Questions and Answers on Latin

Questions and Answers on Latin Everything You Need to Know About the Latin Language ChaptersWhere Does the Latin Alphabet Come From?The Best English-Latin DictionariesHow to Learn Latin DeclensionsWhat Latin Phrases Do We Use in English?Which Modern Languages Have Latin Roots?In 20 years, the number of Latin speakers has halved.Yet this language is useful in many ways: learning Latin languages, understanding our own language, improving spelling, studying ancient history and mythology ...If you do Latin, you may want to find out more about this ancient language:How was the Latin alphabet invented?How to learn this language by heart?Is English grammar influenced by Latin?Which official or non-official languages come from Latin?Don't worry, we'll answer all these questions in this article., available to buy on Amazon and most bookshopsA Copious and Critical English-Latin Dictionary  by William Smith, available on Google BooksNew College Latin-English Dictionary by Traupman, available to buy on AmazonLexicon Totius Latinitatis, a  free online databaseThesaurus Linguae L atinae, available both in print and onlineYou can find other Latin dictionaries but these are the most popular and highly recommended. It is also possible to enrich your Latin vocabulary thanks to various websites which give lists of Latin lexicon:learn101 is available for free online and covers the alphabet, grammar, phrases as well as vocabulary,ilanguages is another free online resources that teaches through flashcards and quizzesLingQ, available online or on your mobile,  gives you  access to tutoring and guidance from Latin speakers around the worldOur recommendation: the Oxford Latin Dictionary is the most  comprehensive and authoritative dictionary of Classical Latin. With more than half a century in the making, the newly published second edition is an essential resource for any serious Latin student. It contains illustrative quotations, revised English translations and expansion on abbreviations to help you learn Latin properly.latinesice or graverini,Studying with a private tutor: if none of this works or you struggle to work independently, get in touch with a private Latin teacher. They will have surefire methods to help you learn!What Latin Phrases Do We Use in English?English is a Germanic language, therefore, the influences of Latin are primarily lexical. A significant amount of our language stems from Latin, some are even borrowed words and phrases. You will probably already have heard a lot of these, but you may not know what they mean. Here's a short list of the most commonly used English words and phrases which stem either directly from Latin or via French or Spanish:But what have we kept from our origins? The Latin quotations are numerous and you necessarily know. But let's talk about these little phrases or abbreviations. We do not always know what they want to say, so here is a short guide to the most used Latin quotations in French:Ad nauseam: To the point of sickness.Bona fide: In good faith.Carpe diem: Seize the day.Conglomerate:  parts put together to form a unit while remaining separate identitiesDebilitate:  weakenDe facto: In fact.Et cetera: And the rest of such things.Facsimile:  exact copyIpso facto: By the fact itself.Insipid:  lacking flavourNaive:  exhibiting lack of experiencePro bono: For the good.Pro forma: As a matter of form.Rigor mortis: The stiffness of death.Ubiquity:  found everywhereVice versa: The position being reversed.Trust us! Knowing a bit of Latin will help you with modern languages, science and law! Source: Visual HuntSome of these phrases will be very useful if you have to write a thesis or dissertation. And it's still fun to know why we use certain Latin phrases and what they mean, right?Check out these famous Latin quotes.Which Modern Languages Have Latin Roots?Today, 430 million speakers speak a Latin language, nearly 8% of the world's population.The languages spoken in Europe are mostly Indo-European languages, ie languages spoken from Europe to India (from Greek to Sanskrit via Fren ch, Spanish, Occitan, Portuguese, etc.).There are a number of   Romance languages especially in Europe where the Roman Empire exerted its influence for centuries, spreading the Roman language at the same time in the Mediterranean basin in particular.The popularisation of Latin gave rise first to the rural Romance language, then gradually to the different languages that we know today. The languages closest to Latin are:Sardinian (spoken in Sardinia): 8% of derivation compared to Latin,Italian: 12%,Spanish 20%,Romanian 23.5%,Occitan 25%,Portuguese 31%,French 44%.There are many similarities between these languages as shown in the table below:LatinItalianSpanishRomanianOccitanPortugueseFrenchClaveChiaveLlaveCheieClauChaveCléNocteNotteNocheNoapteNuèit/nuèchNoiteNuitCantareCantareCantarCîntaCantarCantarChanterCapraCapraCabraCapraCabraCabraChèvreLinguaLinguaLenguaLimbaLengaLinguaLanguePlateaPiazzaPlazapiataPlaçaPraçaPlaceBut these similarities are only valid in writing. Orally, the Latin languages differ greatly from each other, especially French which was also influenced by the Gallo-Romance spoken in northern France.Here are different Latin-speaking groups in terms of their similarities:Ibero-Romance  which encompasses different dialects, among them are Castilian, Andalusian, Portuguese, Galician and Catalan,Occitano-Romance is composed of French but also other patois like the Gascon or the Languedoc,Italian-Romance includes Italian and all its dialects such as Piedmontese, Lombard, Tuscan but also Corsican,Gallo-Romance group includes the languages of oïl and therefore the patois of northern France and Belgium such as Walloon, Picard or Norman,Rhaeto-Romance is composed of Italian Friulian and Swiss Romansh,Eastern Romance languages was developed in the East, specifically in the  Balkans, and includes Daco-Romance, modern-day Romanian, Moldavian as well as dead languages such as Istro-Romanian and Aromanian.

