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15 ways to improve your English skills for PTE Academic

PTE Academic
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15 ways to improve your English skills for PTE Academic

Whether you’re in the middle of preparing for an English language test or you’re considering studying in an English-speaking country, you won’t be able to escape the task of proving your English skills in a widely recognised language test.

The Pearson Test of English, PTE Academic, marks a candidate with an automated scoring software that analyses the entire test without any human interference. for example. 

In other words, your PTE-A test has no home window for psychological compassion that may impact your rating whatsoever. While you can always attempt a few PTE Mock Tests simulated like real examination, in this article we are going to focus on what more you can do to improve your English so that you’re best prepared to pass. 

Any hint of expression in your solution will reflect your overall score. If speaking the English language is an issue for you, the only remedy is to enhance it truly. You have to exploit your strengths and improve your weaker abilities to get the maximum score in your PTE Academic Test.

Follow these steps for the best PTE Academic results:

Improve Reading Skills

It is a procedure of the brain, and it requires time to develop. Your mind has to make connections with the words, phrases and expressions represented by symbols, plus reach the ability to comprehend the grammar and structure of the language. If you establish solid analysis abilities, it’ll be beneficial for your future reading skills also in other languages. You can review:

  1. Books in English and articles on the web. Possibly, books you have already read in your mother tongue or which have been turned into motion pictures with subtitles. Try to begin with easy books, even youngsters publications and comics: The images will certainly assist you to understand  unfamiliar words, terms and sayings. 
  2. Switch the operating system of your mobile phone, your desk top or tablet computer right into English. Associating a function with a specific word will boost your vocabulary.

Improve Writing Skills

Even though it might be intimidating to a lot of individuals, any person can get used to writing incredibly well with a little self-control and a readiness to learn.

  1. Document words or expressions you assume beneficial with their definitions and examples. If you notice them in sentences, you will remember them better. You can use them if you keep a journal. If you enjoy using online tools, take photos on your smartphone and save them in management apps like Evernote. 
  2. Compose remarks in English blogs. Today blogs are websites that resemble journals. Great deals of individuals use them to reveal their concepts on a particular topic or to clarify things– from just how to weave a scarf, to extremely challenging ones where technological or thoughtful subjects are dealt with. One standard function of all these blog sites is that they are interactive: the viewers can make comments or debate the ideas mentioned on the blog site. Even if you are not a blog fan, you may find some content that encourages you to participate. Just do it! Communication in your target language is key to practicing your writing skills. 

Improve Listening Skills

This plays a vital part in learning any language.

Active listening enhances specific understanding, and it helps improve precision when talking, to name a few things.

How can you improve your attention skills? By paying attention actively, i.e. taking note not only on what is claimed but also precisely how it is claimed. So, listen:
1. To English songs– old or modern; whatever type you prefer, however, take notice of the verses. (in some cases checking out the lyrics may aid you to comprehend the song – simply search songs with lyrics on video streaming platforms like YouTube).
2. To English movies, television shows, audio books, news, radio– attempt the classics. You can see films on demand numerous times. Enjoy them with subtitles first and then, when you feel extra comfortable, re-watch it without them. You can listen to English radio channels online on your smartphone or computer. Even f you are not paying attention to it, your ears will undoubtedly become accustomed to the sound of the language.
3. Participate in plays, exhibitions, talks, and so on in English organized by English speaking institutions or communities.

Improve Speaking Skills

Talking and pronouncing properly certainly is the hardest of the four language skills, but as quickly as you can speak a little English, there are lots of means to boost these promptly and have lots of fun:

  1. Join articulated conversations. Innovation has advanced a whole lot in regards to social media so, any place you live, you’ll find a chat room or online forum/group to join.
  2. Talk and record yourself. This might appear amusing, but it will assist you to recognize just how you can boost your speaking skills by repeating the recording several times until you rejoice with the results. There are plenty of apps available for voice recording. 
  3. Speak with your classmates in English when you are not in class. You can even set up a group to play games, eat or get together. An alternative are language forums where you can find people willing to converse in English with you. 
  4. Stay clear of all doubts, umms and aahs. This is a part of normal, daily speech that is inappropriate in the PTE. One of the most obvious things you can do is to reduce them by finding other ways to provide your brain with time to consider the words you are going to state next. Often words topple out of our mouths willy-nilly, so being fully knowledgeable about what you are claiming can be a painful experience. It’s a little bit like becoming aware of your breathing or blinking. Nonetheless, make use of doing this whenever you exercise ahead of your test. If you are recording your speech on your own, go back to the beginning and attempt it repeatedly until you notice improvement. Do this, and you will undoubtedly observe a significant distinction in your PTE oral fluency score.

