The Perfect Apps for Introverts Everywhere - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / The Perfect Apps for Introverts Everywhere - Introvert Whisperer The Perfect Apps for Introverts Everywhere Have you ever wanted to spend time with people physically, but do not know where to begin. Do you feel overwhelmed in crowds or front of a large audience? Would you rather spend time alone than go out with your friends during the weekends? If the answer is yes, then perhaps you have an introverted personality. Living as an Introvert As an introvert, it can be quite difficult for you to interact with someone in a normal setting. Most introverted individuals resort to using various apps to compensate for the lack of social skills and interaction that they deal with daily. Whether it be for dating or shopping, online applications can serve as a way for introverts to connect to the outside world without going through the hassle of meeting people face-to-face. Here are some examples of applications that introverts can use to simulate social interaction online. Dating Apps Dating applications such as Ok Cupid or Grinder can help you find someone to connect with without having to go through the awkward stage of physically traveling out and going to a restaurant for a date. You can easily swipe right or left if you like or dislike someone’s profile. These apps also will allow you to send instant messages that could help you start a conversation; something that you might not be able to do in the flesh. Social Media Platforms and Applications Social Media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram can afford introverts like you the opportunity to create a community online that allows you to share your thoughts and feelings without the added pressure and awkwardness of meeting in person. These applications will be able to connect to 24 hours a day without having to deal with the limitations of real life. Just send a message, and you will be able to start a conversation easily much like you would in a dating site. However, social media platforms are used primarily to connect with people that you already know personally. It would be best to keep this in mind when trying to get in touch with others on social media. VoIP Applications VoIP stands for Voice Over Internet Protocol. If you are fond of using programs like Skype or Viber and Facebook Messenger, then you are using Voice Over Internet Protocol technology. This particular type of application allows a person to communicate with another despite large distances. For introverts, this would be a great way to communicate because you will not have to be there to talk to another person. You can use it as a phone, or you could turn on the camera and see the person you’re talking to through the screen. Either way, it’s a great way to communicate for those people who want interaction in a much more limited and controlled environment. Through these applications, you will be able to send files and documents which can help facilitate conversation even further. You will not have to think about what you want to say, which can create a gap between you and your chat partner. Online Shopping Sites and Applications This portal is another way for you to communicate with other people who tend to have similar tastes in a musical instrument as well as other related products. My shopping online regularly, you will be able to connect with like-minded individuals who may have the same interests as you do. These sites will also remove the awkwardness of having to pay for exorbitant amounts of merchandise in person. If you love to shop and have no limits when it comes to spending, online shopping applications would be the best alternative for you. Why Use Online Applications? The main reasons why we recommended these particular applications for introverts is because it will help minimize the awkwardness that introverts might feel when meeting people. The main issue with introverts is that most of them are not equipped to handle large crowds. These specific personalities also tend to be socially inept. This ineptitude is why they resort to using online applications to make up for the lack of social interaction in their lives. Applications above will help them trained their mind into communicating much more eloquently through written words. We hope that they can further develop communication skills and use them in live interaction sooner rather than later. These online applications will expose them to humans in small doses at first, and then once they feel comfortable interacting with the person online, chances are they would be more open to meeting them in person eventually. It also helps introverts deal with rejection and a much more controlled environment. As we all know, online applications are open to everyone. Because of this, criticisms from other users, whether it be positive or negative, can reach the user quite freely without filter. The open communication line then allows the introverts to be exposed to both positive and negative criticism, which can train them to become more accepting of society as a whole. It can help the people around them teach the introverts that not everyone would be open to their way of seeing things. In turn, this will help them accept other people as they are and allow them to hopefully not judge others too harshly down the line. The Pitfalls of Using Online Applications Much like any other product out there, there also some disadvantages to using online applications too much. Because of the limited and controlled environment that an online application of Ford’s user, chances are he will not learn to develop social skills in a much more normal way. They ensure word might learn to rely on social media as a form of curing a quiche and wait for too much and forgets how it is to live with others as a normal human being. They should be a balance between online interactions through applications and real-life connections. Conclusion If you feel that your relationships with your family and friends are already suffering because of social media connections, then it would be best for you to take a break. Try to interact with one person at a time, and you will eventually be able to handle yourself in a much larger sighting for sure. Author Bio: Lydia Lee  is a fashion blogger. She works at a Tech company and writes as a freelancer for several fashion magazines both local and international. She has a pet terrier named Fugui.

