How Much Do Kitchen Accessories Cost

How Much Do Kitchen Accessories Cost How Much Does it Cost to Learn to Cook? ChaptersHow Much Do Utensils Cost?How Much Does Cooking Equipment Cost?How Much Do Baking Accessories Cost?Vocabulary“If you’re afraid of butter, use cream.” - Julia ChildThe average Brit spends a paltry 6 hours a week in their kitchen cooking, doing the dishes, tidying up, etc.  You might be wondering how much it would all cost to get some kitchen accessories and gadgets, start spending more time in the kitchen and start making meals for your friends and family.In this article, we're going to look at the kitchen tools, cookware, and utensils that you have to have in your kitchen cupboards. GiovanniCooking Teacher 4.83 (12) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HalimaCooking Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HakimCooking Teacher 5.00 (5) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors VincenzoCooking Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GinellaCooking Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ArronCooking Teacher 5.00 (2 ) £9/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JoshuaCooking Teacher 5.00 (5) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FlickCooking Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsHow Much Do Utensils Cost?To become a great chef, you don’t need an arsenal of kitchen utensils! You’ll soon see that most dishes require a basic set of utensils and a kitchen with a hob and/or an oven. But first, let’s talk about preparing dishes rather than cooking them. When it comes to utensils, there are three main ones that you should get so you can prepare fruits, vegetables, and meat:A peelerA paring knifeA chopping boardAnd that’s it...With these three things, you can already do tonnes of things in the kitchen.Great things come in threes! (Source: 27707)You can get these things in both specialised stores and department stores.For a decent stainless steel or ceramic peeler, you’ll pay between £5 and £10. We’d advise against getting the cheapest ones as they don’ t tend to last. Check that the handle is solid and that the parts aren't likely to break easily.A vegetable peeler is usually shaped a little differently and made from stainless steel. You can find them for less than £5. However, you should always check them out and see which you prefer.  I, personally, just can’t get away with a vegetable peeler as it takes me too long and I end up peeling more of my hands than the vegetables.A good knife should be able to cut any fruit, vegetable, or meat with ease. If you’re making chips, you might want to get a chipper to cut potatoes in uniform pieces. However, you’ll be able to do that with a good knife, too. You can end up paying around £20 for a decent sized quality knife.  Don’t forget to get knife sharpeners so that your knives are always ready to go. Modern sharpeners can cost around £15.You can get glass, slate, plastic, or wooden chopping boards. The cost varies in terms of the material and size and a modern cutting board can cost between £7 and £13.Find out how you can learn cooking skills for free!How Much Does Cooking Equipment Cost?While you won’t probably need a professional fryer, saucepan, or a chafing dish, you should get a few basic utensils to help you make your dishes. We're going to assume that you already have cutlery, a microwave, an oven, and a hob.When it comes to utensils, there are two types of people:Those who buy cheap utensils and replace them regularly.Those who pay more but don’t replace them as often.Make sure that your knives are sharp! (Source: Ben_Kerckx)How Much Does a Saucepan Cost?When you live alone, you should be able to get away with just one big saucepan and one small saucepan so that you can heat two things at once. The price of a saucepan varies depending on:The sizeThe coatingThe brandDepartment stores and supermarkets often have a lot of basic cooking utensils like pans and saucepans. Keep an eye out for offers.A 20cm diameter saucepan ranges between £15 and £30. The lower end will get you a basic saucepan while the higher end will pay for a more resistant coating.How Much Does a Good Frying Pan Cost?It’s difficult to cook meat or vegetables without a good frying pan. Just like with saucepans, the price varies in terms of the size, coating, and brand.A 28cm diameter frying pan can cost between £15 and £40. Again, the lower end will get you a basic frying pan while the higher end will pay for a more resistant coating. The mid-range frying pans are usually stainless steel or ceramic.  You can also get a lot out of a wok.NB: Make sure you check that your frying pan will work on your hob: gas, induction, or ceramic.How Much Do Wooden Utensils Cost?To increase your pans’ lifespan, you should opt for wooden utensils. A spoon and a spatula should be enough to get started.  You can normally get a set of them for around £5.How Much Do Covers Cost?In order to stew dishes and keep them from spitting all over your kitchen countertop, you sh ould get covers for your pots and pans.You just need to choose a cover that’s the same size as your pans.  