Tuesday, March 24, 2020

The Life of Artemisia Gentileschi

The Life of Artemisia Gentileschi Artemisia Gentileschi: a Pioneer Among Women Artists ChaptersGrowing Up Artemisia: Early WorksArtemisia, Artiste at LargeArtemisia and DaughterCalling Naples HomeAnalysis: What Did Artemisia Want to Say?If one should ask you to name your favourite post-Renaissance painting or sculpture, which would you claim?Are you coming up empty? Don’t feel alone...Many people tend to include the Baroque period in the Italian Renaissance era, which lasted roughly two centuries and yielded amazing artworks... overwhelmingly by male artists.Were there any female artists that flourished during either the Renaissance or Baroque eras?Of course, there were! It was just much harder for any of them to gain any type of recognition in the art world and attract any patrons.Even our featured artist was often accused of passing off her father’s work as hers, which was never actually true, although father and daughter did work together at times.Who was this remarkable woman who blazed through life, paintbrush in hand? How is it that, in a time when women were not believed to have artistic abilities, she had both the respect and renown generally reserved for male artists?Artemisia: her name fairly demands her to become one of the first women artists. Her work commands us to look closer â€" at the woman behind the brush as well as the works she executed.It is our pleasure to do so. FernandoPainting Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EmmaPainting Teacher 5.00 (5) £75/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DavidPainting Teacher 4.75 (4) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NatashaPainting Teacher 5.00 (7) £37/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors StefaniaPainting Teacher 5.00 (4) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SakinaPainting Teacher 5.00 (1) £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LorrenPainting Teacher 5.00 (2) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Off2themoonholliePainting Teacher £8/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsGrowing Up Artemisia: Early Works Some say that Artemisia is the most important female painter in art history Source: Wikipedia via the History BlogArtemisia was born in Rome, in 1593 â€" although the state archive records indicate that she was born in 1590.Her father was Orazio Gentileschi, a mannerist painter whose style was heavily influenced by Caravaggio, the master of the day. When each of his children grew big enough, he took them into his studio to teach them how to paint.Much to his surprise, his daughter â€" not his sons, showed the most promise. Soon, he was bragging around about his most exceptional girl-child.Indeed, Artemisia excelled in her brushstrokes. She seemed to have an intuitive grasp on how to mix colours and to contrast light and dark elements in a painting for maximum effect.Her realistic human depictions seemed so true to life that one might believe that the canvas’ subject may walk right out of the painting, as though she were a living person. And she was not one to paint still lifes...Wh ereas her father tended more toward a representational ideal of his subject matter, Artemisia was more of a realist: she showed what was there, not what should be.For their differences in perspective and other reasons, her father felt she would broaden her palette through the teachings of another master.Agostino Tassi, a painter of some repute, had been working with Orazio, mainly in painting architectural decoration.He was a con man and a cheat; even his last name was stolen from a high-ranking baroness to support his story of having been adopted into nobility. Adulterer, liar and already convicted of petty crimes... this was the man that Orazio entrusted his daughter to.Agostino and a helper of his raped Artemisia when she was only 18 years old.In an odd twist, she continued intimate relations with Tassi on the promise that he would marry her â€" thus make her legitimate. Nine months later, with no nuptials in the works, her father finally pressed charges against him.We have to un derstand that the trauma of being raped was legally irrelevant at that time; her ‘loss of honour’ - meaning that she was no longer a virgin, was on trial.Indeed, there was a trial, during which Artemisia was tortured to force a confession that she had instigated her rape.It’s hard to imagine how anyone could return to business as usual after such an ordeal but it seemed that Artemisia did just that. After the trial, she was married to a fellow artist from Florence who either didn’t know about or, presumably, forgave her loss of virginity.Life went on.Helen Frankenthaler, the expressionist painter, is another great female artist... but her life was much easier than Artemisia! Artemisia excelled at figurative biblical representations such as Lot and his Daughters Source: Wikipedia via the Toledo Museum of ArtArtemisia, Artiste at