Learn About Maths Unsolved Mysteries

Learn About Maths Unsolved Mysteries Could You Help with Maths Problems yet to be Solved? ChaptersRiemann HypothesisThe Hodge ConjectureThe Birch/Swinnerton-Dyer ConjectureThe Navier-Stokes EquationsThe Yang Mills EquationsP=NPRamsey NumbersLychrel Numbers and PalindromesFrom when we started to study maths in primary school: learning how to count and calculate, we have known about the fundamentals of mathematics.In effect, for some people, maths â€" multiplication, fractions, and even statistics, allows them to better understand the world that we live in, studying it as a discipline and philosophy â€" not just to pass exams!From secondary school through to sixth form, we are presented with a series of mathematical concepts which are well studied and irrefutable: there are concrete solutions to each concept and problem given â€" a solution you are often examined on! It may be easy to believe that the logic behind mathematics poses no further questions, that no further research is needed…However, there are certain problems in mathematics that have never been solved, and e ven the greatest scientists and researchers haven’t been able to find their solutions.These puzzles relate to our understanding of some of the most profound concepts in mathematics, and define or challenge our knowledge of basic math facts.Perhaps you’ve undertaken your studies in maths only to better succeed in your academic career: passing exams, getting good coursework marks. However, could you be destined for greater things? You could be the first person to solve one of these mathematical mysteries!Finding a solution to one of these seven problems could bag you $1 million! Interested now?SuperProf is bringing you this list of unsolved mathematical problems, and we hope to one day read about you in the history books, having solved one (or more!) of them!It consists of a non-linear differential equation, and its peculiarity is the fact that the equation is frequently used, even though we haven’t yet found its solution!It’s used, amongst other things, to better understand t he movement of currents in the oceans.If you have some formidable mathematical or physics skills, proving the Navier-Stokes equation would give you the title of the 2nd person to solve one of the seven Clay Institute problems, and walk away a millionaire!Currently, only the Poincaré conjecture has been proven.The Yang Mills EquationsAnother physics based problem, the Yang Mills theories aim to tackle problems in our understanding of the fundamental forces of the universe.To explain these particles, Yang and Mills attempted to describe elemental particles by constructing a model based on geometric theories.Their theory, which says that certain quantum particles have a positive mass, has been verified by a number of computer simulations.Discovered by two physicists, the theory hasn’t been proven yet, and is still just an idea.P=NPThis puzzle is perhaps the most important of all.Essentially, the resolution of this problem would solve many other problems, while for as long as it rema ins unsolved, so do many other problems in the fields of maths and computing. Many computations done today are known as NP-hard problems, because they fall into this category.Solving this one will be a question of computation and maths! (Source: Markus Spiske, Unsplash)In P=NP, we call P the problem, where the solution is a group of elements from a given set.Closely linked to the functioning of computers and algorithms, we could sum this problem up as the following question:Can we determine, thanks to a calculation, what we can determine by luck?Could you answer this as yet unanswered question?Learn how to graph functions here.Ramsey NumbersThe Ramsey theorem is linked to order and to the models at the heart of various systems. According to this theory, true disorder cannot exist.To summarise: if we draw n points on a sheet of paper, so that each point is linked to all the other points by either a red or blue line, n must be equal to 6 in order to be certain that there will be at le ast one triangle that is either red or blue.Simply, we could ask what size our group must be for at least three of its members to be strangers, and three to have mutual connections. The answer to the problem is 6.However, if we change the number 3 by 4, the problem is impossible to solve. Or at least, no mathematician up until today has succeeded.Could you come up with the right formula?Lychrel Numbers and PalindromesIn order to understand the Lychrel numbers, you must first know the definition of a palindrome.Palindromes can take the form of a number or words that, when read left-to-right, or right-to-left, read the same.17371 is an example of a palindrome number, as it reads the same whether or not you start on the left or right.When we repeatedly add a number with its inverse and the result doesn’t form a palindrome, it’s known as a Lychrel number.59 isn’t a Lychrel number because…59 + 95 = 154 154 + 451 = 605 605 + 506 = 1111Effectively, we’ve ended up with another pal indrome.The smallest number for which we’ve not found a palindrome is 196, and this is exactly what impassions each mathematics researcher: not knowing exactly how to solve the problem... yet!Even after more than 12 million repeated additions (thanks to the help of automation, of course!), we haven’t found a palindrome for the number 196!Are you ready to pursue this kind of research?Before trying to solve problems linked to algebra, geometry and physics, you must adopt a rigorous mathematical approach and immerse yourself in the scientific universe!Throughout your school career, up to GCSEs, A levels, and degree level, you improve your memory and intellectual skills thanks to mathematics, and perhaps a home tutor could help you progress further?Thanks to a private tutor’s personalised method of teaching, unique to you, you could improve your problem solving and analytical skills! And one day, perhaps you could solve one of these problems!