You can get glass or aluminium lids and covers and some can even be used for various diameters. You can save money by buying pans that come with their own lids which usually works out cheaper than buying them separately.How Much Does a Strainer Cost?You can get plastic and stainless steel strainers with large holes.Think about this for a second: You’ve just about to make some spaghetti bolognese. After you’ve cooked the pasta, you’re about to strain it but the holes on your strainer are too large.Now you’re picking bits of spaghetti out of the sink. This is why you should opt for strainers with small holes since you can use them for everything: pasta, rice, stock, sauce, etc.This usually can work out between £5 and £10 depending on what you go for.How Much Does a Gratin Dish Cost?If you have an oven, you have to get a gratin dish. You can do pasta bakes, lasagnas, r oasted vegetables, or gratins. Ovenware and bakeware are usually made out of glass (and not plastic, for obvious reasons), though you can get stainless steel dishes, too.Depending on the size and material, gratin dishes and trays cost between £5 and £20. Just make sure it’s not too big for your oven!Try your hand at these easy recipes!Make sure that your kitchen is ready! (Source: ginsburgconstruction)Of course, while not essential, you can also get waffle irons, rice cookers, blenders, shakers, containers, thermometers (if you cook a lot of meat), and serveware for when you're entertaining guests.How Much Do Baking Accessories Cost?In addition to cooking accessories, there are also baking accessories. If you prefer the idea of torching a crème brûlée to seasoning a savoury dish with a pepper grinder, these are the utensils you’ll need.A Measuring GlassBaking is all about precision and that means you’ll have to measure out the qualities from your cookbook!You should opt f or a glass measuring cup over plastic because it remains odourless and is easier to clean.  A measuring glass can be used for measuring sugar, flour, and liquids and costs around £5.Kitchen ScalesThese things can save lives!Not sure about you, but when I make a cake, I always put my mixing bowl onto my scales and hit the “tare” button before I put any flour in. I hit “tare” before I add the sugar and mix. It also means you’ll be left with fewer dishes to wash at the end.A set of electronic kitchen scales can cost you between £15 and £30 depending on the model.Also discover how you can start cooking delicious meals while staying within your budget!A Whisk/BeaterHow can you mix pancake batter without a whisk?While you could always use a fork, it’s far easier with a utensil that’s actually designed for it.  A stainless steel whisk will last you longer and costs between £5 and £10.A Salad Bowl/Mixing BowlIf you want to cook in a water bath (bain-marie) or just mix a f ew ingredients together, salad and mixing bowls are very useful.It’s great for making ice cream, toppings, mixing crème pâtissière. A 26cm diameter plastic, metal, or glass salad/mixing bowl costs between £5 and £20.A Cake TinIf you want to make cakes, pies, or tarts, a glass or metal cake tin is essential. This usually can work out between £5 and £15 depending on what you go for. Some even have a removable bottom so it’s easier to get the cake out.In addition to these items, you might also want to buy kitchenware based on the kinds of dishes you'll be making. You might need a cookie cutter, an ice cream scoop, tongs, or a cooling rack in your pantry if you're baking absolutely tonnes of stuff!There are plenty of different shapes of cake tins, too. (Source: malinbatmastar)VocabularyEven when it comes to cooking utensils, you’ll see there are a few words you mightn’t be sure of.Springform PanThis is a cake tin with high sides. You can use it for things like tarte tatin .Hand BlenderThis is a device that mixes ingredients by cutting them up. As its name suggests, you hold it with your hands and plunge it into your ingredients to create soups, purée, or compote.Now join the discussion: is it expensive to learn how to cook?And if you want to know how to use the above utensils, look for cooking classes.

Basic Geometric Shapes

Basic Geometric Shapes Geometric shapes are analyzed and studied under Geometry. Each geometric shape has its own set of properties such as number of sides, dimensions, area, perimeter, volume etc. Every geometric shape has its own set of formulas. Two or more points are joined to form straight lines and these lines are the sides for a particular shape. More than two lines are joined and various geometric shapes are formed. Example 1: What is the area of a triangle which has base side of length 10 cm and height of length 12 cm? Triangle is a geometric shape which has 3 sides. The area of the triangle is = 1/2 *(base)* (height) Given are length of the base side and height of the triangle. The value of b = 10 cm, h = 12 cm. This makes the solution = 1 /2 * 10 cm * 12 cm = 60 cm2. Therefore, area of the given triangle is 60 cm2. Example 2: What is the area and perimeter of the rectangle with dimensions 3 cm and 2 cm? Rectangle is geometric shape with 4 sides. The given rectangle has dimensions are 3 cm and 2 cm respectively. Length, l = 3 cm; Width, w = 2 cm. Area of rectangle = length * width The area of rectangle is = 3 cm * 2 cm = 6 cm2. The perimeter of the rectangle = 2(length + width) The perimeter of the rectangle = 2(3 + 2) = 2 * 5 = 10 cm. Hence, area = 6 cm2 and perimeter = 10 cm.