LargeShortly after her marriage, Artemisia and her new husband relocated to his hometown, Florence, where she soon landed a commission from Casa Buonarroti â€" a former property of Michelangelo’s.Today, it is an art museum featuring the works of that great sculptor and painter.About four years after settling in Florence, Artemisia’s daughter was born (it is quite unfortunate that not much is known about her other than she too was a painter; no works of hers exist).Artemisia found professional success with Florentine patrons and academics alike; she was the first woman ever to gain admittance to the renown Academic Art and Drawing school.Although she was well-thought-of in art circles and had several wealthy patrons, Artemisia and her husband were not doing well financially or legally. Her material support of her husband’s ex cesses caused a particular strain on the marriage; she and her daughter returned to Rome without him.Works from her time in Florence include:Jael and Sisera (Museum of Fine Arts, Hungary), oil on canvasJudith Slaying Holofernes, 2nd version, on display at the Uffizi GalleryJudith Slaying Holofernes, 1st version, hung in the Palace of Capodimonte, NaplesSelf-Portrait as a Lute Player Wadsworth Athenium Museum of ArtFind out how Artemisia’s work measures up to other great women painters.Artemisia saw that she had no choice: she set about changing her image and her art, making herself a bit softer and her work not quite so brutal and intense.  Nevertheless, her newest depiction of Susannah and the Elders cemented her reputation as a painter of biblical heroines.There would be no success in Rome. It was time to move on.Georgia O’Keeffe, the American artist, might have been another such wanderer... The works of Artemisia epitomise the Baroque art movement in Italy Source: Wikipedia via Napolipost.comCalling Naples HomeArtemisia’s reputation as an artist had obviously kept growing in spite of her not landing any commissions. Her arrival at Naples was celebrated; in fact, art historians believe that she was invited there by the Duke of Alcala â€" he owned three of her canvases.In Naples, she found work painting in a cathedral, which bought a table and put food on it. She also painted Birth of Saint John the Baptist (Prado Museum, Madrid).Artemisia was surprisingly well-known among Englishmen!Traveller Bullen Rimes records in his diary his meeting with Artemisia and a group of other painters whom he casually referred to as ‘... who also paint.’ Artemisia, of course, was mentioned by name.So it came as no surprise that, when her father became court painter for Charles I, Artemisia would feel right at home, by his side and among the English. She didn’t travel there on a whim ; she too had been invited by the king.Her father died after only a year at court. Artemisia finished her commissions and then decamped just as the English Civil War broke out.  Her return to Naples was unremarkable but her work showed a shift toward more feminine themes.One of her last paintings, an oil paint on copper titled Virgin and Child with a Rosary, depicting a maternal scene, seems to reflect her father’s style of painting more than her command of light and shadow. Of all the paintings by Artemisia, this one most reflected maternal sentiment.It’s not exactly known when Artemisia died but it is suspected that she, along with an entire generation of artists succumbed to the plague that ravaged the city in 1656.Would you believe that impressionist painter Mary Cassatt had much in common with Artemisia?Analysis: What Did Artemisia Want to Say?It is easy to interpret Artemisia’s depictions of strong, heroic women as reflections of herself. It is even easier to believe tho se gory renderings such as Judith Slaying Holofernes as allegorical of her desire for revenge for what she endured.Obviously, a woman who had been treated so badly must have revenge fantasies! Why, if she weren’t a weak and puny woman, surely it would be her beheading that invading general instead of Judith!And it must be her, not Susannah, feeling shame in front of The Elders, especially as it was painted so soon after her trial...In short: whereas Frida Kahlo painted herself and her emotions, Artemisia painted the religious world Italian society was steeped in.While nobody today can know what was going through the artist’s head as she chose and painted those works, the latest postulate presents the idea that Artemisia had, above all else, a keen sense of marketing  and the sensationalism of her rape trial was like hard currency for her.The fact is, Artemisia was neither Susannah nor Judith but all of the heroines she depicted and none of them.Like so many women today, Artemisi a Gentileschi endured horror and moments of pure bliss; she was smart and talented and hard-working and wise. Whether she lived in a time when women, as a rule, were only expected to produce the next generation is immaterial.The fact that she did so much more besides raising a child is what matters.

