A Career As a Tutor in Singapore

A Career As a Tutor in SingaporeIf you are thinking of pursuing a career as a tutor in Singapore, there are a number of factors to take into consideration. Some areas of the country offer home tutoring as a form of community service and make it possible for people who are unable to afford private tuition to earn some money and still do their share for the community. This is an alternative that many people in Singapore have found beneficial for themselves, and more are choosing to do the same.Many tutors in Singapore work in their own homes. This is a great option for many people, especially those who do not have the time to travel to a busy campus to teach, but still want to earn some money. There are also workshops and other teaching opportunities that require you to attend classes from your home, which can also be very rewarding for those people who want to take a break from their day jobs and learn a new skill.If you live in Singapore and are interested in a career as a tutor, the re are a few things that you should consider before you begin. If you have never lived in Singapore, you will have to do some research to find out what courses are available in your area. Your local community will have information on what classes are offered, and this will be an essential step in deciding which courses to attend in order to pursue a career as a tutor in Singapore.In addition to working at home, tutors in Singapore do not need to have a bachelor's degree. In fact, they do not even need to be licensed or certified, though this can be an important factor if you intend to pursue a professional career in education. As long as you have a good grasp of the English language, and the ability to speak clearly, you can take the online or in-person classes that are offered at a number of different schools in Singapore.Most schools offer online instruction, and many of them offer classes that are offered remotely over the internet. Since the schools offer these classes at no cos t, you will not have to worry about making a large financial commitment, while you can earn an income while you travel the world and meet many new people. Online tutoring is an excellent way to save money, while still receiving all of the benefits that come with pursuing a career as a tutor in Singapore.There are a number of programs that you can take if you decide to pursue a career as a tutor in Singapore. Some involve working with children or working with adults who may need help in certain areas of their lives. Others are designed for helping business owners and managers, who will be able to help their employees with difficult times or special needs.A career as a tutor in Singapore can be an incredible experience, particularly if you have the passion for helping others. There are a number of schools in Singapore that provide free classes, and many of them are located in communities where most people speak English. Because of the large population of English speakers in Singapore, tutoring opportunities are plentiful and you will be able to find one that fits your specific needs.

What New College Students Should Know About EdTech

What New College Students Should Know About EdTech As technology evolves and becomes increasingly essential within our society, the college classroom evolves as well. The integration of technology into the classroom has allowed for increasing educational possibilities. However, there are some basic concepts that new college students should know about educational technology (or edtech) to maximize their schooling experience. Be prepared It is likely that if you are a new college student, you will encounter some form of edtech in your classes. Many colleges offer a short course on educational technology; if your college does so, enroll in this class during your first term. Additionally, some libraries and academic support centers offer workshops that discuss various technologies that are likely to be applied in the classroom. Here are 3 tips to better utilize your electronic textbooks. Pay close attention to the types of courses for which you register. Are you registering for an online class? Is it a hybrid course that is a mix of in-person and online sessions? Or is it a class that meets via interactive television? One benefit of online courses is that they are available to a greater number of students. However, if you are not comfortable with taking an online class, sign up for an in-person course. You can also take a preparatory class or workshop to make your online learning experience less stressful. If you not familiar with the type of educational technology that will be used in a class, check with your instructor to see if he or she can suggest any resources to help you transition. Many learning platforms have built-in tutorials that will show college students exactly how to use them. Similarly, the publishers of electronic textbooks often supply tutorials or websites that explain all of the products features. Jump in Some students, especially those who have not encountered edtech before, are nervous about the concept. Familiarize yourself with the idea via a tutorial or a school workshop, and then jump right into it! You may want to let your instructor know that you are new to this form of educational technology. However, there is no better way to learn these programs than by simply using them. If you feel especially unsure, ask a friend, classmate, or a tutor who understands the concept so he or she can assist you the first few times you use it. Here is some great information on digital textbooksthat may help you prepare. Learn the benefits While there is a learning curve involved with educational technology, it carries many benefits. Technology can provide opportunities that are not otherwise available. It can make studying easier, too. Set aside time to learn the advantages of edtech so you can benefit from it. This is some great information on the future of technology in education. Systems like Blackboard permit collaboration with classmates and instructors. Electronic textbooks have features that traditional textbooks do not, such as the ability to share margin notes. Hybrid classes provide students with both the virtual and face-to-face class experience. In addition, hybrid classes give students the chance to reflect on and generate discussions later, once they have digested the lecture. As the classroom advances technologically, college students must adjust to the changes in order to maximize their experience. Prepare yourself the best you can for the technology you are likely to encounter, dive right into the experience, and know the benefits technology can confer.