Is the Level of Spelling in the UK Falling

Is the Level of Spelling in the UK Falling Do the British Need to Brush up on their English Spelling? ChaptersWhy Is Learning to Spell Important?The Rise of ‘Text Language’Should There Be More Emphasis On Spelling In Schools?With GCSE and A Level results on the rise, why does it seem like our nation’s English language level, in particular spelling, has fallen? There are many factors to consider when answering this question: increase in web content, the popularity of social media and blogs, the development of ‘text message’ language and the use of emoticons are just some examples of these external influences on our population.Although it may feel like the standard of English has fallen across the country, we have to wonder if it is actually the advancement of technology that is in fact making poor language more apparent.Nowadays, people will consult the Internet for a variety of purposes: to check up on a symptom they are experiencing, to look for a product’s instructions, to do some online shopping, etc… and they are able to find answers to their queries each and every time. This is because people are now finding new ways to voice their opinions and provide information to others via comments, forums, blogs, social media sites and independent websites.Students can find reputable English tutor GCSE here.We are all guilty of using the Internet to look up symptoms because information is now so freely available. Photo credit: Rachel Olmanson via Visual HuntIt is this ease of sourcing information that makes us all the more reliant on the web and, as a result, more and more content will keep on filling our screens. The amount of writing available for us to access will continue to multiply until the Internet ceases to exist, there is no space left in the ‘cloud’, or at least until a replacement for the World Web Web is invented.Take for example a newspaper’s website, like BBC or The Telegraph, you can search an archive of published articles spanning several years, yet the paper continues to release more and more texts for its readers. Now if you thi nk about the bigger picture, you can only imagine just how much written English is accessible at the click of a button and how this volume is only going to keep on increasing.Gone are the days when public writing was produced by people who had a flair for language, since anybody can now write a blog, post a tweet or even publish a book with no vetting process involved.Among this vast amount of words reaching our screens, there are no doubt numerous typos, grammatical errors and Internet-based abbreviations which, paired with our need to find answers to everything, make our population appear increasingly inarticulate.Can you fathom how much the English language has changed over the centuries? 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This may be because, statistically, errors are far more common in line with the volume of texts, but also because posting on the Internet is now the norm for many (especially our younger generations) and they therefore simply see writing as a means of communicating quickly rather than a skill to be used with care.However good it is that more people are embracing the art of writing in their every day lives, it should nonetheless remain an art and a skill to be celebrated. After all, written manuscripts are some of the most sacred artefacts in relation to our country’s history and have taught us so much about life in other centuries. To think that our future generations will be reading about the culture of the 21st cen tury and coming across heaps of errors and false information is very sad indeed!Furthermore, English is considered as the number one business language in the world which makes it all the more special, and means it is important that it is used properly to maintain consistency across the nations.Teaching our younger generations to speak, and more importantly write, well in English is a necessity not only for the future of our language as a communication tool but also for our adults of the future. By giving help for English to all youngsters and improve their communication skills and the way they approach writing, we could be welcoming more creative minds, an important quality for the development of our society.Would you like to teach young students how to write effectively?We must teach our younger generations to write English correctly. Photo via VisualHunt.comThe Rise of ‘Text Language’Another influencing factor on the perception of our country’s spelling level is the huge ris e in ‘text language’, also known as ‘SMS language’. This digital or Internet-based language is made up of a variety of abbreviations, not only for single words but for entire sentences.For example, popular terms are ‘BRB’ (be right back), ‘LOL’ (laughing out loud), and ‘TMI’ (too much information). It is not unheard of to abbreviate much longer phrases too like ‘IYKWIM’ (if you know what I mean)!With these terms floating around on the Internet and in messages going back and forth to smartphones, it raises the question of whether our language is evolving with modern technology and society and if we need to seriously consider studying this development in English.It is currently seen as a crime for parents or ‘older’ people to attempt to use these up-and-coming slang terms but who is to say that this will not become the language of our future?Add to the rise in shortened language the introduction of emojis or emoticons, and we have an entirely new language t rend emerging.Described by some as revolutionary, emojis are a new way of communicating an emotion or even a collection of thoughts. While these images have changed the way we text, it is unclear if everybody reads them in the same way and if, therefore, we are fluent enough in this type of language to communicate effectively.This could be why students have trouble composing a good essay!Studies into the use of emoticons in written communications are ongoing, with some even investigating if entire texts can be sent using the icons to convey a particular message that can be understood by all.If this takes off, we could be looking at a new form of international communication, yet