Other suggested tips:

  1. Discover the pronunciation and appropriate usage of words. When you are trying to improve your English vocabulary, do not perplex it merely with learning the meaning of words. You must additionally learn the appropriate usage and pronunciation of all these words. Record your own articulation of these words in the sentences and compare it with the standard pronunciation on a site like dictionary.com.
  2. Discover to use words in a variety of situations. Lots of words can be used in different ways in various situations. It is as a result of great importance to find out just how to use them in various circumstances. Try to come up with 3 or 4 instances in which you can make use of these brand-new words.
  3. Invest some time in the language analysis every day. An efficient method of improving your vocabulary is to listen to new English sounds or check out brand-new English write-ups for some time daily. Even if you spend just 15 ~ 20 minutes everyday analysing something on an information website, it will add up to numerous hours of developing the method over the years. You will undoubtedly be exposed to not merely new words yet likewise new syntax and language application ideas.  
  4. Maintain a listing of words you are learning. Keep a check list of words that are brand-new for you, that you discover each day. Review this list every couple of days. If you do not do this, you will forget the brand-new words after a week or two. This listing is likewise something that you must examine on the day before the examination.

      In a nutshell, a little initiative that you place in boosting your vocabulary will undoubtedly go a long way in obtaining you a high rating in PTE Academic. A vast vocabulary is essential for obtaining a high score in the PTE Academic. Understanding additional words and understanding how to use them appropriately will offer you an edge in all four areas of PTE — Speaking, Writing, Reading and Listening.

      Top 10 Mistakes Students Make With Writing Academic Content

      Manuela Willbold
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      Top 10 Mistakes Students Make With Writing Academic Content

      A lot of college and university students do not have an awareness of plagiarism.

      They often believe that copying content is not wrong in any way. This is because such students do not have any idea of why plagiarism is banned and how it can be prevented. Some students may consider to buy a custom essay to get professional academic writing support for the best results.

      Students should always realize the seriousness of academic paper submissions of any form such as a PhD thesis. If any chapter or section of the paper is copied, it would be immediately rejected without any further consideration.

      Using manual methods, it is not possible to get complete assurance about content uniqueness. In addition to that, when you are reading through each part of the academic paper, a very long time span would be needed increasing the risk of missing the deadline.

      Here are 10 mistakes students make with plagiarized content

      1. Not enough knowledge of plagiarism

        A lot of college and university students do not know what plagiarism is. Hence, they do not check the paper for copied content before they make a submission. If you are studying at the college level or for an undergraduate degree, you should know about plagiarism and the different forms it can take. This would help you with avoiding it.

      2. Lack of awareness about plagiarism forms

        Simply copying content is not the only form of plagiarism. If your content has not been paraphrased properly, it would be counted as plagiarized. To avoid plagiarism, you should be well aware of all its forms.

      3. Lack of paraphrasing skills

        Once you have enough content in accordance with the requirements of an academic paper, you have to paraphrase the arranged information. This is important because when you are using a source to collect information, due credit has to be given to the author who worked hard to produce it.

        This is done by rephrasing the content and preventing plagiarism. In case of an academic assignment, the submission cannot be made if you have not paraphrased and referenced the content properly.

      4. Missing deadlines

        Deadline - Writing Academic ContentMost college and university students do not have sufficient skills for managing academic paper submissions and assignments in a timely manner. They do not plan the submission and then struggle when the deadline is near.

        It is a fact that timely submission is important, but students have to concentrate on other important factors as well. For instance, content originality is a critical factor for scoring a high grade.

      5. Adoption of shortcuts

        It is hard to pick an option which requires focus and hard work. In case of academic paper writing, students opt for shortcuts so that they do not have to work hard and invest most of their time.

        One mistake made is selecting incorrect sources.  A lot of websites may be offering information according to what they are searching for, but there may be reliability problems. In other words, the information on the website may not be authentic or well-researched and backed up. Students should therefore always double-check the content before submitting. 

      6. No citations provided

        In case of academic papers, students have to be cautious about the provision of citations. This is a very important factor and should not be ignored in any circumstance. When an academic paper is submitted, it is checked in every aspect before being finally graded.

        The assessor or judgement panel would check the sources being used to compile the paper content. Low or unreliable standard sources should be avoided, and credible options should be used to prepare the content of an academic paper. Other than that, proper citation should be provided for each of the sources.

      7. Not using plagiarism checkers

        You cannot submit an academic paper until you are 100% sure about its originality. Even if you have a slight doubt that the content has originality problems, do not submit the paper.

        Plagiarism - Original ContentHow can you get an assurance that the content of your paper is not copied? The best way to be sure is using a plagiarism checking tool. A check for plagiarism procedure should be in place to make sure that the content is well written and unique.

        When the content of your paper has been compiled, use a plagiarism checker to ensure that there are no plagiarism traces. Using a plagiarism checker is quite simple and any user can manage it. All you have to do is upload the content and the tool will scan it for plagiarism.

        If there are any traces of copied content, they would be highlighted. Using a reliable checking tool means that you are not taking any chances of failing your assignment or course. Plagiarism checking tools are quick and easy to use and will save you a lot of time and headache. Just Google them and compare them first. Choose the one you find works best for you. 