Dealing with FOMO as an Introvert - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Dealing with FOMO as an Introvert - Introvert Whisperer Dealing with FOMO as an Introvert Kayla Matthews July 19, 2019 Dealing with Fear One response Go to top We hear about it all the time â€" FOMO or the fear of missing out. Marketing campaigns have been utilizing this fear in their ad campaigns for years, reminding you of the things that youll be missing out on to encourage you to buy products or invest in services or experiences. The problem with these marketing tricks is that they dont appeal to everyone. As an introvert, you have to balance your fear of missing out with your desire to stay home and avoid social interaction. How can you deal with FOMO as an introvert? Stop the Social Media Binge If youre suffering from FOMO, social media is the worst place you can go to. Social media doesnt just give you a place to showcase all of your adventures â€" it actually generates that fear of missing out, because you get to see what everyone else is up to. They might be doing things that youd enjoy, but you werent invited so it triggers that FOMO feeling. A study published in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology found that restricting social media use to 10 minutes per day per platform improved mental health and reduced symptoms of depression as well as feelings of loneliness. If you cant reconcile your FOMO with your introverted tendencies, try shutting off your social media or at least reducing your use. Realize You Arent Missing Out Do you know what they say about FOMO? Jealousy is all the fun you think they had. You only see the best highlights of whatever everyone else is doing, especially on social media, so you build up this amazing event in your head that you feel bad for missing out â€" whether its true or not. It gets even worse as an introvert â€" either you decided not to go, or you werent invited because your friends know youll probably say no anyway. Either way, we get it â€" it sucks. Itll take time but if you understand that you arent actually missing out, FOMO becomes easier to handle. Take Time To Recharge Socializing as an introvert is one of the most exhausting experiences of your life. Thats because introverts recharge when theyre alone, and being in social settings drains their batteries. If you do decide to go out, dont spread yourself too thin. Make sure youre giving yourself time to recharge between events. It could be as simple as staying home to take a bubble bath and watch Netflix or as complex as spending the afternoon at a spa getting pampered. Whatever you need to recharge, make sure youre giving yourself enough time to keep your batteries topped off. FOMO Sucks â€" Dont Let It Bother You We get it â€" FOMO sucks. You dont ever want to feel like youre missing out, but it can be difficult to keep up with an extroverts busy social schedule when all you want to do is stay home, eat junk food, and sleep. Stop worrying about missing out and start taking care of yourself. Worry about making your own memories and enjoying your experiences, rather than trying to live the perfect Instagram life. FOMO can only bother you if you let it. Take care of yourself first. Go to top Bottom-line â€" I want to help you accelerate your career â€" to achieve what you want by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my 4 Building Blocks to Relationships eBookâ€" the backbone to your Networking success and fantastic work relationships.   Grab yours by visiting here right now! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer

Where Can I Buy Sewing Patterns

Where Can I Buy Sewing Patterns The Best Places to Buy Patterns for Sewing ChaptersFind a Sewing Pattern at HobbycraftPatterns at AbakhanFinding Patterns in Your Local Sewing ShopShopping for Patterns OnlineIf you know how to sew, you have an advantage over everyone who is limited to buying clothing in a shop: you can make any article of clothing you wish, in any colour or type of fabric you wish.Unfortunately, clothing oneself is not as easy as draping a length of cloth around oneself, at least in most countries.Naturally, you may opt to wear elegant saris or a gracious kimono but you would still need undergarments and they must be sewn.Today, sewing your own clothes is more of a novelty than a necessity.Still, judging by all of the activity in fabric and sewing supply stores, it appears that sewing is enjoying a resurgence.Perhaps you too have decided to dust off your sewing machine and put it to good use.Maybe you feel inspired by the gorgeous fabric you found that would look stunning as a summer dress or a wrap skirt. Or maybe you could make the most of it by making a wrap dress… Although they are both a type of wrap dress, you cannot sew a kimono from a wrap dress pattern! Image by Sasin Tipchai from PixabayTake amazing sewing courses here.Ah, here comes the indecision: what to make of those three metres of fabric you fell in love with? And how to make that article of clothing, once you settle on what you want to make?The answer to both of those questions is one and the same: a pattern.In this article, your Superprof prowls around the best fabric and notions stores to help you find the best places to buy dressmaking patterns and patterns for other articles you might consider sewing, such as doll clothes and purses.Did you know that purse patterns were a