Maths Tuition A Guide To Differentiation And Integration

Maths Tuition A Guide To Differentiation And Integration A Maths Tutor Guide to Differentiation And Integration ChaptersWhat Is Differentiation?When And Where Might I Need To Use Differentiation?An Introduction To Basic Differentiation TechniquesAn Introduction To Integration TechniquesOnce you have rearranged the formula, you can then safely integrate on both sides like[`int_{}^{} u frac{ ext{d}v}{ ext{d}x} dx = int_{}^{} frac{ ext{d}(uv)}{ ext{d}x} dx - int_{}^{} v frac{ ext{d}u}{ ext{d}x}dx`]before the final step, which is to simplify the entire formula.This will ultimately leave you with[`int_{}^{} u frac{ ext{d}v}{ ext{d}x} dx = u v - int_{}^{} v frac{ ext{d}u}{ ext{d}x}dx`]If you are a English student too, think of the above process of simplifying the formula as sort of a way to write it in shorthand.Why Do I Need To Learn Integration Techniques?When we have so many pieces of software that can now use Integration techniques to simplify and work out formulas, why do we need to learn about the methods as students?The simple answer is that nobody really knows if they will actually use these tools in the future, but isn't it nice to know how the technology you are using operates and to know that you could potentially do the working out in the event that computers ever become extinct, albeit a little slower (not that we can expect that to happen any time soon!)?While some may think that these techniques have no practical application and are therefore a bit of a waste of time, it is important to remind oneself that the professionals behind the syllabus are merely trying to help you build up an intellectual understanding of complicated mathematical processes while encouraging you to develop logical intuition.Remember also that, while your A Level course may offer a somewhat rigid approach to learning techniques related to Differentiation and Integration, you will have the opportunity in future to learn different patterns, some that may even be self-taught, if you ever decide to follows steps and processes without the aid of a computer. Or you can learn them with maths tut ors who will help you find the technique best suited to your learning style.Whether this is as part of a degree, a Masters degree or during your mathematical career, you will no doubt find some (if not tonnes of) uses for the methods taught during this A Level course.For more Maths lessons, see below:Solving Exponentials and Logs: A guide  Solving Mechanic Forces: A guide

