8 Beautiful Opera Arias for Beginner Singers

8 Beautiful Opera Arias for Beginner Singers Suzy S. It is always exciting when a vocal student is ready to start studying his or her first operatic aria! One of the best things about being a classical singer is knowing you have so many great years ahead of you. After all, you’re considered in your prime in your 40s. That being said, realize that the voice you have now and the repertoire you’ll first study will be very, very different from  what you sing later on in your career. It’s absolutely crucial that you sing repertoire that is not too heavy for your young voice, or you may damage it. Fear not here is a list of some of the most beautiful opera songs, organized by the different voice types. Keep scrolling below the video to find even more options! Opera Arias for Sopranos “L’ho perduta” This cute little aria is from one of Mozart’s greatest hits, “The Marriage of Figaro”. The character singing it is Barbarina. Believe it or not, the soprano who first sung this role was 12 so this is indeed suitable for a young singer with operatic aspirations! “O mio babbino caro” from Puccini’s “Gianni Schicchi” This is another short but wonderful aria that everyone knows and loves. It’s beautiful and perfect for a lighter, lyric voice. Do be careful to avoid dragging the tempo: many sopranos have taken it too slowly. Opera Arias for  Mezzo-Sopranos “Voi che sapete” from “Marriage of Figaro” This charming aria, sung by the page boy Cherubino, is a terrific intro to the “trouser roles” often sung by mezzos. With a lilting melody and a chance to show off some chest voice, it’s a true winner. “Must the Winter Come So Soon?” from Barber’s “Vanessa” This is a beautiful  aria from an American opera that  is not performed too often. It may not be a long aria, but the vocal line is gorgeous. It’s essential that young singers prepare a few arias that are in English. SEE ALSO: Its Time to Refresh Your Arias When   Opera Arias for Baritones “Se vuol ballare” from the “Marriage of Figaro” Lets face it: this opera has an aria for everyone! This aria, sung by Figaro, is a solid choice for beginning baritone. Its a perfect moderate tempo and also has a few high notes. “Vecchia zimarra” from Puccini’s “La Boheme” It may be another short aria, but it packs a powerful punch since it’s from a very dramatic opera! This one is a favorite for a reason. Puccini didn’t write an awful lot for baritones! Opera Arias for Tenors “Quanto e bella” from Donizetti’s “ L’elisir d’amore” This moderate tempo aria is ideal for a light lyric tenor! The character is the lovestruck Nemorino, and this opera song  has been sung by many of the greats, including Luciano Pavarotti. “Lonely House” from Kurt Weill’s “Street Scene” Weill’s music may be challenging to learn, but this haunting aria suits a young singer’s voice. This aria will also give a strong actor a chance to set himself apart from other tenors that just want to stand there and sound pretty. Want more song recommendations by voice type, beyond opera? Check out our song ideas  here, including best picks for auditions, talent shows, and gigs. Your voice teacher is another great resource for suggestions. He or she will undoubtedly have many more ideas  for you. If classical singing interests you, its very important to be working with a voice coach, as opera is a lot tougher to sing than many other genres. Have fun exploring the rich and wonderful world of opera! To continue learning, check out our Ultimate Guide to Singing Styles and Genres! Readers, what are your picks for the most beautiful opera songs? Let us know in the comments!   Post Author:  Molly R. Molly R. teaches online and in-person singing lessons in Hayward, CA. Her specialties include teaching beginner vocalists, shy singers, children, teens, lapsed singers, and older beginners. She joined TakeLessons in November 2013.  Learn more about Molly  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  Jas?n