thing?knitting and crochet.Naturally, they have a whole line of sewing supplies, including patterns.How would you like to make a tunic top with an asymmetric hemline? Or maybe you’d like to make yourself a smart cape for those evenings you go to the theatre…Hobbycraft offers so much more than just a handf ul of patterns and definitely more than clothes patterns; they have patterns for doll clothes, costume patterns for fancy dress â€" are you going to a fancy dress party for New Years?So far, we’ve only mentioned women’s clothing but did you know that Hobbycraft has patterns for men’s clothing as well?You can find trouser, vests and pajama patterns and more than one shirt pattern suitable for men, you can also find many patterns for loungewear for both men and women.They stock lots of patterns for children’s clothing, too. Everything from fun rompers for active play to sleepwear to snuggle down in.Offhand, it sounds a bit overwhelming, the selection they keep on hand but you needn’t worry about being subsumed by sewing patterns; to make your selection, you may simply look through their catalogues for a style that suits you. The shop attendant will then go find the pattern for you.The only way that process could be made more effortless is by learning how to make your own pat terns! You may delight in a Simplicity pattern to make these vintage dresses! Image by ????????? ???? from PixabayPatterns at AbakhanWhere Hobbycraft has something for everyone dabbling in virtually any hobby from sewing to painting, Abakhan deals almost exclusively in fabrics and the needle arts.And, much like the other chain hobby craft store already mentioned, you can find an Abakhan in just about every UK city.Ok, that is a bit of an exaggeration.Still, if you’re wondering where in Altrincham, Bolton or Preston you could go to look at a selection of patterns, you need only look for the bright green Abakhan banner.Once inside the store, you will be greeted by friendly, helpful clerks who will do their utmost to help you find the pattern you are looking for.Even better: if you are brand-loyal, you will surely find what you are hunting because they have their patterns catalogued by name:Burda StyleButterickDMCHayfieldSimplicityKwik SewMcCallsVogue PatternsSimple SewTilly and the ButtonsA s though their wide selection of brands wasn’t generous enough, they also have doll clothes patterns, patterns for pet wear, bag patterns and patterns for home decoration accessories like pillows and seasonal item.And, if you enjoy the casual comfort of medical scrubs, they have patterns for those, too.Should there not be such a fabulous store in your city, you may shop their website for the pattern you crave, or even just to get ideas of what you could make with that fabric you just bought.By the way, did you know you could also learn how to make your own dress pattern?Finding Patterns in Your Local Sewing ShopRight after shopping online for everything from groceries to digital goods like music and films, chain stores are the go-to choice for most shoppers.And why not? They are convenient, competitively priced and they always seem to have what you need when you need it.While they are a boon for shoppers, such ventures usually make things more difficult for the independent retaile r who often struggles with the same issues that plague those big box stores without the benefit of a corporation’s bank book to back them.And, with taxation and regulation making it ever harder for the independent shops to keep the doors open â€" let alone to make a profit, supporting our local businesses could be seen as doing one’s civic duty.Besides, your local sewing supplies store clerks most likely have a wealth of experience and advice you could benefit from, such as which fabrics would flow best for that A-line dress you wanted to make or any hacks for sewing a knit dress.In fact, there is a good chance that you will be offered sewing tutorials; you may even get some instruction on pattern making!All across the UK, there are delightful shops, often tucked away from the main thoroughfares, that are just brilliant in their resources and knowledge about sewing. Here, we’ve compiled some of the best.Independent Sewing Shops Across the UKCityShop NamePhoneBristolFlo-Jo0117 904 1498BirminghamGuthrie Ghani0121 449 8419CardiffTrixieLixie0292 034 4464LeedsFabrics for All0113 279 5007LondonStag Bow 0208 291 4992NottinghamColes 0115 988 1550PlymouthFunky Poppy0777 675 7300YorkGillies' Fabrics0190 462 6244You may even find that those shop owners are passionate about the needle arts and may impart to you pattern-making basics of fashion design. If you are looking for beginner sewing projects, you might look for doll patterns Image by Hans Braxmeier from PixabayShopping for Patterns OnlineYou might imagine that, if we were surly about chain stores taking business away from the independent stores, we must be downright hostile about online shopping sites… right?Quite the contrary, as it turns out!Let’s go back to our opening scenario: you just bought three metres of dazzling fabric and you are not quite sure what you want to make out of it.Earlier, we implied that you could look at the sketches on pattern envelopes, sort of flip through them â€" like Sheldon (The Big Bang) flips through comic books, to see if any design catches your eye.The next best step would be to thumb through a catalogue.Major pattern makers each