like to improve your English faster and in an easy way, consider taking our English Lessons on Skype. Remember, we do offer a FREE English lesson to try it! English Travel Verbs - Video Lesson
Happy Thanksgiving 2019
Happy Thanksgiving 2019 The TutorZ Team wishes you a very happy and relaxing Thanksgiving, for this seasons in 2019. If you are a tutor then you are an inspiration to your student. If youre a student then bless you for your ongoing hard learning work. If youre a parent then thank you all the caring for your child and choosing the best teachers and tutors for your student. This 2019 Thanksgiving, we want to express our appreciation for all of our tutors, students and parents. Working with you has been an opportunity and blessing for us. We appreciate your high standards, demands, persistence and needs. Happy Thanksgiving, 2019.
Types of Classes You Should and Shouldnt Take Online
Types of Classes You Should and Shouldnt Take Online Image via https://pixabay.com Opt for Online If: The Class Fits Your Interests One of the major struggles that can come with taking an online course is trying to stay motivated to pay attention to lectures and to complete all of your coursework on time when you donât have a professor holding you accountable and donât have to sit in a classroom during class time. As a result, your chances for success will be increased if you take an online course in a subject that truly interests you, as that way youâll be more likely to have the necessary self-motivation to focus and study hard. If you find the course material boring to begin with, thereâs a good chance that youâll lose interest throughout the duration of the course, and you may struggle to stay on track. For this reason, itâs a good idea to reserve some classes that youâre excited about to take online. You Have a Lot of Independent Work Though you can still connect with your classmates online when taking an online course, it can be more difficult to coordinate group work and projects when youâre not all in the same place at the same time. Being able to work independently will in some ways be an advantage, as you wonât have to worry about whether or not your classmates are getting their share of the work done without you. In addition, if you choose to take an online course so you donât have to commute to campus, you probably wonât want to be driving all the way to campus just for a group project, so to ensure that you maintain the convenience that youâre looking for, try to find a class that allows you to work on your own most of the time. You Know the Subject Well Having to go sit in a classroom every day when youâre able to pick up on the course material faster than your classmates can be frustrating, so if you feel like you want to set your own pace in a course, it can be helpful to take it online. Often with online courses youâll be able to speed through topics you understand well and slow down for others as necessary, so if you feel like youâd be bored sitting through a classroom and learning material at your professorâs pace, taking that course online can be a great alternative. Avoid an Online Course If: You Struggle with the Subject While itâs not necessarily true that youâll receive less assistance from your professor in an online course than you typically would, it will likely still be harder for you to do well in a course taken online if you already know that you have trouble with the subject or specific topic. Though youâll still be able to email your professor with questions, you may not have the opportunity to ask your questions as they ariseâ"that is, while your professor explains it in a video or when youâre going over course materials on your own. The Subject Matter Can Be Dry One of the benefits of online classesâ"their flexibilityâ"can also be a major downside if you decide to take a class covering a topic that is dry or unexciting by nature. Taking an online course means that you can set your own schedule, and you may find that itâs difficult to motivate yourself to complete the necessary coursework if you donât have a set class time. In addition, you may not have the help of your professor or classmates to keep things interesting and to help make a dry subject matter become more exciting. If you take the class while youâre at home alone, it can seem even more difficult to get through. You Want to Study for It with Classmates While you can still meet up with your classmates for an online course, it may be more difficult to get to know them, and therefore hard to determine who would make a good study buddy. In addition, not all of your classmates for an online course may be nearby, so it may be inconvenient for them to meet up to study together. If you feel like youâd really benefit by having a study group for a certain class, it may be better to stick to a traditional classroom-style course, so itâs easier for you to form that group. Online courses can have major advantages, but youâll have to choose them carefully to ensure that you benefit from the convenience and independence they bring. Before you register for classes, make sure that you take into account these factors!