Scheduling Private Tutorials

Scheduling Private Tutorials How Often Should You Get Private Tutorials? ChaptersAcademic Support for Primary School ChildrenAcademic Support at Secondary SchoolSixth Form or College“Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” - Henry Ford100,000 pupils leave schooling in the UK each year without basic qualifications. This is quite alarming when you think just how hard it is to find work with qualifications!Pupils can start to struggle as early as primary school so, at the first signs of trouble, you can’t delay, you have to act. You can always get private academic support tutorials who help pupils who are struggling with their schooling.How often they get private tutoring will depend a lot on their age and level. CalumDrama School Entrance Teacher 5.00 (15) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToriSpanish Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliviaSchool support Teacher 5.00 (2) £21/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarkESOL (English) Teacher 4.76 (17) £20/h1st les son free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JenniferMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LouiseAutoCAD Teacher 5.00 (3) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyPercussion Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolasGuitar Teacher 5.00 (2) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MyriamOrganic chemistry Teacher 5.00 (13) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JonathanEconomics Teacher 5.00 (9) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Oluwakemi imoleMaths Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexPhysics Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdamSinging Teacher 5.00 (14) £48/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValentiniMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MilenaMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RashmiEconomics Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsAcademic Support for Primary School ChildrenPupils can start to struggle with schooling early on in life. For those who struggle as early as primary school, they can feel lost throughout their whole schooling. They’ll probably end up looking to leave education as early as possible. They can feel lost, struggle to make friends, and feel like they can’t talk to the adults. Children can start to struggle with schooling sooner than you think. (Source: Victoria_Borodinova)So how can you fix this problem before it worsens?Firstly, you need to work out the cause of the problem. In primary school, students who struggle often may have issues such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, dysorthography, dyscalculia, or ADHD.  When pupils show signs of learning difficulties, they must seek medical help and work out solutions that will help the child.Academic support is one of these solutions. If they struggle to learn, a private tutor familiar with their learning difficultly can help. In any case, their methodology needs to be adapted to the student being tutored, but there are plenty of tutoring services (including online tutoring) that can help. Choose the tutor according to your child's needs, skills, and rapport with the tutor. (Source: Pexels)In terms of frequency, you’ll need to discuss this with the private tutor. During the first lesson, they’ll talk to the child, analyse their difficulties, and work out a home tutoring programme that will help them to learn better.However, half-hour sessions are usually enough for primary school pupils with learning difficulties or those who struggle at school. Bit by bit, with a few sessions a week, you’ll be able to see them making progress.For younger children, they generally can’t pay attention for any longer than half an hour.Regular lessons are far more important than long lessons. It’s difficult for pupils to progress if they’ve been overwhelmed with new information or can’t remember what they did last time if the previous lesson was ages ago. Academic support needs to be manageable and regular to help the student progress.  Similarly, by the time they go to secon dary school, they don’t want to be started Year 7 behind their peers.Find out more about the benefits of academic support.Academic Support at Secondary SchoolFalling behind in primary school can have knock-on effects for secondary school. However, this doesn’t mean that a student who didn’t struggle in primary school won’t struggle in secondary school. A pupil might get to Year 7 and then start to struggle with their schooling. Adolescence can be complicated and result in falling behind at school. (Source: Pexels)Be it puberty, new teachers, shyness, wanting to fit in, etc. there are plenty of things that can affect a student's schooling in secondary school. Make sure that you keep an eye on your child so that you can take action when necessary.  