have their own collections of patterns, so you might first look at a catalogue of Simplicity patterns, and then a collection of Butterick patterns…You may even be interested in looking at vintage sewing pat terns from those two major brands; after all, they have been around for over 150 years.The easiest way to decide on a pattern is to look online.If you don’t feel like spending hours in a brightly-lit shop, thumbing through sewing books and you don’t have an eclectic home-grown sewing shop nearby, your best bet to see a wide selection of clothing patterns is online.The two chain retailers we mentioned both have websites with an entire page dedicated to the patterns they have in stock.Amazon, the giant of online sales, also has a selection of dress patterns available.However, their selection is fairly limited; for instance, they don’t have much in the way of clothing for men and only a few patterns for children’s clothes.Here, we have to mention the revolution in clothes patterns: digitising them.Many designers are scanning their patterns in or drawing them outright with computer drawing software, and then making their patterns available, either as a PDF download or paper patt erns.The advantage over the PDF files is that they are a bit less expensive than the other ones.One of the greatest benefits to sites such as Closet Case Patterns and others like it is that the sizing is a bit more generous than, say, a Simplicity sewing pattern.Much as we enjoy your company, isn’t it time you go look at websites with clothes patterns?Oh, and before you make your first cut in that gorgeous material of yours, come back so we can show you how to adjust your patterns for size, length and the type of material you’re working with.Yes, that is an important factor when choosing your pattern!

Anthropology Glossary

Anthropology Glossary Anthropology Activities Anthropology word cloud Anthropology Activities Match terms definitions Listen and match terms definitions Anthropology vocabulary card game Anthropology Listening Resources Careers in Anthropology Anthropology Reading Resources Careers in Anthropology What can I do with a major in Anthropology? A day in the life: Anthropologist Anthropology Grammar Resources Online ESL grammar checker Anthropology Glossary aboriginal Inhabiting or existing in a land from the earliest times or from before the arrival of colonists; indigenous. acculturation A process in which members of one cultural group adopt the beliefs and behaviors of another group. age category A culturally defined category based on age used to define the life cycle, such as infant, child, teenager, young adult, adult, elderly. animism The attribution of a soul to plants, inanimate objects, and natural phenomena. anthropobiology A branch of anthropology concerned with the biological and behavioral variation of human beings, other non-human primates, and extinct hominin ancestors of the human species. anthropology The study of humankind. anthropologist A scientist interested in what it is to be human in all of our many different societies around the world today and in the past. archaeology The systematic study of the material remains of human behavior in the past. autochthon An indigenous ihabitant of a place rather than inhabitants descended from migrants or colonists; an aborigine. biodiversity The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem. clan A group in which genealogical links to a common ancestor are assumed. class A group of people thought of as a unit because they are similar in terms of social or economic factors. class stratification Where members of a society are ranked from higher to lower based on wealth, prestige, position, or education. commerce Large-scale buying and selling of goods and services within and between societies that usually have market economies. craft An activity involving skill in making things by hand. crime An action or omission that constitutes an offense that may be prosecuted by the state and is punishable by law. cultural diversity The quality of diverse or different cultures, as opposed to monoculture, as in the global monoculture, or a homogenization of cultures, akin to cultural decay. cultural relativism The principle that an individual humans beliefs and activities should be understood by others in terms of that individuals own culture. culture The learned patterns of behavior and thought that help a group adapt to its surroundings. descent group A kin group whose members are recruited by one of the principles of descent; e.g., matrilineal, patrilineal, etc. diffusion The movement of cultural traits and ideas from one society or ethnic group to another. discrimination The act of distinguishing differences between people and showing favoritism or prejudicial rejection of them. domestication When humans intervene in the breeding patterns of plants or animals. enculturation The gradual acquisition of the characteristics and norms of a culture or group by a person, another culture, etc. ethics The principles of conduct governing an individual or group; concerns for what is right or wrong, good or bad. ethnic group A category or group of people considered to be significantly different from others in terms of cultural charcateristics such as dialect, religion, and traditions, and sometimes physical characteristics such as skin color, and body shape. ethnocentrism The evaluation of other cultures