      8. Not enough attention on paraphrasing

        A lot of students have the opinion that paraphrasing is not an important factor. They leave this task for the last moment which creates a problem. Other than that, rephrasing the content manually is not the most comfortable option. You can use a paraphrasing tool and get the content rewritten quickly without any accuracy doubts. This is a smart strategy to prevent plagiarism and submit an original paper.

      9. A hasty approach for content submission

        Students mostly have a hasty approach for handling assignments. The situation becomes more stressful for them when they are working on multiple submissions. When students are running out of time, they compromise the quality of the paper.

        In other words, they copy content and submit it without any paraphrasing. Academic assessors and research supervisors use high standard tools to check the content for plagiarism. Thus, if your paper has copied the content, it would certainly be identified.

      10. Absence of proper planning

        A high percentage of students do not plan their academic paper in the correct manner. When the tasks are not planned properly, time is wasted and the stress of not making a timely submission is created. To meet the ends, students take plagiarism checking lightly and submit copied content.

      Here is How To Write High-Quality Papers And Essays More Quickly while avoiding these 10 mistakes.

      If you have submitted a plagiarized paper, it is worse than not submitting anything as you will have put in a lot of time and effort, which wouldn’t be rewarded. It is therefore highly advisable to prevent silly mistakes like plagiarism that will cost every student a lot more than just a loss of time and pride.

      How To Write High-Quality Papers And Essays More Quickly?

      Dinesh Kumar
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      How To Write High-Quality Papers And Essays More Quickly?

      There is simply no getting around it. It doesn’t matter if you are in school, interning for the summer, or working your first job, there probably will come a time when you are required to write some kind of paper.

      Sure, with the technology and reach of the Internet, you can spend hours researching the dullest of topics and come out with a 20-page paper or more. But, how do you know that this paper is any good and does it really deserve 20 pages or more?

      In order to save yourself a bundle of time, you need to learn to write high-quality papers in the most concise and quickest way possible. That is exactly what you are going to learn below.

      Learning to do so will not only make you a better writer overall, but it will make you stand out amongst the everyday ordinary writers in your industry.

      Develop A Sound Strategy

      Anything that gets done efficiently and effectively is done so with proper planning. No one just goes into a project blindly and succeeds with flying colours the first time around. Okay, there are some individuals that are lucky enough to get these results, but most of the time this is not the case at all. This is why you need to take the time to sit down and plan out your paper. Figure out what the paper is going to be about, how much time you want to spend on each section of the paper, and when you are going to work on the paper. Knowing these things ahead of time will help you go into the situation more prepared.

      how to write quality essaysPrepare An Outline

      An outline is somewhat similar to developing a strategy or sitting down and noting all your brilliant ideas. It is like developing a flow chart that you will later use to complete the paper. Creating a concise outline will help you decide where you are going to start as well as give you a good idea of how you are going to finish. And, the best writers know that the beginnings and ends are two of the most crucial components of any paper. An outline can be used as a cheat sheet and it is something that you do not want to be caught without.

      Don’t Be Afraid To Get Help

      There are a lot of regulations and restrictions on college papers these days. And, yes there are ways to get help even if you feel helpless and overwhelmed. Many universities and colleges provide academic writing guidance and all tutors and professors are happy to provide assistance with academic writing. If you need help with writing a paper, you can simply reach out to academic writing advisors that will provide you with the best answers to all your questions around essay writing.

      Avoid The Distractions

      Your phone, as well as the laptop, might be great research tools, but they can also be major distractions. This is especially true if you are constantly logged in to social media or other social services. Make sure that you either log out of these services or completely do away with your phone and laptop before sitting down and writing.

       

      5 Things To Consider Before Teaching English Abroad

      Manuela Willbold
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      5 Things To Consider Before Teaching English Abroad

      If given the opportunity, most of us would jump at the chance of teaching English in another country.

      Living and working abroad gives you the chance to open your mind and immerse yourself in a culture that you are not used to. Teaching English abroad offers this and so much more.

      It is an experience like no other, and there are so many benefits to be considered, too. That said, there are a few things you’ll need to know before you fulfil your dreams from packing your bags until you start your adventure there.

      Here are our top 5 preparation tips before setting off to teach English:

      1. You will need your TEFL

      In order to teach English abroad, you are required to have a TEFL qualification, on top of your bachelor’s degree in any subject. The TEFL can take as little as three months to complete and can be completed online or in class. A TEFL certification is the minimum qualification normally required for a teaching job with language schools around the world and it’s a great way to gain an understanding of what will be required of you when you do land a teaching role in a foreign country.

      1. Understand what you’re getting yourself into

      Setting off to teach English abroad is not a decision that should be made light-heartedly. It is a big commitment, and you will have to sign a contract of employment. Do go through your teaching contract with a fine-tooth comb before signing, as you will be in a different country with different employment laws, and so it is important to be aware of what you are agreeing to.

      If you’re unsure, seek advice and it’s always a good idea to have a solicitor or teacher with a similar background to look over it just to make sure everything being asked of you is in order. It’s also a good idea to do some research on the country or area you will be living in. Familiarise yourself with the culture, politics and customs of the society so that you can immerse yourself within it as much as possible.

