A Fun and Informative Conference About Special Needs Education

A Fun and Informative Conference About Special Needs EducationOne of the best conferences held annually, the National Tutoring Association (NTA) conference is a long-standing meeting of educators who make regular use of tutoring and various special needs services in their classrooms. It offers professional experts a chance to exchange ideas and thoughts on the best methods for maximizing the benefits of tutoring, and other topics such as best practices for ensuring consistent practice in education, and effective teaching techniques. Though the NTA conference is actually an educational group, it does have an underlying mission to encourage professionals to stay current with the latest developments in education, particularly in the United States.NTA members are tutors, school counselors, and other professionals who provide specialized tutoring, often in the public and private sectors. Many of these participants are working on volunteer or part-time hours, which adds to the sheer scope of knowledge available for the conference.The conference in Atlanta takes place every four years and attracts an estimated three thousand participants from all parts of the United States. Each year, NTA offers two main events: one is the Education Forum, which allows participants to interact directly with several conference panels and speakers; the other is the Presidential Forum, in which the president of the NTA board of directors and several other educational leaders speak. Of course, the main draw of the conference is the main speaker, a distinguished professor of pediatrics who will address the conference on a wide range of issues related to pediatric pediatrics.NTA offers several activities for conference participants and guests, including several symposiums, workshops, discussion groups, debates, contests, and more. However, the main event is the keynote lecture, which usually comes from one of the many panelists on the conference program.If you are planning on attending the conference in Atlanta, you will want to get in touch with the conference organizers and find out about registration information. The program, as well as the opening and closing ceremonies, are open to the public, so anyone with a valid identification card can attend the conference.You can even sign up for a free or discounted rate for conference attendees and receive a booklet filled with information on tutoring, as well as other special services and scholarships available at the conference. This offer is also available online, so you can register online and get a printable e-mail newsletter of the conference information.While you wait for your special hearing on the national education conference in Atlanta, why not check out the links below? There are many other great events to consider at the NTA conference in Atlanta, from running of the bulls to the dinner at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Atlanta.

Learn English Vocabulary connected to Losing a Job - Real Life English

Learn English Vocabulary connected to Losing a Job - Real Life English Here you will learn useful English vocabulary connected to losing a job. What other words can you use in English to say she has just lost her job or he lost his job last week? Learn English Vocabulary connected to Losing a Job SACKEDThe most common way to describe leaving your job. It usually suggests it was not your decision.He was late too many times for work so his boss  gave him the sack  (or he got the sack).FIREDMore formal way to describe losing your jobI got fired from work two days ago.RESIGNEDUsed when you are in control of the decision to leave.I had had enough of his orders I decided to try something different so resigned  yesterday.TO BE PUSHED OUT/PUSHED ASIDE  When you are no longer needed or you are over looked for promotion.He was unsettled when the company was taken over. The new bosses were different from the previous owners. They really wanted him to leave. He got the feeling that he was being pushed out. He was no longer needed and was pushed aside when it came to promotions and his assistant was promoted above him.SURPLUS TO REQUIREMENTSThis refers to someone who is no longer seen as useful or important to a business.He was called in to his bosses office. They said that due to the lac k of new business they needed to reorganise my unit and unfortunately I  was now surplus to requirements and would be made redundant by the following month.A BIT LONG IN THE TOOTH FOR THAT WORK  When someone has been working for many years in the one place and is almost part of the furniture. The bosses want to make way for younger more energetic staff.They asked me if I  thought i was a little long in the tooth for this business, after all I  had been there for over 20 years. Other Words for Losing a Job - Infographic Enjoyed this infographic? Here's what you can do next: REDUNDANTCompanies reorganise all the time and in bad times or due now to improved efficiencies many people lose their jobs in this way. They are  made redundant. Their job no longer exists.DOWN SIZEDOne of these wonderful euphemisms (ways to say something bad in a softer way to ease the pain!!). The company had to reduce its workforce due to the economic situation.They down sized  and over 100 people lost their jobs.LET GOA more casual or informal way to refer to a job loss.Poor Michael lost his job last week that’s the second time this year he has been “let go”.JUMPED BEFORE HE WAS PUSHEDWhen someone decides it is best to leave a company on his own terms before they ask him to leave.He had been unsettled for a few months. He had the impression that there were going to be changes in his are. He handed in his resignation and thought it was best to jump before he was pushed out.LEFT OF HIS OWN RECORD  Sometimes when people leave companies the market place is never sure whether t he decided to leave or were they asked to leave. When someone decides themselves that it is time to move on,  then  we can say he/she left of their own accord. It was their decision.David had had enough.Late nights early mornings and no appreciation for his efforts. He handed in his notice and left of his own accord three weeks later.TOOK UP ANOTHER POSITIONPeople leave companies every day and for many different reasons. Without giving any great detail such announcements often simply state thatMichael has decided to leave the company to take up another position. We wish him the best of luck in his future career.PUT OUT TO PASTURETo be forced to retire. It’s what they do to old horses and donkeys. When a horse can no longer run it is put in a filed  (pasture)  where it can spend its remaining life eating grass.Mark was good at his job.Everybody acknowledged that. However, if they did not make room for the younger guys they would leave. “They dont need me any more,  I  am being pu t out to pasture” he told his wife.There are many others. To be re-engineered! Be wary when your boss tells you he is bringing in some consultants to look at some re-engineering  (changes) to the business.