according to preconceptions originating in the standards and customs of ones own culture. Ethnolinguistics A field of linguistics that studies the relationship between language and cultural behaviour. ethnology The study of the characteristics of various peoples and the differences and relationships between them. extinction When a culture dies out. Often the people die out too. Some may become peasants or pass into contemporary society. first nation An indigenous American Indian community in Canada officially recognized as an administrative unit by the federal government. genocide The act or attempt to systematically kill all members of an ethnic group or culture. homo erectus An extinct species of primitive hominid with upright stature but small brain, living between 1.9 million years ago and 70,000 years ago. homo habilis An extinct species of upright East African hominid having some advanced humanlike characteristics living between 2.8 and 1.5 million years ago. homo sapiens The only surviving hominid species to which modern man belongs; a bipedal primate having language and ability to make and use complex tools and with a brain volume of at least 1400 cc life cycle The set of states a person goes through from birth to death. monogamy Marriage of one woman to one man at a time. This is the most common marriage pattern around the world today. multiculturalism A “salad bowl” model of society in which the existence of unassimilated and partially assimilated ethnic/racial minorities is accepted and encouraged. myth A traditional story, esp. one concerning the early history of a people or explaining some natural or social phenomenon, and typically involving supernatural beings or events. nationalism Extreme loyalty and devotion to a nation and its interests, usually at the expense of other nations or societies. negative sanction A punishment for violations of social  norms.   In large-scale societies, formal negative sanctions usually take the form of fines or prison sentences.   In small-scale societies,informal negative sanctions  are more commonly used against those whose behavior is unacceptable. neolithic Belonging to the later part of the Stone Age, when ground or polished stone weapons and implements prevailed. The Neolithic Revolution The worlds first historically verifiable revolution in agriculture. norms The conceptions of appropriate and expected behavior that are held by most members of the society. Paleoanthropology The scientific study of the fossil remains of extinct members of the genus Homo sapiens. pastoralism The branch of agriculture concerned with the raising of livestock. It is animal husbandry: the care, tending and use of animals such as camels, goats, cattle, yaks, llamas, and sheep. . polyandry The marriage of one woman to several men at the same time. This is a rare type of  polygamy. It usually takes the form of fraternal polyandry, which is brothers sharing the same wife. polygamy The practice or custom of having more than one wife or husband at the same time. positive sanction A reward for appropriate or admirable behavior that conforms with the social  norms. qualitative research The gathering of data by observing behaviour such as conversations, non-verbal communication, rituals, displays of emotion behaviour that cannot easily be expressed in terms of numbers. quantitative research The gathering of data that can easily be expressed in numbers and therefore analyzed using statistical methods. Shamanism The animistic religion of Asia that embrace the belief that ritual specialists can communicate with and influence supernatural beings or forces through controlled possession. symbol A word, gesture, or object that stands for something else. racism Harmful prejudice, discrimination, and persecution based on presumed ethnic or racial differences. religion A set of attitudes, beliefs, and practices pertaining to supernatural power. ritual A religious or solemn ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order. sexism Discrimination based on gender. skull A framework of bone or cartilage enclosing the brain of a vertebrate; the skeleton of a persons or animals head. stereotype A fixed notion or conception of people based on their group identity. tribe A social division in a traditional society consisting of families or communities with a common culture and dialect, typically having a recognized leader. world view The beliefs about the world shared by the members of a society and represented in their myths, lore, ceremonies, social conduct, and values. 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Article Errors