      1. Dealing with culture shock

      When moving to a country that is new and unfamiliar to live and work in, experiencing a culture shock is inevitable. Preparing for the change should help you to settle in more easily. To do this you should do plenty of research before you leave and, on arrival, try to take some time to yourself to explore the area and to gain a better perspective on the cultural differences.

      Learning the country’s official language can also set you in good stead. One important thing to keep in mind is that you should teach, but also allow yourself to be taught. This is an opportunity to learn as much as you can about another country and to develop yourself as a person, you might not get a better opportunity for personal growth again in your career.

      1. Patience is necessary

      Patience is key when teaching anywhere in the world, no matter who your students are. You will inevitably have a range of students who will each have their own specific needs, wants and preferred style of learning.

      Remain calm at all times and remind yourself of why you are doing this. If it is for the right reasons, your struggles will soon seem minuscule when weighed up against the value of the knowledge you are imparting and the relationships you will develop with your class.

      1. Leaving home won’t be easy

      Teaching English Abroad - Video CallRegardless of how long you wish to spend working abroad, when the time comes for you to leave your homeland, it certainly won’t be easy. There’s no sugar coating it. However, do keep in mind that you can easily keep in touch with your loved ones back home via Skype and Facetime, and that you will create new, long-lasting relationships with like-minded people during your time abroad.

      Homesickness is something that most of us experience at some time during our lives but it’s all a matter of perspective. Remember to be grateful everyday to have the opportunity to live and teach in another country as that’s something that is only a dream for many.

      Feel ready now for your trip? Considering the above tips should help you feel better prepared and enable you to make the most of your experience teaching English abroad.

      Good luck!

      10 fast ways of gaining knowledge using the internet

      Manuela Willbold
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      10 fast ways of gaining knowledge using the internet

      The beauty of the internet is that you can learn almost anything you want for free and it’s available at the click of a button.

      Because the internet has become a global network, connecting all computers, tablets and smartphones everywhere in the world over the last 25 years, it now offers a wide range of learning opportunities online.

      I know, you’re thinking this is about free online courses. But think again! People have invented many more methods of sharing their knowledge on the web.

      You wonder what they are? Then read on and find out about 10 easy and fast ways to learn something on the internet.

      1.Learning by watching – use video platforms like YouTube

      The number one source for online tutorials is YouTube. Nowadays, people share their skills or knowledge by recording and uploading videos to their own YouTube channel. They use YouTube because it has the largest share of video traffic on the internet. Some popular Vloggers are watched by millions daily. Some YouTube users often struggle to find time to stream the videos while they’re connected to the internet, because they’re working or busy doing other things. Fortunately, you can now record videos instead and watch them while you’re on the underground train for example.

      You may be wondering how to record a live stream on Mac. The answer is to use a screen recorder software. This desktop screen recorder is the best because it allows you to record unlimited screencasts. Using an online screencast recorder can be troublesome due to the long flash loading and consumption of a large amount of bandwidth.

      2. Read a Step by Step Article

      You can learn more about a subject by reading a step by step guide on a how-to website, relevant blog or online magazine. Usually, there are drawings or photos to help you understand what the guide is about. It is recommended that you use several step by step tutorials as some might miss out information or not show how to do the skills that you want to learn fully.

       3. Sign Up for an Online Course

      If you are good at absorbing academic information, you may be interested in signing up to anlearning on the internet online course. You can find free online courses on almost any subject. Free courses usually only offer an introduction to the topic with limited content. If you are serious, go ahead and sign up for a paid course. The certificate issued by a paid online course is also more valuable and recognised, especially from a university or college.

      4. Reference a Pictorial Tutorial

      You can also learn something by following a pictorial tutorial. The pictorial tutorial provides step by step instructions using photos or images only with text added at times. It is especially useful for learning hands-on skills like how to apply make up. You can find them on Pinterest, Instagram, and Google Images. When looking at an image, right-click on it and select view image to see it in the largest size on your browser. This will allow you to easily see the visual instruction clearly and follow the it correctly.

      5. Listen to Podcasts

      Learning from podcasts may be best suited to you if you are a good listener and can catch and memorise every word that people say. If you want to download a free podcast, look it up on search engines. For example, if you want to download a free SEO podcast, search for “SEO podcast” on Google. You will see that a lot of websites are providing some of the best podcasts. You can click through and review the podcast on the list to decide which one to download. They can then be played and enjoyed anywhere from you mobile device.

      6. Take an Online Quiz

      You can take online quizzes to learn a subject. There are lots of websites and apps such as Sporcle that offer free quizzes with tons of questions relevant to the topic. Even if you have never read anything about the topic at all, you can still do the quiz and learn from the wrong answers. Usually, it will provide the correct answer and a detailed explanation for the questions you got wrong.

