Volume Definition Chemistry

Volume Definition ChemistryIf you are interested in reading about how to get the best out of your education, learning about volume definition chemistry might be a good thing for you. There are many concepts and methods to look at, but it is still not as easy as one would imagine it to be.This chemistry describes the actual manipulation of molecules and the overall system that happen in an actual chemical reaction. In reality, it is one of the hardest subjects to grasp and practice. However, when you master the basics, you can see yourself move onto the more advanced concepts.The reason why volume definition chemistry has become so difficult to understand is that there are two or more chemicals present in a reaction, and when this occurs, it tends to produce more of a substance than the one that was originally taken into consideration. However, what happens in the process is that a reaction is forced by the other chemicals present. When they combine and form another compound, this wil l cause them to react with one another. One of the simplest types of this chemical reaction is an organic reaction.In organic reaction, the process creates a product which is usually something organic like fuel, wood, or dirt. This can also take the form of an organic compound which makes a chemical which when mixed with water can be turned into something water-like. One thing that can cause confusion when it comes to this type of chemistry is that the two materials used may be an oxidizing or a reducing agent. This can be very confusing and one of the first steps is to understand how one determines the choice that will make it easier for the student to work with.The chemical or organic reaction happens when the oxidizing agent is dissolved in the reducing agent. The process occurs when the oxidizing agent reacts with the reducing agent to form an acid. This acid and water are the reaction that turns it into fuel. Since there are two substances, the oxidation is said to occur when t he oxidizing agent is dissolved.Reaction is always a two-step process, and that is what allows for a two-step reaction. When oxidation happens, the reaction moves from an oxidation state, where the reducing agent forms acid, to the reduction state, where the oxidizing agent forms water. When a reduction takes place, the oxidizing agent will turn into a non-acidic form. The opposite reaction is called the acidifying state, and the process begins again.The rate at which these reactions take place will change depending on the composition of the materials used and different amounts of these substances are needed for the same reaction. The process is very fast, but it is not very predictable because of the two steps involved. Once the student has mastered this process, they can move on to the more complex aspects of chemical reaction.

Essential Study Skills Your Teen Needs

Essential Study Skills Your Teen Needs With college on the horizon, theres a lot for your teen to think about: getting good grades, maintaining a strong GPA, creating a solid college resume and more. Its important that your teen develop those study skills sooner than laterboth for success in high school and in college. Here are seven study skills that are critical in high school and will prepare your teen for the rigors of college: Learning preference self-awareness As teens progress through high school, class work gets increasingly difficult, and things step up even more in college. Ideally, teens need to know how they learn most effectively and when they focus best. Knowing their learning styles and preferences will also help them achieve optimal learning. Critical thinking In high school and college, teachers expect that students are able to think methodically and critically and are capable of analyzing and evaluating what they read and hear. Active listening and reading Active reading means being engaged with the text, not just by reading but by doing self-checks for understanding and jotting down notes for reference later. Active listening requires tuning out outside factors (and any internal mind chatter) as well as paraphrasing and asking questions to clarify understanding. Prioritization Prioritization helps teens make the most of their time and get homework done more efficiently. Teens should divide homework into categories, such as due tomorrow, due later this week, and due next week or this month. Then, they should rank homework from highest to lowest priority and hardest to easiestevery night. Learn more about prioritization. Test-taking aptitude There are many ways teens can improve their performance on tests. A study schedule, some mental preparation, a few stress management techniques and plenty of practice deciphering question types can make a big difference in test scores and test-taking confidence. Organization and time management Time management is vital for keeping organized with homework, classes, extracurricular activities and more. Teens should put a planner to use in which they can record their goals, detailed schedule and daily to-dos. Learn more about the components of a foolproof time management system. Note-taking Teens should be comfortable taking notes in an organized way. Good note-taking involves writing down sufficient information to understand main points, summarizing key ideas and noting important examples. High school is a time when teachers expect students to take responsibility for their learning. That means less hand-holding at a time when the workload and subject-matter difficulty are increasing. Bottom line: your teen needs to develop good study skills to achieve his best in high school and beyond. The sooner he does, the better equipped he will beand the more prepared he will feelto do well in college.

