Am I Fluent Answer These 6 Questions and Find Out!

Am I Fluent Answer These 6 Questions and Find Out! Am I Fluent? Answer These 6 Questions and Find Out! Its a question that has plagued mankind since the beginning of time.Okay, maybe the beginning of time is a bit of an exaggeration.But its a question thats probably plagued mankind for the last 50,000 to two million years in other words, as long as language has been around.Am I fluent?For language learners, the struggle is real. As you take more and more online language courses  and strive to  learn a language fluently  or  get fluent faster, chances are youll always be wondering where youre at.Am I already fluent? If not, when will I be fluent? How will I even know?  Sadly, theres no billboard to announce your fluency. There wont be a large scale balloon release to celebrate your accomplishment.That doesnt mean, however, that you cant determine whether or not youre fluent.All you need to do is ask yourself the six valuable questions below. The Challenge of Defining FluentThe first problem with defining fluent is that theres no set definition. While your average dictionary often tri es to define fluent as being marked with ease using a language, ease seems vague, at best. This makes the definition highly flexible.Plus, there are different degrees of fluency. Language classification systems  and  language proficiency tests  attempt to quantify levels of fluency on clear scales, so if you really want to approximate your level of fluency, a test can help.Finally, the word fluent can (and does) mean different things to different people. Since the main idea is that you need to speak a language with ease, everyone can hold a different idea about what this means. To some people, this might just mean being able to hold a basic conversation. To others, it means being able to communicate or understand nearly any idea on any topic.So your friend who claims to be fluent in French may only be able to order a croissant, while your friend who claims shes nowhere near fluent in Chinese may be able to hold conversations and conduct business, but struggle with some specific voca bulary sets.That all being said, there are some basic questions you can ask yourself to get an idea of how close you are to whats commonly accepted as fluency. So lets find out how fluent you are!Am I Fluent? Answer These 6 Questions and Find Out!Do I translate in my head?Considering whether or not you translate in your head is a helpful way to measure fluency. If you translate between your target and native language in your head continually, chances are youre not what most people would consider fluent. Thats because full fluency generally requires an ability to think in your target language. Thinking in your target language is important because it saves valuable time, improving your ability to interact fully.Looking to jump-start your ability to think in your target language?Consider immersing yourself in the language. One popular way to do this is to travel to a destination where your target language is widely spoken.If that isnt feasible for you, you might consider at-home media immersion with FluentU. FluentU offers authentic, real-world videos like movie trailers, music videos, news and more. All videos are captioned, and the captions are annotated, putting word definitions, associated images and example sentences at the tips of your fingers. You can even click words to see how theyre used in other videos on the site.Another easy way to transition towards thinking in your target language is through journaling.  Each day, set aside 15 minutes to write about your day so far, what you did and how youre feeling in your target language. Doing this will encourage you to think in your target language and save you the effort of translating in your head.Additionally, if you know youre going to write in your target language at the end of the day, you might find yourself thinking about your feelings and activities in your target language during the day to prepare for your journaling time.How quickly can I speak?Some people speak slowly even in their native tongue, b ut if you speak much more slowly in your target language than in your native language, chances are youre not fluent just yet.Having to speak slowly is usually a mark of inexperience speaking the language. If you want to improve your rate of speed, one key way to do it is to find a language learning buddy for conversation practice. The more you practice, the more your speed will naturally improve.To find a language learning buddy, you might check your local university or school system.Still no luck? Reddits language learning community might help you connect with someone whos studying the same language as you. Once youve found the right match, you can practice via Skype.How quickly can I understand?Perhaps even more important than the ability to speak quickly is the ability to understand quickly. When you hear your target language spoken, do you immediately understand what you hear, or does it take you a moment?One good way to measure this is to think about your last conversation in y our target language. After the other speaker finished, did you already know what theyd said, or did you have to go over it again in your head? Immediately understanding your target language with little effort points towards fluency.Does it still take you a while to understand the language? One way to improve your ability to understand spoken language quickly is to  watch TV and movies in your target language.Luckily for you, Netflix is a treasure trove of foreign language programming. If youre still a ways off from fluency, you might want to start watching with subtitles. As you get more comfortable listening to your target language, remove the subtitles.But how will you know when your listening skills are strong enough to be considered fluent? One surefire way is to watch unfamiliar material in your target language without subtitles and see how things go. If you can fully understand even rapid-fire dialogue without pausing, chances are you can consider yourself fluent.How hard do I need to think about what I want to say?If you need to think through anything you say or write out carefully, chances are, youre not yet fluent.For full fluency, you should be able to speak or write off-the-cuff, like you can in your native language. This is a clear marker of ease in using the language, which is a sign of fluency.One way to practice thinking your words out less is to post on social media in your target language. After all, social media is clearly the place for ill-thought-out communication!You might want to start a separate account on a social media outlet like Twitter, dedicated solely to your target language. You may want to avoid using your real name so that if you mess up too badly, you can distance yourself from the account!Then, whenever something happens that you want to react to, simply post quickly in your target language without thinking out the language youre using. Over time, this will get easier and easier.Can native speakers understand me?If you really are fluent in your target language, native speakers should definitely be able to understand you. Do your native speaker friends ask you to repeat what youve said? Do they look confused whenever you speak? If so, youre probably not fluent just yet.Since the goal of learning any language is to be able to communicate effectively in that language, its a big obstacle if native speakers cant understand you. It could be an issue with pronunciation, accent, vocabulary or grammar, but regardless of the root cause, this problem can definitely keep you from being fluent.One way to determine what exactly is stopping native speakers from understanding you is to hire  a native-speaking tutor.Italki can help you find a tutor to assess your areas of weakness and help you become more fluent. If youre not sure if a native speaker can understand you, a tutor will be able to tell you. If you know native speakers dont understand you but dont know why, a tutor can also help pinpoint whats causing this i ssue and work with you to correct it.How comfortable am I with my target language?Yes, comfort counts when it comes to fluency! If you can speak your target language as comfortably as your native language, thats a great sign that you might be fluent. If you still get twitchy when you have to actually use your target language, theres a strong chance youre not quite fluent.One way to improve your skill and comfort level is to find a language exchange partner whos a native speaker. Language exchange partners will help you practice their mother tongue in exchange for help practicing yours.Language exchange services like Tandem are a helpful way to connect with your ideal conversation partner.To get the most out of language exchange, keep a list of things you want to talk about. For instance, if youre struggling with a vocabulary word or grammar structure, you might jot it down so that you can talk to your conversation partner about it. Same thing for topics you struggle with. For exampl e, if youre going on a business trip, you might ask your conversation partner to simulate a business meeting with you to make yourself more comfortable using this specific vocabulary set.Regardless of how you do it, interacting more in your target language can massively increase your confidence, so this is a surefire way to get more comfortable and closer to fluency.Are you fluent? With these six questions, you might be able to finally answer that.And if the answer is no, hopefully you have a good idea now of how to work on moving towards that goal! And One More ThingFluentU can help you with all aspects of your fluencyâ€"all from the comfort of home!With FluentU, you learn real languagesâ€"the same way that natives  speak them. FluentU has a wide variety of videos, including movie trailers, funny commercials and web series, as you can see here:FluentU App Browse Screen.FluentU has interactive captions that let you tap on any word to see an image, definition, audio and useful exam ples. Now native language content is within reach with interactive transcripts.Didnt catch something? Go back and listen again. Missed a word? Hover over or tap on the subtitles to instantly view definitions.FluentU Interactive Transcripts You can learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentUs quiz mode. Swipe left or right to see  more examples for the word you’re learning.FluentU Has Quizzes for Every VideoAnd FluentU always keeps track of vocabulary that you’re learning. It uses that vocab to give you a 100% personalized experience by recommending videos and examples.