      7. Download eBooks

      You can download eBooks on any topic you want to learn online. Professors, famous authorsebook academic and factual learning guides and experts write many eBooks these days as they’re quicker and easier to publish. Search for eBooks in the formats that are supported by the tablet or eReader you use – like PDF, ePub, and Kindle. PDF and Kindle eBooks are the most popular. There are lots of sites that offer free PDF eBooks, like PDF Drive. The best thing about PDF is that they are like a real book; if you open your PDF in the PDF viewer on your tablet, the pages will flip like the authentic pages of a book. They are also displayed in the same style. Plus, you can also highlight text, save it or share it online. Kindle also allows you to find synonyms for words or explanations.

      8. Study Infographics

      Reading information about a topic on an infographic is the best for you if you need to go through the quick facts. Infographics creatively use graphics, charts, and text with different colour and sizes to convey the information. It is easier to go through the information on the infographic than reading an article. There are colourful pictures on the infographic to help you absorb key facts faster.

      9. Watch PowerPoint Slideshows

      Watching PowerPoint slideshows can help you get the information you want fast. Usually, slideshows are produced by instructors who have experience in teaching the topic. It can be helpful if you don’t understand what you are reading in a textbook. It lists quick facts in short sentences so that you can easily remember what you read.

      10. Post Your Questions in a Forum

      You can make use of an online forum to ask questions about something you need to know more about. It works on any online platform that allows you to post a message like social media and blog comments. There are lots of people who will take the initiative to post an answer to help you with the issue or the administrator of the website will provide one. See the famous TES forum as an example: https://community.tes.com/.

      Hopefully these 10 online learning methods have given you inspiration to test a few and see if you can achieve the learning outcomes you are looking for ideally. Learn something that will fulfill you and allow you to thrive.

       

      Improving future education by making budgets go further

      Nigel Deacon
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      Improving future education by making budgets go further

      On 20 June 2019 Lord Agnew spoke at the Festival of Education at Wellington College in Berkshire, England. In his speech, he considered the current state of education in the UK, as well as looking at how far it has come and where it needs to get to. This wide-ranging overview also included plans on how the Department for Education (DfE) aims to meet its long-term goals.

      Future Generations need better education and resources

      Lord Agnew highlighted not only the role of education in developing future generations, but also current national problems concerning industrial productivity and social mobility. The answer, he said, lies in our schools and colleges and in order to improve Britain’s productivity he commented:

      “we need a major upgrade in the nation’s skills”.

      To achieve this, Lord Agnew pointed towards the DfE’s Industrial Strategy to invest in individuals, innovation and infrastructure. Among other things, this will encompass:

      • focusing on school autonomy and trusted leaders to run their schools;
      • teacher retention and reducing their workloads;
      • reforming the curriculum and introducing the English Baccalaureate (EBacc).

      Schools and colleges can only support students with the best talent and infrastructure

      Looking to the future, the aim for all schools to become academies was still strongly advocated and Lord Agnew stated that

      “we must be ambitious for the future of our schools and colleges, not just for the next year but for the next generation.”

      Colleges were highlighted as the critical infrastructure of the Industrial Strategy, and the Post-18 review of education and funding in May 2019 was mentioned as “[arguing] compellingly for much greater investment in further education – both talented teachers and the essential infrastructure, such as buildings and equipment, that underpins the sector.”

      This final point backs up Lord Agnew’s view that

      “Schools and colleges need to have the resources to support the development of healthy, happy children.”

      This won’t be news to anyone working in education because, like many other public sectors, funding has been a longstanding issue for many years, with school leaders continuously looking to stretch their budgets ever further and make every pound count inside and outside of the classroom.

      Innovation for improved outdoor education and well-being

      This means that traditional ways of doing things are always under review and innovative Canopy for better outdoor learning and activitiesapproaches are sometimes adopted, particularly where they can be shown to offer cost savings. One example of this is in the increased use of canopies for sports areas and dining spaces. Streetspace, UK’s innovative and successful provider of covered space projects to education and leisure organisations, have worked with numerous schools and colleges over many years and installed all-weather canopies at a fraction of the cost of a traditional build.

      The benefits of installing a cost-efficient dining area canopy include

      • increased dining revenue,
      • less overcrowding,
      • healthier meal choices by students,
      • less supervision and cleaning being required.

      All-weather sports canopies will enable activities and games to continue even during the worst of the British weather and they also offer important UV protection from the sun.

      The overall well-being and health of the students and teaching staff can be improved by providing more learning opportunities outdoors and spaces can be utilized more efficiently.

      Extra financial support through the Condition Improvement Fund

      Helping to balance the school or college budget even further, there may also be opportunities to gain capital funding for projects to install a canopy – for example, through the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) or an operating lease.

      By taking advantage of such public funding schemes, schools and other educational settings can make reasonable and effective changes now that will improve education and learning in the future. In a time where digitalisation draws humans further away from the outdoors, it is especially crucial to rethink and reshape outdoor learning as physical activity will play an important part in the overall health and well-being of our future generations.