Teaching Kids Leadership

Teaching Kids Leadership Most parents recognize the importance of time management, strong communication, good listening and other study skills, but what about leadership? Your child doesnt have to aspire to be the next president of the United States to benefit from the lessons of leadership, says Eileen Huntington, co-founder of Huntington Learning Center. Activities and programs that instill leadership help teach children about perseverance, conflict resolution, building ones character, goal setting and more. Huntington offers parents these tips to help their child develop leadership skills: Encourage volunteering for a cause your child cares about. What gets your child excited? Animals? The planet? Helping other kids? Encourage your child to make a difference through volunteering, or try doing service learning as a family. Getting involved is a wonderful way for kids to discover a passion, make friends, and share their experiences and excitement with others. Give your child opportunities to teach others. Whether it is a sibling or a classmate, children who teach their peers often become more engaged in the subject matter. If your student is a good reader, how about reading to younger siblings and teaching them reading basics? Your child will build a sense of pride in sharing his or her knowledge and helping others learn something new. Check out extracurricular activities. Your childs school likely has a plethora of clubs and activities with which your child could get involved. Sports are an obvious way to instill in your child the lessons of hard work, teamwork and determination, but if your child isnt interested in athletics, dont overlook things like student council, yearbook, drama club, music, math club, science club or a student ambassador program. Explore leadership programs and camps. Do you live near a college? Check to see what programs they have for rising middle and high school students. Some colleges offer enrichment, college preparatory or other programs for children and teens designed specifically to build leadership aptitudes. How about experiential or other types of leadership camps in your area? You can check with your childs teachers, guidance counseling office and school district for suggestions or referrals. Huntington encourages parents to be creative when it comes to leadership development opportunities for their child. The key is to empower your child to take on new responsibilities, strive for things he or she wants, take risks, and recognize and build his or her strengths. Doing so will help your child become a more engaged and involved student and citizen.

The Two Playgrounds of (1960) Santa Monica

The Two Playgrounds of (1960) Santa Monica It was always dark under there, old and strange, somehow feeling in itself like a living thing. The pilings are like an ancient forest breathing and moaning. Even a good distance from the shore the wet spray fills the air. The scariest parts of being under there are the people, the so called bums, winos, and hobos that reside under there. In some places   we saw areas that were totally furnished with carpets, a bed, pictures hanging on a piling, Home sweet home?   Some of these guys we knew, many were unfriendly, and especially to us kids and we had to be careful to keep our distance from most of them.However in the day time they were usually out scavenging for thrown out treasure’s or pan handling for wine money, so then we would have an uninterrupted path to the catwalk, which leads to the secret opening. I always hated the catwalk even more than the ride we have to enter, once we get in, because on the other side the hatch opens into one of those twirling rides, you know, round and round and round, ad-nauseam. Anyway, as we walk along the narrow shaky boards the catwalk rises higher and higher above the sea. Roaring waves below crash into broken pilings with ferocity. The catwalk was so old and rickety. Every time we did this I felt like I would fall right through one of those broken down boards that were holding us up. As we shuffled along, way up high and far from the shore in a place not many ever see, I wondered, again; “Is this worth it?” Finally, there it is the secret doorway to the top side of the huge pier. We crawl through the little hatch above us to the back end of that amusement park ride. As we crawled through we jump behind a group of tourist who had just given their tickets to the attendant out front. Following this crowd we enter a large round room with all the others. The room begins to spin around slowly. Then faster and faster, like some kind of endurance test for astronauts. As we stick to the wall the floor lowers until we are all up in the air. Not my favorite park ride, but it is the one we had to go through in order to get into the amusement park. Today is no different than any other day walking out of that spinning room,   I head to a trash can because I’m about to get sick. The reward for all this; we are in the middle of Pacific Ocean Park!   The bright sunlight and laughter, fun rides, the smell of hot dogs and caramel corn , the exact opposite of where we just came from, the dark underbelly of the gigantic pier, a very different kind of amusement park below. But for us local kids, both were free! And of course our usual playground was the one below. But not on this day . Man did we have fun!