Friday, March 6, 2020

Vocabulary Developments and Word Meaning Tutorpace

Vocabulary Developments and Word Meaning Tutorpace Developing vocabulary helps to improve ones reading comprehension and writing skill. Learning new words require understanding not only the literal meaning of the words studied but also the implied inferred/ connotative) meaning. Vocabulary development is an implement to retrieve the existing knowledge in ones mind, to communicate ideas, to study and to acquire new concepts. Basically, developing vocabulary and learning word meaning are essential elements in comprehending what one reads and to be an academic success. To develop and understand vocabulary, words should be introduced in proper context and authentic situations so that it can relate to the knowledge and experience of the learner. Interactive word games are another tool to learn vocabulary and meaning. The learner should actively participate and interact with new words that are introduced in reading excerpts. Context clues such as definitions, synonyms, antonyms, inference and examples help to develop vocabulary and meaning . Additionally, using structural analysis by breaking the words into basic units like roots, prefix and suffix facilitate the learner to acquire vocabulary easily. Thus varieties of strategies are applied to improve and develop vocabulary learning.

Russian Lessons Manchester

Russian Lessons Manchester Looking For Russian Language Lessons In Manchester? ChaptersWhy Should I Consider Taking Russian Classes?What Type Of Russian Class Would Work Well For me?What Can I Expect To Learn During Russian Classes?How Can I Find Russian Lessons Near Me?If you’re interested in learning Russian, you might wonder where in the UK you can find a Russian language course.Thankfully, there are Russian courses available across many cities in the UK. So,  whether you’d like to learn Russian in London, improve your Russian in Leeds, learn intermediate Russian in Glasgow, develop your Russian skills in Birmingham, or study Russian in the UK generally, there are lots of major cities where you can achieve your goal of improving your proficiency in Russian.This article focuses on learning Russian in Manchester and outlines what kinds of things might have an influence on the type of Russian language course that you decide to take.It’s a widely spoken second language across Eastern Europe;It’s one of the official languages of the United Nations;It can be useful if you’re planning on travelling or working in Russia; andIt’s known as a challenging language for English speakers to learn, due to some aspects of Russian grammar as well as the fact that Russian uses the Cyrillic alphabet.If you're completely new to the Russian language, you can learn how to ask basic questions with the help of Russian language lessons. (Image Source: CC0 1.0, geralt, Pixabay)What Type Of Russian Class Would Work Well For me?The type of Russian language class that you enrol in will likely be dictated by a number of different factors, such as:How much money you can afford to pay for a Russian language class;How long you’d like to learn Russian for;Where the course is located (for example, somewhere in Manchester or online);Whether the course is accredited; andYour existing proficiency level in Russian.Another factor that might influence the type of Russian class that you take is how you prefer to learn. For example, if you find that you learn a lan guage best on your own, or that you'd prefer to learn Russian with just the help of a personal tutor or teacher, then you might be more comfortable taking private Russian language lessons.Equally, if you find that you learn better in a group environment and you enjoy having the opportunity to speak and listen to different people in Russian, then a group Russian class may be a better environment for you.One of the great things about learning a foreign language such as Russian is the fact that there are so many different course types out there. So whether you'd like to take private lessons, or would prefer to attend group Russian lessons, workshops, or online-only classes, there should be a course format that works well for you and your preferred learning style.What Can I Expect To Learn During Russian Classes?When looking for Russian language courses, it’s important to remember that every course is different. There are a variety of things that might influence the direction that a R ussian language course takes, including, but not limited to:The experience of the teacher;The ability level of the class;The nature of the course and whether it is accredited or unaccredited; andHow long the class is expected to run for.Let’s look at one of these influencing factors â€" the ability level of the class â€" in more detail.Generally, most Russian language course providers will offer Russian courses for specific groups of people who have a similar, if not the same, proficiency level in Russian. As a result, you'd typically expect to see a selection of courses offered, aimed at either beginners, intermediate or advanced Russian learners.By providing Russian language courses according to the students’ ability levels, the content of a course can be tailored in order to