A Changing Work Force Listening Exercise

A Changing Work Force Listening Exercise This is an interesting video about the changing workforce in the United States. As we become a world economy, it shows how we will depend highly on immigrant workers. It shows how our economy and job force is changing in the United States and I think supports the idea of learning a new language to expand your opportunities in the world. Try the listening and writing exercise below:1. Think of the United States workforce as a _______ _____ _______. 2. How many people are in the workforce in the US? 3. But over the next two decades they will be leaving it in _______. 4. What percentage of the US workforce will immigrants account for? 5. Immigrants and their children helped _____ our railroads, _____ our cities, and _____ our information age. 6. What business did Ricardo and Elizabeth start? Where are they from?Writing Exercise: How is the workforce in your country changing? Where will people be working over the next 20 years?

The SAT, Redesigned

The SAT, Redesigned The SAT, Redesigned Created by the College Board, the SAT is a standardized test widely used for college admissions in the United States. The SAT was recently redesigned to more closely follow what students are learning in school and to correspond with the Common Core. Students can take the new SAT starting in March 2016. There are significant revisions to the format and scoring of this test that are relevant to SAT takers. Format The new SAT will return to the previous 1600-point scale, with a maximum of 800-points for the Math section and 800-points for the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing sections. The new test takes three hours, which is 45 minutes less the previous format. The multiple choice questions have four rather than five answer choices. The practice of penalties for wrong answers is discontinued. There no longer is an experimental section for research purposes. SAT takers can take a paper and computer-based version of the new SAT. There are two cross-test scores: Analysis in History/Social Studies and Analysis in Science. Math For the first time in over 20 years, SAT takers will not be able to use a calculator on one third of the test. Having strong calculation ability and number sense is paramount to being successful on the new SAT. The new SAT will focus less on geometry and more in depth on three categories that will be given three subscores: Heart of Algebra; Problem Solving and Data Analysis, and Passport to Advanced Math. Evidence-Based Reading and Writing The Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section is comprised of two tests. The Reading Test has two subscores for Command of Evidence (including analysis of text, graphs and charts) and Words in Context (such as interpreting vocabulary words and author’s intention). SAT takers will not only be required to identify the correct answer, but will need to use evidence from the text to support their answers. The Writing and Language Test has two sub-scores for Expression of Ideas and Standard English Conventions categories. SAT takers need grammatical and editing skills such as correction ability to improve passages by finding mistakes and fixing them. Kumon Students routinely practice this editorial skill by correcting errors on their worksheets. Writing Lasting up to an additional fifty minutes, the optional essay component will be scored separately. The content of the essay will vary from an opinion piece to the analysis of evidence within a passage. You might also be interested in: 5 Easy Tips to Prepare for Standardized Testing Season Common Core and School English Language Arts How does Kumon help prepare students to become successful standardized test-takers? Ask the Expert: 5 Reasons Your Child Could Benefit from an Academic Enrichment Program The SAT, Redesigned The SAT, Redesigned Created by the College Board, the SAT is a standardized test widely used for college admissions in the United States. The SAT was recently redesigned to more closely follow what students are learning in school and to correspond with the Common Core. Students can take the new SAT starting in March 2016. There are significant revisions to the format and scoring of this test that are relevant to SAT takers. Format The new SAT will return to the previous 1600-point scale, with a maximum of 800-points for the Math section and 800-points for the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing sections. The new test takes three hours, which is 45 minutes less the previous format. The multiple choice questions have four rather than five answer choices. The practice of penalties for wrong answers is discontinued. There no longer is an experimental section for research purposes. SAT takers can take a paper and computer-based version of the new SAT. There are two cross-test scores: Analysis in History/Social Studies and Analysis in Science. Math For the first time in over 20 years, SAT takers will not be able to use a calculator on one third of the test. Having strong calculation ability and number sense is paramount to being successful on the new SAT. The new SAT will focus less on geometry and more in depth on three categories that will be given three subscores: Heart of Algebra; Problem Solving and Data Analysis, and Passport to Advanced Math. Evidence-Based Reading and Writing The Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section is comprised of two tests. The Reading Test has two subscores for Command of Evidence (including analysis of text, graphs and charts) and Words in Context (such as interpreting vocabulary words and author’s intention). SAT takers will not only be required to identify the correct answer, but will need to use evidence from the text to support their answers. The Writing and Language Test has two sub-scores for Expression of Ideas and Standard English Conventions categories. SAT takers need grammatical and editing skills such as correction ability to improve passages by finding mistakes and fixing them. Kumon Students routinely practice this editorial skill by correcting errors on their worksheets. Writing Lasting up to an additional fifty minutes, the optional essay component will be scored separately. The content of the essay will vary from an opinion piece to the analysis of evidence within a passage. You might also be interested in: 5 Easy Tips to Prepare for Standardized Testing Season Common Core and School English Language Arts How does Kumon help prepare students to become successful standardized test-takers? Ask the Expert: 5 Reasons Your Child Could Benefit from an Academic Enrichment Program