5 Insider Tips for a Successful Music Career

5 Insider Tips for a Successful Music Career Mac Breaking into the music industry is tough, but its a lot easier when you have some help along the way. In this article, professional singer and music teacher  Liz T.  will show you 5 valuable tips you can use to make it  the music industry Based on my performing experience in the music industry, Ive observed many fellow (and talented) musicians struggle. Having a successful music career isnt easy, but you dont have to be the next Beyoncé or Hunter Hayes to be considered a “success. There are many independent musicians out there who  perform  in front of sold-out crowds each night, run their own marketing campaigns, and promote  their music in the media all while making money! Here are some tips from my personal experience that will help you  have a successful music career, no matter which instrument or genre you choose! How to Make It in the Music Industry 1. Choose  Your Band/Co-Writers Wisely I’ve seen many leaders fail when they don’t have reliable members in their band. Heres my advice: Choose musicians you know you can depend on, both on and off the stage. In other words, choose musicians who  you can trust to show up to all rehearsals, recordings, and act  professional in a music environment. Dont  Choose on a Whim More often than not, because of the lack of effort, support, and preparation from the band, the leader may fail. Audition your band mates, try a few gigs with them, and if it’s not working, move on just like in the dating world!  Theres no sense in keeping bad relationships. The same goes for songwriting: Choose members you want on your team wisely, and consider choosing members who have strengths that you dont. The bottom line is that you should never feel at competition with your band mates or co-writers; its completely a team effort! 2.  Research the Music Industry As a musician, you should always be listening and watching the charts. Its important to keep your finger on the pulse find out whats popular, whats performing well, and whats dying in the industry. From knowing current artists to knowing music-sharing trends, youve got  to be current with the times! You Dont Need to Research Everything Even if youre an old school person, you don’t necessarily have  to download  every music app or listen to every artist, but you need to be familiar with what’s happening in the industry. In my experience, a surprising amount of people  don’t do their research.  Those who dont do their research might  send their music demos on CDs, even when the publisher clearly says only MP3s via email. If you do that, youre only going to upset the publisher. Keep Up With the Trends With that being said, read directions carefully and do your homework you don’t want to make enemies in the industry by making bad impressions! The trends in the industry are always changing, so be sure to read books, blog articles, and ask your friends how they listen to (or even buy) music; who are they going to see in concert, what are their favorite music videos? Don’t be behind the times be ahead! 3. Be  Your Own Booking Agent Ive often found this very  frustrating in the music industry: trying to get the booker or promoter’s attention. Oftentimes, you’ll hear no response, or theyll  have incredibly high demands (and want you to play at less-than-appealing venues). I challenge you to start booking your own gigs when you feel your music is ready to be performed in front of live audiences. You Can Do It All I  started booking my own gigs first in Boston, then to the New York scene, which eventually lead to Europe! Ive booked 100+ gigs  entirely on my own, without the help of a booking agent. Of course, it takes a lot of time to do this research, along with  negotiating contracts and figuring out logistics, such as backline equipment (like  amplifiers) and transportation. There’s no reason you can’t start booking your gigs right away. Focus your attention on one region, then  figure out the venues in that market.  Indie on the Move is a great resource for this sort of thing! 4. Keep  Plugging Away Rejection is a common theme in the music industry. Youll often go to tons of auditions, submit your song, and hear no, more than youll hear yes. With thousands of musicians vying for their shot at fame and fortune, along with  few opportunities out there, the competition is fierce. Rejections Eventually Lead to Success I encourage you to keep performing and submitting your music. Ive felt extremely  discouraged after going to 100 auditions, but then after the 101st audition, I would land the gig! Moreover, I would  submit my music to publishers and record labels over and over, hearing no response, only to finally hear an answer  a couple years  later! Don’t let rejection tear you down and stop you from doing what you love. Continue to work on your craft practice, compose, and write like theres no tomorrow. You can even create your own opportunities. For example, if youre still having trouble getting signed, release an album independently! Or, be your own social media manager and promoter. Remember to always stay positive and believe in yourself! 5.  Pick the Right Songs Whether you decide to write your own music or be in a cover band, the decision is up to you! Many bands become successful by writing new  material, and other bands find their first  success by creating new interpretations of original songs. With YouTube, you can easily  upload your songs,  promoting them for people  all over the world to explore and enjoy! But first, its best to decide if youre going  to be an artist that focuses on just making videos, or if youre more interested in  booking live shows. Allocate  your resources accordingly. How to Choose The Right Songs When choosing your song material, youll want to make sure youre completely comfortable performing these songs. You dont have to sing an Adele song just because its popular and challenging, or write material if you stink at writing lyrics. Instead, find out what your strengths are and which songs showcase your voice or musical instrument the best! Its important to find your musical niche. To do this, I encourage you to listen and watch other bands perform in order to see what repertoire they have  in their sets or albums. Dont outright copy other bands or artists, but instead use them as a source of  inspiration. The End Goal is the Audience Visualize your album or set in advance; the flow, the rhythm, and the melodic content is important to keep in mind. You dont want to do a show thats entirely made up of  slow rock ballads your audience will be asleep in no time! Its vital that you keep them engaged, even if youre singing about serious subject matter. The end goal is really to grab and hold the audiences attention the entire  time youre performing. The same goes for an album; make sure the songs you record transition nicely into each other. The last thing you want is for the listener  to skip tracks! Use Sheet Music to  Choose Songs If youre still stuck on which songs to choose, you can always browse through sheet music. You can find sheet music for thousands of popular  songs, namely by big-name publishers like  Alfred  and Hal Leonard.  There are also a couple of dedicated sheet music websites. Check them out here: www.musicnotes.com www.sheetmusicdirect.com If youre looking for more than just sheet music, check out this all-encompassing resource guide for musicians: 100+ Online Tools and Resources for Musicians Conclusion I hope these tips help you on your way to a successful music career! Remember, you don’t need to be the hottest celebrity in L.A. to have a successful music career. Many musicians find their musical success right in their own backyard (or garage)! If you ever need one-on-one advice for how to get  into the music industry, schedule a meeting with a professional musician  on TakeLessons today! Post Author:  Liz T. Liz T. teaches singing, acting, and music lessons online.  She is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music with a B.M in Vocal performance and currently performs/teaches all styles of music including Musical Theater, Classical, Jazz, Rock, Pop, RB, and Country. Learn more about Liz 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