Derivative Trig

Derivative Trig Derivative trig is used in finding derivative of trigonometric functions. The derivative of trig functions can be found by using definition of derivative and by using limit rules. It is a process of finding rate of change of trigonometric function with respect to a variable. Trigonometry is useful in areas such as astronomy, surviving, physics etc. Remember derivatives of basic 6 trigonometric functions. One derivative is shown in example 1. Problem 1: Find the derivative of d (sin x) / dx Solution: Given: d (sin x) / dx. = By the definition of derivative, d f(x) / dx = lim h-0 f(x + h) f(x) / h = d (sin x) / dx = lim h-0 (sin (x+ h) sin x) / h = lim h-0 (sin x cos h + sin h cos x sin x) / h (using trigonometric identity) = lim h-0 (sin x (cos h 1) + sin h cos x) / h = sin x lim h-0 (cos h 1) / h + cos x lim h-0 (sin h) / h (By separating the limits = By applying trigonometric limits we get, d (sin x) / dx = sin x. 0 + cos x. 1 = cos x Problem 2: Find the derivative of d (2sec(x) 5 cot (x))/dx Solution: Given: d (2sec(x) 5 cot(x))/dx = We know the derivative of basic 6 trigonometric functions = So, d sec (x) / dx = sec(x) tan(x) and also d cot(x)/dx = - csc^2(x) = d (2sec(x) 5 cot(x))/dx = 2 sec(x) tan(x) 5(- csc^2(x)) = 2 sec(x) tan(x) + 5 csc^2(x) = Therefore, the derivative of d (2sec(x) 5 cot (x))/dx = 2 sec(x) tan(x) + 5 csc^2(x)

Learn English Food Idioms - Learn English with Harry ??

Learn English Food Idioms - Learn English with Harry ?? Food is one of our favourite  topics and whether you are trying to eat less or wishing we could eat more, it is a constant conversation piece. Today,   you will learn English Food Idioms. Lets start! Share! Help other students to improve English. 1. APPLES AND ORANGES   used when trying to compare two things that are very differentex. He bought a new car, it was a Mercedes. He used to drive a Fiat. It was like comparing apples with oranges. They were two totally different cars.Dont forget to watch my short video lesson What does Apples and Oranges mean English Food Idioms 2. A BANANA SKIN when something is likely to cause you to halt or to slip upex. His business was doing well. However the bank were not prepared to lend any more money. This was the banana skin on which his business would slip.3. TO GO NUTS to get very upset or to go mad  ex. The car driver did not see him parked on the street and crashed into him. He went nuts when he saw all the damage.4. A COUCH POTATO   someone who sits at home all day on the sofa watching TVex. He had not been out with his friends for many months. His wife told him to stop being a couch potato and take her to the restaurant.5. NOT TO PUT ALL YOUR EGGS IN ONE BASKET   to spread your risksex. David wanted to invest his money in an oil company. His adviser told him to invest in a number of different companies and spread his risk. He told him it was not wise to put all your eggs in one basket.6. AS COOL AS A CUCUMBER  â€" to stay very calm and relaxed, especially when everyone else around you is nervous or stressed ex. He stayed as cool as a cucumber during his driving test and passed it first time. English Food Idioms Infographic Enjoyed this infographic? Here's what you can do next: 7. TO GO BANANAS  â€" to behave in a silly or crazy way, to get angryex. Mum will go bananas when she sees your school report.8. NOT MY CUP OF TEA if something is your cup of tea, it means you like or enjoy it. We usually use it in a negative sentence.ex. My husband loves cricket, but its not my cup of tea.9. PIECE OF CAKE something is very easy to doex. My English test was a piece of cake.10. TO PAY PEANUTS to pay very little moneyex. I recently left my job because Ive been paid peanuts for ages.11. TO BRING HOME THE BACONA very common and popular food in many countries especially in the UK and Ireland.  In Ireland for many years bacon and cabbage was the traditional meal for many families. The person who brings home the bacon is usually the main earner in the family or bread winner.  So now when we refer to this idiom it means that we are referring to the key person in the family he/she who earns the most and pays the bills.ex. The father in the family retired and his son took o ver the business. He made all the decision as he brought home the bacon.12. THAT’S HOW THE COOKIE CRUMBLESCookies  (biscuits)  are very tasty but usually very delicate and can break easily and leave crumbs everywhere. Thats how the cookie crumbles  means  that it is  just the way things happen and you can do nothing about it.ex. Deirdre had been thinking for a long time to change her car. The garage had advertised a really special deal if you changed the car before the end of the month. She went in to the garage on the 2nd of February and was told she was too late. She was really disappointed. But thats the way the cookie crumbles. You are too late!!