many are quick to point out that cultural and religious differences come into play here.Make sure to be the best speller thanks to the help of a private English tutor.Text or SMS language, including emojis, are taking over our language. Photo credit: Free For Commercial Use (FFC) via VisualHuntWe could be a l ong way away from a standard, worldwide language but the advancements in technology sure are raising questions about whether spelling is going to be as important as it is now in the years to come.Should There Be More Emphasis On Spelling In Schools?Back to here and now, we must consider the role of schools and colleges in asserting the importance of good spelling to our generations now in education, as well as those entering the education system.Apart from the proportion of adults who continue to or go back to studying after the age of eighteen, the legal school leaving age, people across the country will be relying on their primary and secondary education to provide them with the basic literary and numeracy skills they need in life. It is therefore vital that educators do all that they can to bring students’ spelling level up to a reasonable standard and inspire them to take pride in their writing abilities.Would you like to improve your spelling abilities?Although many English c ourses operate a system whereby they have different sets designed to group students of similar abilities into different classes, if a student falls short of the lower set’s standard for any reason, there is little teachers can do to raise their level of English. This is because class time is designated to certain tasks in order to prepare students for assessment at the end of their course.In France, as an example, if a student was not working at the level expected of them, their teacher had the power to hold them back, called 'redoublement' (or, in English, redoubling), until they were able to display the required understanding of not only the subjects studied but also communication skills in general. This included their ability to read and write at the same level of their peers.Although a drastic measure, this commitment to ensuring each and every student passes a particular milestone with at least the minimum level required meant that all students were given the same opportuniti es and that no students were ignored simply because the resources required to help them were unsupported by the education system at that time.Some might agree that a whole new education system needs to be introduced in the UK which takes into account issues beyond students’ control, such as more support for pupils with special needs and a better awareness of mental health issues among many more factors which might hinder a student’s ability to acquire basic skills like reading and writing.Did you know that daily writing can improve your overall health?Promoting ChangeAlthough the UK is currently churning out record numbers of A* pupils, the education system is still letting many children and young adults down.Ofsted raised the issue of weaknesses in the way English language was taught across all ages back in 2012, and highlighted a distinct lack in focus on the basics of spelling and handwriting. It pointed out that, if students were beginning to struggle with reading and writin g at the age of seven, then they would undoubtedly fail to ever catch up with the rest of their peers as they progressed through school.Sir Michael Wilshaw, the chief inspector, took action following this report and called on tougher English targets and more specialist English teachers to be recruited in primary schools.However, it is important that the Department of Education  continues to drive these improvements forward, especially at a time when Internet-based language is influencing students to such a high degree.Why not get started on improving your English writing with these guidelines?

How to Learn the Cyrillic Letters by Heart

How to Learn the Cyrillic Letters by Heart The best way to learn the Russian alphabet ChaptersThe rules of the Russian alphabetTechniques for remembering the Russian alphabetWhat are the ideal conditions for learning the Russian alphabet?Tips and tricks for learning the Russian alphabet“When you fall out of the water, you no longer fear the rain.” ~ Russian proverbAs a general rule, the most dreaded languages that cause students to break out in hives, are languages like Chinese or Russian with their seemingly incomprehensible alphabets. After all, the alphabet is the basis for most language learning, and without understanding it will be difficult to perfect your Slavic writing.Faced with this challenge, many language students opt to study Spanish or French instead, both of which are much easier to understand than a Slavic language.However, despite the end of the cold war (or perhaps because of it), the Russian language still seems to hold a large fascination for Americans. According to a 2015 survey, the top reason for learning Russian is often to meet Russians or travel or to live in Russia!In order to effectively communicate with Russians, especially if you’re doing so via correspondence, it’s essential for any English speaker to begin by learning the Cyrillic alphabet. In contrast to the Chinese alphabet, the Russian alphabet isn’t too far off from our Latin alphabet, and can easily be learned in a few weeks or months.Here are our top tips for learning the Cyrillic alphabet! LavaRussian Teacher 5.00 (8) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LarisaRussian Teacher 5.00 (2) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors InaRussian Teacher 4.88 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors IrynaRussian Teacher 5.00 (8) £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EvgeniaRussian Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AnastassiaRussian Teacher 5.00 (2) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NikolaRussian Teacher 5.00 (4) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MargaritaRussian Teacher 5.00 (3 ) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsThe rules of the Russian alphabetThe Latin lettersFirst introduced in Russia in 988 AD, the Cyrillic alphabet is made up of 33 letters, 7 more