Accounts Top Distractions when its Time to study Accounts -Tutorpace

Accounts Top Distractions when it’s Time to study Accounts -Tutorpace Accounting is always a difficult subject for the college students. They aren’t able to grasp the accounting subjects quickly. Accounting comprises of numerous subject areas including management accounting, financial accounting, accounting information systems, auditing, and taxation, but students find it very hard to understand it as they face few distractions. Their friends can hang out and gossip with them, or they may be tired going in a party, or they may want to watch TV, or any other kind of distraction can prevent them to concentrate on their studies. Then the students say to themselves that they will do it afterward. As a student, if you want to identify your distraction and take accounts study as a challenge, your accounting tutor online will help you in distinguishing few distractions easily. If you are among those students whose minds get diverted from books, first check out the distractions and know how to overcome them! 8 Distractions how to overcome on accounts study 1) Find a quiet place, instead of noisy If you’re sitting in a room where your roommates are laughing and giggling and gossiping among themselves loudly, you may get distracted easily from studying accounting. There might be music and loud noise in the room where you have a tough time in focusing. You can leave that noisy place and move to a library, a peaceful café, a quiet room or another spot of campus area where there isn’t any noise. Anyhow, get rid of noise to study concentratedly with the help of managerial accounting tutor. 2) Avoid temptations of entertainment If you are sitting and studying in a room where you play video games, watch TV, or go through magazines, you tend to get distracted automatically. These things will influence you to watch or play, instead of studying. The moment you would find your assignments difficult, or it seems boring, your eyes will shift to entertainment zone around you. Therefore, you should leave that living room or entertainment space and sit in a room where there aren’t any entertainment options near you. In this way, you can resist yourself from seeing TV shows or movies. 3) Study alone If you are having an exam in a matter of few days and your best friend comes to meet you and wants to chitchat with you, it’s hard to avoid such a situation. Your longtime friend might want your full attention. You too must have started sharing your talks and laughing on the good old memories, before you might have forgotten that you have to prepare for your class tests. In order to overcome this disturbance, you decide to study alone. You can tell them that you will prefer hanging out later after you complete your revisions. 4) Stay away from online distraction You tell your mom that you have to search a study material online. Then you do your research via your desktop laptop or mom’s smartphone. Suddenly your mind gets changed and you are checking Facebook or any other website, consoling yourself that you’re surfing it for few seconds only. But your half-an-hour is wasted on social networking sites, instead of finding the accurate study material for your assignment. Thus, to ward off from this online disturbance, you have to unplug yourself from anything that isn’t related to school. Turn off the Wi-Fi or close the internet access completely and finish your school work firstly. The lesser you surf online, better for you. 5) Do fewer text messages Even if you don’t have your personal smartphone and you are chatting with your friend using your mom’s smartphoneon WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger, this is actually hampering your study. Too much messaging can distract your mind from studies. Even while you study, there is constant buzzing of multiple messages in the mobile placed next to you. Thus take your books out, put your mobile or your mom’s mobile in your hand in silent mode and away from you for three-four hours, and finish up your studies. 6) Meditate or take a deep breath Many things in your room might attract you to go near them. It might be your phone, music player, television, internet, video games, etc. In order to have a control over your urge, you can sit on the floor in a room where no one is there and close your eyes. Then you start meditating for fifteen minutes to half-an-hour. Breathe-in and breathe-out and repeat this process for a short period in the morning and evening till your mind becomes calm and steady. You can thus concentrate on your study more seriously. 7) Ask your near and dear ones to give you privacy When you are studying in your study room, your mom might drop in to ask about something, your sister might ask for help with her homework, your brother might ask for advice, your friend might drop by to chat with you, or your neighbor might come to your room to have a word or two. In this case, you can ask them to give you privacy to study without disturbance. Share this thing politely so that they can understand your situation and won’t disturb you during your study hours. You can even close your study room from inside so that no one can come in your room to interact with you. Others also will get to know about your commitment towards academic excellence and hence would respect your privacy. 8) Get eight hours of proper sleep at night You should get sufficient sleep as a student for seven to eight hours daily at night. There might be projects to do or your homework or assignments. You need to adjust timing for them so that you can sleep at the right time at night and get up by six-thirty in the morning. Sleep is very important as you can have a good memory, your brain functions well and you can concentrate greatly. Make sure to arrange your schedule accordingly and go to bed by 11 pm. Therefore, all the students who want to excel in their accounts study should follow the above steps! When they stop themselves from the above distractions, then only they can accomplish their tasks and execute better results! Share your opinions if you have faced any such distraction at the time of study!

Ask Out - Phrasal Verb of the Day

Ask Out - Phrasal Verb of the Day Todays phrasal verb of the day is: Ask OutInfinitive form: Ask OutPresent Tense: Ask Out/ Asks Outing form: Asking OutPast tense: Asked OutPast Participle: Asked OutAsk Out is a separable English phrasal verb. It can be used in the following way:When you ask someone to go with you to a certain place or an occasion, to spend time together and have fun. In a romantic setting where one or both parties involved is (romantically) interested, then it becomes a date1.  The prince had already asked Cinderella out to go to the movies with him.2. Just because a guy asks a girl out on a date doesnt mean he has to pay for everything, right?iframe width=420 height=315 src=//www.youtube.com/embed/T1uqtnGENzo?rel=0 frameborder=0 allowfullscreen/iframeExercises: Write your answers in comments and we will correct them.Fill in the gaps from the video above:Hes not _____ you ___ because hes intimidated by your professional success.For guys: Did you ever have to ask someone out on a date? How did you g o about it and how did it turn out?For girls: Did you ever get asked out by someone youre not interested in dating? What did you do?Complete the sentences below with the correct form of Ask Out.1. I cant decide whether I should go to the prom or not. I mean, I got _____ ____ by two men. Well, Tom ____ me ___ first, but I really wanna go with Jerry. How can I do that without disappointing Tom, though?2. Maybe I should ___ Sylvester ___ to go with me to the prom instead.3. The Jenkins called and ____ their neighbors ____ for a barbecue.4. If Jim hadnt been too shy, he could have  ___ Sherry___.5. Stuart ____ Sherry ____ on a date while Jim watches.Change the example sentences above to negative sentences (or positive, if the sentence is already negative). Then change them to questions.

