8 Expert Tips for Improving Spanish Reading Comprehension

8 Expert Tips for Improving Spanish Reading Comprehension Suzy S. Struggling with Spanish reading comprehension? Here are some helpful tips from Honolulu tutor Jinan B... Are you intimidated by texts, magazines, or books in Spanish?  Do you feel overwhelmed at the thought of reading and understanding written Spanish? The following tips will allow you to increase your Spanish reading comprehension and help you feel assured as you navigate new linguistic territory. 1. Notice the title and any photos or graphics in the text. These things will give you an idea of the style and content of the text. Improving reading comprehension in Spanish is like becoming a detective, and things like the title and images are your clues! 2. Draw on your own experience with and knowledge of the topic. Its likely the reading selection may cover some material that you already know. Thinking about keywords and points that the author may address, based on your prior knowledge of the topic, will increase your ability to decode the text in Spanish. 3. If there are reading comprehension questions attached to the text, read through the questions first so that you can look for the answers to the questions as you read. This will increase your engagement and understanding of the text. Knowing the questions ahead of time also gives you an idea of what the main points of the text may be, since the questions are often centered around general comprehension. 4. Get a gist. Skim the whole text to get a basic idea of the meaning. Dont worry about reading it thoroughly yet or understanding everything. Then, as you read it more in depth, you can scan each paragraph before you read it more carefully. 5. Consider the context of the text. Depending on where the story takes place, if its literature, you might expect to see informal or formal language. If its a news article, you might expect to see clear facts and details presented. Understanding how the author might convey the information allows you to anticipate the text and increase your comprehension. 6. Use cognates. Cognates are ever-helpful words that sound similar in Spanish and English and often share the same Latin root. If youre struggling with understanding a passage, try to determine what you already know simply from finding the cognates. (Note: Be wary of false Spanish cognates!) 7. Watch out for figurative language. Often, when you first start to read in a foreign language, you can forget that not everything is intended literally. Figurative language can be complex to grasp since the expressions are usually not equivalent in Spanish and English. However, if you anticipate some use of figurative language, it can reduce the amount of confusion you encounter with the text. 8. Use your knowledge of grammar. Understanding how the sentence is constructed can help you understand the meaning. Identify the subject, predicate, any conjunctions, direct and indirect objects and prepositions, and prepositional phrases. This is especially helpful if you encounter a wordy and complex sentence with many parts. Breaking it down can be the key to comprehension! You will find that the more you  practice using these tips while reading Spanish, the more your reading comprehension will increase. You can also read a text before your lessons: use the strategies above to gain as much understanding as possible, and then go over it with your Spanish  tutor  to further increase your Spanish reading comprehension. May your reading time be productive and fun! Jinan B. tutors in Honolulu, HI. She is currently an  Assistant Professor in the Department of Human Nutrition, Food and Animal Sciences at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, teaching various courses including  Community Nutrition, Concepts in Nutrition Education, and Advanced Child and Adolescent Nutrition.  Learn more about Jinan here!   Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo by  Juan José Richards Echeverría