      Being prepared for the challenges of future education

      So, it seems that the education sector will continue to evolve under the government’s direction and innovations. It is yet to be seen what the impact of some of these changes, such as the EBacc, will be, but there will inevitably be long-term effects. As Lord Agnew said in his closing remarks:

      “Now is the time to think big, not small. Long-term not short term. To ensure that we can fix the generational challenge of productivity and that our world class education system continues to improve and be available to all children.”

       

      Distance Learning: Fastest Ways to Get an Online Degree

      Manuela Willbold
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      Distance Learning: Fastest Ways to Get an Online Degree

      Everything we need is at the tip of our hands. Hungry? Order food from Uber Eat. In a shopaholic mood? Shop online. Missing someone? Face time them. Many things that a human requires are now at the tip of our fingers using our mobile phones.

      From banking to housing everything we need is available to access on the internet, so why let education stay behind?

      Currently, more than 6 million U.S college students have enrolled themselves in at least one type of online degree course. Previously when people would think about online courses, most meant internships, language courses or extra short courses. But now you can complete a bachelor’s degree course online.

      The reason why online distance learning is booming is that not everyone fits into the traditional school model and the online programs provide other ways of meeting the diverse and often unique needs of students worldwide.

      Online learning is not just attractive for students from the age of 18 -25. Online distance learning can be the only way where more mature people can access the learning they desire in a flexible manner.  There is no age limit for learning, and long-distance learning is the growing learning trend to educate people struggling to access education with the traditional models.

      As technology changes so do our methods of learning. As John Dewey said: “If we teach today’s student as we taught yesterday’s, we rob them of tomorrow.”

      How Does an Online Degree Work?

      Even though online distance learning is more than a decade old, the term and its usage are still new to most of its users. If you are looking forward to distance learning you should know the various opportunities it offers to align yourself with your preferences.

      Online Courses: The online courses offered by universities and community colleges should not be confused with full-time classes. These courses are designed to provide personalized growth and certification and offer flexible tutoring sessions online for completion in the student’s own time.

      Online Degree program: These programs are like a full-time degree, but they are a unique way to acquire an online degree. You might be required to have some field work experience, conduct an internship, do exams or fieldwork.

      Hybrid Program:  As the name suggests it is the hybrid version of the two mentioned above.

      Massive Open Online Courses: These programs were basically launched by MIT and other colleges but are now followed by various universities. The format is open (no need to enroll) but might require fees for certification.

      Where to look for online learning programs?

      If your goal is to gain fast online degrees, there are many programs that offer 5 week, 6 week and even 8 week courses in the following field:

      • Accounting
      • Business Administration
      • Computer Science & IT
      • Criminal Justice
      • Education & Teaching
      • Emergency Management
      • English
      • Environmental Policy
      • Finance
      • Fire Science
      • Forensics / CSI
      • Health Science
      • Healthcare Administration
      • Human Services
      • Information Technology
      • Legal Studies
      • Liberal Arts
      • Management
      • Marketing
      • Nursing
      • Nutrition
      • Psychology
      • Public Administration

      Things to Consider

      Fast online degree classes help you take twice as many courses as you would with a normal degree course. The shorter programs which are between 5-8 weeks give you more opportunity to cover many credit hours.

      Online courses on Udemy for example, offer you the freedom to work whenever you choose to. So, you can either work from home or have your normal work and complete your course after work. You’re basically killing two birds with one stone.

      Some programs will let you finish a degree along with other factors (work and life) as you can take breaks in between while others will require you to finish the assigned jobs. These can be specific hours and credits, fieldwork, minimum grade points, and even volunteer experience.

      Lucrative online courses are designed for everyone whether you are an employee looking forward to adding extra certificates to your CV or a high school graduate who wants to try a new approach and save time and money. These programs are designed to complete your degree in a shorter amount of time, therefore, will require your most attention and dedication while completing them.

      Try online courses and see what works for you

      Online education is like a rising tide, it’s going to lift all boats. But what goes up must come down. If you take online programs with less dedication and attention, that might create a problem soon.

      An online program uses many formats and methods. Selecting programs must be made keeping the accreditation and state requirements. Before deciding, one should have prior knowledge of their own preferred learning style, preferences, and educational needs. These programs are designed to provide information which can be used for future benefits and professional development. Remember that results emerge over time, not overnight. Work hard, stay consistent, and be patient and enjoy the new flexibility and freedom online learning offers.

       

      Author Bio

      Ray Charles is a freelance writer and copywriter specializing in the education sector. He has 10 years of experience in teaching and academic writing. He has written many research papers on academic subjects. He is currently writing for many educational informational websites including Mydegreeguide.com.

       

      Successfully Managing a School Trip

      Dinesh Kumar
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      Successfully Managing a School Trip

      One of the more daunting parts of being a teacher or school official is managing the ‘school trip.’ No matter whether it’s a visit to the nearest museum for the afternoon or a one-week trip abroad, every visit comes packaged with huge responsibility and a mass of potential issues and concerns for those in charge. After all, wherever you go and whatever you do, you’re carrying an extremely precious cargo with you.

      The good news is successfully planning and actioning such a trip ties into the key skills you already have as an educator, so there’s no need to be too scared of the adventure. Here’s how to ensure the best possible time for both you and the kids.