New Semester Success Starts With Early Academic Tutoring

New Semester Success Starts With Early Academic Tutoring Happy New Year to our AJ Tutoring family! Were getting back into the swing of things at our offices from Woodside down to San Jose.   Juniors are starting to prepare in earnest for the spring 2015 SATs and ACTs, and our academic tutoring students are building a solid foundation for the semesters coursework.The beginning of the semester is the best time to start working with an academic tutor.By starting early in the semester, students can get ahead in their classes and ensure theyre not digging out from the hole of a low first test grade. While we can help students at any point in the semester, weve found that students see the best improvement in their grades and understanding of a subject when academic tutoring begins at the start of a new semester. Starting a tutoring program early in the semester also allows students to solidify their organizational and study skills, setting them up for success over the next few months.AJ Tutorings academic tutors are available to work with studen ts in all academic subjects.Academic subjects tutored include (but arent limited to!):Math (including AP Calculus AB/BC and AP Statistics)PhysicsBiologyChemistryHistory (including AP US, European, and World History)EnglishSpanishComputer scienceStudy skillsAcademic tutoring at AJ Tutoring is more than just homework club.Most academic tutoring students meet with their tutors for one 1.5 hour session per week.   During academic tutoring sessions, our tutors review the content students must know for their class and ensure that students are completing the homework.   Once the basics are mastered, however, our tutors aim to move beyond the minimum required.   We ask students to complete their homework before their tutoring session, so we can save valuable tutoring time for the hardest questions and concepts.   Our tutors pre-teach concepts that students will be learning in the next couple weeks, so students are familiar with the material and can focus on deep understanding. Lastly, our a cademic tutoring incorporates study skills into every lesson, so students are better equipped to manage the homework and test-preparation process themselves.If you have any questions about how we can help your student succeed in their academic coursework this spring, please reach out to us at (650) 331-3251 or info@ajtutoring.com. Wed love to help develop a gameplan so your student has an enriching and successful semester!

New italki Brand Ambassador Kailin

New italki Brand Ambassador Kailin Congratulations to Kailin for becoming an italki Brand Ambassador! Below Kailin describes her experience. I first met italki this January, when I was searching for some English grammar  questions online. One of the italki users offered a very sufficient answer, which deeply  impressed me. Further exploring on italki, I felt that I discovered a new world of  language learning! italki not only solves my doubts through the learning process, but  also connects each of the language enthusiasts in the community.  In the past, I hesitated to contact with native speakers of English because I worried  that it might be somehow offensive. However, in italki, I dont need to hesitate. I  know that those who I meet are real language lovers who may want to have language  exchange, or truly kind helpers who don’t expect anything but are just willing to help.  My English writing and speaking skills improved dramatically with the help of my  italki friends and teachers. Many of them offered really professional corrections and  advice. Gradually, I saw fewer errors in writing and gained more fluency in s peaking.  As I progressed, my italki friends cheered for me as much as I did for myself. They  are teachers, friends and even mentors. Moreover, I am so glad that my corrections for  Mandarin writings are also helpful and effective! italki is not only a community of  give-and-take, but a place that generates goodwill and kindness. One day, I received an email advertising for becoming an italki brand ambassador and  now here I am. I am delighted to promote italki among the language enthusiasts on  campus. I am cheerful to hear my friends saying italki is amazing. I am also happy  to see that italki is growing increasingly popular and helping more and more language  enthusiasts. On Nov. 2nd, I promoted italki during the regular training held by the language club  in our university, which I have been actively involved in. Only one out of the sixty  members ever used italki before, but they are all language lovers! During the event, I  did a presentation about how I used and benefited from italki, especially writing  notebooks, asking questions and having online lessons. Their wow expressions told  me that they were very intrigued! When I was distributing the italki promotion cards  in the end, many of them asked whether they could have an extra one for their friends.  italki is an ideal place if you want to get immersed in a language and improve it with  the lowest cost. I am lucky that I found it this year and I really hope that italki can  reach more language lovers in the future! If youre interested in becoming an italki Student Brand Ambassador please contact Ilar at ilar@italki.com for more information! New italki Brand Ambassador Kailin Congratulations to Kailin for becoming an italki Brand Ambassador! Below Kailin describes her experience. I first met italki this January, when I was searching for some English grammar  questions online. One of the italki users offered a very sufficient answer, which deeply  impressed me. Further exploring on italki, I felt that I discovered a new world of  language learning! italki not only solves my doubts through the learning process, but  also connects each of the language enthusiasts in the community.  In the past, I hesitated to contact with native speakers of English because I worried  that it might be somehow offensive. However, in italki, I dont need to hesitate. I  know that those who I meet are real language lovers who may want to have language  exchange, or truly kind helpers who don’t expect anything but are just willing to help.  My English writing and speaking skills improved dramatically with the help of my  italki friends and teachers. Many of them offered really professional corrections and  advice. Gradually, I saw fewer errors in writing and gained more fluency in s peaking.  As I progressed, my italki friends cheered for me as much as I did for myself. They  are teachers, friends and even mentors. Moreover, I am so glad that my corrections for  Mandarin writings are also helpful and effective! italki is not only a community of  give-and-take, but a place that generates goodwill and kindness. One day, I received an email advertising for becoming an italki brand ambassador and  now here I am. I am delighted to promote italki among the language enthusiasts on  campus. I am cheerful to hear my friends saying italki is amazing. I am also happy  to see that italki is growing increasingly popular and helping more and more language  enthusiasts. On Nov. 2nd, I promoted italki during the regular training held by the language club  in our university, which I have been actively involved in. Only one out of the sixty  members ever used italki before, but they are all language lovers! During the event, I  did a presentation about how I used and benefited from italki, especially writing  notebooks, asking questions and having online lessons. Their wow expressions told  me that they were very intrigued! When I was distributing the italki promotion cards  in the end, many of them asked whether they could have an extra one for their friends.  italki is an ideal place if you want to get immersed in a language and improve it with  the lowest cost. I am lucky that I found it this year and I really hope that italki can  reach more language lovers in the future! If youre interested in becoming an italki Student Brand Ambassador please contact Ilar at ilar@italki.com for more information!