Article Errors A summary of articles and their uses What are articles? Articles are one of three types of determiner (articles, possessives, demonstratives) that come at the beginning of noun phrases. They help us to say whether things are known or unknown to the reader (the  man outside vs. a man outside) and whether we are speaking about particular examples of something (a car caught on fire) or talking about something in a more general sense (the car has changed Canadian cities forever). According to Swan (1995), articles are very difficult to master, but article errors dont usually interfere with communication because it is usually possible to understand a sentence with all of the articles left out. Examples of article errors The most common error that students make with articles is to leave them out when they are expected (during winter,  it  is  most  important  holiday). Also common are articles used with uncountable nouns (I  did  a  travel  last  year) and articles used with possessive forms of peoples names (the Johns house) . Missing articles INCORRECT: During fall and winter I’m coming to school by car.CORRECT: During the fall and winter I’m coming to school by car.EXPLANATION: Use the definite article the with the names of seasons. INCORRECT: I dont have job currently, but I have job in summer. CORRECT: I dont have a job currently, but I have a job in the summer. EXPLANATION: The noun job is countable, so must use a singular or plural form. For the singular form of countable nouns we use a or an. INCORRECT: Nearly half million people entered the country.CORRECT: Nearly half a million people entered the country. EXPLANATION: The noun million is countable, so must use a singular or plural form. For the singular form of countable nouns we use a or an. Articles and uncountable nouns INCORRECT: I did a travel last year.CORRECT: I did a trip last year. EXPLANATION: Do not use an indefinite article with uncountable nouns like travel. Please follow and like us:

5 of the best book-to-screen adaptations

5 of the best book-to-screen adaptations It's a truth universally acknowledged that most teenagers prefer watching TV to reading books - so perhaps adapting English GSCE and A-level set texts for the screen is the best way to get our tutees hooked on the classics. Here are five of the best book-to-screen adaptations: 1) Romeo and Juliet - William Shakespeare c. 1595 / Baz Luhrmann 1996 (Film) Baz Luhrmann made Shakespeare accessible to a whole new generation - without dumbing down. The film's frenetic direction captures the speed and impulsiveness of the young lovers' relationship, making their sudden demise all the more brutal. 2) Pride Prejudice - Jane Austen 1813 / BBC 1995 (TV series) This seminal costume drama is as much-loved today as when Colin Firth first strode out of that lake. Eye candy aside, this adaptation works because it perfectly captures the style and intention of Austen's writing, drawing out the satirical elements of her work without resorting to caricature. 3) Bleak House - Charles Dickens 1852-1853 / BBC 2005 (TV series) This English A-level perennial is a dense read with its myriad of characters, plots and sub-plots. This classy adaptation (again by the BBC) manages to streamline the story, without losing any of its essence. 4) One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest - Ken Kesey 1962 / Milos Forman 1975 (Film) Sticking closely to the original narrative, director Milos Forman shies away from the temptation to soften some of the book's harder edges. The result is a film which packs an undeniably powerful punch, with one of the most memorable anti-heroes in modern literature brilliantly realised by Jack Nicholson. 5) The Color Purple - Alice Walker 1982 / Stephen Spielberg 1985 (Film) First time readers often struggle with the regional dialect Walker employs in her Pulitzer Prize winning novel. This film adaptation is a strong introduction to the book, aiding understanding of Walker's language and thematic intentions, without overpowering its source.

Winter is Coming (and so is Fall)

Winter is Coming (and so is Fall) Well summer is in full swing now and everyone is hopefully enjoying a nice break from school work.  However fall is on the horizon and that means new subjects and new challenges as well. A new school year approaches. One of the things that really helped my kids was getting a tutor part way through the summer break to brush up on some of their problem areas, especially mathematics and science.   These topics always seemed to be troubled spots for my children. I guess that means they actually do take after me. My younger daughter had ADHD and some Visual Perceptual challenges, so a summer tutor really made a big difference in her education- especially a special education tutor.  The young lady we hired was very familiar with my daughters problems, including dealing with seeing some words differently than they actually appeared.  There was much coaching done over that summer. I had tried to work with my daughter myself, but I had not the training or understanding of what we were dealing with at the time.  Eventually, what happened with us is what happens to a lot of parent child instruction.  It becomes extremely frustrating and stressful. Both parties are not completely sure whats going on and study time becomes and argument. While watching the special education tutor, I learned there are many ways to teach and not all children benefit from the same   methods.  In fact this tutor had some very exciting methods and plans that my child actually began to enjoy working on and feel positive about.  As a parent, I claim amateur status.  But I learned so much from observing the   tutor working with my Daughter.  I would highly recommend summer tutoring to any one. However if your child has a few extra challenges I implore you to , first give them a nice summer break and them get a head start on the school year. Not only will your child be better prepared, they will be emotionally more comfortable in that   agonizing start of a new school year with new subjects, new teachers, and new class mates.  Every child can use a little more confidence, but to my child this was invaluable.