Three Ways to Worry Less for a Higher GRE Score

Three Ways to Worry Less for a Higher GRE Score GRE/MAT Graduate School Blog There are two games you must win if you want to score well on the GRE. The first is what I call the “outer” game. It consists of the how-to’s for getting right answers â€" the x’s and o’s, if you will â€" including math concepts, vocabulary, formulas, strategic elimination strategies, time management, and other such tangible applications. The outer game is where GRE students spend most of their time, and it’s what our online GRE prep courses do such a great job of teaching. However, equally important to your success on test day is your ability to conquer the “inner game” of the GRE. This is what takes place between your ears â€" your anxiety, your nerves, your overall worry. If you’re not able to tame those emotions both during your preparation in the weeks leading up to your exam and on exam day itself, then it may not matter how much you’ve prepared for the outer game because you’ll have a hard time staying calm and thinking clearly to transfer that knowledge into right answers. Students often overlook this crucial component of their GRE preparation, to their detriment. I don’t want that to be your story. Worrying about the GRE: Will it help? There’s a great movie that came out a few years ago starring Tom Hanks called “Bridge of Spies.” The character played by Hanks is a lawyer recruited to defend an arrested Soviet spy in the American courts. As the plot heats up, there are numerous times when the spy’s life is in jeopardy. Yet, the spy always appears to have a calm, even-keeled demeanor. Confused by this, Hanks asks him: “Aren’t you worried?” Each time the spy responds: “Would it help?” I love that! The retort has stuck with me because it’s so true. No matter what’s happening to us in life or how high the stakes appear to be, the act of worrying itself doesn’t really help at all, does it? In fact, it’s often counter-productive. Worrying raises our blood pressure and stresses our health. It keeps us from thinking clearly. It bogs us down and often keeps us from taking the action that actually could help the situation. And when it comes to the GRE, worrying is the surest way to lose the inner game we’ve been talking about. But the good news is, you can bring your test anxiety under control with a few proven mindset shifts. Here are three ways to worry less about the GRE for a higher score on test day. #1: Prepare well, and then trust your preparation. The Greek poet Archilochus famously said: We don’t rise to the level of our expectations, we fall to the level of our training. How true that is. When it comes to the GRE, preparation (or training, to use Archilochus’s word) and worry have an inverse relationship. The less prepared you feel, the more worried you are about how you’re going to do. Conversely, the better prepared you are, the less anxiety you feel. The graph looks something like this: The performance of elite athletes illustrates this perfectly. I used to assume that star athletes felt incredibly nervous in the biggest moments. When Michael Jordan was standing at the foul line trying to sink a shot to win the big game, wasn’t he a nervous wreck? Heck, my heart rate went up just watching him â€" and I was sitting comfortably on my own couch! But no. It turns out that the best athletes actually feel calm in those moments because they default to their training. Michael Jordan shot tens of thousands of foul shots in practice, so he could literally make one with his eyes closed (which he famously did in a real game once). At the most important times, professional athletes are confident knowing that they’ve prepared well, and they can trust that preparation to carry them through. So for you on the GRE, put in the work. Prepare to the best of your ability (perhaps by taking our comprehensive online GRE prep course). And then once you’re done, trust that preparation. You’re ready for whatever the GRE can throw at you, so there’s no reason to worry! #2: Take the focus off yourself. Worry is a self-focused emotion. I’m so stressed out about the GRE. What if I get a bad score? My future depends on how well I do on the GRE. What if I run out of time? I’ve never been good at math. I…. Me…. etc. That’s an unhealthy mindset to have when preparing for the GRE. Not only unhealthy, but unhelpful. So take the focus off yourself. Instead, think about how doing well on the GRE can benefit others. In “Learn the Secret Ingredient for Dominating the GRE” I talk about the importance of connecting with your “Why” for wanting to go to grad school in the first place. Perhaps it’s to provide a better life for your kids. Maybe it’s to make a positive impact in the lives of others through social work. Or perhaps you want to become a nurse to help others live healthier lives. Whatever it is, there’s almost always a larger purpose that graduate school can help you achieve. Focus on that, and it will take a lot of the pressure off because now it’s no longer about you. #3: Adopt a healthier “big-picture” perspective. We tend to worry the most when we blow things out of proportion. One of the best ways to worry less about the GRE â€" and really, anything in life â€" is to remember where it fits into the bigger picture. Neil Armstrong, the first human to walk on the moon, said this about looking back at Earth from space: “It suddenly struck me that that tiny pea, pretty and blue, was the Earth. I put up my thumb and shut one eye, and my thumb blotted out the planet Earth. I didn’t feel like a giant. I felt very, very small.” Ultimately our time here on Earth is short, and life will go on tomorrow whether you do well on the GRE or not. The sun will still rise. You’ll still have food to eat and air to breathe. And frankly, that’s more than a lot of people in the world can say. Having lived in Madagascar, one of the poorest countries in the world, I saw first-hand what it was like when most people don’t even finish primary school, let alone high school or college. So what a privilege it is for you to even be thinking about going to graduate school! Doing so puts you in the top percentage of people worldwide in terms of education and