      Early Planning is Key

      Like any big event, planning well in advance is key to ensuring success on the day. Ideally, planning for a bigger trip should begin up to a year in advance of the event itself. This gives you time to figure out all the possible eventualities, understand the location and create a clear and concise schedule. Essentially, it’s a big enough window for you to leave no stone unturned.

      It also gives the parents time to save and budget for the trip if it’s a bigger, more expensive excursion, as well as giving the kids something to look forward to and behave for.

      A Clear Itinerary & Communication

      The structuring of your itinerary for the trip needs to be to military standards. Timings, activities and any additional information need to be laid out in the clearest possible terms to prevent mishaps involving kids not showing up on time, bringing the wrong clothes and equipment or, worse, losing a child.

      While the kids need it spelling out to them for their own safety and understanding, parents will also want clear instruction around what’s going on as well. Letting the parents in on the schedule and where the kids will be and when will save a lot of worry and stress on both their and your ends.

      Prepare for the Worst

      Without sounding too doom and gloom, it’s important you’re ready for any emergency, starting with preventative measures through to knowing the protocol if something does go wrong. No matter how much planning you’ve done, children are unpredictable and things can happen, so make sure you’ve done all you can to negate any issues.

      Make sure you’re up to speed with and adhering to all health and safety standards. Use quality and reliable transport for the trip; Allied Fleet is a renowned provider. Utilize enough staff resources to adequately monitor the group at all times and have backup planning in place in case of delays, extreme weather, and injury or illness.

      Of course, if you’ve planned properly, the worst is unlikely to happen, but you should be prepared for any eventuality.

      managing a school trip

      Learn & Move Forward

      Once the trip is done and dusted and everyone’s home safely, don’t rest on your laurels. Seek feedback on the trip and build on it. What do the kids have to say? Do the parents have concerns? What are the support staffs thoughts? What do you think?

      Use this feedback to identify to understand what went wrong and identify areas for improvement. Even if there were no glaring mistakes, tuning the finer details will give you an advantage for next time, so listen to what everyone has to say.

      As with all these sorts of things, the experience is key. The more you do it, the better you will get. And bear in mind; no one is expecting you to be perfect. You do, however, have an incredibly important job of keeping a group of children safe, and this is the main goal you should keep in sight as you plan the trip ahead.

      How to start fiction writing with Open University Creative Writing courses

      Manuela Willbold
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      How to start fiction writing with Open University Creative Writing courses

      Creative writing as we all know is an exciting subject to study. Such courses are especially beneficial for new authors or students who want to take up creative writing as a career. In order to become a successful author, one should learn ways to enhance their storytelling in an illustrative way.

      Having said that, let us tell you why and how Open University literary writing courses are a good choice for future writers and which course could suit you best.

      The A215 Module – Creative writing

      If you are a beginner and want to learn how to enhance your writing skills, you can look at the Open University’s A215 Module. This module uses strategies that will enhance your writing skills.

      This course concentrates on

      • writing fiction
      • life writing (biography and autobiography)
      • writing poetry
      • The module has five parts and it concludes by teaching you ways to revise your copies and later present the work to agents and publishers

      How is this course good for you?

      This particular module is designed for people who are new in the field of creative writing or who have a little experience but want to enhance their fictional writing skills.

      Through this module, you will be able to learn your creative writing strengths and identify your key interest by writing in different genres, such as biography, fiction, poetry, and autobiography. The goal of this module is to find your way and choose the right style by practising different literary writing skills and receiving constructive feedback.

      This module is not only designed for prospective writers and authors but anyone who wants to develop their way of writing.Throughout the module, you will receive support from your tutor.

      You will get access to an online tutor-group, where you can discuss some of your work and receive constructive feedback.

      What is expected of you?

      The tutor will instruct some assignments that you will be expected to submit online through the eTMA system; and the end-of-module assessment, in other words, EMA has to be submitted online. EMA is an independent project.

      Number of Credits: 60

      Study Level: OU 2

      Method of learning: Distance learning mode

      Length of study: 1 year

      Do visit http://www.openuniversity.edu/courses/modules/a215 if you wish to speak to an advisor.

      become-an-author-and-writer

      The A363 Module – Advanced Creative Writing

      The second module that you can opt for at the Open University is Advanced Creative Writing. This is not for beginners. Along with the OU Level 2 module for creative writing, you get to learn about ways to write for radio, stage, and films. And an advanced way of writing fiction, poetry, as well as life writing.

      The A363 Module aims at dramatic writing skills and ways to enhance your writing skills for different platforms. This module is to identify your individual voice of fiction and creative writing.

      How is this course good for you?

      The A215 Module has four parts; however, the A363 Module has five parts. A handbook module takes you through different stages of writing and reading exercises.

      This course focuses on

      • testing different writing skills
      • research
      • revision
      • dramatic ways of writing
      • writing techniques for stage, media, and radio
      • You will be taught about different dramatic principles, for example, subtext, exposition, connecting dialogue, and more.