Are you ready to teach online

Are you ready to teach online Looking for your next great teaching opportunity? As online education continues to grow, with no sign of letting up, more and more teachers are looking into teaching online. While online learning has been hugely popular in the higher education field for some time now, high schools are also getting in on the game. There are lots of full and part-timeteaching jobs available, ranging from K-12 virtual schools at all subjects and grade levels toonline English teaching jobs with companies like VIPKID and Funbulous. Here are some important things to consider if you’re trying to figure out whether online teaching is right for you: You (might) need a teaching certification. To teach K-12 students online, you’ll need to have a Bachelor’s degree as well as a state-issued teaching license and some classroom experience. Looking to teach online at the college level? Similarly to traditional college teaching jobs, the requirements are higher and you’ll need to have an advanced degree in your chosen specialty field. If you’re trying to break into online teaching for the first time, a great way to get some online teaching experience under your belt (and make extra money on the side) is through teaching ESL online. Teaching English online is also a flexible option for those who are already working or studying on either a part or full-time basis, as you can usually pick and choose your own hours based around your current schedule. You’ll need to have some classroom teaching experience. For online ESL teachers, requirements are usually less stringent than those at K12 virtual schools. To teach ESL online with VIPKID, China’s largest online English tutoring company, for example, you’ll need to have a Bachelor’s degree as well as one year of classroom experience. You’ll need to have solid time-management skills. You’ll need to be highly self-motivated in order to teach online. If you’re someone who gets easily distracted or is prone to procrastination, then maybe online teaching isn’t the right gig for you! You’ll need to be a strong communicator. If you’re interested in taking your teaching career online, you have to be able to develop a rapport with your students in order to support them academically. As an online teacher, you often won’t be able to rely on visual or verbal cues like you would in the classroom, such as body language or tone of voice. To overcome this, you’ll need to have strong written communication skills and be able to give concise, clear instructions to your students. You’ll need to be technologically savvy. To set yourself up as an online teacher, you’ll need to have a working desktop or laptop with high-speed internet that can handle video and audio. As you’re looking into transitioning into online teaching, you probably already know that teaching online is very different from teaching face to face. Teaching in an online environment requires an extra set of skills than those you rely on in a traditional classroom. Sign up to Teach Away today for access to the latest teaching jobs around the world. To successfully teach online, you’ll need to have a strong grasp of using technology for teaching and instructional purposes. There are many online teaching certification options that can give online teachers the necessary skills, knowledge and confidence required to transition from in-person teaching to the digital classroom. Professional certifications or special online teaching endorsements are not always a prerequisite for online teaching jobs. However, as the market for online learning continues to explode in popularity, a good way to set yourself apart as a strong candidate for many virtual teaching jobs is by getting some formal training in best practices for teaching online. Ready to teach English online? With more and more online English teaching jobs opening up on a daily basis, now’s the perfect time to get your application in!