Orange County Tutor 5 Ways to Avoid Plagiarism in Middle School

Orange County Tutor 5 Ways to Avoid Plagiarism in Middle School Tips from an Orange County English Tutor: 5 Ways to Avoid Plagiarism in Middle School Tips from an Orange County English Tutor: 5 Ways to Avoid Plagiarism in Middle School One of the most important things to learn is how to avoid accidentally plagiarizing somebody elses work. Although college and college prep students will have achieved this skill, many middle school students plagiarize without even realizing what theyre doing. The consequences for plagiarizing are severe and can easily result in an F on said assignment or, in some cases, a student may have to do the assignment over again. There are few things middle school students can do to check and see if they have accidentally plagiarized A great way to stop your child from plagiarizing is by getting a private Orange County English tutor to help them become more confident writers. 1. Did you rewrite something in your own words? Many students will only copy down information from their textbook word for word. without a citation. This is plagiarism. Its good for students to get in the habit of writing things in their words anyway as they will need to develop the skill for future assignments. More often than not, students will attempt a short cut by copying the sentence word for word and then changing an adjective or using a thesaurus. This is something that teachers will notice right away. Writing something in your words means fully understanding the information and restating it in a way that makes sense to you (READ: Five Tips for Success in English Class). 2. Did you fully understand the meaning of what you wrote? One way students can check if they are truly using their words and thoughts is just to think if they actually understood the meaning of what they wrote. If a student understands the concept, they are more likely to use their own thought processes and vocabulary rather than rely solely on a textbook, which can lead to accidental plagiarism. Also, its good for students to know the information anyway since the primary goal of any assignment is to learn and understand. 3. Can you write the information down without looking at the textbook? Many middle school students rely heavily on their textbook, which can become a crutch way too quickly. Students should be reading the textbook but then put it aside when they are writing their assignments. Its important to look back to the textbook to fact check dates and names, but concepts should remain in the student’s mind. If the student cannot put the textbook aside, they are at a higher risk of copying information down and potentially plagiarizing. 4. Did you cite your sources? Whether a student writes information down in their words or whether they are quoting directly from the text, its important to cite the source. Citing a source from the quotation is different from simply citing a source used as part of a paper. Each teacher will have a different preferred method of how to cite a source. It’s essential that students check with their teacher and refer to any handouts they may have received regarding the particular format of citation required for an assignment (READ: 5 Reasons Students Should Blog). 5. Did you cite your sources properly? Its important for students to learn if they have cited their sources correctly. Although forgetting a comma or a semicolon doesn’t constitute plagiarism, it can result in a lower grade. Citing sources in a highly concrete and complicated manner can seem fruitless, thus, students will often skip over this important part of their research. However, citations are standardized so that any reader will be able to locate and verify the source. It takes time to learn how to cite properly so students should work with their tutor or teacher until they have the skill down 100%. In short Although learning to avoid plagiarism and cite sources can take a while, its important for students to develop this skill so they can become accomplished and credible writers. As students get older, the consequences for plagiarism become heavier, so its better for them to learn how to avoid it now rather than later. Writing well has a lot to do with confidence, which is why its important to seek the help and guidance of a Orange County private English tutor early in your kids academic career. Call us today for more information. All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at pr@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us write.