The 10 Best Language Learning Books to Take on Your Linguistic Journey

The 10 Best Language Learning Books to Take on Your Linguistic Journey The 10 Best Language Learning Books to Take on Your Linguistic Journey So you’ve decided to learn a new language.The last time you did that was probably 20 to 40 years ago.You know, when you were still a toddler.Or maybe you took some language classes in high school for a requirement.Either way, you didnt really have to track down learning tools. They were handed to you.You know how  important it is to learn a new language these days. Theres no point to me making the case that a second language can have tremendous impacts on your physical, mental and financial healthâ€"since youve already made the big decision to start studying.Now youre really at the initial stages of your language acquisition journey.So, what to do? What to do?Lucky for you, this post deals with how to start your language journey right. And let me tell you right nowâ€"your journey should begin with the books that I’m going to be introducing to you.You might want to say, “Whoa, books? Aren’t I better off with some cool app or an online immersion course or something?”And to th at  Id say, “Yes, books. Because they’re going to put everythingâ€"the online course, the app, the practice sessionsâ€"into proper perspective.”In fact, why don’t I tell you right now why it’s important to read the best language learning books out there. Why Read General Language Learning Books?Why not read something directly related to your target language instead?Let’s say you want to  learn German. Why not go ahead and read a book that specifically deals with German? That would certainly save time.  Why a general language learning book as the opening salvo?  Is it really necessary?Um, yes. And here’s why:  A general language book, at least a good one, will show you the big picture and take you behind the scenes so you can understand what’s going on during your language acquisition process.Itll  tell you ahead of time what you might go through during your language quest. It’s like saying, “Hey, you might encounter this dragon along the way. If you take the pr oper weapon, then youll have an easier time.”Theres a set of fundamental theories, tools and techniques which are effective across languages. These come in the form of learning approaches, memory-enhancing techniques or useful mindsets that blast through the hurdles along the way.A general language learning book is a distillation of decades of scientific language acquisition  research and practical experience from people who made the journey before. Its a record of their insights and lessons learned. More importantly, it recounts the mistakes others have made  so those who follow don’t waste their time committing them.You’re going to  need all these foundational concepts as you begin that quest for a new language. That way, in the future, you’ll know exactly what’s going on. And knowing what’s going on, especially in language learning, is awfully important.Imagine going about learning French and not knowing why one particular  technique is working for you while another i s not. Or imagine that youve spent five hours studying but youre nowhere near memorizing that measly list of 20 words. Why cant you make that happen?Imagine how unnerving it would be to not know why things are the way they are.The  books below will demystify the whole process for you. Theyll  take things apart, much like a clockmaker does, and explain to you the working parts.In this way, a general language book can make everything so much clearer. You will, by leaps and bounds, become a more effective learner when you see the big picture and know the  answers to questions like:What difficulties are encountered by most language learners when they’re starting out and how can you avoid them?Which types of practice exercises should you spend your time on and why?What tricks will make your brain retain what youve learned?Beyond this, starting off with a general language learning book can provide cushioning for the rollercoaster ride that is language learning.When youre having bouts of discouragement, doubt and fatigue, you’ll have something in your head that says, “Ah, so this is what those books referred to as the Plateau Stage. I’m cool with it. I’m not gonna go down. I have a strategy for this.”Okay, now you have an idea of just how crucial these types of books  can be. That means its time to  go through the best books out there for learners. Coming up next are the 10 titles that are the most fitting companions for you on your language quests.The 10 Best Language Learning Books to Take on Your Linguistic JourneyHow to Learn a Foreign Languageby  Paul Pimsleur Ph.D.Let’s start off with the granddaddy of foreign language learningâ€"Dr. Paul Pimsleurâ€"creator of the renowned audio-based language system that has helped millions of language learners.This book of his was originally published in 1980 but was republished in 2013 and remains as relevant today as it was decades ago. Thats because the lessons are timeless.Focusing on the three elements of l anguageâ€"pronunciation, grammar and vocabularyâ€"the book debunks many standard teaching approaches and considers them unnecessary or even harmful to the goal of learning. Dr. Pimsleur understood the struggles experienced by beginners and sought to write a text that teaches how anyone can learn a foreign language without the painful classroom drills that don’t really work.He focuses instead on the listening and responding part of the language acquisition process, which is very much like how babies listen to their environment and imitate the linguistic tones and rhythms that they hear.He also gets into some very effective vocabulary exercises that are specially targeted for long-term memory storage. This makes sure that what has been learned will always stay with  you, very much unlike what sometimes happens in the