5 Photo Translator Apps That Are Magic for Language Learners

5 Photo Translator Apps That Are Magic for Language Learners 5 Photo Translator Apps That Are Magic for Language Learners Kwoooosh.  Did you hear that?Kwoooosh.There it is again.Thats the sound of your language learning excuses getting flushed down the toilet, one by one.Because today, were looking at a piece of  language learning technology  so cool, it makes Star Trek look silly: Photo translator apps.They will forever change how you go about learning a language.So what exactly are photo translator apps, anyway? What can you use them for? And which are the best ones on the market? Thats what were about to find out. Whats a Photo Translator App and What Does It Do?Lets say you and your Italian-speaking friend, Alessandro, are walking around Little Italy in New York. You find a cute souvenir shop and decide to step in for a look. There are postcards, pizza-making implements and figurines that remind you of the Super Mario Brothers.Then you see, spread on the walls, colorful face towelsâ€"each embroidered with different Italian words. You squint at one and see, Sorridere.Intrigued, you ask your friend, Bro, what does sow-rhy-dey-ree mean?Oh, that. Thats smile in Italian.And then you guys leave, because youre only killing time, and not your monthly budget.Two days later, you message Alessandro and ask him what Come sempre  means. Youre trying to learn the chords to an Italian song but are too lazy to Google what the title means. Your friend quickly tells you that it means as always in Italian.Well, a photo translator app is like Alessandroâ€"except the app wont have beers with you or split cab fare.A photo translator app instantly translates any text that you take a photo of.See storefront signage and have no idea what it means? Point your phones camera at it and the wizard in the app automatically translates the word(s) for you.So you might be looking at your phones screen and see the English word Open, while in the real world, the sign actually says, Abierto.With some apps, it even happens in real time. Magic!The great thing about photo translator apps is that you don’t even h ave to pronounce the words before receiving the translation. You  dont have to type them in, either. Theres a time and a place for that, but the time and place might not be while youre out and about in Little Italy. So whip out your phone and let the translator do its job.Photo translator apps come in handy for when:Youre about to get something tattooed on your bicep, and you dont want the Chinese word for soup to forever mar the temple that is your body. Simply point your camera to the Chinese character the tattoo artist shows you and make sure that it really means courage.Youre on a date in an expensive French restaurant, so chic that they didnt even bother with English on their menus. So you hide behind those giant foldables and whip out your phone and impress your date. Because, hey, she deserves to know what shes eating.Youre driving your rental in Italy and see a perfectly good spot to park. But nearby is a sign that says,  Passo carrabile. Nobody was around to tell you that t his indicates theres definitely no parking and that your rental just might be towed.So photo translators, as it turns out, are handy for those in a foreign country (or a fancy restaurant, or a tattoo parlor) who need translation in a snap. The app definitely helps people get around with ease and class.But what about language learners who arent just using one of these apps for a two-week overseas getaway? What can they get out of them?How Can Language Learners Use Photo Translator Apps?FluentU can provide you with all the information you need to navigate its handpicked online content: FluentU takes real-world videosâ€"like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talksâ€"and turns them into personalized language lessons. We give you interactive captions with instant definitions and memorable images for each video, so youre never left flailing.However, we unfortunately cant give you interactive captions for the entire world. Thats where photo translator apps have a unique role to play. Here are a few ways you can use them to enhance your real-world learning experience.As aids for studying authentic written material.Authentic material refers to any material dedicated to native speakers. This includes newspapers, books, comics, greeting cards, posters, etc. that come in the target language.Lets say youre learning German. You have a bunch of clipped news articles in German and you plan to study them closely. You can use the app to have those titles translated so you dont have to go to the trouble of typing German words into the Google search bar.Having photo translators will make your time with authentic content more productive. With a photo translator app in hand, you wont feel so much like a fish out of water.As fun vocabulary games.Photo translators are a huge deal when it comes to learning vocabulary. As long as you can make a game out of learning, then theres no limit as to the use of these apps.For example, you might label the different objects around your house with sticky notes. So on a book, youll write book. Then, try to guess, for example, the objects Spanish translations, saying that translation out loud before looking into your photo translator.So your app becomes like a digital flashcard where you flip the card to see if your answer was right. But in this case, you have the richness of context that helps you remember the vocabulary because you have actual objects in front of you. Its not just the word book or cup, youre actually holding the objects and imprinting the relationships in your memory.As aids  for translation exercises.A paper and pen, when paired with a photo translator, become a powerful learning experience.For example, you might come up with a list of 20 of your favorite movies. So maybe youll have titles like The Mask, Animal House, Young Frankenstein, The Hangover, etc. And then, you can either use the translator to render each of these titles in your target language, or try your best to translate them yo urself and only later use the app to check your work.Either way, your linguistic muscles benefit from the exercise. You get to work with the language, and in a meaningful way. Because this isnt just a random list that somebody else made, but something very personal and context-laden for you.You can create other types of lists. Say, your favorite adjectives for people who you find attractive. Or a list of words that can be associated with the phrase My Perfect Date. So maybe youll have candle, dinner, beach and swim in your