15 Fabulous Songs for Male Jazz Singers (with audio!)

15 Fabulous Songs for Male Jazz Singers (with audio!) Suzy S. Guys, ready to explore the world of jazz? There are so many good jazz songs to sing and talented jazz singers to check out! Here are some  top picks from voice teacher  Molly R... For beginner vocal students (or ANY vocal student, for that matter!) nothing beats a jazz standard! Even the rocker guys I work with agree that mastering a classic can do  absolute wonders for improving your voice. Jazz songs are great for singers for so many reasons: phrasing, musicianship, improvisation, strengthening your middle range… sold yet? Then why not consider one of these 15  great songs for male jazz singers? There is a huge variety here: you’re bound to find a few that you’ll love to sing! 1) “Fly Me to the Moon” What a fun one! You can swing the rhythm like Frank Sinatra, or sing it “straight.” That’s why jazz is so great you’ve got choices! 2) “Hello, Dolly!” While I don’t suggest you try to  emulate Satchmo’s signature scratchy sound, this song is swinging! Fun fact: it became a #1 hit that booted the Beatles off the top of the charts in 1964. 3) “Embraceable You” A beautiful Gershwin standard! It’s sweet, slow-paced, and sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Here’s Nat King Cole singing it in his smooth style. 4) “Ain’t That a Kick in the Head?” This is another uptempo jazz song that is witty and just  sheer fun!  This is performed by the legendary Dean Martin. Although it’s often performed with a full  band, don’t let the big sound fool you. This is always a treat sung with just a piano, too! 5) “Misty” Numerous singers have made this heartfelt ballad their own and can you blame them? It’s easy to improvise and the lyrics are just lovely. Here it is performed by the gentleman who made it most popular, Johnny Mathis. 6) “All of Me” Again, Mr. Sinatra shows us how you can make choices in jazz. Here, he swings the rhythm. Although you also have the choice of singing it slower and more in the style of a ballad. Either way, this is always a solid choice! 7) “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off” I  love this song because of the clever and memorable lyrics. In this video, Harry Connick, Jr. gives this classic song his cool flair. 8) “A Foggy Day in London Town” The Gershwins did such an amazing job of painting a picture of a place with their music. Here’s further proof of that with Michael Bublé’s version this wonderful number. 9) “I Won’t Dance” This sassy song by Jerome Kern is sometimes sung as a duet, but it’s also sung as a solo jazz piece. Legends such as Sinatra and Tony Bennett are among the many who have sung it, as well as movie star Fred Astaire, seen here. 10) “It Had to Be You” Does anyone have a jazzier tone than living legend Tony Bennett? Hes one of the greatest male jazz singers of all time just listen to how simply but effectively he delivers this uplifting classic! 11) “All the Way” This standard has one grand, sweeping melody. Its the  perfect tune to show off emotion as well as how well you can build a phrase. 12) “Stardust” This one was made for intimate jazz club settings! It’s especially beautiful with nothing more than simple piano accompaniment, as heard here with Harry Connick, Jr. 13) “The Girl From Ipanema” Like many of the jazz songs in this list, there have been countless versions of this piece. This was even a Top-40 hit in the 1960s! Many have given this a Latin feel, but note how Nat King Cole gives it a slightly more traditional sound. 14) “When Sunny Gets Blue” Smooth… cool… and yet very emotional at the same time. Ah, that’s why we love vocal jazz! Mel Torme, the “Velvet Fog” himself, sings this so beautifully, with impeccable phrasing and diction. 15) “New York State of Mind” Billy Joel was no doubt inspired from great songs of the past when he wrote and recorded this favorite new standard in the 1970s! Many of the greats have put their own stamp on his salute to the Big Apple. Wouldn’t this be a great number to either open or close a show with? So there you have it! Fifteen fantastic jazzy standards that are perfect for male jazz singers of all ages. (Ladies, check out my list of popular jazz songs for females here!) Of course, the best way to determine the perfect songs for you is by working with your voice teacher. He or she can easily help you find what is best for your vocal range and musical abilities.  If you don’t already have one, TakeLessons can help you find your perfect match for either online or in-person voice lessons. Happy singing! Post Author:  Molly R. Molly R. teaches online and in-person singing lessons in Hayward, CA. Her specialties include teaching beginner vocalists, shy singers, children, teens, lapsed singers, and older beginners. She joined TakeLessons in November 2013.  Learn more about Molly  here! Photo by  Eva Rinaldi 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