career prospects. It’s important for you to do well on the GRE, I get it. You should do well. But don’t blow the GRE out of proportion. Once you realize that the worst-case scenario of a sub-par GRE score may not ruin your life as much as you think it will, the worry starts to go away. And that’s a much more positive place to operate from. Summary Consider the following two GRE candidates. Candidate A walks into the testing center fearful and dreading the experience. She’s worried that she’ll see questions she doesn’t know and won’t get the score she needs to get into her target graduate program. Conversely, Candidate B wakes up the morning of her test full of energy. This is the day she’s been working toward. It’s time to put her preparation to the test, and she’s confident that she’s ready. No matter how it turns out, she know she’s done everything she can to put herself in the best position for success. It’s game day. Bring it on! Which candidate do you think is more likely to perform to the best of her ability? My money is on Candidate B. Even if the two candidates studied the exact same amount, Candidate B’s mindset is much better, and that makes a huge difference. I want you to be like Candidate B. I want you to walk into the GRE testing center from a place of confidence rather than from a place of fear or worry. I want you to be positive and optimistic as you’re preparing for the GRE, and clear-headed and self-assured when you sit down to take the real thing. To do that, move beyond worry by taking to heart the three tips presented here. About the Author Brett Ethridge is the founder of Dominate Test Prep, creator of the industry’s most effective online prep courses for the GRE and GMAT. He’s an avid tennis player, a huge Duke basketball fan, and is passionate about empowering students to dominate their standardized test and get into the graduate school of their choice.

I Finished the italki October Language Challenge Early!

I Finished the italki October Language Challenge Early! This blog post reposted with permission. Originally appeared here on Kokothepolyglots blog site. I Finished The Italki October Language Challenge Early! -15 October, 2014 By Koko Polyglot Well this is an unexpected but pleasant surprise! Not only am I happy to announce that I’ve already completed the italki October Language Challenge early but I also got in one extra lesson as well. How cool is that? I guess the third time really was the charm. Since I have a lot going on this month, I had to book as many sessions in a short amount of time. Which meant there were times I had 3 lessons in one day! That was intense but I have to say my spoken Japanese has made quite a bit of improvement. Book All Your Sessions Ahead Of Time This is probably one of the best tips LindsayDoesLanguages recommends and this time it worked out really well for me! I made sure that I booked all if not most prior to the sessions themselves. Especially since I joined the language later than I did the last two. But unlike the last two, I was able to make sure every lesson was booked accordingly. Which meant taking up to three sessions in one day while tutoring students as well! By booking in advance you can work your schedule around the sessions instead of trying to fit them in when you can. I think my biggest mistake in the previous challenges was that I did not book enough sessions in advance. Had I done that I would have been able to take all sessions and even have time to reschedule ones that conflicted with the tutor’s schedule. Use A Variety Of Tutors This might be better advice for some languages rather than others. Especially if there aren’t many tutors for your target language. Luckily, Japanese is popular enough that I was able to use a wide variety of tutors to work with. Each Community Tutor and Professional Teacher have their unique method of teaching that you could benefit from the variety while finding out which tutors are best for you. Find tutors who cater to your specific needs and go from there. I recommend the following tutors for Japanese: Annie, Haru, Gosxi, Koichi, momonoki01, Tomaliko, Yuki, Tatsu, Masa, and Teacher ?? (Hanako). If you’re looking for reading practice during your session I would recommend Noriko  just for that. ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Annie???Haru???Gosxi???????????01???Tomaliko???Yuki??, Tatsu???Masa????????? ???????????Noriko???????????? Focus On What You Want To Accomplish Setting goals for what you would like to achieve in your target language is important. My main goal for Japanese was to express myself more fluidly when I spoke. I felt like I was about to complete that goal because it was my primary focus. While I did get reading in, I didn’t get a chance to read the Nightmare Before Christmas in Japanese yet. So maybe I’ll get a chance to read at least the first two chapters before the end of the month. I’ll will keep you updated on how that goes and what unique words I’ve learned along the way. I always try to do something to keep me motivated during these challenges and doing a multitude of things can help you improve both input (reading and listening) as well as output (speaking and writing). What Next? I’m going to be focusing on Japanese for quite some time but moving on to my next language adventure. I will keep you updated when it is needed to be revealed. In the meantime, I will be attempting to read the Nightmare Before Christmas completely in Japanese. My goal for that was to read at least two chapters. This will be my make priority for Japanese next week. I will also be doing my SRS repetitions on Memrise and LingQ as well as watch interesting content in Japanese. How are you doing in the italki October Language Challenge? Have you completed the challenge already? Still have a ways to go? Almost done? I would love to hear about your progress! ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? I Finished the italki October Language Challenge Early! This blog post reposted with permission. Originally appeared here on Kokothepolyglots blog site. I Finished The Italki October Language Challenge Early! -15 October, 2014 By Koko Polyglot Well this is an unexpected but pleasant surprise! Not only am I happy to announce that I’ve already completed the italki October Language Challenge early but I also got in one extra lesson as well. How cool is that? I guess the third time really was the charm. Since I have a lot going on this month, I had to book as many sessions in a short amount of time. Which meant there were times I had 3 lessons in one day! That was intense but I have to say my spoken Japanese has made quite a bit of improvement. Book All Your Sessions Ahead Of Time This is probably one of the best tips LindsayDoesLanguages recommends and this time it worked out really well for me! I made sure that I booked all if not most prior to the sessions themselves. Especially since I joined the language later than I did the last two. But unlike the last two, I was able to make sure every lesson was booked accordingly. Which meant taking up to three sessions in one day while tutoring students as well! By booking in advance you can work your schedule around the sessions instead of trying to fit them in when you can. I think my biggest mistake in the previous challenges was that I did not book enough sessions in advance. Had I done that I would have been able to take all sessions and even have time to reschedule ones that conflicted with the tutor’s schedule. Use A Variety Of Tutors This might be better advice for some languages rather than others. Especially if there aren’t many tutors for your target language. Luckily, Japanese is popular enough that I was able to use a wide variety of tutors to work with. Each Community Tutor and Professional Teacher have their unique method of teaching that you could benefit from the variety while finding out which tutors are best for you. Find tutors who cater to your specific needs and go from there. I recommend the following tutors for Japanese: Annie, Haru, Gosxi, Koichi, momonoki01, Tomaliko, Yuki, Tatsu, Masa, and Teacher ?? (Hanako). If you’re looking for reading practice during your session I would recommend Noriko  just for that. ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Annie???Haru???Gosxi???????????01???Tomaliko???Yuki??, Tatsu???Masa????????? ???????????Noriko???????????? Focus On What You Want To Accomplish Setting goals for what you would like to achieve in your target language is important. My main goal for Japanese was to express myself more fluidly when I spoke. I felt like I was about to complete that goal because it was my primary focus. While I did get reading in, I didn’t get a chance to read the Nightmare Before Christmas in Japanese yet. So maybe I’ll get a chance to read at least the first two chapters before the end of the month. I’ll will keep you updated on how that goes and what unique words I’ve learned along the way. I always try to do something to keep me motivated during these challenges and doing a multitude of things can help you improve both input (reading and listening) as well as output (speaking and writing). What Next? I’m going to be focusing on Japanese for quite some time but moving on to my next language adventure. I will keep you updated when it is needed to be revealed. In the meantime, I will be attempting to read the Nightmare Before Christmas completely in Japanese. My goal for that was to read at least two chapters. This will be my make priority for Japanese next week. I will also be doing my SRS repetitions on Memrise and LingQ as well as watch interesting content in Japanese. How are you doing in the italki October Language Challenge? Have you completed the challenge already? Still have a ways to go? Almost done? I would love to hear about your progress! ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

?? 5 Reasons Why You Should Invest In Piano Lessons For Your Children

?? 5 Reasons Why You Should Invest In Piano Lessons For Your Children 5 Reasons Why You Should Invest In Piano Lessons For Your Children 5 Reasons Why You Should Invest In Piano Lessons For Your ChildrenFor most parents, there’s often a conflict between wanting their children to have the opportunity to develop interests outside of school, and the fear of becoming a ‘pushy parent’After all is football, art camp, dance classes and then piano lessons a bit too much? It can so often become the activity that gets bumped down your priority list. So when it comes to prioritising after-school activities, it’s important to think about how each activity enriches their lives and helps them to develop skills which will become useful throughout life. Learning to play the piano can increase your child’s confidence and their ability to concentrate and maintain focus. It allows them to practice exercising patience and discipline. Plus, studies have indicated that learning to play the piano can have a positive impact on a child’s mental health.Read on to learn more about these benefits... The benefits of piano lessons for childrenHere are 5 reasons to find a piano tutor today!1. Learning the piano increases concentration, focus, discipline and patience!Talk to any pianist and they’ll tell you that learning the piano takes real patience, determination and perseverance - but also that the reward absolutely outweighs the commitment they’ve put in. Children will need to focus on the instructions given by their piano tutor, and this learning process teaches them fundamental skills that help them listen, comprehend and react to information. Effectively, your children will be listening in one language and translating those instructions into action in another language, which is pretty amazing! It’s no small feat, but being able to concentrate for longer periods of time and having an understanding of the benefits of practice and commitment means increased resilience to problems they face - not to mention the academic and social benefits. It’s a no-brainer really!Check out our handy beginner's guide to learning the piano to find some awesome resources that you can use to help your child with their piano lessons and practice.2. It has a positive impact on your child’s mental healthHelping your children foster good mental health can often be about as clear as mud for parents! Am I doing the right thing? Are my children happy? Do they know how to cope when they feel sad?It’s a countrywide issue