than our Latin alphabet. Although this foreign alphabet can seem completely confusing to an English speaker, the two alphabets do share some commonalities - for example, the Russian language is also made up of vowels and consonants.Fiodor Dostoïevski, Léon Tolstoï, Alexandre Pouchkine, Nicolas Gogol … Russia has been home to many famous authors! By learning the language, you can also read their works in the original form!In the Cyrillic alphabet, there are 7 letters which come from the Latin Alphabet:A - pronounced ‘A’,E - pronounced ‘Yé’,3 - pronounced ‘Zé’,K - pronounced ‘K’,M - pronounced ‘M’,O - pronounced ‘O’,T - pronounced ’T’.However, there are also several letters which look a bit like letters from the Latin alphabet, but which aren’t (there’s one th at resembles an H) - be careful!These letters are Russian letters and aren’t pronounced at all the same as their Latin cousins. When you’re studying, you need to be cautious of false cognates and forget about your native language.It’s a good idea, when learning the Cyrillic alphabet, to start with these 7 letters, which as well as being common, will be easy for you to learn than the other Russian letters!By learning to read in Russian, you’ll be able to discover a host of Russian authors in their native language.The Greek lettersEvery year, many classics students choose to learn ancient Greek in college. Although the language is considered ‘dead’, its letters live on in certain alphabets that are still in use today, including the Cyrillic alphabet.If you’ve ever studied ancient Greek, it might be a bit easier for you to learn the Russian alphabet and vice versa!The Russian alphabet includes 9 Greek letters:? - pronounced ‘B’,? - pronounced ‘Gué’,? - pronounced ‘D’,? - pronounced ‘Ou’,? - pronounced ‘F’,? - pronounced ‘P’,? - pronounced ’S',? - pronounced ‘R’,? - pronounced ‘L’.Once again, make sure you don’t get confused between the English and Russian pronunciations of some letters (like with the ‘P’ for example). Russian students must resist the temptation to make comparisons between their native language and this Slavic language, which although they share some similarities, have drastically different pronunciations.One small anecdote - the USSR, the former name of the Russian Federation, was written ‘CCCP’ - not quite the same as what we used in English. What’s more, CCCP was pronounced ‘SSSR’ - a great example of why we shouldn’t let ourselves get led astray by things that seem the same…but aren’t!The Russian lettersWhen you’re learning the Russian alphabet, the hardest thing to do will be to learn the new Cyrillic letters, which for most English speakers will be completely unknown. H owever, this new-ness can actually be helpful and easier for students as these new letters and their pronunciations don’t include any of the temptations of false cognates.A native Russian speaker makes a great tutor - with expertise in teaching, they can guide you through their culture and all the challenges you’ll face in learning their native language. A great way to learn faster!This section of the Cyrillic alphabet is made up of just 15 letters - the letters and their sounds can easily be learned after just a few hours of daily study! It’s also a good idea to practice writing out the Russian letters to help learn them faster.Here are the Russian letters in the Cyrillic alphabet:? - pronounced ‘l’,? - pronounced ‘Yeu’,? - pronounced ‘Tseu’,? - pronounced ‘Tsheu’,? - pronounced ’N',? - pronounced ‘Sheu’,? - pronounced ‘Shsheu’,? - pronounced ‘Kha’,? - pronounced ‘?’,? - pronounced ‘J’,? - pronounced ‘V’,? - pronounced ‘Hè’,? - p ronounced ‘You’,? - pronounced ‘Ya’,? - pronounced ‘Yo’.With a good pronunciation of the Russian alphabet, the student can learn how to speak Russian fluently and prepare themselves for some time studying abroad in the largest country in the world!The Russian alphabet: soft and hard signsOnce you’ve learned all the letters and their pronunciations listed above, you just need to learn the last two letters in the Cyrillic alphabet: the soft and hard signs.Some students of Russian struggle to learn these signs because they are letters which aren’t vocalized, and so their study is sometimes reserved for students who are experts in Russian!However, it is difficult to understand and learn how to pronounce the Russian language without taking these two symbols into consideration.The two symbols are:The hard ?, which indicates that the previous consonant isn’t palletized.The soft ? which tells you that the previous consonant is palletized.Therefore, it isn’t really a ques tion of reading and understanding, but of pronunciation. In order to get a good grade on the ????- TORFL, for example, students must be able to show that they understand all the intricacies of Tolstoy’s language.In order to truly become bilingual English - Russian, you’ll need to have a firm grasp of all the symbols that modify pronunciation!Techniques for remembering the Russian alphabetCreating a Russian crib sheetIn order to work on your tonic accent, start learning a Slavic language and become bilingual in Russian, we’d recommend coming up with a few crib sheets to study between Russian classes with your professor!With a good general level of Russian, American students can choose to enroll at a well known Russian university, like the University of Moscow.In fact, learning the Russian alphabet ahead of your classes will ensure that you’re well prepared for your tutoring sessions and can help you space out your lessons, which will both help you learn and save you some mone y. The best thing to do is to break the letters down into several categories (like we’ve done below, or by consonants and vowels), in order to really master each letter.Before moving onto another study sheet, the student should make sure they’ve truly learned each letter and its pronunciation, as well as constantly reviewing the previous lessons.In order to master the Russian alphabet and its pronunciation, students can also use:Russian study booksRussian - English dictionaries (with a phonetic transcription)Online study guidesRussian podcastsRussian videos on YouTube, etc…In order to make studying as fun as possible, students can use