Academic support can help them get back on their feet if they start to struggle with any of their subjects.Each pupil will have different needs according to their struggles. However, starting secondary school is already stressful enough without being inundated with academic support work. The academic support needs to work with their timetable and not exhaust them.You need to keep an eye on their workload, too. Private academic tutorials need to fit around the work they’re getting from school, too. For example, if a child struggles with maths, you might want to schedule their academic support tutorials for a day they don’t have maths class at school. The same fo r physics, chemistry, English, etc.This is also a good way to get into a rhythm. Of course, nothing’s set in stone. If they fail an exam, for example, you can always schedule another lesson.  Whether they’re studying maths, English, French, or science, the academic support tutorials shouldn’t be too intensive during the school year. At most, a couple of hour-long sessions a week should be enough for most students. You can always get more sessions during the holidays when they don’t have school. After all, it's much easier to focus on trigonometry, for example, when you've got nothing else to worry about.It’s probably a good idea to get in touch with a private tutor in August so that they can get everything ready for moving up to the next year in September. It’s always a good idea to start the year right without any lingering concerns from the previous year.  Similarly, you can do the same between terms.Find out more about the cost of academic support.Sixth Form or Colleg eBy the time students are doing exams, you might want an established timetable for their academic support tutorials. Routine is really important for teenagers, especially with their learning. Sixth formers might feel they have priorities other than studying. (Source: nastya_gepp)A lot of teenagers find their GCSEs, sixth form, or college to be stressful. They spend a lot of their time sitting exams. Similarly, from GCSE to sixth form or college, students are regularly taking exams each term or each academic year.Students need to organise their work and they also need to have the right study techniques to make the most out of their revision. Not every student will know what these are.In this case, an academic support tutor can help students with study techniques to make their learning more effective. Don’t hesitate to revise during the summer holidays, for example. Academic support tutorials allow primary school and secondary school pupils to get the most out of their learning.Intensive courses can be done during the half-terms and summer holidays. This is useful for pupils preparing for their GCSEs or A Levels, for example. They won’t have to cram for a few weeks befo rehand.You might want to schedule a few sessions of exam and test prep and study skills for them. Struggling students can benefit from academic support tutorials but only around 2 or 3 hours of them a week.Don’t hesitate to get in touch with the tutors on Superprof to help your child get over their difficulties. No matter there level, you’ll be able to find a tutor who’s ready to help them.So how many hours a week of private academic support tutorials does your child need?This is something you have to discuss with a face-to-face or online tutor. Academic tutoring comes in all shapes and sizes, after all.While science tutors may adopt one way to go about their private tuition, language tutors may have entirely different approaches. The important thing is that regardless of whether a student is getting one-on-one tutoring from a French tutor or physics tutor, the private tuition needs to be tailored to them.No matter what subject you need help with or which skills you want to le arn, you can find experienced and talented private tutors on Superprof. Regardless of the subject, there are three main types of private tutorial available: one-on-one tutorials, online tutorials, and group tutorials. Each has its pros and cons and some types work better for certain subjects than others.One-on-one private tutorials are between you and your tutor. The lessons will be tailored to you, your goals, and your learning style. Since this entails a lot of work outside of class from the tutor, you'll probably pay a premium for them. However, with every minute in class spent teaching you, these are also the most cost-effective type of tutorials available.Online tutorials are similar to private tutorials since they are between a single student and tutor but the tutor isn't physically in the room with you and is instead teaching you remotely via a webcam. With fewer expenses and the ability to schedule more tutorials each week, the tutor can charge less per hour and they often d o.Finally, group tutorials are when several students are taught in a single class by a private tutor. These students may already know each other or be strangers. You won't have the tutor's undivided attention like in the other types of private tutorials but the cost of the tutorial will be divided amongst all of the students in attendance, making it cheaper per student per hour.Many of the tutors offer free tutoring for the first hour so try a few out and see which type of tutorial and which tutor is best for you.