The 5 Hardest Languages for English Speakers and Why You Want to Learn Them

The 5 Hardest Languages for English Speakers and Why You Want to Learn Them Want to feel smart?Learn a second language.Want to feel even smarter?Learn one of the five hardest languages for English speakers.Learning any language to fluency is a major undertaking, but youll find that some languages take more time than others.When it comes to the amount of time it takes to learn a language, the hardest ones can take more than three times as long  as the easiest ones.So best just to save your time and avoid them, right?Not so fast! Learning a difficult language has several advantages, and itll take your language learning game to a new level.Its a more intense experience, so if nothing else, itll heighten all the benefits of learning a language.Plus, itll make you a total badass. Are Some Languages Really Harder to Learn?But are some languages actually that much harder to learn?Technically, the answer is no. All languages are evolved to be as easy to learn as possible, and theres nothing that makes any one language inherently more difficult to learn than anothe r.However, learning a second language is a little different than learning your first language because your habits and the way you think about language have already been shaped by your past experience. So when it comes to learning a foreign language, how hard a language is to learn depends mostly on how different it is from the language or languages youre already fluent in.Even though no given language is more difficult to learn in a vacuum, some languages will differ more from your native language in terms of syntax, word order, writing system, vocabulary and so on.Still, when we say these languages are harder to learn, all we really mean is that they take longer to learn. You have to figure out how to  memorize more stuff, and you might have to spend more time listening to internalize the flow of the language.But words are still words and grammar is still grammar. Nothing makes these languages inherently harder to learn. Theyre just less familiar and thus take more time. With a goo d plan and a good  language learning method, youll still prevail.Why You Should Learn One of the Hardest Languages for English SpeakersOkay, so the downside to learning one of the hardest languages for native English speakers to learn is obvious: You need to set aside more time than if you were learning an easy language.The upsides, though, are a lot more compelling.Youll learn an entirely new way of thinkingThe whole thing that makes these languages hard to learn is how different they are from English. But look at what that means: If youre learning one of these languages, youre learning a new, unfamiliar way of thinking. An entirely new writing system, a word order you arent used toâ€"whatever.If you arent convinced, consider that research has shown that speaking a language that has little in common with English literally means using your brain in a different way. The very thing that makes some languages especially hard to learn for English speakers also makes these languages espec ially useful for expanding your perspective and learning a new way of thinking.Youll gain access to a very different cultureThe less a language has in common with English, the more likely the culture associated with that language is to be very different from the cultures of English-speaking countries. Since learning a language also gives you access to the culture associated with that language, learning an especially unfamiliar language is a nice two-for-the-price-of-one deal where you also get to know an especially unfamiliar culture.Youll take your language learning skills to the next levelThe harder the language you choose to learn, the more itll stretch your language learning skills. Learning one of the hardest languages for native English speakers will give your language learning muscles a complete workout, so any languages you choose to learn in the future will seem easier and take you less time to become fluent in.The Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Centers Languag e CategoriesOf course, before you can get started learning one of them, you have to actually know what the hardest languages are!Fortunately, the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center (DLIFLC), a language learning institute run by the United States Department of Defense, makes this easy. They divide languages into four categories based on difficulty, then make the lengths of the courses they offer in each language proportional to how difficult that language is.The easiest languages, Category I and II languages, include Romance languages like Spanish and French and take 36 weeks to learn. Category III languages, which are harder still, include Russian and Hebrew and the course length goes up to 48 weeks.  The hardest languages of all are Category IV languages, which take 64 weeks to learn at the DLIFLC.The 5 Hardest Languages for English Speakers and Why You Want to Learn ThemThere are five languages taught at DLIFLC that get classified as Category IV languages. Lets tak e a look at them and why they might interest you.1. ArabicThe most obvious way Arabic differs from English is the alphabet. Arabic uses a right-to-left cursive script that draws on 28 letters. Additionally, vowels in written Arabic are often notated with small marks above and below words or even omitted entirely, so readers have to rely on their knowledge of the language to fill in the gaps between consonants.However, because of the limited number of letters used in the Arabic alphabet, English speakers tend to develop an intuitive sense of Arabic writing fairly quickly once theyve made the necessary mental adjustments.Arabic grammar is an involved process. Arabic is a highly inflected language with many rules that may surprise English speakers. For example:Arabic has a singular, plural and dual form, so having two of something is different than having three of something as far as the grammars concerned.The verb generally comes before the subject in Arabic sentences.The basic meanin g of a word is given by the consonants that form the root of that word, and the precise sense of the word is determined by which vowels are added between the