Science ACT Help Online ACT Prep Online Tutoring Tutorpace

Science ACT Help Online ACT Prep Online Tutoring Tutorpace ACT test is taken by high school students to gain admissions in colleges and universities. ACT test consists of 4 main sections: English, Mathematics, Reading, Science reasoning. Science is one of the important sections in the ACT exam and students are given multiple choice questions on science related topics and they must select an answer from the given set of options. For this section, 35 minutes time is given and students should answer 40 questions in this time period. This clearly implies that each question gets less than a minute time of the student and hence they should work on the questions quickly. The topics included in this section are from physics, chemistry, biology and Earth/space sciences, however the questions are not based on difficult or higher level concepts. In order to get good scores in the science section of the ACT test, students should know science related topics learnt up till high school. The main purpose of ACT Science test is to examine a students reasoning and problem-solving skills in natural sciences. By studying for ACT science, students will be prepared to take up college level courses in their education and therefore, students must work on their analysis and reasoning skills to get good score in the test. The test contains science related information and questions are asked in various forms such as graphs, tables, research summaries etc. The main task for the students is to recognize and understand the given information and answer the questions based on its concept.

Business English Exams to Prove Your Business Language Skills

Business English Exams to Prove Your Business Language Skills Business English Exams that You May Want to Consider ChaptersWhy Take a Business English Exam?The Most Prestigious Business English Examinations in the WorldPreparing for Business English ExamsMaybe your English language proficiency is already quite high. Maybe your spoken English or your speaking and listening are excellent. Or maybe your writing skills are up to scratch. Either way, you may want to improve your English in a specific context, a niche in which you will be working, or a field in which your English proficiency isn’t quite so high.That field may well be your business English skills. Yes, you are okay when in easy conversational contexts, but maybe you struggle with your presentation skills, your negotiation skills, or your specialist vocabulary. This is a completely normal part of learning a foreign language, by the way; there is no reason why you would have picked up business English skills.But people like you may benefit from a business English course. Indeed, these courses were designed specifically for people like y ou â€" to develop your fluency in a particular field of language learning. Business English courses take place all over the UK â€" and the world too â€" and they can be crucial in landing you the job that you want to gain in the English-speaking world.That’s where business English examinations come in â€" the English language assessments that will certify you as a particular level of English speaker.It’s these exams that we are going to be talking about here. We’ll give you the information on the major business English qualifications â€" and run you through the best way to prepare for them. So, listen up! Get your post-its out and get learning JulianESOL (English) Teacher 4.00 (1) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EugeneESOL (English) Teacher 4.90 (58) £22/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HelenESOL (English) Teacher 5.00 (20) £32/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SuzanneESOL (English) Teacher 5.00 (2) £45/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NatashaESOL (English) Teacher 5.00 (8) £55/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SamuelESOL (English) Teacher 4.83 (41) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JoanneESOL (English) Teacher 5.00 (43) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarkESOL (English) Teacher 4.76 (17) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhy Take a Business English Exam?Why bother with a business English exam, when you could feasibly just take a certificate in English language skills more generally? It’s a good question.Whereas the generic English language tests â€" such as the IELTS, the International Engl ish Language Testing System â€" examines you on your larger English competencies, the business English qualifications home in on the language relevant to the particular linguistic field: business â€" obviously.And whilst many employers will see your success in your IELTS and think very highly of it, actually, many others will want to see specific preparation for and commitment to the world of business. If it is business that you are intending to head into â€" and if you are sure about this â€" the business English qualifications will be the most effective marker of this commitment of yours.The majority of business English qualifications are internationally recognised. They are held in high repute. And they are very good at giving you the specific skills you need for the specific area into which you are heading. Whilst the IELTS exam can be a bit academic, this is not the case for the business English qualifications â€" and that may well be a good thing for you.Meanwhile, as we discu ssed in our article on business English vocabulary, the business world does use a specific language that many native speakers of English don’t necessarily understand. Businesspeople know this and you should too. Business English exams prepare you for this specific â€" and often exclusive â€" world.Let’s take a look at what these qualifications are.The Most Prestigious Business English Examinations in the WorldThere are a number of organisations that supply business English qualifications.The most famous of these is Cambridge Assessment, who