list. And then you get to work on that list, using your photo translator. You can work forwards and backwards, going from English to the target language and vice versa.By using the other features of the apps.I havent mentioned it yet, but photo translators rarely come alone. Any photo translator app will most likely have other nifty capabilitiesâ€"like translating speech-to-text or text-to-speech. These features were likely developed first, with the photo translat or being built on the more basic parts of the app.So when youve installed the apps that were going to mention next, dont just tinker with them as photo translators. Theyre perfectly capable of doing old school translations, too.So yes, they may be cooler than Star Trek, but they can also take care of your translation basics.5 Photo Translator Apps That Are Magic for Language LearnersGoogle TranslateAndroid | iOSOverall, Google Translate is at the top of its class, having top-notch inter-language capabilities. The app currently recognizes 38 languages for instant camera work.Youll have the option of pointing your camera at any text or written material in the real world. A guide box will make sure that your target word(s), phrases or sentence are in the translation zone. If lighting conditions are not ideal, youll also have the light/flash option available.Actually, Google Translate works so fast that even before youve centered your target on the screen, the app has already done its j ob and translated it. (I know!)If thats too fast for you, you can turn off the instant translation. When you turn instant translation off, youll have to click the camera button like when youre taking a picture before the app gets to work on your translations.Like I said, Google Translate is not just a photo translator. Its also, in fact, many translators in one. It can be a text translator where you type and have your text translated into 103 languages. And if you download the specific language pack, you dont even need an internet connection for that to happen.Its also a voice translator. You can actually talk to your phone in one language and the app will spit out translated audio of what you just said. And just so you dont miss it, the app writes your speech and the translation into text so you can follow along.Get Google Translate today and have your world translated.Microsoft TranslatorAndroid | iOSMicrosoft Translator is very similar to Google Translate, except it doesnt have i nstant photo translations. Whereas Google automatically gives you the translation once the target word is seen by the camera, for Microsoft Translator, you need to actually push the button and take a picture before the app processes your request. But unlike Google, which defaults to vertical phone orientation only, this one can have both vertical and horizontal alignments. So if you have a longer text to translate, you can go horizontal before snapping the pic.And make no mistake, this app is also not just a photo translator. It can translate voice and text. It can do that for over 60 languages. You can even have a bilingual conversation where two people literally place a phone between them and take turns speaking. In this scenario, the screen will be divided into halves. Each will have their own mic icon. To speak, each person has to press and hold the mic. The app will translate what was said into the language of the other person, both in text and audio. Cool!iTranslateAndroid | i OSAlthough the developers highlight its voice and dictionary elements more prominently, iTranslate does have photo translator capabilities for the pro version of its app.This feature is called iTranslate Lens. Its still a point-snap-and-translate operation, but the cool thing about Lens is that you can actually manipulate the size of your translation box and move it around. You can expand or shrink it so that whatever text is found inside your box gets converted. Unlike the first two apps where the guide box is nailed in the dead center of your screen, you can actually drag this one around. And, when your translation is done, you have the option of viewing the results in full screen, for an unobstructed view. Awesome!The feature supports 43 languages.iTranslate Lens is, however, included in the pro version. So if you want to translate street signs, menus or cards via iTranslate, youre going to have to fork over $4.99 for the monthly subscription. Voice translation and offline capabi lities also come with the paid subscription.The free version, though, is an excellent text translator, offering not just definitions and synonyms for words, but also verb conjugations for different tensesâ€"resulting in a richer insight into the target language.PapagoAndroid | iOSThe next two apps have been specifically developed to deal with the complexities of East Asian languagesâ€"Korean, Chinese and Japanese. These languages dont use the Roman ABCs but instead have systems of writing unique from most others.Papago, in fact, was developed by Naver, a Korean search engine thats presenting a furious challenge to the hegemony of Google and its translation app. Where Google Translate falls short, Papago thinks it can do better.The Papago photo translator interface is very similar to the ones we already discussed. Like Microsoft Translate, you can orient your phone either vertically or horizontally. And like it or not, you have to snap the picture in order to send your query.Papago, however, solves the problem of targeting by allowing you to further manually highlight, with your finger, which word or words you want translated. So what happens is, after you snap a picture, lets say of a paragraph of words, Papago will allow you to zoom into the picture and let you highlight the specific words that you actually want translated.Point! Papago.WaygoAndroid | iOSWaygos developers are very honest from the get-goâ€"admitting that the photo translator works best for large signs and print, but not so much for books, stylized text or when things are written with unusual fonts.However, this is probably the best app to use for when you want to understand Mandarin, Korean or Japanese menus. And this will work wherever you goâ€"no internet connection required. So wherever your food adventure takes you, youre assured of knowing whats being served.The free version allows you to have 10 free photo translations daily, but an upgrade for $6.99 (per language) gives you the chance t o go bonkers in Chinatown or Koreatown.So go right ahead, download these apps.They will forever change how you see language learning.You just happen to live in a time when all your excuses for not picking up a second language get flushed to oblivion.