help students tackle the aspects of the Russian language that they would typically struggle with at their ability level.For instance, a beginners’ Russian language course might cover topics such as the Russian alphabet (known as the Cyrillic alphabet) and may also cover topics such as basic Russian grammar, common nouns and verbs, and typical greetings. The course may also only focus on the present tense.An intermediate class, on the other hand, should already be familiar with the topics covered in a beginners’ Russian lesson. As a result, their classes should focus on more advanced topics and more specialised vocabulary while covering a wider range of tenses, including the past, present, and future tenses. Intermediate Russian classes may also learn more about the distinctions between the perfective and imperfective aspects of verbs.Finally, in an advanced class, it’s likely that many students are already comfortable with verb conjugation across all tenses and moods, and have developed a broad vocabulary that allows them to discuss a wide range of topics in detail. In such instances, classes may focus more on improving the students’ overall fluency levels, and cover much mo re advanced areas of grammar.There are lots of different types of Russian language lessons out there, and some Russian classes are more conversational in nature. (Image Source: CC0 1.0, Tumisu, Pixabay)Russian For Business Or For General Conversation?Another thing to remember is the fact that the structure and content of your Russian language course will also likely be influenced by the type of Russian that you’re looking to learn.For example, if you’re interested in learning about the Russian language more generally, then you might expect your Russian lessons to teach you things such as  common Russian greetings, how to describe yourself and others in Russian, and may also teach you things such as how to give directions or order a meal in a restaurant.On the other hand, if you’re hoping to learn Russian for business purposes, then the content of your course might well be different. For example, a business Russian course may place more focus on things such as:Learning how to c onduct yourself during a meeting in Russian;How to write emails and letters to business contacts in Russian; and, perhapsLearning vocabulary specific to the area that you’re likely to work in.If you’re interested in taking a particular Russian course, but you’re not completely sure what that course is supposed to cover, feel free to get in touch with the course organisers and ask for further clarification and information regarding the syllabus before you make a decision on whether to book your place.How Can I Find Russian Lessons Near Me?There are lots of different ways that you can find a Russian language course in Manchester, and typically a quick search in an internet search engine should point you in the direction of which Russian language course providers are near to you.As a general rule, places that might offer Russian language classes include language centres. However, it’s always a good idea to double check which languages such centres offer, as they may not always offer Russian as a taught course, or they may not offer a Russian course appropriate to your proficiency level.Alternatively, you might want to look at whether one of the universities in Manchester offers a Russian language course that’s right for you.The University Language Centre at Manchester University, for example, offers a number of courses, including Russian, to a wide range of people, including the general public as well as students and staff of the university. At present, two Russian courses appear to be offered â€" one aimed at beginners and the other at intermediate learners.Manchester Metropolitan University also offers Russian lessons alongside other languages such as French, German, Spanish, Arabic, and Japanese, to name just a few.If you need to learn Russian for business purposes, then you may want to consider taking Russian classes that focus primarily on business Russian. (Image Source: CC0 1.0, StartupStockPhotos, Pixabay)You Can Always Take Your Search OnlineIf you can’t find a perfect Russian course for you in Manchester, the main thing is not to give up hope, as there are lots of different ways to learn a new foreign language  or increase your existing proficiency in a foreign language.In fact, one way of learning a new language, or developing your existing foreign language skills, is to hire a tutor.Online tutoring sites, such as Superprof, have a range of experienced foreign language tutors, including Russian tutors, who are able to provide bespoke lessons based on your desired learning outcomes and existing ability level in Russian.What's more, there are lots of tutors available that are actually native Russian speakers, which can be really helpful when it comes to improving your Russian speaking and listening skills.So whether you’ve never learnt Russian before, or consider yourself to be a near-native speaker, a Russian tutor may be able to help you further improve and develop your understanding of Russian. With one to one, gro up, and online tuition options available, why not see whether tutoring can help you?