      In the developing stage, you will learn ways to improve your dramatic writing skills. Finally, when you reach the fourth stage, which is an independent study, you will work on a larger project. The goal of the A363 module is to work more on your practical writing method.

      What is expected of you?

      Even in the A363 module, you will receive full support from your tutor. Just like the A215 module, you will be expected to submit assignments through the eTMA. Later, the module will end with submitting your EMA (end-of-module assessment) online.

      Number of credits: 60

      Study level: OU 3

      Study method: Distance learning mode.

      Length of study: 1 year

      To learn more about the A363 module, visit http://www.openuniversity.edu/courses/modules/a363?#

      Which module is right for me?

      When you compare both Open University creative writing modules, you will understand that the A363 module is more about

      • trying to work independently
      • developing your ideas
      • improve your writing voice and style

      And the A215 module is more about

      • learning different styles of writing
      • Developing writing fiction
      • life writing
      • biography and autobiography writing
      • writing poetry

      If you are a complete newbie regarding any fictional writing style, then the A215 Module would work better for you to develop those skills first.  

      For more experienced writers looking to develop their own voice and ideas and taking their writing to another level like stage or radio script writing the A363 Module certainly is going to be the way forward.

      If you want to experiment with creative writing first, before committing to a one year course, the Open University also offers a free short online course (8 weeks): https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/start-writing-fiction

      In the end, the decision is yours. Have a clear vision and game plan for your creative writing career before you sign up for one of the courses. Make sure the course aids you in achieving your career goals.

      WHY A PHONE BAN ISN’T THE ANSWER

      Manuela Willbold
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      0
      WHY A PHONE BAN ISN’T THE ANSWER

       

      In a time where the average adult in the UK uses their smartphone every 12 minutes, is it realistic and, most of all, helpful to ban phones in schools?

      Whether it’s to do with work or hobbies or just daily life tasks – technology creeps into all aspects of our lives and if we want to remain in control and educated about how to use it right, is removing it the solution?

      How to reduce abusive behaviours?

      The current arguments for a ban, raised by people like the minister for school standards in England, Mr Gibb, and some other educators, mainly focus on how to reduce the risks of abusing the use of mobile phones.

      However, what happens after school? Obviously, there will be plenty of opportunities to misuse a gadget and that’s why it’s vital to teach this generation how to use their phones responsibly.

      The NAHT union, which represents school leaders, rightly recognises that phone bans in schools could potentially lead to more problems, such as “hidden” or “underground” uses and states that:

      “Ultimately, schools work to prepare young people for the outside world, giving them the awareness and strategies to responsibly monitor their own screen use and the ability to identify and deal with any negative impacts or problematic content they encounter.”

      As Mr. Gibb rightly recognises that “ensuring children can regulate their own use of smartphones and social media is becoming an increasingly important life skill for them to learn.”, we should ask how to do so.

      Teaching digital literacy and skills

      The necessary digital skills that are required for handling web activities responsibly can only be learned by actually using them in action, so called learning by doing. They include skills highlighted in the Digital Literacy Curriculum by the SWGfL such as 

      Here you can see that having an awareness of the do’s and don’ts online will be vital as anything we post, we’re responsible for. So, students will inevitably have to learn about data protection, an online code of conduct, online regulations, copyright and so forth. By actually working within the real world wide web they can understand these laws in context and adults can model positive online behaviours.

      Parents play an important part in this too. They should be informed about how to monitor their children’s gadget use and which E-safety solutions are available to support them. In one of my previous articles I explain in more detail how blogging as a family can help learn digital skills, which can be applied to many other digital tasks and systems.

      What’s the right balance?

      However, due to the growing volume of new technologies and online solutions, we need to find a way to tailor our learning to our needs. Recently, the debate about screen time made us step back and think: how much time should be spent on and off a computer or smartphone? Which ratio is actually ideal?

      Latest recommendations for 8 to 11 year olds resulting from a study conducted by by researchers from the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, the University of Ottawa and Carleton University, all in Canada, which had 4,524 children participate in it, are:

      – restrict screen time (including TV, smartphones, tablets and video games) to less than 2 hours a day

      – sleep 9 to 11 hours a night

      – do at least 1 hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity a day

      According to their cognitive ability tests, children following these guidelines performed better in tests on mental functioning. And as many Chinese children now suffer from poorer eyesight at a younger age due to long screen times at school and home, it is certainly fair to say that young people’s smartphone use should be monitored.

      If the long term goal is to enable them to use the web safely and responsibly by themselves without adults checking and guiding them when online, the best way forward is allowing for a good balance of the computer and smartphone use at school and at home.

      There are great apps helping smartphone users to track their online activities such as Forest:

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=truff99c4ZY

      They can be used by parents and their children so they can all keep track on their screen times and discuss how they could improve their results or even create a competition to increase motivation.

      After all, it’s about making reflected and healthy choices and unless we learn to analyse and adjust our own behaviours to act responsibly, we won’t have the skills necessary to become educated digital users.

       

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