consonants.Nouns can be masculine or feminine, and both adjectives and verbs have to match the nouns theyre associated with in terms of genderâ€"unless the noun is an inanimate plural, in which case the corresponding adjectives and verb must be in feminine singular form.Thanks to these kinds of grammatical quirks in combination with the writing system, learning Arabic can be a mind-bending experience for English speakers. For another perspective on what makes Arabic interesting for English speakers to learn, check out this article from Slate.And to start learning Arabic yourself, check out these great online resources.2. Mandarin ChineseLike Arabic, Chinese uses a writing system unfamiliar for English speakers. Unlike Arabic, Chinese doesnt have an alphabet. Instead, written Chinese is comprised of one-syllable characters, and every Chinese word is either its own character or a composite of characters. As a result, learning Chinese means internalizing the thousands of different characters that make up the language.Tones also play a crucial role in Chinese, and words that differ only in terms of intonation can have radically different meanings. Mandarin Chinese has four tones (some varieties of Chinese use more).That said, Chinese grammar is actually fairly simple for English speakers to pick up. For starters, Chineses subject-verb-object word order will feel familiar to English speakers. More importantly, Chinese is pretty much the polar opposite of Arabic as far as inflection goes: Whereas Arabic is highly inflected, Chinese is minimally inflected.So no need to worry about gender or verb conjugation when learning Chinese. For that matter, no need to worry even about singular vs. plural or tense. These aspects of the language are communicated using word order and context rather than inflection in Chinese. Try FluentU Chinese for getting started with the Chinese language.  FluentU takes real-world videosâ€"like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talksâ€"and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.3. JapaneseThe writing system used in Japanese is based on kanji, which are characters adopted from Chinese. Therefore, individual characters tend to be similar in both appearance and meaning from Japanese to Chinese, although some differences have arisen over time.Beyond kanji, Japanese also uses sets of characters called kana  that are used to write grammatical markers, foreign words and other words that have no kanji representation. Kana itself breaks down into different classes of charactersâ€"so at the end of the day, Japanese writing is an amalgamation of several different scripts.Japanese writing isnt the only brain-stretching aspect of the language for native English speakers. Japanese grammar generally takes more time for English speakers to get down beca use it has less in common with English. For example, the verb goes after the object in Japanese sentences, and Japanese uses postpositions instead of prepositions, so learning Japanese is probably the quickest way to get rid of any habits English might have given you as far as expecting words to appear in a certain order.According to some, these features may actually make Japanese the hardest language for native English speakers to learn, although youll also find plenty of English speakers out there who have learned Japanese and now wonder what the big fuss is.To get started with Japanese, try FluentU Japanese.4. KoreanFor the last hundred years or so, written Korean has primarily used Hangul, an alphabet consisting of 24 letters. By itself, Hangul is probably the easiest writing system for English speakers to learn out of the five languages on this list (probably a little easier than Pashto/Arabic, definitely much easier than Japanese/Chinese).However, lurking in the background in written Korean is Hanja, the Korean equivalent of Japanese kanji. Hanja, which isnt based on an alphabet but on borrowed Chinese characters, was the main form of written Korean until the 20th century, and its still used in some situations todayâ€"for example, to disambiguate words that have the same hangul spelling.Korean grammar is similar to Japanese grammar (verb goes after the object, for instance) but a little more intricate. For example, Korean has more particles. Korean also uses more sounds than Japanese, many of them sounds that English speakers arent accustomed to.Both Korean and Japanese are also steeped in complex social etiquette that requires English speakers to adjust their mindset a little. In both languages, there are several different degrees of politeness you can use, ranging from the formal to the familiar. Of course, it can be a little tricky learning to navigate this aspect of the language with ease, but its a great example of how learning a new language also m eans learning a new culture.Take a look at this post  for an idea of how to get started with Hangul, pronunciation and other Korean basics.5. PashtoThe final Category IV language listed by DLIFLC is Pashto, spoken in Afghanistan and Pakistan.English speakers find Pashto hard for reasons similar to why they find Arabic hard. First, the Pashto alphabet is related to the Arabic alphabet, so theres that.Maybe more significantly, Pashto is a highly inflected language, so learning Pashto means becoming immersed in a world of complex and novel grammatical peculiarities. For instance, which nouns agree with which verbs in Pashto depends on tense.You might recall that some languages like Japanese tend to use postpositions rather than prepositions. Well, Pashto uses postpositions, prepositions and something called ambipositionsâ€"words that fit around nouns like sandwiches.For a taste of Pashto, check out this page.The one thing shared by these five languages that makes them all a handful for native English speakers is that theres little overlap with English in terms of vocabulary.Beyond that, though, these languages are all hard for slightly different reasonsâ€"writing system, grammar, tones, etc.Whichever one you choose to learn, youre bound to discover a linguistic world that is exciting, new and strange in the best possible way.Sure, youll have to put in more time with these languages than with languages more closely related to English, but itll be time well spent!