The First Thing Beginners Should Learn on the Guitar

The First Thing Beginners Should Learn on the Guitar Madalyn Danielson Whether youve just started guitar lessons or youre teaching yourself, the best way to learn guitar is by starting with this one, basic thing. Guitar teacher  Jerry W.  explains The first thing a beginner needs to learn on the guitar is how to tune. An out-of-tune guitar will  make even the best player sound bad. The best way to learn guitar is to first learn how to tune it. Then, everything you play will sound better, and the whole musical world will thank you! I recommend you tune your guitar before every guitar lesson, practice session and certainly before any  performance. In the end, training your ear to know what it sounds like to play in tune is the best way to learn guitar. In this post, I will  show you three ways to tune your guitar. 1. Using a Tuner The easiest tuning method is to use a tuner. There are many types of tuners, including ones  designed specifically for the guitar. If you have a smart phone, you can simply download an  app for tuning your guitar. I personally use PitchLab on my phone. When using a tuner,  make sure you are tuning to the correct pitches. The strings, from lowest to highest,  should be tuned to E2, A2, D3, G3, B3 and E4. I recommend that you also learn to tune your guitar  by ear. Why is this important? Because  you can still tune your guitar if you forget your tuner or your phone is dead. Even more  importantly, it will help develop your ear for pitch. There are two methods of tuning the guitar by ear. Both methods require having the lowest-sounding string in tune. To do this, find a piano or someone who is already in tune and match  your bottom string to their E pitch. If you are just practicing, then you can tune the E2 string  using your tuner. In fact, if you are just practicing on your own, you can simply tune to the  lowest-sounding string. Even if it isnt perfectly on pitch, at least the guitar will be in tune with  itself. 2. The Fifth Fret Method 1. Play the lowest string (E2) at the fifth fret, and then tune the A2 string to this pitch. When tuning to a note, it is best to loosen the tuning peg until you are below the pitch, and then bring it up until both strings sound like one pitch. 2. Play the A string you just tuned at the fifth fret, and then tune the D3 string to this pitch. 3. Play the D string at the fifth fret, and tune the G3 string to this pitch. 4. The next string is different from all the others. Play the G string at the 4th fret, and tune  the B3 string to this pitch. 5. Finally play the B string at the fifth fret, and tune the E4 string to this pitch. 3. The Harmonics Method 1. This method requires being able to play harmonics. To play a harmonic lightly, touch a  string at the fifth fret, and pull your finger away as you pluck the string. This should  produce a higher, more bell-like sound. It usually takes some practice to get this to  work well. Harmonics can be easily produced at the fifth, seventh and twelfth frets. 2. Play the harmonic on the fifth fret of the lowest string (E2). Then, play the harmonic on  the seventh fret of the A2 string, and tune it to the E string. Due to the pure sound of  harmonics, it is easier to hear whether you are perfectly in tune. 3. Repeat this for each string, using the fifth fret harmonic to tune the seventh fret harmonic of  the next string, except for the B string. You will have to tune the B string using either  the fifth fret method or a tuner, because the harmonics method does not work for this string. Now that you have learned to tune your guitar, go out and make the world a better place for all  music lovers by always playing with an in-tune guitar! Jerry W. teaches classical guitar, composition, trombone and  trumpet  in Grosse Pointe, MI.  He received his Bachelor of Music in Theory and Composition from  Cornerstone University and went on to receive both his Masters and PhD in Music Composition from  Michigan State University. Jerry has been making music and teaching students for over thirty years.    Learn more about Jerry W. here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo by A Klar