and schools are starting to do their part in helping to establish good mental health, and indeed help to tackle children experiencing poor mental health. Journalling, children’s yoga and mindfulness sessions are slowly making their way into the classroom as ways of tackling increasingly poor mental health in children.For parents, it can be difficult to know what to do for the best - but don’t worry there are lots of things you can do at home, and encouraging them to learn an instrument is one. Playing a musical instrument like the piano is thought to improve self-esteem, relieve stress and reduce anxious feelings. Other studies (although mostly conducted on adults) found playing the piano to be a beneficial treatment for depression and stress.By getting your children piano lessons, you’re setting them up with a creative outlet that will help them now - while they continue to develop - but also throughout their whole adult life!3. It is a powerful confidence boosterLearning the piano can have a huge impact on a child’s confidence. It’s not just the sense of achievement they feel when they’ve mastered a new note, tricky chord or mastered their favourite song. It’s also the confidence it takes to perform in front of others. We’re not talking about debuting at the O2 Academy, we’re talking about standing in front of your family, your friends, the people who love you, ready to display your newfound skills. Learning the piano gives children tools to flourish in public speaking or performance, to be comfortable knowing t hat they might make a mistake, and the confidence to carry on when they do. It’s a skill most adults haven’t mastered. There is science behind it! In a 2004 study, children in Montreal who had piano lessons over 3 years had higher self-esteem than those who didn’t. 4. Practical Skills Which Come In HandyIt comes as no surprise that playing the piano is a great way to improve your hand-eye coordination, as well as the skill of independent coordination between your two hands. A study by Cardiff University found that playing the piano had the effect of changing cortical mapping in the brain, in order to increase finger movement speed across the keys. Hand-eye coordination comes in handy in almost everything we do, from writing to typing, to driving, to almost every sport ever invented.5. There are so many opportunities within music!Be honest, who hasn’t dreamed of being a professional musician? Starting an instrument at an early age opens the door to this being a real possibility. And why not? Even if you don’t reach the heights of Ed Sheeran, Arianna Grande or the Foo Fighters... There are a wealth of lucrative careers to choose from behind the scenes within music. Songwriting, recording, producing, music education, among others are all great options! It may not seem as glamorous as the lifestyles of the big stars, but playing smaller venues and for occasions like weddings can be a great and fulfilling career path and one that is not open to everyone. There are also growing industries such as music therapy, a truly worthwhile career that will allow you to help other people through music. Piano lessons are a fantastic investment for your children, from improving confidence to possible opening the door to an incredible career. Piano lessons can be the gift that keeps on giving for children, and one they will surely thank you for in the future! If you want to know more, you can find our comprehensive guide to starting piano lessons and our curated list of fantastic piano resources here We have thousands of great tutors here on Tutorful that are all ready to help get your child started along their musical journey. Click here to get started now

How to Naturally Learn a Language Like a Child

How to Naturally Learn a Language Like a Child How Do Children Learn Language? 4 Big Takeaway Lessons for Language Learners Hey, guys. Remember that viral YouTube video  â€œCharlie bit my finger”?It made the rounds online a few years ago and those adorable brothers became instant internet sensations.If you havent seen it, here’s what happened:Harry, the older brother placed his finger in Charlie’s mouth, and thenwell, just click the darn link and see for yourself.Cute, right?Now, can we utilize the video for some language learning lessons?Of course we can!Let me ask you a language question: how does one go from being a Charlie, the baby brother on the left, to being a Harry?In other words, how does one go from being a total newb, whose linguistic skills end with smiling and biting, to being a fluent speaker whose English is marked by appropriate diction, golden grammar and a killer accent?Normal, everyday children make this  amazing  progress in the span of about 20 months.This brings us to the question, which is also the title of  this post: How do children learn language?And what lessons can  fore ign language learners get from these precious children?Well deal with those great questions  in this post.First, were going to trace a babys  journey from babbling newborn to kindergartner. Along the way, well note the milestones of language development  along the way.In part two of the post, well crystallize the lessons from part one and use them to help adults learn a foreign  language.Sounds good?Okay, let’s go. How Do Children Learn Language? 4 Big Takeaway Lessons for Language LearnersHow do children do it? Let’s look at the issue in finer detail.  