helped to develop the IELTS test as well as the CELTA programme. They are generally a very highly respected organisation, with links to the British Council and to the English language educational bodies in respective English-speaking countries around the world. They also helped develop the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) â€" the familiar scale on which you will be graded.Others include Pearson in association with t he London Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Their business English qualifications sit within their broader portfolio of technical business certificates. Given that they are developed by the very people who oversee business in the UK, they probably know what they are talking about.Let’s have a look at these qualifications in more detail - and you can find out everything you need to know about learning business English here!The Three Cambridge English Business ExamsCambridge English are potentially the most highly regarded provider of English language qualifications in the world. They tend to set the standard for all of the others.In terms of business English qualifications, there are pretty much to choose from. These are the suite of BEC qualifications, standing predictably for Business English Certificate, and Linguaskill, which used to be the BULATS qualification (Business Language Testing Service). The important element to know of the latter is that it can be taken online.The BE Cs come in three progressive parts. Welcome to the world of business English.Business Preliminary (BEC Preliminary)Business Preliminary is the first of the BEC qualifications, and this caters for people of B1 in the CEFR. Sitting and passing this exam will testify to the fact that you can talk about business subjects; write business emails and take telephone calls; and understand basic diagrams and charts.The exam itself lasts for about two hours and twenty minutes and comprises of three paper.Business Vantage (BEC Vantage)The BEC Vantage certificate is for people of B2 level. You’ll be able to read articles and reports from business publications and be able to engage in business meetings.Predictably, as the standard is somewhat higher, the exam will be a little more testing: it lasts for two hours, forty minutes and has four separate papers.Business Higher (BEC Higher)The BEC Higher is sold as ‘advanced’, and if you manage to crack this, there is no stopping you from becoming one of the most senior figures in yo ur business organisation.You’ll be confidently engaging in presentations and meetings, communicating fluently at senior levels, and grappling with more complex business concepts.This exam takes three hours. However, it is the one that business schools and most businesses accept around the world.LinguaskillOnce known as BULATS, Linguaskill is a test that employers and higher education institutions use to test your English language skills.The whole thing is computer-based and covers all of the language skills required â€" from listening and speaking to writing and reading. The test will be able to tell you whether you are anywhere from A1 to C1.The chances are you will sit this at a location chosen by your employer.The Five International Qualifications in Business English from Pearson and LCCIPearson is an academic publisher and provider of educational materials. LCCI, or the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is the organisation of the businesspeople in London. Together, they have come up with this English language qualification specifically designed for business.Whereas there are three BECs, there are five different English for Business qualifications. These progress primarily through levels, whilst there are variations on the examinations too, as you will see.English for Business (Preliminary Level)The preliminary qualification is aimed at people at A1 or A2 level; they can use English at a basic level.The qualification will help you understand short conversations on business topics and to read basic business charts and diagrams.The exam lasts just over two hours.English for Business (Level 1)From A2 to B1, the Level 1 qualification is that little bit more challenging. You’ll be participating in short conversations this time, not just understanding.English for Business (Level 2)English for Business Level 2 is for B1 and B2 level learners. You can actually sit this one online too.English for Business (Level 3)Level 3 takes you up to C1 â€" in which y ou will be much more confident in your English language skills. If you complete this, you can progress to the Diploma in Business English for International Managers.English for Business (Level 4)Finally, the Level 4 qualification is for fluent speakers of English. You will succeed in any business context with this qualification. Once you've passed your business English exams, there's nothing stopping you.Preparing for Business English ExamsHow do you prepare for these business English examinations? Just as you would with any qualification â€" but in the knowledge that you should be preparing for the test, not just learning English.These certificates are notorious for asking for quite unrealistic details from you. It’s not a case of understanding what is being said, as such, as you answering the question that you are being asked â€" in the way that they want you to answer it.Find a Private Business English TutorThe best way to navigate this complex field is to find an English tutor who can help you with the specificities for the exam. Experienced tutors, such as you will find on Superprof, know how to get students to pass.That might be exactly what you need.Keep Doing those Practice TestsAlongside your tutor, you need to become completely familiar with the exam paper that you will be sitting. This means doi ng practice test after practice test after practice test.We know it might become a little dull. But if you are sitting the exam, you may as well try and pass it!Check out where to find business English resources!