4 Alternate Guitar Tunings for Beginners

4 Alternate Guitar Tunings for Beginners Maile Proctor Whether you just started guitar lessons or youve been playing for a while, you may be itching to learn some new songs and take on some new challenges. You might be wondering: where can I go from here? Thats where alternate guitar tunings come in! With this guide from Michael L., youll learn how alternate guitar tunings can take your playing to the next level One of the amazing things about the guitar is its versatility. Not only can you play rhythm and/or melody in different genres, but you can also change the tuning (or the key) to create different atmospheres. Heres the deal: Not all songs are written to be played in standard E-A-D-G-B-E tuning, so if you want to expand your range as a guitarist, you need to learn play some alternate guitar tunings. Alternate guitar tunings, or open tunings, allow you to play new songs and explore new music styles. Essentially, alternate guitar tunings will expand your range and skill set. If the only alternate tuning you know is  Drop D tuning, then this tutorial will introduce you to some new concepts. We will focus on  three open  tunings: Open G, DADGAD, and Open D. Alternate Guitar Tunings for Beginners Drop D Tuning You may already be familiar with  drop D tuning:  Take your low E string and tune it down a whole step to D. In this tuning, you can play power chords by barring the low three strings. Drop D tuning is usually  associated with metal music, but you can also play other songs like  the Foo Fighters Everlong and I Might Be Wrong by Radiohead. Open G Tuning Open G tuning requires three strings to change notes. Tune the E strings down a whole step to D, and the A string down a whole step to G. Now when you strum the guitar, youll  play a G chord. This tuning makes the guitar resemble a banjo, except with  a banjo, the low G string is a high G string and the low D is not there. You can play some banjo songs in this tuning, substituting the high G with the low G offers a new sound on some traditional banjo songs. I primarily use this tuning for blues, folk, bluegrass, and rock, but Im sure you can find other genres to play in this tuning. A couple of songs that use this tuning are Poor Black Mattie by R.L Burnside and Death Letter by Son House (or covered by White Stripes). The beauty of open G tuning  is that you can strum the bottom five strings together and play a melody with any of the strings as long as the note is in the key G. You can also get any major chord you like if you barre the fretboard on the corresponding right fret (the chord is based off the notes on the G strings). If you want a minor chord, barre the fret but play a half-step lower, on the B string. Alternating between the low G and D strings gives you fun bass lines, too. If you would like to learn more chord shapes simply look online for banjo chord chart and apply those shapes to the guitar in this tuning. DAGAD Tuning DADGAD is very similar to open G.  For this tuning, just tune the fifth  string back up to A and the B string to A. This tuning opens the door for some really neat sounding modal music. You can play folk music, like Paul Simons version of Scarborough Fair and Armistice Day, some rock music like Led Zeppelins Kashmir, or even nu-metal like Slipknots Circle. Open D Tuning Open D tuning requires four strings to change notes. Tune the E strings down to D, the G string to F#, and the B string to A. Now, when you strum the guitar, youll get a D chord. Again, I mostly use this tuning for rural music (blues, country, bluegrass, ragtime, etc.) This tuning is also my favorite to  play the slide guitar. Go ahead and  strum steadily on the low D string while playing melody notes on the high D and A strings, and tell me thats not one of the most sultry sounds youve heard! A couple of my favorite songs in open D are Blind Willie McTell by Statesboro Blues and Bob Dylans Corina, Corina. As with open G, you can find any major chord by barring the corresponding fret (the chord is based off the note on the D strings). If you want a minor chord, play a half-step down on the F# string. Here are a couple of open D chords, besides barre chords, to get you started. G7 A7 3 2 2 0 1 1 0 2 2 0 0 2 I hope this gives you some new ideas on how to approach the guitar. Have fun with these alternate guitar tunings. They changed the way I think of guitar and I hope they do  the same for  you, especially if youre a fan of delta blues and folk music! If you need help with any of  these alternate guitar tunings, ask your guitar teacher to go over them during your next lesson! Want to ramp up your guitar skills at home? Try one of our free online group classes!   Post Author:  Michael  L. Michael teaches ukulele, guitar, drums, and music theory in Austin, TX. He studied music theory and vocal performance at the Florence University of the Arts in Italy. In addition to private lessons, Michael teaches music to special education students in Austin public schools and foster children with Kids in a New Groove.  Learn more about Michael here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher

Ambitious Introverts 7 Simple Insider Tips to Get You Promoted - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Ambitious Introverts 7 Simple Insider Tips to Get You Promoted - Introvert Whisperer Ambitious Introverts: 7 Simple Insider Tips to Get You Promoted Introvert or not, most of us are ambitious even if we don’t openly admit it. Certainly, the majority of us are always looking for more pay and growth. However, sometimes a promotion seems elusive for us Ambitious Introverts, and we’re left not knowing exactly what to do next. Does that sound like you? If you’re pondering what your next move is to get promoted, consider following these tips. Just so you know, I’ve had hundreds of people reporting to me over the years, which mean evaluating them for possible promotion was ongoing. Tip #1: Know Your Performance Expectations All too many people are clueless about what is expected of them and how they will be measured. Rest assured that you are being measured even if it is only in the mind of your management. If you are barely meeting their expectations, you can’t expect a promotion until you get this basic in place for a while. Tip #2: Know What It Takes to Get Promoted Again, a simple task but overlooked by most. Go ask your management specific skills they would like to see from you to get you to that next level. Tip #3: Take On More Take on a task or project typically performed at the next level. This will not only show you have initiative but it will show you can perform at the next level. Tip #4: Get Visibility to Your Accomplishments It’s not enough to simply work hard and get great results. You need to ensure that your results are visible to the decision makers. Consider doing a status report or presentation if appropriate. If not those things, at least stop by their office and give them an update. Tip #5: Take Responsibility As you go up the food chain, you usually take on more responsibility. Demonstrate you are responsible for yourself and others by asking to lead a project or train someone. Tip #6: Speak Up A tough one for introverts many times is contributing to discussions. You can gain visibility by simply speaking up, but also it shows you’re engaged. No one likes to promote someone that doesn’t show interest or engagement in the work. Tip #7: Get a Mentor We aren’t always objective about what or how well we do things. It may not be any easier to hear improvement input from the boss. A well-chosen mentor should be able to tell you how you are doing in such a way that you will “hear” it and do something with it. Your mentor should be at a higher level than you and have enough experience and insight that they can help guide you toward your goals. A third party is seriously helpful to your career. Make sure your expectations of a promotion are realistic to the business situation you are in. If the business is struggling or just had a layoff, it may be a while before anyone feels inclined to pay you more. If you do a few simple things on a consistent basis and keep the lines of communication open with your management, you are well on your way to a bigger paycheck. Go to top Bonus Tip: Let me emphasize that Self-Promotion doesn’t have to be obnoxious to be effective.  But, if you don’t Self-Promote you, who will?  If you ever want to get ahead, you have to learn how to Self-Promote. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my video that shows you simple, yet effective ways to Self-Promote.    Start watching now! What one thing will you do next to reach for your next promotion? Image: Photobucket

To or For English Prepositions - Video and Exercise

To or For English Prepositions - Video and Exercise This weeks video exercise is about using the prepositions to and for. All languages seem to use their prepositions a little differently, and the rules can be hard to understand at first. Try some of the exercises below to see how you do with to and for, then watch the video for the answers.1. Im going (to/for) New York in March.2. It is a quarter (to/for) 5 pm.3. I work from 10 am (to/for) 7 pm every day.4. The ship left (to/for) England.5. I lived in Argentina (to/for) two years.6. I made the appointment (to/for) Thursday.7. I gave the present (to/for) my grandmother.8. The cake is (to/for) Paul because it is his birthday. Ok, we hope that helped you! If you have any questions or comments, or suggestions for our next video, please write us in comments. Thanks!