The Developmental Stages Their MilestonesPre-birthWe used to think that language learning began at the moment of birth. But scientists in Washington, Stockholm and Helsinki discovered that fetuses are actually listening inside the womb.They gave mothers a recording of made-up words to play during the final weeks of pregnancy. The babies heard the pseudo-words around 50-71 times while inside their mother’s womb. After they we re born, these babies were tested. By hooking them up to an EEG, scientists were able to see images of the babies’ brains when the made-up words were played.To their astonishment, the babies remembered and recognized the words that were presented  when they were in the womb.You know what this suggests, right?It points to pre-natal language learning.It turns out, the first day of learning language isnt when one is born, but 30 weeks into the pregnancy when babies start to develop their hearing ability. So be careful what you say around a pregnant woman, ok? Somebody’s listening.0-6 MonthsNewborn babies are keen listeners in their environments. They particularly like to listen to the voice of their mother and they quickly differentiate it from other voices. They also learn to recognize the sounds of her language from a foreign one.Baby communication centers on expressing pain and pleasure. And if you listen very carefully, youll notice that babies have different types of cries for different needs. A cry for milk is different from a cry for a new diaperâ€"although a flustered first-time father might not  hear any difference.Around the 4th month, babies engage in “vocal play” and babbles unintelligible soundsâ€"including those that begin with the letters M, P and B. (This is when mommy swears that she heard baby say “mama.”)6-12 MonthsThis is the peek-a-boo stage.Babies pay attention and smile when you call them by name.They also start responding to “Hi!” and “Good morning.”At this stage, babies continue babbling and having fun with language. But this time, their unintelligible expressions have put on a certain kind of sophistication. They seem to be putting words together. You couldve sworn she was telling you something.It will actually be around this time when babies learn their first words (“no,” “mama,” “dada” and so on).By the 12th month, youll have that nagging feeling that she understands more than she lets on. And you would be right. Babies, although they cant speak much, recognize a lot. They begin to recognize key words like “cup,” “ball,” “dog” and “car.”And on her first birthday, shell definitely learn what the word “cake” means.  1-2 Years OldThis is the “Where’s-Your-Nose? stage.Babies learn to differentiate and point to the different parts of their bodies. Theyll also be very receptive to queries like “where’s daddy?” and requests like “clap your hands” or give me the book.As always, her comprehension goes ahead of her ability to speak. But in this stage, shell be learning even more words. Her utterances will graduate into word pairs like “eat cake,” “more play” and “no ball.”This is also the time when she loves hearing those sing-along songs and rhymes. And guess what? Shell never tire of these, so be prepared to listen to her favorite rhymes over and over and over again.  2-4 Years OldThere will be a tremendous increase in learned words at this sta ge. She now seems to have a name for everythingâ€"from the cups she uses to her shoes and toys. She gains more nouns, verbs and adjectives in her linguistic arsenal.Her language structure becomes more and more complicated. Her sentences get longer and her  grammar mistakes get slowly weeded out. This time, she can express statements like “Im hungry mommy” or “my friend gave me this.”Shell  start to get really talkative and ask questions like, “where are we going, daddy?”By this time, youll begin to suspect that shes preparing to ask ever more difficult questions.The child has learned the language and has become a  native speaker.4 Big Takeaway Lessons  for Foreign Language LearnersWeve just gone over how babies progress to acquire their first language.Is there something in this process that adult language learners can emulate in their quest to learn foreign languages? Well, as it turns out, there is.Understanding this  early childhood learning process has major implicati ons for adult language learners.In this part of the post, were going to peek behind the curtain and look even deeper into how children learn languages to reap 4 vital lessons.Each one of these lessons is an essential part of linguistic success.If you wanna know how babies go from goo-goo gaa-gaa to  â€œMom, will you please buy me this remote-controlled toy airplane?” then please read on.1.  The Centrality of ListeningWeve learned in the previous section that listening comes very early in the language acquisition process. Babies get a masterclass on the different tones, rhythms and sounds of a language even before they see the light of day.Without listening, theyd have no building blocks from which they can build their own repertoire of sounds.Listening is so important for language acquisition that babies don’t fully develop their language capabilities without the ability to hear. Thus we have the deaf-mute pairing. How can one learn to speak when one cant even hear others or one self doing it?In addition, children who suffer hearing problems early in life experience delays in their expressive and receptive communication skills. Their vocabulary develops slower and they often have difficulty understanding abstract words (eg. extreme, eager and pointless). Their sentences are also shorter and simpler.In general, the greater the hearing loss, the poorer the children do in academic evaluations.Listening is that central to language.Its the first language skill humans develop.And yet, how many language programs pound on the issue of listening as a central skill, as opposed to grammar or vocabulary?Listening is a deceptive, isnt it? It seems like nothings happening. Its too passive an activity, unlike speaking. When speaking you actually hear what was learned. The benefits of listening are initially unheard.Contrary to common belief, listening can be an intensely active activity.So as a foreign  language learner, you need to devote time to actively listen to your target language. Don’t just play those podcasts passively in the background. Actively engage in the material. Don’t multitask if at all possible. Sit down and dont moveâ€"like a baby who hasnt learned how to walk.Take every opportunity to listen to the language as spoken by native speakers. When you watch a movie or a language learning video,  for example, dont just focus on the visual stimulation. Listen for the inflections, tones and rhythms of words.It may not look like much but, yes, listening is that powerful.2. The Primacy of Making MistakesListening to a 1-year-old talk is such a delight. Theyre so cute and innocent. Their initial statements betray a string of misappropriated vocabulary, fuzzy logic and grammar violations.When