5 Most Valuable Resources for Writing a Personal Statement

5 Most Valuable Resources for Writing a Personal Statement MCAT Medical School Admissions The college personal statement is an opportunity for a student to sell himself or herself in the application process. This purpose of this essay is to show the admissions office who you really are. What about you is different from other applicants? What does your perspective make you unique? What experiences have you had that will shape your college career? This essay should provide additional evidence of your intellectual and creative achievement. As this is such an important part of the application, it’s important to do your research before you begin writing. Below is a list of valuable websites and resources to help you approach your personal statement: College Board is a mission-driven, not-for-profit website that aims to connect students to college success and academic opportunities. Each year, it helps millions of applicants prepare for a successful transition to college through various programs and services. For tips on personal statements and essays, check out Big Future by the College Board. College Confidential is a website designed to guide students and parents about the many aspects of the college admissions process and help them understand each stage of the process. The website has assembled an editorial team responsible in creating content and gathering helpful information about college admissions from the web. College Essay Organizer is a website that gathers past and present essay questions from different colleges and universities in the US and shares them to aspiring college students to help them write impressive personal essays and statements. The website has been helping tens of thousands of students get into the colleges of their dreams for decades through the service it provides. InGenius Prep is a website run by former admissions officers from the most competitive schools in the United States. It provides helpful advice, tips, and information about college application, passing standardized tests, interview preparations, and admissions requirement handling. Every year, InGenius Prep helps millions of applicants get into their dream colleges through application consultancy and candidacy building. U.S. News World Report is a big, multi-platform, publisher of news and information about education, career, and employment. It is known for the rankings it presents for Best Colleges, Best Graduate Schools, Best Law Schools, Best Medical Schools, and specific programs within those more general categories. Aside from these, the website features blogs, interview texts, and other useful information about college application and admissions that can help aspiring college students get into the school they prefer the most. While there are no strict guidelines in writing a personal statement and certainly no one-size-fits-all approach, you should consider the best practices as advised by members of the admissions committee and what they look for in a candidate’s essay to maximize the output of your personal statement. This article was written by a college admissions expert at InGenius Prep. hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(215486, '52337b73-0659-4f8e-b26c-4c198e0cdabf', {});

Summer Study Programs Can Improve Many Academic Skills

Summer Study Programs Can Improve Many Academic Skills Let Summer Study Programs Work for You! If your study habits have you worried about the upcoming school year it is a great time to take advantage of summer study programs. Spending a part of your summer dedicated to improving your study habits will help you better prepare for the courses on your fall schedule and can boost yourconfidence. Gaining the academic knowledge, and mastering the cognitive skills, is just one part of finding true success in school. Efficient study habits are equally important and will help prepare you for future learning. Summer study programs can benefit your academic preparation next term in a variety of ways, including:Improved test taking skills The reality of today's educational landscape is that students are required to pass a variety of high stakes tests. Refining your study skills will help regardless if you're preparing for end of course assessments, state proficiency tests, or college entrance exams. Preparing for an exam is all about mastering these test taking skills so you can focus on the subject areas being assessed. When you enroll at Huntington Learning Centers your tutor will not only focus on academic content but will also help you boost your test taking skills. The results of your academic evaluations will be used to present you with a customized program that strengthens these skills before progressing to the next skill level. Greater organizational efficiency Part of developing solid study habits is creating strong organizational systems that benefit your learning. When you have a fixed amount of time to study you don't want to waste valuable minutes searching for assignments, deciding which are the most current lecture notes, or fumbling through class materials looking for the most recent lesson. Maintaining an organizational system will allow you to focus on the subject area content and put every minute to good use. There are a variety of methods to organizing your materials that will aid your studying. Some students find that a daily inventory is helpf ul to not losing valuable classroom materials and study aids. Each time you leave a class, make sure everything is properly stored. At the end of each day spend a few minutes making sure that no materials are left unfiled in your locker or in your bag. Returning all materials to the proper place, either in a folder or binder, will prepare you in advance for your next study session. More efficient time management An important part of any student's study habits is the ability to efficiently manage available time. You may feel like there is never enough time to study, or that your study sessions are unproductive, but there are certain things you can do to boost your time management. Consider creating a consistent weekly schedule of dedicated study blocks. Evaluate your family, extra-curricular, and work commitments to find set times that can be dedicated to studying. Build in a few extra blocks of time to compensate for unforeseen circumstances. Over time compare this weekly schedule t o the expectations of your classes. Do you have enough time to prepare for upcoming exams, projects, or papers? If your class requirements don't correlate with the amount of time you have committed to studying you will likely need to rearrange your schedule and add more blocks of dedicated study time. The professional tutors with Huntington Learning Centers are specially trained to help students reach their full potential. Our carefully designed tutoring sessions will help you better prepare for next school year by improving your current study habits. These skills are carefully woven into a customized tutoring plan that builds on your strengths while reinforcing your identified areas of weakness. The carefully designed instructional program is tailored to your exact needs. Have you participated in summer study programs before? What benefits did you experience?