Looking for Intermediate Language Lessons Leap Toward Fluency with These 6 Resources!

Looking for Intermediate Language Lessons Leap Toward Fluency with These 6 Resources! Looking for Intermediate Language Lessons? Leap Toward Fluency with These 6 Resources! Singin  the intermediate blues?Dont worry, its a familiar tune to most language learners.Once youve outgrown your beginner-level resources (congratulationsâ€"thats an accomplishment!), it can be hard to find more advanced resources that suit your specific needs.  While theres a huge array of beginner materials readily available, great  intermediate-level ones  are harder to come by.For one thing, not all intermediate-level courses, lessons or resources  are explicitly  labeled “intermediate.” Or, resources that are labeled as such might cover content you already know, because we all muddle through the stages of learning in our own unique ways.Meanwhile, even if you have your eye on native-level content such as  TV, movies  and books, you might feel a little intimidated jumping into the deep end of the pool.But that doesn’t mean some great, intermediate-level resources aren’t out there!There’s no road map for learning a language, no step-by-step complete course that will tak e you all the way from absolute  beginner to seasoned fluent speaker. Still, by being creative and tailoring materials to your level, you can work through the intermediate plateau and progress faster than you ever thought possible!Keep on reading to discover intermediate resources that can work for you! Looking for Intermediate Language Lessons? Leap Toward Fluency with These 6 Resources!1. Get Yourself to a TutorWhy Tutors?Tutors come in handy once youve reached the intermediate stage. Because you’ll be dealing with a person, rather than lessons or books, that tutor will understand what you personally need to work on and how to help you achieve your goals.By hiring a well-trained, professional tutor (whose teaching style you like), you’ll be able to stretch yourself and get out of your comfort zone. A trained tutor can diagnose problems and help you move past them. It’s a very personalized learning experience, and youre  in control. Language tutors are  especially great for learners who are focused on conversation and love talking.How to Get the Most out of a TutorFirst of all, you’ll have to find a tutor in order to get the most out of one, right?Decide whether youll be okay with online learning through Skype or a similar program, or if you strongly prefer real-life interaction.If you want to use  online tutoring, you can’t go wrong with italki, where you can hire a tutor for very reasonable rates.If youre learning a European language and would prefer a teacher whos guaranteed to be an experienced professional, you may want to check out coLanguage. Their tutors are all pre-screened and their courses are based on the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages), but you can still choose your own teacher, compare prices and often even take a trial class.If you want to meet someone in real life, try searching for a tutor on nearby university campuses (international students often offer language lessons for affordable rates) or posting an ad on Craigslist.WyzAnt is an incredible resource for locating stellar tutors near you. This site is professional and polished, and it features well-educated and well-qualified tutors in your local area. Follow this link to see who's available close to home!Remember, though, that hiring a tutor isnt  a “one size fits all” sort of thing.Everyone looks for different traits  in a tutor (remember how you chafed against certain teachers in school?). To ensure a good working relationship, take a sample lesson or two from a tutor you want to try out (often, these are offered at reduced rates or are shorter in duration) and see if you two are a good match for each other.Take into account personality and teaching style. Think about your weaknesses in your target language in detail before your meeting so that you can clearly communicate what you hope to achieve through your lessons. Mention if you only want conversation practice, or if you would like feedback on textbook work you’re doing. See what they say!Once you’ve found that match, schedule regular lessons at a rate that’s sustainable for you. That could be once a week to once a month. Take plenty of notes during your lessons so that you remember that valuable feedback your tutor gives you, and study hard before the next lesson to retain that new information.2. Commit to Online LessonsWhy Online Lessons?Sometimes we crave structure. We want predetermined goals, and boy, do we love that high of accomplishment after achieving a