a 1-year-old points to a dog and says  â€œmeow,” we find it so cute. When his older sister says, “I goed there today,” we dont condemn the child. We instead correct her by gently saying, “No Sally, not goed. Went!”We arent as kind to adult s. We’re even worse to ourselves.Ever since we learned in school that making mistakes means lower test scores, we dreaded making them. Mistakes? Bad. And we carry over this fear when were learning a foreign  language as adults.That’s why, unless were 100% sure of its correctness, we dont want to blurt out a single sentence in our target language. First we make sure that the words are in their proper order, the verbs are in the proper tense and agree with the subject in number and gender.Now something tells me that a 10-month-old has no problems committing more mistakes in one sentence than she has words. In fact, she probably won’t admit that there’s something wrongâ€"or ever know  that somethings wrong. She just goes on with her life and continues listening.Why dont we follow this spirit of a child?We already know that it works because the kid who once exclaimed, “my feets hurt,” is now galloping towards a degree in Sociology.As a foreign  language learner, one of the t hings you need to make peace with is the fact that you’re gonna make mistakes. It comes with the territory and youre gonna have to accept that.Make as many mistakes as you can. Make a fool out of yourself, like a 2-year-old, and laugh along the way. Pay your dues. And if youre as diligent correcting those mistakes as you are making them, soon enough youll be on your way to fluency.3. The Joy of RepetitionAround 6-12 months, playing peek-a-boo with your daughter  never gets old. She always registers genuine surprise every time you reveal yourself. And she’d laugh silly all dayâ€"all because of a very simple game.And remember around 1-2 years old when babies can’t get enough of those sing-songy rhymes? They wanted you to keep pressing the “replay” button while watching their favorite cartoon musical on YouTube. You were wondering when they were gonna get sick of it.But lo and behold, each time was like the first time. They werent getting sick of it. In fact, it was getting m ore exciting for them.Repetition. It’s a vital element of learning.  If there’s one reason why babies learn so fast, it’s because they learn stuff over and overâ€"to the point of overlearning.Adults never have the patience to overlearn a language lesson, to repeat the same lesson over and over without feeling bored to tears. Adults quickly interpret this as being stuck. This lack of forward motion is promptly followed by the thought that time is being wasted. They think they should press quickly on to the next lesson. Which they do, to the detriment of their  learning.We repeat a vocabulary word 3x and expect it to stay with us for lifeâ€"believing it will now be  saved in our long-term memory. Quite unrealistic isn’t it?In the prenatal experiment where made-up words were played to babies still in the womb, each word was heard by the baby at least 50 times. (Is it really a wonder then that  the baby, when tested, recognized the words?)Repetition is vital to learning. In fact , many apps take the concept further and introduce the idea of Spaced Repetition. To find out more about this hyper-effective learning method, click here.Unless youre a genius with an eidetic memory, repetition will be one of your most important allies in the quest for foreign  language mastery.Repetition can take the form of replaying videos, rereading words, rewriting vocabulary, re-listening to podcasts and re-doing games and exercises.Keep on repeating until it becomes a habit.  Because thats what a language ultimately is.4.  The Importance of ImmersionImmersion can actually push your brain to process information in the same way native speakers do. And is there anything more immersive than a baby being born and experiencing the world by observation?Think about what the baby is experiencing. Shes like an Englishman suddenly being dropped in the middle of China without access to the internet.Everything is new.So you use your innate abilities to make generalizations, read context, listen to native speakers and imitate how they speak.Everything is on the line. Youve got to learn how to communicate fast, otherwise you wont get to eatâ€"even when youre sitting at a Chinese restaurant. It’s a totally immersive experience where youre not learning a language just for kicks or for your resume. You’re doing it for your very survival. (That takes care of the “motivation” part of your learning.)There’s nothing fake about a child learning a language. It’s a total immersive and authentic experiencesâ€"all their early language lessons are learned in a meaningful social context. I have yet to meet a baby who learned his first language by enrolling in a class.For the adult language learner, immersion can be experienced remotely.  One way of achieving immersion is by getting exposed to as many  language learning videos as possible.FluentU is, by far, the best source of language learning videos on the internet.Youll get a chance to watch authentic video content th at native speakers  actually watch  on the regular, like trailers for The Hunger Games, vintage Volkswagen commercials, hot music videos, funny YouTube clips and much, much more.FluentU can make  different learning experiences and contexts come alive so you don’t have to fly to a country thousands of miles away just to get the immersion that’s necessary for language learning. Its not just about listening and watching either, FluentUs learn mode  will help you put new language lessons into practice with great tools like multimedia flashcards, interactive subtitles and running vocabulary lists.So, there you go!Who knew a little girl  could teach us so much about learning a foreign  language?Now its officially time to put these lessons into practice: (1) Listen, (2) don’t be afraid to make mistakes, (3) repeat everything and (4) immerse yourself in your target language.Whether its French, Spanish, Japanese, Korean or Russian, if you follow the path that the babies have laid out f or you, youll be speaking that target language like the natives in no time!