How to Learn a Language by Yourself 5 Rockstar Tips for Success
How to Learn a Language by Yourself 5 Rockstar Tips for Success How to Learn a Language by Yourself: 5 Rockstar Tips for Success So youve decided that you want to learn a second language.Rock on! Good for you!But now what? How are you going to do this on your own?Are you aiming too high? Can you really learn a language by yourself?Yes you can! So lets leave the doubts right here at the door and never look back.You can learn a language on your own, and to set you up for success Im sharing five awesome tips that are filled to the brim with actionable items you can start today! How to Learn a Language by Yourself: 5 Rockstar Tips for Success1. Work withâ"Not Againstâ"Your PsychologyIn language learning, it is attitude, not aptitude, that determines success. -Steve KaufmannSet S.M.A.R.T. goalsIf you dont know where you are going, how are you ever going to get there? I know, it sounds like something that would be printed on one of those corny motivational posters from the 80s. But its still a valid question to pose to oneself before embarking on a self-guided language learning mission.When most people th ink of goal setting, short-lived New Years resolutions probably come to mind. Many of us set out to conquer the world on January 1, vowing to learn a new language, drop ones spare tire, get out of debt, etc. Yet a few weeks later, we somehow find ourselves watching bad TV instead of studying, stuffing our face holes with pizza instead of broccoli and charging a new big screen on our Visa.But why does this happen? Is it simply a matter of laziness and weakness of character? Perhaps for some. But I think the real problem for most people is poorly defined goals. While setting goals is no guarantee that you will actually achieve them, it is an important step in the right direction.So whats the problem with most goals, especially the aforementioned resolutions? They are either vague, unmeasurable, unattainable, irrelevant to ones life, have no clear deadline or all of the above. To prevent such wimpy goals, try instead to employ the acronym S.M.A.R.T. to your language learning goal s. A smart goal is:Specific.Measurable.Attainable.Relevant.Time-bound.Instead of saying, I want to learn Spanish (What do you mean by learn? By when? For what purpose?), you can instead say, I am going to speak with my Spanish language partner every Wednesday for 15 minutes for the next 6 months. See the difference?Embrace the process over the destinationSetting goals is essential, but contrary to popular belief, picturing yourself attaining those goals is actually not as helpful as you might think. Positive thinking is great, but what ends up happening for many people is that they subconsciously think, I have already reached the goal, so why work so hard? I know, it sounds crazy, but its a real phenomenon. So set goals, yes, but instead of picturing yourself crossing the finish line, visualize yourself actually running the race.View language learning as an adventure, not a choreInstead of telling yourself, I have to study a language today, use a little linguistic jujutsu and say instead, I get to study a language today. Yes, its a small change, but it can have a significant effect on your outlook and likelihood of staying the course day in and day out. Remember that languages are doorways into new lands, new cultures, new foods, new music and perhaps, new romances. The minutes and hours you spend today, could earn you years of joy down the road.Choose inherently enjoyable learning activitiesIf you wouldnt watch a soap opera in your native language, why would you force yourself through one in your target tongue? (Well, all right, unless youre studying Spanishâ"because Spanish soap operas are their own unique form of entertainment! But you see my point). Part of making language learning fun is doing things in the language that you would do anyway, activities that bring you joy and fulfillment.For me, its learning martial arts or other physical activities. The immediate physical context makes it much easier to figure out whats happening, helps make voca bulary stick (especially if someone sticks a punch because I did the drill wrong) and is inherently enjoyable in its own right. Do a quick survey of your personal passions and find some opportunities to do something with them using your target language.2. Design Your Environment to Maximize Language Input and OutputExcellence is never an accident. It is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, and intelligent execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives. Choice, not chance, determines your destiny. -AristotleReplace your media with target language equivalentsIts imperative to stop choosing to study throughout your day. When you make your target language the only option, you have no choice but to get valuable exposure each and every day. And one of the best ways to limit choices and maximize learning is to switch all your sources of media (TV, movies, magazines, blogs, podcasts, etc.) to your target language. Place foreign film DVDs by the DVD player. Replace the magazines in the bathroom. Put a stack of foreign language manga next to the bed. You get the idea.And if youre looking for an easier and natural way to learn from foreign language media, then you should check out FluentU. FluentU takes real-world videos like music videos, movie trailers, and TV shows and turns them into language learning experiences. Its a terrific way to quickly pick up natural vocabulary and to learn with context.With FluentU, you learn real languagesâ"the same way that natives speak them. FluentU has a wide variety of videos like movie trailers, funny commercials and web series, as you can see here:FluentU App Browse Screen.FluentU has interactive captions that let you tap on any word to see an image, definition, audio and useful examples. Now native language content is within reach with interactive transcripts.Didnt catch something? Go back and listen again. Missed a word? Hover your mouse over the subtitles to instantly view definitions.Interact ive transcript for Carlos Baute song.You can learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentUs learn mode. Swipe left or right to see more examples for the word youâre learning.FluentU Has Quizzes for Every VideoAnd FluentU always keeps track of vocabulary that youâre learning. It uses that vocab to give you a 100% personalized experience by recommending videos and examples.Start using FluentU on the website with your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store.Change all your devices to your target languageThis one is a game changer. Given how many hours a day most of us spend with our eyeballs glued to our various screens, changing the device display language can significantly increase our target language exposure. Granted, this increases passive reading input, not active speaking output (the most important language activity), but hey, every little bit helps.Best of all, you can make lots of educated guesses about new vocabulary based on your previous experience using the user interface in English. For example, if you are new to Japanese, you probably dont know the word for Settings in the language yet, but once you change your iOS interface to Japanese, you will see that ?? (settei) is written