finite task. If you can’t take a class in person, free online lessons are a wonderful resource.You’ll probably find the most in-depth lessons through either iTunes U or Coursera. Both sites offer recorded university-level classes as well as courses made for online learning (known as massive open online courses, or MOOCs) and you can find many intermediate and advanced courses for major languages.A great example of what you’re looking for is this intermediate Chinese course offered by Seton Hall University through iTunes U. And here’s an example of a conversational intermediate Spanish course by The Open University.iTunes U and Coursera arent  your only options, though.Try BBC Languages  for major languages and look around  to see if they have material at your level. Bowdoin College offers Spanish grammar lessons that work great for intermediate learners seeking to tighten up weak points. Deutsche Welle offers intermediate German courses. Google is your friend, so poke around!How to Get the Most out of Online LessonsConsistency is key! Pretend that it’s a physical class  and make it a priority, even if you didn’t pay cold, hard cash to attend.Take notes, purchase the accompanying textbook if you’re working on a university course and study hard. The coolest thing about online lessons is that you can repeat class sessions if you didn’t understand something the first time. Take advantage of that!Another tip: skip around to lessons you know you n eed to work on. Learning on your own means you can focus on whatever is most important to you.If youve reached the  intermediate level, you’ll know by now that you have seemingly random holes in your linguistic knowledge. After all, we don’t learn languages in a linear manner, even if we followed a strict beginner’s course. If you’re strong on verbs but weak on adjectives, skip to those lessons!If you’re great at grammar in general, but the writing system is getting you down (ahem, Japanese and Chinese learners), then focus on that. If conversation’s your thing, skip to lessons that give you practical phrases for real-life situations.3. Master Listening Comprehension with FluentUWhy FluentU?FluentU is a great resource for intermediate learners who want to work on listening comprehension. Why? It uses native resources (commercials, music videos, movie trailers), but keeps you grounded with lessons and vocabulary pointers.You can dip your toes into native material without feeling too overwhelmed! The word lists and built-in Spaced Repetition Software (SRS) help aid memory. Soon enough, you’ll be absorbing native movies and music without a care in the world.While beginners can use FluentU as well, this is a particularly strong tool for  intermediate learners, because you already know basic grammar and vocabulary. You can concentrate on slang and listening comprehension without being weighed down by simpler concepts.How to Get the Most out of FluentUIf you’re trying to build up your listening comprehension, then exposure is key. You need to let your ears take in the sweet, sweet sounds of native media as often as possible. At a bare minimum, you should set aside time to work on listening every day (if you want to go above and beyond, by all means, listen to native music and radio all the time!).As the Romans say, repetitio est mater studiorum (repetition is the mother of learning)! The short and sweet length of most FluentU videos lends them perfec tly to repetition.Listen to them over and over again to get the most out of them. Once you know the words by heart, its  so much easier to understand the second time through. And this applies when you hear similar phrases in unrelated contexts!Finally, take full advantage of the built-in SRS  to ensure you never forget vocabulary. Since SRS is best when used consistently over long periods of time, that means you can’t slack off! But don’t worry, the benefit is priceless: effortless memory of the language!4. Pick Up Some Graded ReadersWhy Graded Readers?Graded readers  are books written or  adapted  specifically for a language learning audience, usually with glossaries or translations  included alongside the text. Theyre awesome for those learners who prefer reading over audio or conversational skills. Most are implicitly made for intermediate learners (its helpful to  know the fundamentals of your target language  to get the gist of the literary writing that these readers genera lly include), but many are explicitly labeled by proficiency level.Pick up one with either a vocabulary section or simultaneous translations in English. Here are examples in French,  Spanish,  German, Chinese and Japanese.Readers are great for the literary learner, because they introduce