Thursday, March 5, 2020

Maths Problems How to avoid silly mistakes

Maths Problems How to avoid ‘silly mistakes’ Maths Problems: How to avoid ‘silly mistakes’ “I don’t know why I keep making these stupid mistakes in maths. I never get over 90% on practice tests even on problems I am good at because of these mistakes.” Does this sound familiar? Many tutors find that concentration is one of the biggest issues for students, and one that tutors find a lot of time focusing on in their lessons. Careless mistakes account for a huge number of lost marks in maths problems, where one mistake - doing a plus instead of multiply, for instance, or putting the decimal point in the wrong place - can lose all the marks in a question. These careless errors stem from the inability of the mind to concentrate. But how can we avoid them? We recommend following the SHUV Strategy Slow down . Hang On a Minute. Underline Stuff . Visualise with Vivid Images. This strategy can be adopted by parents to support their children with their maths homework. Slow down Practicing the skill of slowing down is quite challenging, especially in exam conditions where students know they have a limited amount of time. Ask your child to say this sentence before every question: “I am just going to slow down for a bit here”. Repeating this sentence exactly sends a signal to your brain to slow down and start thinking. Hang On a Minute Besides slowing down, engaging your child’s curiosity reduces the chances of careless mistakes. Repeat the sentence: “Hang on a Minute, something sounds fishy” Even when your child doesn’t feel that way, this will help to shut off automatic guessing mechanisms. Underline Stuff Besides the obvious benefit of underlining key points from questions, following the question with a pen fixes your gaze to one word at a time and reduces the ‘scatter brain’ syndrome where your mind just tries to look everywhere. See speeder.com  for some examples of this. Visualise with Vivid Images Daydreaming can be controlled by deliberately trying to visualise an image or picture that is partially relevant to the question. Whenever your child sees a question on gradients, he or she can visualise a playground with a slide and the formula of the function floating around this playground. The more strange the context the better. It is important to remind your child that paying attention to detail is an art form that has to be practiced! For private maths tuition tailored to your needs search in your area and for the level you want, e.g. GCSE maths tuition, A-level maths tuition, and boost your learning.