below the Settings icon. Boom. Thats one more word in the bag.Label key items in your home and office in the target languageAn old idea, but a good one. Just as changing your device language increases exposure to contextual vocabulary throughout your day, labeling items around your home and office accomplishes much of the same goal. The difference of course is that these labels will be providing less tech-centric input, meaning youll learn lots of useful real-life vocabulary thats necessary if you ever travel or live abroad.To get started, use Vocabulary Stickers, durable and removable labels that teach you the names of the most important items around your home and office, for hassle-free language lea rning. For languages with grammatical genders, the stickers are even conveniently color-coded so you learn the gender of each word as you learn the word itself.Create visual study cues and When I, then I statements to promote new habitsCreating new habits (or quitting old ones) can be an extremely difficult task, but there are a few tricks to stack the behavior change deck in your favor:Create constant visual reminders in your environment. Place flashcards on your nightstand, put language apps on the home screen of your device and swap out your media as discussed above.Create some When I do X, then I do Y statements. For example, When I wake up, then I immediately review 15 flashcards. Make these statements tied to specific times of day, specific locations or other activities you do on a regular basis.3. Track Your ProgressWhat gets measured gets managed. -Peter DruckerMeasure progress in hours, not yearsMost people assume that it will take years to learn a foreign language. And s ure enough, it does seem to take most folks at least a few years to reach conversational fluency in a foreign language. But this is because most people only put in a few hours (if not a few minutes!) each week.But if you made language learning your number one priority and put in at least an hour every day, you would be able to reach your fluency goals far faster. Forget about years. Such measurements of time are too big and too intimidating to be of much good for our purposes.Instead, try to keep track of how many hours you spend actively learning the language each day. If you are not improving as fast as you want, the answer is very likely that you are not putting in enough hours each week. But unless you measure, you wont know. You will likely feel like you are putting in gobs of time, but may in fact be doing very little.Record yourself speaking at least once a monthWhile there are many ways to measure your progress, unscripted speaking is by far the best test of your actual level in a language. It doesnt matter what device you use (smartphone, tape recorder or phonograph), just make sure you do it at regular intervals. I recommend once a month so that there will be enough time to seeâ"or rather hearâ"observable progress.Write a daily journal in your target languageWhile speaking ability is the main goal for most language learners, writing skills should not be underestimated. Keeping a daily journal in your foreign language is a great way to both improve your word smithing skills while also measuring your progress over time. The journal doesnt need to contain beautiful, flowing prose. The only requirement is that you get words down on paper (or on the screen) on a daily basis. Months later, you can then go back and review what youve previously written. You will be amazed how far youve come!4. Create a Tribe: Learning By Yourself Does Not Mean Learning AloneYes, I think its okay to abandon the big, established, stuck tribe. Its okay to say to them, Yo ure not going where I need to go, and theres no way Im going to persuade all of you to follow me. So rather than standing here watching the opportunities fade away, Im heading off. Im betting some of you, the best of you, will follow me.' -Seth GodinGet a tutor, language exchange partner or private teacherThough the title of this post is How to Learn a Language by Yourself, I am in no way encouraging you to learn in isolation. You must (I repeat, must) apply what you learn by interacting with native speakers. What I am saying is that you dont need to attend formal classes to do that. With the advent of Skype (and similar VOIP services), you can now interact with native speakers of nearly any language, just about everywhere. There are countless free (or at least affordable) language exchange sites, some of which even connect you with professional teachers. My favorite is iTalki, but you can Google around until you find something you like.Find or make friends learning the same languag eLearning alone is not only boring, its also a recipe for failure. Having at least one friend learning the same language as you means that you will have a trusted confidant to share with, whether its sharing resources or venting frustrations. It also allows for a little friendly competition.5. Consistency Trumps Quantity: Make at Least a Little Progress Every DayYou dont set out to build a wall. You dont say Im going to build the biggest, baddest, greatest wall thats ever been built. You dont start there. You say, Im going to lay this brick as perfectly as a brick can be laid. You do that every single day. And soon you have a wall. -Will SmithCommit to a small amount of study every day no matter whatIs it better to study five hours a day than five minutes? Sure. But its also way better to study five minutes a day than not at all. No matter how many curve balls, emergencies or defeats your day throws at you, do your very best to fit in at least a tiny bit of language study. Even if i t means just reviewing one single flashcard. When you completely miss a day, you are that much more likely to miss the next, and then the next, and so on. Dont let yourself break the streak.Use hidden moments throughout the dayAs I mentioned in my last post, hidden moments are a great way to squeeze in language learning time even in the busiest schedule. Any time you find yourself waiting for something (may it be waiting in line or waiting for the elevator), whip out some flashcards or listen to a podcast. A few seconds here, a few minutes there, can all add up to a big chunk of time at the end of the day.Study first thing in the morningLiterally, put language learning first. Before you do anything else in your day, make sure that you spend a little bit of time listening, speaking, reading or writing. That way, no matter how many TPS reports you end up having to resubmit at the office, you will have already checked off language study from your list of daily commitments.Do you feel confident now? You should, because you can learn a language by yourselfâ"and feel like a rock star as you progress towards reaching your specific language goals.Just put these tips into action and youll be on the road to success.Good luck!John Fotheringham is a linguist, author, entrepreneur, pun aficionado, and full-time silly goose. As both learner and teacher, he has spent the last decade testing first hand what works, and perhaps more importantly, what doesnât. He shares these results on his blog, Language Mastery, in his podcast, The Language Mastery Show, and in his comprehensive language learning guides, Master Japanese and Master Mandarin.
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