3 common misconceptions people have about teaching English online (as told by a real teacher)

3 common misconceptions people have about teaching English online (as told by a real teacher) Hello! I’m Shannon - an energetic, caring, goofy and ukulele-playing teacher. I currently live in Toronto, Canada, where I work as an online English teacher with VIPKID. I love that my commute to my classroom is approximately 30 cm, from my bed to my computer desk. From the time my alarm beeps, it takes me about 30 minutes to make a coffee, fix my hair, clip on my pearls and put on a nice shirt so I can teach in my pajama pants. A little more about me: In 2011, I graduated with my BA. After graduating, I worked as a university recruiter for about five years, traveling around Canada to speaking with high-school students about post-secondary education opportunities. I loved working with students on a daily basis, so I decided to go back to school to study for my bachelor’s degree in education. In 2016, I landed my first teaching job through Teach Away, teaching kindergarten students in South Korea. In 2017, during my second year in Korea, I started teaching English online a few evenings a week to supplement my income. Read this: 5 reasons why licensed teachers should try online teaching When I finished up my second contract in Korea, I took a two-month break from teaching and went on a backpacking adventure around South East Asia. Now that I’m back in Canada, I’m taking online English lessons four mornings a week as I try to figure out where in the world I want to travel to next. Anyway, back to the topic at hand! Myths and realities of teaching English online. When it comes to teaching English online, educators have a lot of questions about how the job compares to teaching in a physical classroom. (At least, I know I had!) While it is a different experience and requires tweaking traditional teaching methods to adjust to teaching on an online platform, it can be just as rewarding. So let’s dispell some of the myths about teaching English online together! Watch this: A day in the life teaching English online 1. I need lots of teaching props and tools. Nope! Everything I use in my classroom fits into one shoebox. I’ve got a mini white board, dry erase markers, an old sock turned into a puppet, reward system cutouts, alphabet cards, a notebook, a few small stuffed animals, a mini toy car and a ball of sticky tack. I guess I should admit that the one thing I regularly use in my lessons that does not fit in my shoebox is my ukulele - but that is not a required online English teaching tool. On occasion, I will momentarily run off screen to grab other applicable items lying around my apartment. Sometimes I pop on my chef hat when we talk about food or hobbies, my snorkel mask when talking about underwater life, or I’ll grab my trusty jar of peanut butter to explain the word “squish,” but these are just bonus items. My shoebox of goodies is all I really need to effectively teach a lesson. I can easily throw my shoebox in my bike basket to take to my friend house, in my suitcase on a plane or even just under my arm to the basement on a sweltering summer day when it’s too hot upstairs and I want to save on my AC bill. The items in my shoebox are super helpful when I am teaching, but truly, the most important thing you need as a teacher is a genuine smile and a positive attitude. Those are much more important than knickknacks, fancy backdrops, alphabet cards or lesson plans. An enthusiastic teacher who shows genuine interest in their student is the most important factor contributing to student learning. Sign up to Teach Away today for access to the latest teaching jobs around the world. 2. You can’t build a relationship with your students. Also nope! Every week, I usually meet a handful of new students in my classroom, but I would say that most of my students are repeats. Before each lesson, I facilitate a brief QA session in which my student and I take turns asking each other three questions and providing an answer. Not only is this an opportunity for the student to practice their conversational English skills, but it fosters a stronger student-teacher relationship. We chat about our hobbies, what we ate that day, family members, what the weather is like, what our weekend plans are, favorite colors and so much more! I also have an excel document where I jot down notes on my students to help me remember little details, such as “Sam has a salsa dance competition this week”, “Lily has a pet pig named Lulu” or “if John was an animal, he’d like to be a lion”. Not only can I use this information to personalize my lesson but the kids are excited to tell me about what is happening in their life. For example, during a lesson on measurement, I asked Lily to estimate how long her Lulu is in centimeters and millimeters. She loved it! 3. The lesson is set in stone. Nope, no and another big fat NOPE! One of my favorite things about teaching English online is that all of my lessons are made for me. With my company, I’m provided with powerpoint slides of pictures to inspire conversation, writing activities, stories, questions and language games. That being said, every student has their own personality, likes, abilities and learning needs. I may teach the same lesson to multiple students, but it is NEVER the same experience. While it is important to stick to the learning goals of that particular lesson, the way you execute it is up to you. For example, on one slide you may find a picture of a bear with the sentence, “bears live in caves.” One student might need to focus on the pronunciation of the word “bear”. With another student, you may focus on animal habitat vocabulary and ask questions, like, “where do bees live?” and “where do ants live?” You may discover that you have a very high-level student and choose to ask thinking or opinion questions like, “why do bears live in caves?” Or, “if you were a bear, what would you do?” Another day, you may have a student who really likes music and you could decide to compose a song about bears with them. If you see a stuffed teddy bear on your student's shelf, you can ask them to use it to demonstrate a grammar point, such as, “my teddy bear is eating.” I’m sure you’re already thinking of your own ideas based on these little examples! This keeps things exciting for the student and teacher alike. The more fun you’re having as an online English teacher, the more excited you will be and that energy will, in turn, transfer to your student. So there you have it - some of the most common myths about online English teaching officially busted! When I’m chatting with my friends about home-based jobs, I always highly recommend giving online English teaching a go. I love that this job has allowed me to be flexible with my location, working hours and vacation time. Best of all, I always look forward to seeing my student’s smiling face when our lessons start! If you have any more questions about teaching English online, ask away! The amazing Teach Away team is ready to answer. Recommended reading: Are you ready to teach online? This calculator shows how much you can earn teaching English online Want to teach abroad? Try teaching English online first.