Master These Metal Guitar Scales So You Can Shred

Master These Metal Guitar Scales So You Can Shred Megan L. Practicing scales and scale-based exercises are a great way to build the speed you need to shred like a pro! Guitar teacher Noel S.  shares his favorite tips to get you started How do you get the speed and energy in your guitar playing that you need to truly shred? There are four simple skills youll need to master, and Ive put together exercises here so you can practice them all. Lets dive in and get started! 1.Right Hand Alternate Picking Speed You have two goals in this exercise. One is to develop perfect timing as you pick alternately up and down on a single string. It is best to start at slower speeds, to monitor and improve your mechanical movement. I know you metal guitar players want to shred ASAP, and for this part, the fastest way to get there is to take your time. Minimize your movement away from the string as you pluck and listen for perfect timing to align with your metronome clicks. Make sure youre hearing pure sound connect to pure sound, no pick noise or silence in between. Heres the scale pattern to practice alternate picking, using an A minor riff from one of my solos. Practice it on every string in steady 16th notes. To add extra connectivity and speed, pull-off the first note of every beat onto the second one, using the left hand. 12-0-0-0-10-0-0-0-8-0-0-0-7-0-0-0 / 5-0-0-0-5-0-0-0-3-0-0-0-1-0-0-0 / 4-0-0-0-1-0-0-0-4-0-0-0-1-0-0-0 / 4-0-0-0-7-0-0-0-10-0-0-0-12-0-0-0 / 5 Time for goal two, teaching your muscles to eliminate wasted movement by playing at fast tempos (144 BPM and higher). Play the same exercise, starting at that metronome setting, remembering a lot of clear, fast, connected notes sound great and a lot of fast noise is nothing. If you have to use bursts to get started, play one beat as 8th note and the next as 16th notes, working to eventually extend those fast note sections into more beats. 2. Right and Left Hand Synchronization The next step is to make sure you can shred with BOTH hands on a single string. Now that we have great right-hand mechanics, watch the left hand for the smallest movements possible. Ive written this riff based on the G harmonic minor scale. Again, play it on each string using all 16th-note alternate picking. Left hand indicators are i (index), m (middle), r (ring) and p (pinky) 3-6-5-6-3-6-5-6-2-5-3-5-2-5-3-5 / 5-8-6-8-5-8-6-8-3-6-5-6-3-6-5-6 / i p r p i p m p i p m p i p r p 8-11-10-11-8-11-10-11-6-10-8-10-6-10-8-10 / 5-8-6-8-5-8-6-8 / 3 i p r p i p m p Again, the burst is a fantastic tool for breaking through your speed threshold! 3. Outside Uppick String Crossing There are other variables for string crossing and this one will be the most useful for us to shred in step 4! Outside picking means your pick crosses from one string to another on the outside of that string pair, not from in-between (inside picking) Practice this movement using a B minor pentatonic scale in position 7 , again using all 16th notes. -10-7710 1010-7-710-77 99-7 79-779- 99-7-79-77-9- -9-9-7-79 -10- 4. Three Note Per String Scales These scales use consistent patterns across the strings, allowing for a streamlined raceway where you can speed! We maximize that here with an even MORE consistent string-crossing pattern (as practiced above in scale number 3). In 16th note groups, we add everything weve learned so far to this ascending A harmonic minor scale, an explosive opening or great climax for a solo. Get it up to 160 bpm, then 176, then all the way up to 200! 7 6-9-10- 5-7-9-5-7-9- 6-7-8-6-7-8- _____5-7-8-5-7-8- 5-7-8- Practice these exercises every day when you pick up your guitar and youll be up to speed and playing your favorite metal songs in no time! Keep building your guitar skills and learn even more metal guitar scales with help from a private music teacher. Find your guitar teacher today! Noel S. teaches guitar, piano, and music theory lessons in Beachwood, OH. He holds a Masters degree in music from Dusquesne University and he has been teaching since 2001. Learn more about Noel.   Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo by Feliciano Guimaraes

Academic versus Conversational Vocabulary Differences

Academic versus Conversational Vocabulary Differences Vocabulary Differences Arranged by Parts of Speech There are extensive linguistic differences between different registers of English (Biber et al., 1999, p.9). Academic and conversational registers reveal a complementary frequency distribution of vocabulary and grammatical forms. Some of the principle differences are as follows: Vocabulary Differences Arranged by Parts of Speech Nouns Conversation has a lower density of information and therefore fewer nouns (Biber et al, 1999, p. 66). 60% of lexical words in academic prose are nouns (p. 65). Plural nouns are used 3-4 times more in academic prose than conversation (p. 291). Nominalization is much more common in academic prose than other registers, especially â€"tion and -ity (p. 322). Adjectives Adjectives are least common in conversation and most common in academic prose, The comparative form is used three times more often in academic prose than in conversation. Conversely, superlatives are more common in conversation than in academic prose (p. 65). Pronouns Conversation is marked by a high frequency of pronouns and a low frequency of nouns (p. 1042). The words everybody, everyone, everything, somebody, anybody, anyone, anything, and nobody are common in conversation but rare in academic writing. Conversation uses pronouns in anaphoric expressions (to refer to an already established idea), whereas academic writing uses definite noun phrases in anaphoric expressions (p. 266). Preposition+which relativizers are only common in academic prose (p. 625). Determiners The determiner that is 11 times more common in conversation than in academic writing, where it is relatively rare. This, used as a determiner, is more common in academic writing than in conversation, occurring 2500 versus 1500 times. The big exception is with the phrase this one which occurs 3000 times in the conversation corpus and not at all in the academic written corpus. Verbs Conversation has shorter clauses, and so verbs and adverbs are much more frequent in conversation and fiction (because it contains quoted speech) and much less frequent in academic prose (p. 65). Certain verbs are particularly common in conversation and particularly rare in academic prose: try, buy, put, pay, bring, meet, play, run, eat, watch, pick, wear. Negation is most common in conversation and least common in academic prose (p. 159). Only in conversation is the progressive used to emphasize the reported message itself as in, “She was saying…” (p. 1120). Across all registers, 85% of verbs are tensed, while 15% of verbs are modal constructions (p. 456). Modals are most common in conversation and are about half as common in academic prose (p. 456). The progressive aspect is more common in conversation than in academic prose. The present perfect is about 30% more common in conversation than in academic prose (p. 461). Have/has got is the most common present perfect verb in an y register, occurring over 1000 times per million words in conversation, but less than 20 times per million words in academic prose (p. 465) Coordinators “But” is more frequent in conversation and fiction, and less frequent in academic prose. “And” is more frequent in academic and fiction than conversation and news. In conversation, “and” is used as a clause level connector. In academic prose, and is used as a phrase level connector (p. 81) . Contractions Verbs and not are contracted most frequently in conversation and fiction. Verbs are contracted less than 2.5% of the time in academic prose, and not is contracted 5% or less. (p. 1132) Adverbials The word since is used to introduce a reason in academic prose 95% of the time, but it is used to indicated a point in in time in all other registers (p. 848). The word while is used for concession in 80% of occurrences in academic prose, but it is used for time references 100% of occurrences in conversation (p. 849). The word though is used primarily as a linking adverbial in conversation but as a subordinator in written registers (p. 850). Clauses Expressions like see if, wonder if, know if and ask if are common in conversation and rare in academic prose. Know whether is 8 times more common in conversation than in academic writing. Determine whether, the most common post predicate wh-clause in academic prose, occurs 20 times in academic writing and not at all in conversation (p. 692-693). References Biber, D., S. Johansson, G. Leech, S. Conrad and E. Finegan (1999), Longman grammar of spoken and written English. Harlow: Pearson Education. Please follow and like us:

Navigating the College Admissions Process

Navigating the College Admissions Process Improving Academic Performance One of the things I learned when applying to both undergraduate and graduate programs is that it’s not enough to simply strive for good grades and a good test score. Sure, the entire college application process is very competitive, so you should aim for the best possible grades and highest possible tests scores, not just something that’s above average. But, that’s not what I mean exactly. What I mean is that each school has a different approach to admissions and different criteria against which you’ll be judged. Each school is looking for a different “story” that aligns with their culture and admissions standards. For example, my college application had a well-rounded list of activities, three varsity sports, AP and Honors classes, a good GPA and a very good ACT score. However, I was only admitted to two of the five large, but highly selective, state schools to which I applied. What happened? Well, it turns out that large state schools tend to have a very simple sliding scale of GPA vs. test score they use to grant admission. My GPA, while above average, was pretty low for the schools to which I applied. For a highly selective state school to admit me, I would have needed an extremely high ACT or SAT score. While these schools do require application essays, etc. â€" they tend to place less weight on those. However, I learned later that many highly selective smaller private schools don’t have quite the same process, and my overall application may have better suited those schools. At these schools, your essays are ready very carefully, and more weight might be placed on the extracurricular activities you engaged in during high school. The lesson is that it’s important to begin thinking about where you want to go to school early, and then structure your high school experience so that it aligns with what those schools look for. In addition, when it comes to writing essays, it’s important to communicate your personal “story” effectively based on the culture of the school to which you’re applying. While MyGuru chooses to focus on 1-1 tutoring, we do partner with companies that can help you think through these issues and write excellent essays. One such company is called Accepted.com If you check out their web-site and think you might want to work with them or purchase one of their e-books on the college application process, let us know. They’ve agreed to offer MyGuru students exclusive discounts and benefits. To review other products, partners, and solutions we are currently working with, visit ourtools and resources page.