classroom situationâ€"where the lessons magically disappear as soon as the bell rings.Dr. Pimsleur’s Method has stood the test of time and is one of the most effectiv e foreign language approaches to date. Get this book and start your journey with one of the most renowned language teachers of all time.Learn Any Language FAST! The Ultimate Guide to Speed Up Your Language Learning Curve By Tricking Your Brainby  Dagny TaggartThis one’s written by a hyper-traveler who has gone to the trouble of learning a language fast. Taggart shares the insights and techniques she picked up from crisscrossing the globe and learning the languages of the people she meets.From the very beginning, the purpose of this book, as the author demonstrates, is to learn a new language faster than you thought possible. Think of yourself as being in a foreign land and badly  needing a  bathroom. How can you pick up the language in  as few ticks of the clock as possible? Thats the spirit of this book.In order to do just that, traditional and time-consuming approaches are eschewed in favor of creative and fun ways to remember language. This book will open your eyes to the mass ive learning opportunities in your immediate environment. Itll also give you an understanding of how to use different multimedia channels (radio, movies and books) in order to align all of them with purposeful learningThis book counsels you on the right strategies of language acquisition and makes for a light reading. So for the beginner who fears to take that first step, this book will nudge you a bit so you can make one of the best decisions of your life: learn a new language.Fluent Forever: How to Learn Any Language Fast and Never Forget Itby  Gabriel WynerWhatever language youve got your sights on, don’t you want to have fun while learning it? Gabriel Wyner thought so too. So much so that when he was 30 years old, he was already having fun with six languagesâ€"fluently.This book works on both your ears and tongue in ways not thought of before. Itll attune your ears to the natural symphonies of your target language so the next time you hear them, they’ll sound familiar to you . Youll contort your tongue to the same degree that opera singers and actors do while rehearsing. You, a beginner 15 minutes ago, will be able produce the same sounds and tones as the natives.With these techniques and more, you’ll get over those linguistic hurdles and land safely on the zone of fluency. Get this book. Its worth every second of your attention span.This book and lots of others that are useful for language learners are available on VitalSource, a great place to check out if youre into e-books. Their Bookshelf app works for Kindle, iPad, Android and Chromebook, and can save you time and money with your language book habit.Words and Rules: The Ingredients of Language  by  Steven PinkerThis work by Pinker, like his other works, The Language Instinct and The Stuff of Thought, goes deeper than most general language learning books.The MIT linguist dives into an explanation of how human beings learn languages and how we use them to create experiences and all kinds of produc ts, from an effervescent love letter to a technical tax code. He believes that language production is rule-based and proceeds to prove this by focusing on irregular verbs. (Who knew irregular verbs could be that interesting?)When you want to  get serious about pulling aside the veils from language, you can be sure that Pinker is always the person holding the brightest lantern to illuminate your many questions.Fluent in 3 Months: How Anyone at Any Age Can Learn to Speak Any Language from Anywhere in the Worldby  Benny LewisThis one’s from the guy behind the largest language learning blog on the Internet, Fluent in 3 Months. A self-described  average fellow, he preaches “language hacking” where learners acquire fluency quickly.The book gets you into a proper state of mind to learn a new language. It covers most of the fears and excuses a person may have and motivates its readers to reach their linguistic potential. It also promotes the most useful  technological tools available that can help them achieve their goals.Using methods not found in classrooms, Benny turns traditional language learning on its head and comes up with tips, techniques and exercises that make learning a natural, almost inevitable, experience. (And nope, grammar drills arent included. Role playing activities, yes.)For non-beginners who want to be re-energized to continue  their language quests, read the book’s first part and feel the spirit of curiosity and motivation returning, filling every cell of your body. Then move forward with your enthusiasm renewed.Language MythsEdited by  Laurie Bauer  Peter TrudgillThis one is unique in  the bunch because its a collection of 21 essays from leading linguists debunking some of the long-held, traditional views on language. This bookâ€"containing  essays like “Some Languages Are Spoken More Quickly Than Others,” “Italian Is Beautiful, German Is Ugly” and “Women Talk Too Much”â€"does go into pretty contentious issues.I’ve includ ed this one on the list because the last thing a language learner needs is to get stuck in the language acquisition process because he or she is holding onto some language myth, like this language is super hard.The best way to sweep away  all the cobwebs from the learner’s mind is to round them up and  blast them all away before even  beginning the journey.Ironically, by talking about what language is not, you learn more about what it actually is, giving you power to wield it more effectively.How to Learn Any Languageby  Barry M. FarberThe book reveals Farber’s system for  learning 25 different languages. His system is composed of four elements: The Multiple Track Attack, The Hidden Moments, Harry Lorayne’s Memory Aids and The Plunge In.The author believes that, when learning a new language, one shouldn’t be limited in the number of tools