different memorization techniques. For many students, mind-mapping techniques can be highly efficient in order to combine mental and physical elements for a holistic association for each letter and its pronunciation - by visualizing the Russian pronunciation, the student will find it easy to retain Russian vocabulary.In order to further deepen th eir Russian knowledge, students might also choose to sign up for private Russian lessons!Here, a bilingual or native Russian speaker will be totally at the disposition of the student to provide a structured framework in which they can learn the language. You can find Russian courses London wide, (and elsewhere in the UK), where the student will cover:the Cyrillic alphabetRussian cultureRussian grammarRussian vocabularyand even Russian literature!Taking Russian classes is a great way to work on your accent and prepare to travel to Russia!Study the Russian alphabet onlineLearning Russian online is completely possible thanks to online Russian for beginners courses!With a good linguistic foundation, it is totally possible to find a job and start working in a large Russian city, like St Petersburg. A great experience to add to your resume!Whether on your computer, tablet or directly on your smartphone, students can spend just a few minutes daily studying the Russian alphabet. Online Russ ian classes are a great way to work on your oral expressions and easily learn the Russian language.Electronic classes are often adaptable to any level - beginner, intermediate, or advanced. There are even apps for young children who can learn the Russian alphabet without even seeming to learn, thanks to games and fun interactive lessons.Through their online Russian classes, students can also add a Cyrillic keyboard to their computer, or voice recognition software that will check their Russian accent!To learn Russian online is a good way to learn how to write in Russian, work on the Cyrillic alphabet, and review syntax, personal pronouns, and prepositions before signing up for private lessons.Here are a few resources that can help you learn the Russian alphabet:Free educational apps for learning RussianWebsites for learning RussianMOOC courses onlineFilms and TV series with subtitles in RussianFree Russian exercises and worksheetsOnline videos for learning RussianOnline Russian class es are a good way to begin exploring the language and develop a basic crib sheet for the language. We’d recommend you learn how to write the alphabet on paper in order to work on your motor memory and practice your Cyrillic handwriting and cursive.So why not learn the Cyrillic alphabet without leaving your home?What are the ideal conditions for learning the Russian alphabet?Learning the Russian alphabet isn’t as difficult as you may think. In just a few weeks, it is totally possible to learn all of these letters and symbols which seem a bit terrifying.The Russian alphabet is defined in this way:A bicameral alphabet made up of 30 letters, created towards the end of the 9th century in Bulgaria by Cyrillic monks, based on Greek writing and the Glagolitic alphabet.The Cyrillic alphabet is also used to read and write in other languages besides Russian, including:BulgariaBelorussiaUkraineSerbiaMacedoniaIn order to learn the language and its alphabet as easily as possible, some prerequ isites can be a great help.Have a perfect mastery of EnglishIf you aren’t very skilled at correcting your syntax, spelling, conjugation, and grammar in English, you need to improve your skills in English!In fact, learning English and all the intricacies of your own language will make it easier for you to learn Russian.Not only will a firm grasp of English grammar help you work through your Russian lessons, but it will also help you learn the Russian alphabet faster.Knowing English will make it easier to learn the Russian alphabet.Like we’ve explained before, the Russian alphabet shares many similarities with the Latin alphabet used in Romance and Germanic languages.So you need to have a firm understanding of the rules around vowels and their use.Russian pronunciation is also quite similar to French pronunciation, which can be quite helpful for any students who previously studied French in high school.Each letter in the Russian alphabet has its own unique sound, in contrast to Ea st Asian languages like Chinese or Japanese.What’s more, Russian pronunciation is sometimes much easier than in English, because, in Russian, all of the letters are pronounced.In English, because the language was heavily influenced by waves of Norse, Germanic, and French invasions, the same letter can often be pronounced and used in a multitude of ways, depending on the origins of the word.In Russian, in contrast, there are no silent letters, just like in Spanish or Italian. They also don’t have multiple pronunciations, so it’s impossible to make a mistake as you sound out a word.All facts which should be reassuring to students of Russian!Knowing other languagesKnowing how to speak other languages before learning Russian and its alphabet can also be almost as helpful as having a firm grasp of English.If you already know the basics of another Slavic language like Polish, Czech, or Slovak, learning Russian and assembling Cyrillic letters into words will seem much easier for you. The letters used in Slavic languages are very similar.What’s more, if you’ve mastered one of the Slavic languages, that means that your brain has already proved itself capable of learning a language with letters that look very different from the ones we use in English and can still recognize those letters as a word.Learning the alphabet for a Slavic language is still easier for an English speaker than learning an Asian language.Learning a Slavic language can, therefore, help you progress much faster when you’re learning Russian.Tips and tricks for learning the Russian alphabetRussian is studied by many language learners around the world. Just like Chinese or German, Russian language skills are in high demand in the employment market today.There are 14 million people learning Russian worldwide.Therefore, there are several different tricks that have been developed to help students of Russian learn the Cyrillic alphabet