20 Reasons to Use Games in College-Level ESL Courses

20 Reasons to Use Games in College-Level ESL Courses Copyright 2018 Bokomaru Publications There are many good reasons why serious games remain appropriate teaching tools in college-level second language learning courses for young adults. Before we get into those reasons, there is one thing that we should clear up. A serious game is not the same as other  games. Unlike a game played for amusement, fun  is not its primary goal. Fun is merely a useful byproduct of a well-designed learning activity.  A serious games primary purpose is pedagogical. Above all else, it is intended to support one or more of the goals of the course. Anyone interested in instructional design would do well to consider the pedagogical benefits of serious games. The Pedagogical Benefits of Language Learning Games Here is a list of 20 pedagogical benefits that games can bring to the language learning classroom:  task regulation,  motivation and strategic thinking,  preparation, memory and retention, meaningful communicative exchanges, cognitive fluency,  attention to form,  peer-correction and instruction, openness and respect,  patience and planning, mastery experiences and  ego-gratification, self-confidence and self-efficacy,  contingency planning and resilience,  energy and excitement,  reduction in  egotism,  problem-solving and effort,  creativity,  coherence,  self-directed learning, and  time-on-task. How Games Provide these Benefits Games have  rules. Rules can keep learners focused on key structures, allowing careful  task regulation. Games have  goals. Goals create  motivation and strategic thinking. Games are a form of  simulation. Simulations give us  preparation  for high-stakes communicative tasks. Games involve repetition. Repetitions  enhance  memory and retention. Games are  interactive. Oral interaction gives us  meaningful communicative exchanges. Games require speed. Speed stimulates the development of  cognitive fluency. Games involve decisions. Decisions can direct  attention to form. Games involve  feedback. Feedback means  peer-correction and instruction. Games involve turn-taking. Turn-taking ensures  openness  to the participation of others,  equality, and  respect. Games involve waiting for a turn. Waiting teaches  patience and planning. Games have  win-states. Win-states provide  mastery experiences and  ego-gratification. Games require skill. Skill development generates  self-confidence and self-efficacy. Games involve chance. Chance creates  contingency planning and resilience. Games have sudden reversals of fortune. Reversals of fortune provide  energy and excitement. Games have lose-states. Lose-states cause  reductions in  egotism  that do not damage the ego since game-play is a non-literal state. Games have  challenges. Challenges demand  problem-solving and effort. Games involve  problem-solving.  Problem-solving sparks  creativity. Games have  a beginning, middle  and  end.  Sequence offers  coherence. Games are a form of play.  Play  is Evolution’s toolbox for  self-directed learning. Games are pleasurable.  Pleasure maximizes  time-on-task. **This list is an adapted and expanded list from  Prensky, 2001, Digital Game-Based Learning, McGraw-Hill, p. 6. Please follow and like us:

Back to school safety on the roads - ALOHA Mind Math

Back to school safety on the roads 2 Likes Sheriff Allen Riley of Madison County, NY has some important advice for drivers on the road now that school has started. He advices adults on the road to watch out for young children at all times, and pay attention to school buses that are also back on the road now. Please read this articlefor more of his advice. As parents of school-going children, we should definitely be well aware of how our kids and their friends would behave on the way to school, and we should be extra careful while driving on the roads. There is also something more we can do for our kids to learn good road safety and be safer on the roads: Road Safety for KidsImage Courtesy: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wwworks/3957311986/sizes/z/in/photostream/ Set an example: If our kids see us breaking the rules and using the cellphone at times when we shouldn’t be such as when driving the car, they might tend to follow the same practice while crossing the road which puts them in danger from approaching vehicles. We can start off by setting the right example, and also explaining to them about why they should not be doing it. Road rules: Make sure that young children who are walking on their own to school are aware of the relevant road rules, so that they do not jump out into traffic at the wrong places. It is better to prepare our kids to be careful than trusting completely to the attention of drivers on the roads. Use the right lane: For kids who skateboard or cycle to school, explain to them how much safer it is to stick to the cycling lanes wherever available. In this way you can breathe a little easier that they are out of the way of larger vehicles and following a safe route to school. On the bus safety: Though school bus drivers a re usually extra careful about safety of children on the bus, it is useful for the kids to be taught simple rules such as sitting down before the bus starts moving, and using the handrails while moving around in the bus. With these simple tips, we can try to better ensure the safety of our kids on the roads. Check us out on Facebook for more such insights and tips: www.facebook.com/aloha.usa