more esoteric, uncommon vocabulary and artful grammar usage. It helps bridge the gap between lessons and reading literature!How to Get the Most out of Your Graded ReaderWhen you’re first starting out with a reader, you’ll feel most confident if you read through the vocabulary section or simultaneous translation before reading the native text. Then, after you’ve read the native text straight through (no looking things up!), review the vocabulary or translation.During your second reading, you can look up specific words as you come by them, but practicing reading and understanding through context is a valuable skill. Definitely mix and match intensive reading (looking things up) with skimmingâ€"d on’t risk burn out by grinding away at looking up every single unfamiliar word!If you choose to use  SRS  for what you’re learning, make sure you apply it to  single vocabulary items rather than  sentences. The sentences in a translation arent  always literal, so avoid that potential confusion!5. Try Out a Traditional TextbookWhy Textbooks?Easy to find and easy to use, of course! If you’re learning a major world language, chances are, there are plenty of textbooks out there for intermediate learners. Intermediate textbooks will probably focus on nuances of grammar, and thats much easier to absorb after you’ve completed a beginner course.For regular bookstore-level textbooks, check out the 501/201 Verbs series (Spanish,  French, German, Chinese, Japanese) or the Routledge Comprehensive and Essential Grammars (Spanish,  Chinese, Japanese).Both have tons of useful example sentences so you can get more comfortable with  verb usage and conjugation. Whatever you decide to go with, example sentences are key at this stage, especially if you didnt  encounter many as a  beginner. Many beginner-level resources focus on learning isolated words out of contextâ€"now its time to start putting those words  to use.If youre looking for something different or more specific in terms of intermediate learning material, try searching for your target language on VitalSource. They offer e-textbooks for a variety of subjects that you can rent or buy, and they have a wide selection of foreign language books.How to Get the Most out of Your TextbookIf your textbook has exercises, do them  regularly. It stretches you and ensures that you use new concepts actively. You can use  SRS for  complicated grammar concepts, which helps to lay a good “subconscious” foundation through repeated exposure so that you can learn the actual rules much more easily at a later time.Finally, keep up native exposure while you’re doing this. A lot of the more complicated language covered in interme diate textbooks is readily available through native media, like radio or TV. Even if you just have it on in the background, you’ll start to recognize some of the concepts you’re learning, and that will only solidify your knowledge even more!6. Sign Up for Local Classroom LessonsWhy Local Classroom Lessons?If you can afford it, taking a class from your local university/community college/language club will give you accountability and a built-in support group if you’re the kind of person who learns best with those structures in place.You’ll have a teacher readily available to approach if you have questions and you’ll be surrounded by people with similar goals! Even if you stick to cheaper or free resources at the beginner level, formal classes can round out your intermediate education by giving you a teacher who can guide you through textbooks and conversational skills.How to Get the Most out of ClassesGo to them! Seriouslyâ€"you paid, so you should definitely attend.Talk to your classmates in your target language. It doesn’t matter much that none of you are native speakers, because the conversational practice is great for getting your brain working and drawing on what you’ve learned passively so far.Go to your teacher/professor’s office hours and ask questions or simply get in some conversation practice. Your teacher is likely either very experienced in the language or a native speaker, so don’t pass up the opportunity to practice talking with him or her!As always, never forget to supplement with native media outside of class, whether it’s with reading or listening or both. Using native media outside of class expands your knowledge and helps you retain the classroom content you’ve learned. It’s much easier to remember new vocabulary and grammar when you keep coming into contact with it.No more intermediate blues! There are so many ways to move to the advanced stage and then to fluency. Just because those beginners get all the shiny new pr ograms out there doesn’t mean intermediates can’t have funâ€"and learnâ€"too!