as easily as possible.The akamoto techniqueKesako ?The Akamo to technique consists of learning 30% of the most useful letters of the alphabet in 10 seconds.Earlier, you will have understood that the letters of the Cyrillic alphabet can be broken down into categories so that they’re easier to learn.Now, we’ll go over how to learn the most useful letters in just a few seconds, in order to improve and begin speaking in Russian as quickly as possible.These five letters (A,K,M,O,T) make up 30% of all Russian texts. That means that by learning and recognizing these five letters, you can begin to read and understand texts in Russian. Isn’t that good news?And in order to remember these letters, you can put them together in a few different combinations: Akamoto, kamoto, aktom, tomak,…Once you’ve learned them, there are already a few different words that you can use:???: cat,???: so,????: atom,???: there,??: ok.Practice your writing regularlyLearning the Russian alphabet also means learning to write the letters and combine them to create word s. Just learning to recognize the letters on a computer screen isn’t going to help you anywhere near as much as writing and re-writing them.Basically, your brain has a strong muscle memory function. It’s also known as procedural memory.Here’s how it’s defined by Wikipedia:Procedural memory is a type of implicit memory (unconscious memory) and long-term memory which aids the performance of particular types of tasks without conscious awareness of these previous experiences.This is the type of memory where our brain stores information about riding a bike, making pasta, or starting a car. It’s also in this part of your brain where you learn how to write letters with your hand without thinking about how to do so.Put your procedural memory to work!However, it does take a good amount of time and plenty of repetition before Russian letters will be fixed in your brain.It’s for this reason that it’s important to practice regularly so that your brain can begin to internalize your movements. Write each letter several times each day.It’s also important to work on both uppercase and lowercase letters. Russian is a bicameral language (meaning the writing has two variations - capitals and lowercase).Take advantage of applicationsIn order to learn the Russian alphabet, is there a better solution than to have fun while you learn?Some applications offer Russian classes with lessons that include:learning the alphabetpronouncing the lettersgrammarRussian expressionstransliterationetcWhether you’re at an intermediate, advanced or beginner level, these apps will let you study wherever and whenever you want, so you don’t need to lose a minute!The apps will also help you learn Russian easily thanks to interactive lessons and efficient English/Russian dictionaries.It’s a great way for you to practice and brush up on your language skills before you speak to native Moscovites.Take your time and study regularlyThe best advice for learning anything is to take your tim e. This doesn’t necessarily mean to advance at a snail’s pace, but more to just study regularly.It’s pointless to study hard for three days and then to do nothing in the days following. Your brain will quickly forget the alphabet and everything else you’ve learned if you don’t continue your Russian classes.What’s more, you’ll lose motivation when faced with the amount of work catching up in your studies will take.Vowels, accents, lowercase, uppercase…learning the Russian alphabet means mastering several different ideas.Learn everything in what seems like just a few hours.In contrast, by working for just a few minutes every day, you won’t really feel like you’re making too much effort.Learning Russian only takes a few minutes every day.Russian vocabulary, the Latin alphabet, Soviet culture, the Cyrillic alphabet, pronunciation, writing…mastering all of these require working on the language just as if you were with your Russian professor.Be the teacher and the st udentThe Cyrillic alphabet, spelling, Russian grammar, Russian culture, transcription, Russian literature - Russian classes often cover many important topics.So in order to improve, why not find a friend and study together?Studying with a friend in order to learn Russian will let you be the student and the teacher at the same time. When your friend doesn’t understand something, you can help explain it to them.And by explaining these concepts aloud, it’ll help you understand whether you have truly mastered a concept or not. If you can’t manage to explain something clearly, that’s a good indication that you haven’t totally understood or mastered that lesson either.Working together also makes it easier to stay motivated!Have fun!Whether you’re learning Russian online, or in person in classes in New York, San Francisco, or Seattle, it is important that you’re doing so by choice and that you have fun learning the language!Tackling your Russian dictionary, Russian translatio ns, prepositions, and wading through lessons can often be less difficult than they seem at first.Motivation and desire are two things which are key to get you through.It’s important to take pleasure in mastering the basics - like the Russian alphabet - in order to retain information better.It’s also a great idea to take an interest in Russian culture by watching some of their national cinema or taking an interest in Russian cuisine.Head to RussiaSt Petersburg, Moscow, Vladivostok, Sotchi,… what’s a better way to learn the Russian alphabet and master the language than to take a trip to Russia?Going to Russia can help you learn the language and alphabet quickly.Of course, it isn’t an option for everyone, but taking a trip to Russia is a great way to get motivated about learning the language.It’s an opportunity to meet native Russian speakers and to speak to people who’ve learned Russian as their first language,It’s also a great opportunity to motivate yourself and expl ore different aspects of Russian culture like songs, films, cooking, history, etc.A trip to Russia is also an opportunity to learn to decode all the letters on the street signs into Russian words. Up to you to set yourself a new challenge!

How to keep tutoring fun for your students!