Tips for Creating a Tutor Lesson Plan Template

Tips for Creating a Tutor Lesson Plan TemplateYou want a quality tutoring lesson plan, and an easy way to create one is with a tutor lesson plan template. Whether you're in need of a tutor or not, you can utilize a template to get an idea of what it takes to complete your assignments and a great place to learn how to write lesson plans.The key to using a tutor lesson plan template is the inclusion of several factors that will make your lessons more efficient. For example, include not only the syllabus but also a list of questions and a list of topics, in addition to your recommended reading material. A lesson plan template is very convenient for students and for teachers alike because it's easy to organize and understand. Most templates come with an extensive set of template elements to help you start your lesson, including lesson objectives, deliverables, detailed lesson outlines, lesson examples, and pictures.The best template doesn't have to be complex; just take into consideratio n the essentials and make sure it's very easy to read and understand. You'll find some templates are quite compact while others may require you to expand the template so you can include additional sections.You can ask someone to create a new template, or you can create one from scratch. Either way, a template will benefit your students in many ways; after all, a great lesson plan gives you a sense of accomplishment!Start by creating a short outline for your lesson plan template. Include your student's name, grades, and the assignment. You can also put in notes on any important details about the assignment that you think your student will really appreciate. These notes will be useful as you go through your lesson plan.Another great feature of a tutor lesson plan template is that it will show you which section of the template you can modify to include other resources and tutorials. Some templates will only require you to include the syllabus and the topic list. Other templates may ask you to include additional learning materials, like exercises, videos, and even online videos and podcasts.Once you create your lesson plan template, you'll be ready to begin your assignments. Make sure you stick to the main themes and sub-themes of your template and create a curriculum that's practical for your students. By doing this, you'll learn how to write great lesson plans and teach effectively!