Is my cover letter correct

Is my cover letter correct Job hunting is hard. There are so many candidates competing for the best jobs that recruiters look for ways in which you disqualify yourself. Either your CV is too thin, your interview was awkward, or your cover letter was the wrong format and full of errors. Was it the cover letter that blew it for you? Could be. Whats a cover letter, anyway? Its the letter that acts as a cover to your CV. It introduces your CV and explains what you want. It is hard to know what is important in a CV, so cover letters help prospective employers know what parts of your CV are most relevant to the job you are applying for. Cover letters are like a users guide to your CV. What should my cover letter say? A cover letter highlights what your CV cant. If you are a college student graduating from college with no work experience, a cover letter is a way for you to explain to prospective employers how your work experience doesnt tell the whole story, how your degree, your volunteer experience, your hobbies, your blogging project should be considered as well. A cover letter is also an important opportunity to demonstrate your bilingualism and written communication skills. Some job applicants like to write in their cover letters, I have excellent communications skills. Really? Prove it with a well-written cover letter. Could you correct my cover letter? Yes. Let me help you write a better cover letter. I wont give you a lengthy list of dos and dont. Just submit the letter you have and I will tell you how to improve it. If you have a cover letter already, click the button below to get started. Cover Letter Checker The Virtual Writing Tutor has an automated cover letter checker to guide you in your revisions. It can identify the various parts of your letter and tell you what is missing, what errors it detects, and how to improve it. It also calculates a score for you. Use the score to guide your revisions. It lets you know how well you are doing so far. What should I write in my cover letter? If you are new to cover letters, here are some instructions. Follow them carefully. Cover letters are quite standard in format and content. It is important that you follow the format described. Using the standard format will help hiring managers grasp the content of your letter quickly. Eccentric letters do not indicate brilliance. They indicate that you are difficult and cant follow instructions. Make your letter easy to read by putting your specific information in the right place. Instructions for the Cover Letter Write a 450-550 word cover letter in response to an authentic job advertisement. In addition to the standard elements of a letter (addresses, date, salutation, and close), write 4 paragraphs about your qualifications, experience, your CV/resume, the company you are applying to, the job you are applying for, and end with a request for an interview. Test the system with thissample letterif you like. Sender’s address, date, recipient’s address, and salutation At the top of your letter, include the following: Sender’s address:Write your address on two lines. Do not include your name because it will appear at the bottom of the letter. Do not write “Cover Letter” or any other words above your address.Date:Give the date in English in either of these formats:16-Sept-2020or16 September 2020.Recipient’s address: On a maximum of 6 lines, write the address of the person you are writing to. On the top line, put the recipient’s name if you know it. Under that, put the recipient’s job title. On the third line, put the name of the company. On the next two or three lines, write the company’s address.Salutation:If you use the recipient’s name, write “Dear” + the recipient’s name”. Use “Ms.” rather than “Mrs.” for a woman. If you don’t know the recipient’s name, you can write “To” + the recipient’s title”. If necessary, you can write “To whom it may concern,” but it is not recommended. In all cases, end this line with a comma. First body paragraph Include the following: Purpose:Begin the paragraph by saying why you are writing the letter. Use the standard phrase “I am writing”.Source:Say where you found out about the job. Use one of these phrases:I found the job offer on, I became aware of the opening through, I heard about this internship through, I learned of the position from.Other phrases may be acceptable.Best qualification:Tell the recipient about your most important qualification using phrases such as the following:I will be earning a degree, I will be graduating, I will be receiving a degree in.Other phrases may be acceptable. Middle body paragraphs Summary of experience:Write about what you have achieved in the recent past. Use phrases such as these:have worked, has prepared me, has provided me, have grown, have acquired, have gained, have learned, has helped me, has allowed me, have developed my, have improved my Refer to CV:Draw attention to any information in your CV that you believe to be particularly relevant but liable to be overlooked. Use phrases such as these:You will see in my CV that I have, My work history does not capture the extent of my…Evidence of research:Demonstrate that you have done some research. Show that you have insights into the company’s unadvertised needs. Highlight any skills and characteristics that might be relevant to the specific company you are applying to. Avoid trying to flatter the recipient with praise. Final body paragraph Gratitude:Thank your reader for taking the time to consider your candidature.Reference to documents:Let the reader know what documents they will find with your letter.Call to action:Request an interview or phone conversation. Say what you want the recipient to do.Contact information:Provide a phone number, your availability, and how you look forward to the next step. Close Close your letter:Use the standard closing “Sincerely” on its own line ending with a comma.Your name:Write your full name using the standard capitalization convention. Teach cover letter writing in class MS Word docx of cover letter instructionsDownload PDF of sample cover letter feedbackDownload Everything you need to get started teaching and evaluating cover letter writing is right here. Download the MS Word docx file above. Have students draft a letter and submit it to the cover letter checker for a formative evaluation. Once they are satisfied with the score generated by the system, ask them to turn it in to you for summative evaluation. Remember that the VWT is fast but it doesnt understand what the letter says. It merely checks for structural features, expected vocabulary, and common grammar errors. Students need a human reader to check if they have made a compelling case to hire them. Please follow and like us:

5 things college prep students should do before winter vacation

5 things college prep students should do before winter vacation Tips from a Costa Mesa College Admissions Consultant: 5 Things College Prep Students Should do Before Winter Vacation Summer is over, and high schoolers are back in the classroom. Students who are in the 10th through 12th grade are now prepping for college in addition to staying on track in their courses. The college prep years can either be a fun and productive time or they can become incredibly overwhelming and stressful depending on how prepared a student is and if theyre able to work efficiently. Although each student’s schedule will be tailored to their specific college goals, there are some things that every college prep student should do before they reach winter vacation. 1. Sign up for college entrance exams Its important to sign up for either the SAT or the ACT in advance of the actual test date because each testing program has strict cut off dates after which students will have to wait until the next test, sometimes months away. Once student know when theyre going to take the exam, they should take a practice test and get a baseline score. They can then work through a test prep booklet with the guidance of a tutor to assess their strengths and weaknesses and potentially improve their overall score before test day. 2. Take a college tour College prep students will also benefit from taking a tour of some of the college campuses they are most interested in. Deciding without visiting the campus leaves students with a big question mark in their mind regarding their future college experience. Its better for students to have an idea of what college life will be like to ease the transition. If students are not able to travel long distances to visit some of the schools on their list, they can visit their local university so that they can get an idea of campus life. Students can take an organized tour sponsored by the college, or they can go on their own with their family and take a look around (READ: 5 Things English Majors Should Do This Fall). 3. Get used to AP classes Many students start taking advanced placement classes as early as sophomore year. These classes require students to study and test at a much higher level and require an incredible amount of homework. One of the best things students can do is get used to the rigors of this type of a course, so they dont fall behind. They may need to work on study skills or learn how to study more efficiently, or they may need to develop more of a balance in their after school schedule. Students can also utilize the help of a tutor, study group, or their classroom teacher to get extra help when needed our private Costa Mesa AP tutors are here to help you succeed. 4. Join a club or organization In addition to working on academics and test prep, its important that college prep students have a chance to explore some of their interests so they can start thinking about what they might want to major in once in college. Most high schools offer several after school opportunities where students can explore personal interests. If a student is not interested in what their local school has to offer, they can often find activities for teens within their local community. Being involved in extracurricular activities help students find a balance in their schedule, allows them a chance to socialize with other motivated students, and looks great on college applications. 5. Refine study skills Study skills and personal organization will become essential during the college prep years. Students need to get things done as efficiently as possible, so they have time to complete all of their assignments, study for entrance exams, perhaps work a part-time job or volunteer within the community, and also just enjoy some free time to themselves. At this point, most students will know what study habits work best for their learning style, but they may need to work with a tutor a few hours here and there to stay on track. Our Costa Mesa private college admissions consultants have a 97% success rate. Call us today to learn more. All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at pr@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us write.

Learning a language can increase your brain size!

Learning a language can increase your brain size! According to Swedish scientists, learning an additional language can increase the size of your brain. The study focused on a control group of hard working, Medical and Cognitive Science Students from the US. By measuring their brains before and after the language training, a group of researchers had the unique opportunity to observe what happens to the brain when a language is learnt in a short period of time. The Swedish MRI study, showed that students who had learnt or were learning an additional language had considerable brain growth in comparison to students who were not bilingual having unchanged brain structures. According to The Telegraph, learning an additional language can improve the functionality of your brain by challenging it to recognise, negotiate meaning, and communicate in different language systems. Educators often liken the brain to a muscle, because it functions better with exercise, improving overall memory- making language speakers considerably better at remembering lists or sequences. Studies suggest it can also build your multi-tasking skills, reduce your chances of developing Alzheimer's and can enhance your perception. If you want to increase your brain size or just want to master an additional language - regardless of the scope of your linguistic ambition, First Tutors: Languages is a great place to start: we have language teachers catering to all knowledge levels across the whole of the UK.