Things Students Can do to Improve Their Grades in English Class

Things Students Can do to Improve Their Grades in English Class Tips From a San Diego English Tutor: 4 Things Students Can do to Improve Their Grades in English Class English is one of the core subjects and will be a significant part of any student’s life throughout their school experience. English class covers valuable skills such as reading comprehension, writing, and research. Many students find themselves in need of a little extra help when it comes to this challenging core subject and may need to improve their overall comprehension of the English language, work on study skills, or improve concentration to raise their grades. Although each learner is an individual, there are some universal tips and tricks students can use to improve their grades in English class our experienced San Diego English tutors are here to help you improve your grades. 1. Reading step-by-step If students try to improve their reading skills too quickly, they may become overwhelmed and start to avoid the subject altogether. Its better for students to work on their reading skills one step at a time so that their brain can process everything theyve learned. Younger students may still be sounding out words while older students might be working on expanded vocabulary or jargon use within a specific field. Students can work on reading a little bit every day with the help of a parent or tutor but should take time to celebrate the completion of each step and receive plenty of praise for their efforts so they can keep their self-confidence high and persevere through difficult assignments (READ: 4 Reasons to Hire a Private Tutor Before the End of the Semester). 2. Try different reading material If a student is primarily assigned long and difficult novels and research texts in their English class, they may become overwhelmed with this particular type of assignment and want to start reading altogether. It may be time to try out a different type of reading material. For example, magazines and news articles help students improve their reading just as much as full-length books, but they can be less frustrating and are written for an audience who doesnt have a ton of time to sort out word usage and language types. Students will have to tackle the novels on the Great Books list eventually but, for now, they may want to learn using reading material that they find interesting and is that their current reading level. 3. Use varied language when writing Many students write a response to a prompt only to find that their paragraphs are a little bit choppy and lack good flow. They may also use the same two or three words over and over again to describe a situation or person. One of the best things students can do to improve their writing is to vary their language usage. For instance, if they use the word “good “five times in a paper they should go back and replace the last four words with a synonym. Words like “great,” “wonderful,” “fantastic,“ and “positive” can be used to make the paragraph more interesting. Additionally, students should count how many words they have in each sentence they write. If most of their sentences contain the same amount of words, they should try to combine a couple of sentences or break up other sentences to vary the lengths of each sentence. After a little practice, students will start to make these improvements without thinking, and it will make their writing easier to read. 4. Assess learning style Some students can listen to the teacher and hold all that information in their mind indefinitely. Other students need to see words written down to understand and remember them. Its a good idea for students to assess their learning style to determine if they are an auditory, visual, or kinesthetic learner. Figuring this out may greatly change how a student studies and completes assignments and can end up improving their grades in their English classes, or any class for that matter. Our private San Diego English tutoring will help you improve your grades. Call us today, and we will match you with one of our experienced San Diego private English tutors. Great news, Orange County! We’ve launched   www.TutorNerd.com to offer the best online and in-home tutoring in SoCal. Get 50% off your first online or in-home tutoring session with code: SUCCESS. The code is for a limited time only, so book your tutor today! All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at pr@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us write.