How to keep tutoring fun for your students! We've had an amazing 2015 here at Tutorfair thanks to our fantastic community of tutors and students!  We asked a few of our favourites to share their adventures with us.  Here,  Isabelle tells us what it's like to work with a rather unusual client. Isabelle T Football really isn’t my thing. Or wasn’t at least.  If I don’t hate it I have certainly spent my life mostly ignoring it. No longer! My first booking with TutorFair turned out to be with a football analytics company (and owner of Brentford Football Club), providing French tuition to two employees â€" one a beginner, the other very proficient - with an emphasis on improving spoken fluency. Particularly for the more advanced client, I found myself in a dilemma familiar to many language tutors: how to stimulate and sustain 90 minutes of conversation on a weekly basis without either one of us   collapsing from exhaustion, or worse, boredom. The answer? Football, of course - at least in part. From corruption at Fifa to the decline of Manchester United and the ins and outs of the transfer market, I have covered it all through newspaper articles, reports and perhaps most importantly, by drawing on the expert analysis of my football-mad client. I’ve certainly learned a lot. I may even have learned to like football! I can only hope my client feels the same way about his French. Tutoring is not all about long discussions, of course. Every client has a different level and every client has different motivations. Part of the pleasure of tutoring is precisely this diversity. Where one might need French for their work, another might have an exam coming up or feel themselves slipping behind at school. The challenges are always different and always changing yet, as every tutor knows, there is one constant: the key to learning anything is to enjoy it. Tutoring is much more than simply imparting information. It is also about eliciting ideas and thoughts and encouraging clients to express themselves freely. I have only been with TutorFair for a few short months but I have been lucky enough to work with some fascinating, diverse and very motivated people. What more could I ask for? Apart from a Brentford win next week, of course. Want to  book Isabelle  and learn French?  Or perhaps you want to  sign up as a tutor? There's something for everyone at Tutorfair!

The New 13th Zodiac Constellation Did your Horoscope just Change

The New 13th Zodiac Constellation Did your Horoscope just Change Tell me about the new 13th zodiac constellation, shouted my 8 year old student Miles when I was teaching astronomy to him. For the record, Ive studied astrophysics (for only 6 month though) and hosted planetarium shows in Santa Barbara. Since that time I have been tutoring astronomy to docents of students all over California. Now you can imagine how stunned I was when Miles asked me about the new 13th zodiac constellation and I couldnt answer the question. To avoid you the troubles of a similar  mute response I am addressing all my fellow astronomy tutors in California in this article about the 13th constellation. The new 13th constellation is called Ophiuchus. It is situated between Sagittarius the archer and Scorpius the scorpion. Time wise, the Ophiuchus starts at the end of November (November 29th to be precise) and ends on December 17. The astrological  notion of the zodiac constellations (Cancer, Leo, Virgo, etc) dates back to the ancient Babylonians. They introduced the system of 12 zodiac constellations in accordance with their 12-month calendar. But the ancient Babylonian astronomers ignored the fact that the sun moves through 13 constellations, and not just 12. In our time, the astronomers at NASA decided to correct the Babylonians mistake and to include the missing 13th constellation the Ophiuchus. Whether the astrologers will adopt the new zodiac system remains to be seen. But to we scientist and teachers should know about Ophiuchus. For those who enjoy reading their horoscopes they might have to look it up under a different symbol now. Here are is the list of the corrected 13 zodiacs signs and their dates. Capricorn the sea goat January 20 February 16 Aquarius the water-bearer February 16 March 11 Pisces the fish March 11 April 18 Aries the ram April 18 May 13 Taurus the bull May 13 June 21 Gemini the twins June 21 July 20 Cancer the crab July 20 August 10 Leo the lion August 10 September 16 Virgo the virgin September 16 October 14 Libra the scales October 14 November 23 Scorpio the scorpion November 23 November 29 Ophiuchus the serpent-bearer November 29 December 17 Sagittarius the archer December 17 January 20 If you have more questions feel free to ask one of our excellent astronomy tutors.

Sampoerna Academy

Sampoerna Academy Sampoerna Academy Who We Are Our teaching philosophy encourages students to inquire, explore, innovate and communicate, providing vital skills required for leadership in Indonesia and abroad. Coupled with internationally-recognized academic credentials, we are equipping our students to compete and succeed at every stage of life. With the advent of the information age available at our finger-tips, our job as a school is to teach our students to learn how to learn. Drawing from the worlds best curricula and American-based STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) methodologies, we are equipping our students with global exposure and an internationally-recognized academic qualification. Our environment was created to encourage a culture of innovation and collaboration. Moreover, our integration of communication, multiple language proficiency, and collaboration in team projects sets us apart from most other schools in ASEAN. Vision Sampoerna Academy graduates will assume leadership roles in a global society by being creative, passionate, life-long learners who are able to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing world and who care deeply for their fellow men and the environment. Mission The mission of Sampoerna Academy is to provide a safe, caring, and collaborative learning environment that is of the highest quality and meets global expectations for student achievement and character development. Our educational foundation is student-centered with a strong emphasis on Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) that enables students to become mature, confident global citizens with a strong sense of purpose. Our end goal is to prepare students for a tertiary education and to make them work ready and world ready. Core Beliefs Academically, we prioritize the development of cognitive skills and communication skills over rote memorization because we believe that more than acquiring facts, students must be able to apply their knowledge in real situations. We seek opportunities to engage all stakeholders to play a part in the success of our students. We maintain a strong Asian cultural value system that celebrates social harmony, order, and respect. STEAM competency will differentiate our students from those attending other schools. Our learning spaces are a platform for hands-on activities, exploration, inquiry and the creation of knowledge and dialogue.