Tutoring Jobs In Omaha

Tutoring Jobs In OmahaThere are plenty of tutoring jobs Omaha can offer. Whether you want to work at a local college or a private school, you'll be able to find many opportunities that will help you to earn a living.One of the best places to find tutoring jobs is the city of Omaha. This city has an active tutoring community. Many tutors take advantage of the local tutoring services available and are very welcoming. Local tutors provide their services free of charge and most will gladly work with the students, while the parents learn valuable lessons.If you're interested in tutoring services, you may want to apply for one of the many tutoring agencies in the area. These agencies offer services that focus on teaching children English, Math and social studies. Tutors often have experience working with children, but they can also work with teens who need extra help.If you want to tutor kids, there are many special tutoring programs that are available that focus on helping children who ar e learning disabilities. These programs teach children with special needs how to learn while getting help from a tutor that works in a group setting with other students.One of the most popular tutoring services in Omaha is a day care center that works with teachers. The employees at this center are employed by the same tutoring agency and often work closely with tutors. Parents may choose to use the tutoring center to get their child in a day care education.There are many tutoring opportunities in Omaha. You may need to start out by working at a local school or local tutoring center. If you feel like you want to be a tutor full time, you may want to find out more about tutoring jobs in Omaha and start your search.There are excellent educational programs available in Omaha that teach children to read and write. Many adults need assistance with language. Whatever your teaching needs, you will find a tutoring job in Omaha that meets your needs.

A Look at Some Common Core Teaching Issues

A Look at Some Common Core Teaching IssuesThe Common Core State Standards has created an uproar among education reformers, as well as parents and school district officials across the country. These standards define how K-12 schools should educate students in math, reading, and science. Many of the Common Core Standards require teaching to the Common Core, even if that means teaching a broader range of topics in a different way.The Common Core Standards has sparked a debate between those who support the standards and those who are skeptical. Among those who support the standards are parents, teachers, education experts, and politicians, who all agree that the new standards will improve the learning experience for K-12 students. They also say that the Common Core standards will help increase the understanding of certain subjects for students, especially those who come from underrepresented communities. In addition, the standards can lead to significant cost savings for schools because they help them meet state and federal mandates.Still, the number of states that adopted the Common Core Standards has dwindled in recent years. For this reason, many schools and districts across the country continue to adhere to a more traditional approach to curriculum. There are some examples of how this has affected classrooms:Elementary school children who are taught in a traditional manner tend to underperform in their first two years of middle school, according to a recent study by the National Center for Education Statistics. Elementary school teachers often emphasize rote memorization and factual knowledge while ignoring creative expression. High school students, on the other hand, are held back by an overly analytical approach, the study found. They are expected to memorize and regurgitate facts rather than explore their learning through reading, writing, and thinking.In the school district of Littleton, Colorado, children of Hispanic immigrants were assigned to one of two classes -- one taught in English and the other in Spanish. The teachers who taught in English were given the opportunity to teach subjects that attracted their interest. Unfortunately, teachers who taught in Spanish were not given this same opportunity. Because of this, the Mexican-American students in Littleton were not exposed to subjects like music and art that were interesting to them.Over time, the Common Core has also been known to cause a reduction in the amount of creativity and originality exhibited by students. When children do not have any original ideas, they must rely on the few that exist in the course materials. In addition, when students lack creative thinking and critical thinking skills, they must rely on classroom repetition to fill in these gaps. This often causes students to become bored with classroom materials, which results in an overall lack of creativity.According to some school districts, the increase in standardized testing that has accompanied the implem entation of the Common Core has also led to less innovative or creative student curriculums. While more students are now required to take standardized tests, the most talented students are often the ones who do not take the tests. If teachers can give students a greater sense of control over their learning, this can only help boost creativity and innovation in schools.