Faith school deemed to be unlawful - Tutor Hunt Blog

Faith school deemed to be unlawful Landmark ruling over faith school deemed to be unlawful sex discrimination Landmark ruling over faith school deemed to be unlawful sex discriminationSchoolsEarlier this week Court of Appeal judges ruled that segregating boys from girls in a mixed school constitutes unlawful sex discrimination. The case concerns the Islamic Al-Hijrah school in Birmingham, which not only has separate classrooms for male and female pupils, but also separate corridors and other walkways. The school, which admits pupils from the age of four, and teaches them up to the age of 16, has been investigated by Ofsted in the past over its strict segregation rules. The school was previously placed into special measures by the regulatory body, but the high court decided the inspectors made an `erroneous` judgement in stating that segregated classes amounted to sexual discrimination. The high court decided the school did not contravene the 2010 equality act - and went on to explain their judgement: `It is common ground that the school is not the only Islamic school which operates such a policy and that a number of Jewish schools with a particular Orthodox ethos and some Christian faith schools have similar practices,` This new judgement by the Count of Appeals goes against their previous opinion, and could have far reaching implications for a number of faith schools that separate male and female pupils. Helen Mountfield, Ofsted`s lead barrister, said of the Al-Hijrah school that it imposed a `particular detriment to girls,` going on further to say: `They do go into the world unprepared for life in modern Britain, where they are expected to be able to work and socialise with members of the opposite sex.` Some people might argue that the school is not doing anything particularly different from the numerous single sex schools in the country - others see something amiss in a building that forbids boys and girls to walk down the same corridor together. Single sex schools are actually in steep decline: their number has halved in the last 20 years according to a recent census by the Independent Schools Council. A former headmaster of a well known all boys public school has said that mixed classrooms give a better `preparation for life;` and recently a number of prominent schools, including Wellington, Oundle, Marlborough, Milton Abbey, Repton, Stowe, Rugby, and Uppingham, have made the switch to mixed classrooms. There is generally conflicting information as to whether single sex schools provide a better learning environment for children. Many claim that secondary schools with unmixed classes engender a more serious and academic atmosphere with less distractions; while others believe mixed schools provide more opportunity for learning vital social skills. It is not uncommon for certain institutions - schools, places of worship, certain hospital wards - to practice some kind of gender segregation. Many will have been doing so for centuries, and it is only relatively recently that some of these traditions have begun to be challenged. It was only in the 1870`s that women were first allowed to attend university, but they couldn`t actually obtain a degree until 1920. Though they might have completed the same work as their male counterparts, they weren`t permitted to graduate - Oxford University was amongst the first when in 1920 it allowed women to matriculate and be granted a degree. This may seem like the distant past of course, but it is worth remembering that, prior to 1975, when the sex discrimination act came into force, men could be hired over women for no other reason than their gender. In my personal view it is not right for boys and girls to be segregated in the classroom - whether this occurs in single sex schools, or through separating the pupils in the same school, through what I can only imagine is a meticulously constructed timetable, which must be followed to military precision. Children attend schools in order to become well formed and contributing members of society. Inculcating them with academic abilities is the major part of the education system; but they also go to school to acquire social skills, and mixing with the opposite sex is part of this. Children being better behaved (and thus better pupils) in single sex schools is not an argument for these schools being superior: it is an argument for more discipline in mixed schools. 2 years ago0Add a Comment