and technologies one uses. In The Multiple Track Attack, Farber gives his special blend of tools that every learner needs.In  The Hidden M oments, the author points out those unseen minutes or seconds in the day when one could have learned a new language. Waiting for the elevator or waiting in line might take only a few minutes, but by taking advantage of these  hidden moments in the course of the day, the language learning hours pile up to your benefit.Harry Lorayne’s Memory Techniques are what help our author breeze through memorizing copious amounts of vocabulary. Lorayne’s techniques are novel, creative and have a way of telling the learner “You’re having difficulty memorizing a list of 100 words? Maybe it’s because of the way you memorize it.”The Plunge In is where the rubber meets the road. Immersion. This is when you leave the pages of your books, meet native speakers and get into experiences where you practice your  target language.The author believes that these four elements are the very keys to unlocking any language on the face of the Earth. His conviction and enthusiasm is contagiousâ€"you might just end up leaving with a new perspective on life, language and learning.How Languages Are Learned (4th  edition) by  Patsy Lightbown  and Nina SpadaThis is a prize-winning title that gets into the different theories of first and second language acquisition.This book is originally intended as a handbook for language teachers. But why not leave out the middle man and get yourself a copy, right? This ones chock-full of insights on the difference between first and second language learning. It gets into the nitty-gritty of the different theories of the behaviorist, cognitive and social approaches.When you’re a few weeks into learning Spanish  or Japanese, for example, being  grounded by a comprehensive book will allow you to make sense of your learning experiences. As the insights from this book percolate in the back of your mind, youll be aided in absorbing the lessons and observing how you learn.And heres the kicker. When you know how you learn, you learn a whole lot better.How to Learn Any Language in a Few Months While Enjoying Yourself: 45 Proven Tips for Language Learners  by  Nate NicholsonNot only will you have fun while learning, but the author claims that youll learn up to 10 times  faster than other people with these methods. Would you like that?Instead of toiling away with tedious  grammar drills, would you like to know the nine common mistakes to avoid when learning languages?  Would you like to discover a five-step process for improving your reading skills?How about the five biggest  challenges youll face and how to effectively deal with them?  Well, theyre all in this book.Nate Nicholson believes that language learners should carefully choose the things they study and drop everything thats unnecessary. Included in the unnecessary category are esoteric grammar rules, vocabulary words that even native speakers dont use and topics that native speakers never really talk about.If you study effectively, focusing on vocabulary words and phrases that ar e useful to your situation, youll gain fluency very rapidly. You may not know every grammar rule there is to know, but youll have meaningful conversations with delighted speakers of your target language.How to Learn a New Language with a Used Brainby  Lynn McBrideFinally, to round off our selection of books, well end with one written by a writer who moved to Europe (more specifically, France) and learned that “soaking up the language” even when youre overseas is easier said than done.So she scrounged up every language learning resource she could  find and was able to come up with the program: six steps to leading the bilingual life. This serves as a detailed road map for adult language learners.A chapter in her book is entitled the “Voices of Experiences,” where other language learners and teachers share their secrets to benefit readers.In addition, her book also contains “best of class” reviews on the different tools available online today. Inundated with sites, courses , programs, apps  and books  that all claim to help teach a language, she wades through the muck and gives her stamp of approval on those worthy few that truly deliver on their promises.Get this short and fun read to start yourself off on the road to your second language. You know you want to.And hey, speaking  of online resources, there’s one that always delivers as promised. FluentU is the most awesome place on the Internet when it comes to language learning videos. It takes  real-world videosâ€"like vlogs, cartoons, inspiring talks, movie trailers and newsâ€"and transforms them into personalized language lessons. Take a look once youve had a chance to track down these great books.Ready to feel fully prepared and capable when it comes to language learning?Then check out the best language learning books listed here and order your favorites.You wont be sorry when youre fluent faster than you ever thought possible!And One More ThingTo reach fluency even faster, youll love using Flu entU. FluentU makes it possible to learn languages  from music videos, commercials, news and inspiring talks.With FluentU, you learn real languagesâ€"the same way that natives  speak them. FluentU has a wide variety of videos like 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 examples. Now native language content is within reach with interactive transcripts.Didnt catch something? Go back and listen again. Missed a word? Hover your mouse over the subtitles to instantly view definitions.Interactive transcript for Carlos Baute song.You can learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentUs learn 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 expe rience by recommending videos and examples.Start using FluentU on the website with your computer or tablet  or, better yet,  download the FluentU app from  the iTunes store  or Google Play store.