How to Have Fun with your Kids without Spending Money

How to Have Fun with your Kids without Spending Money Today Im here to tell you that you can have a fun time without spending money. Have you ever been in situation with your kids during summer break when they were telling you that everybody else was going away for the vacation. This can become a real problem over the summer break. Especially, if you dont have enough money to travel. So what should you do? Turn on your imagination. If you have a pool at the backyard, just perfect. Turn it into the Caribbean sea! Put different plants and flowers around. Buy black pirate hats for your kids. Hide the  treasure and let your kids run around pretending they are on a pirate ship as pirates. You can be captain Jack Sparrow:) If you cannot afford the transformation of your own backyard into the tropical paradise. Then go to the neighborhood  park. They are free and open to the public. They might have a playground, field or track. Something to let the kids release the extra energy. You will be happy when they fall asleep earlier in the evening. You should actively engage the kids with whatever it is you are going to do. Discuss your plans with them, or even let them decide which a low-cost activity to choose. Youll be surprised how many ideas your kids have. Choosing low cost  activities it is also an important lesson. You are showing your kids that you dont always have to spend money in order to have a fun time with your family. If you are desperate to drag your kids away from the game console read this article Angry Birds Help Parents to Entertain Kids this Summer. How to Have Fun with your Kids without Spending Money Today Im here to tell you that you can have a fun time without spending money. Have you ever been in situation with your kids during summer break when they were telling you that everybody else was going away for the vacation. This can become a real problem over the summer break. Especially, if you dont have enough money to travel. So what should you do? Turn on your imagination. If you have a pool at the backyard, just perfect. Turn it into the Caribbean sea! Put different plants and flowers around. Buy black pirate hats for your kids. Hide the  treasure and let your kids run around pretending they are on a pirate ship as pirates. You can be captain Jack Sparrow:) If you cannot afford the transformation of your own backyard into the tropical paradise. Then go to the neighborhood  park. They are free and open to the public. They might have a playground, field or track. Something to let the kids release the extra energy. You will be happy when they fall asleep earlier in the evening. You should actively engage the kids with whatever it is you are going to do. Discuss your plans with them, or even let them decide which a low-cost activity to choose. Youll be surprised how many ideas your kids have. Choosing low cost  activities it is also an important lesson. You are showing your kids that you dont always have to spend money in order to have a fun time with your family. If you are desperate to drag your kids away from the game console read this article Angry Birds Help Parents to Entertain Kids this Summer.