The 5 Best Online Language Labs for an Explosive Learning Experience

The 5 Best Online Language Labs for an Explosive Learning Experience The 5 Best Online Language Labs for an Explosive Learning Experience Nerdy guys in lab coats.White mice in cages.Colored liquids in test tubes and beakers.These images may come to mind when we talk about a “laboratory.”But you’ll never find any of these inside a language  laboratory. No microscopes, no Bunsen burners and no graduated cylinders. They’re not exactly cooking up a new, strange language in there, like a multilingual Dr. Frankenstein working on some linguistic monster.So what then is a language lab, and what sort of ungodly experiments take place inside? Read on and find out. What Is a Laboratory for Language?Okay, let go of that  idea of scientists working with test tubes and beakers for a minute.A language laboratory is a facilityâ€"usually a room in a universityâ€"where students use technology  to learn a new language. Its said that the language lab was made possible by Thomas Edison’s invention of the phonograph in 1877, which allowed the recording and reproduction of sounds. The University of Grenoble’s language learning facility, established in 1908, is considered one of the very first.The language lab has always reflected the technology and the thinking of its time. So, in the 1960’s, when analog cassette tapes were all the rage, students donned bulky headsets and countlessly replayed recordings of native speakers pronouncing words, phrases, sentences and even entire dialogues.This Audio-lingual Method was the preferred wisdom at that time. It postulated that language can be learned in specific discrete units and, in order to master a language, one has to do countless, repetitive oral drills. And so the language lab became a hub for those familiar “Listen  and  Repeat” schemes.  If you didn’t know any better, stepping into one would feel like entering a cubicle farm or a dated call center floor.The conventional language labs heyday lasted from the 1960s up until the early 1970s, with 5000 labs in existence just in the United States alone.But when the Audio-lingual Method began to fall out of favor in the late 70s, as Chomsky and others began questioning its underlying principles, the perceived importance of language labs also took a hit.The Language Lab Renaissance would come in the 1980s. With the increasing popularity of the computer, new possibilities were made available to language students. The computer was more versatile as a language learning tool and soon, video and software added more layers of learning experience.The development of the World Wide Web really skyrocketed things and the explosion of apps, interactive programs and digitalized material meant that information was not only democratized, it was practically made limitless.The language lab has truly come a long way from the cassette tapes of old.The Language Labs of TodayLet me ask you a question.What gadget are you using to read this post?Is it a tablet? A mobile phone? A computer?Don’t look now, because what you’re holding or what you carry around in your pocket is a veritable language laborato ry. In fact, its just as powerful, if not more powerful, than what universities had in their air conditioned facilities a decade ago.So if you think your phone is only good for posting pictures to Instagram or telling people what you had for lunch, then you’re really not tapping into some tremendous potential right in front of you.Today’s tablets and smartphones are slowly blurring our definition of a language  lab as just one room in a university or school. Instead of walking into a language laboratory, students are taking the whole lab with them wherever they go. This virtual version of the language lab room has not only increased in power, with capabilities not even dreamed a generation ago, it has decreased in size so much that you can even tuck it under your pillow.Not to mention, this language lab room has become even more social, because students are having real-time chats and discussions in the virtual world, as opposed to sitting isolated with a giant headset on.So what does it mean to “build” your own language lab?It means downloading the right apps to help you create a space for learning. Although our original definition of a language lab as a “room” has changed, the part where it says that you should  use technology to learn a new language has not.The 5 Best Online Language Labs for an Explosive Learning ExperienceBabbelLet’s start with the 2013 winner of Microsoft’s “Innovate 4 Society Award,” Babbel.The app will take you through a whirlwind of interactive courses that can teach you grammar and vocabulary through interactive games, tongue twisters, dialogues, songs and sayings. Individual lessons can be completed in 15 minutes. It’s an app that helps build basic conversational skills with its pronunciation  section, where you get to record your voice and compare it with that of a native speaker. There are also listening exercises where a dialogue is set up and you supply the missing words.Babbel  is perfect for beginners who wanted to dive into their target language, as well as  intermediate learners who need scaffolding and support for past learning.FluentUFluentU  is simply quite peerless when it comes to providing authentic language learning videos.Housing the web’s largest collection of language learning video clips, FluentU’s app is a vital resource that reverses the whole immersion process. Instead of you going to the country where they speak the language, the app brings the language to you. You can literally stay in your room, in your favorite pajamas and learn from two French native speakers as if you’re sitting at a café in Paris.Authentic video clips like interviews, newscasts and concerts come with interactive transcripts that allow an in-depth study of the specific concept or topic you’re interested in, as you can see here:FluentU App Browse Screen.FluentU has interactive captions that let you tap on any word to see an image, definition, audio and useful examples. Now native languag e content is within reach with interactive transcripts.Didnt catch something? Go back and listen again. Missed a word? Hover your mouse over the subtitles to instantly view definitions.Interactive transcript for Carlos Baute song.You can learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentUs learn mode. Swipe left or right to see  more examples for the word you’re learning.FluentU Has Quizzes for Every VideoAnd FluentU always keeps track of vocabulary that you’re learning. It uses that vocab to give you a 100% personalized experience by recommending videos and examples.Download the FluentU mobile app  on the  iTunes  or  Google Play  store or use the website on your computer or tablet  and try FluentU for free for 15 days.MemriseMemrise is all about learning through play.Up for gaining more stars, badges and points? This “gameified” language learning app will get you hooked as you try to get your name on the leaderboard. The more you use the app, the more points you get.A vocab ulary  lesson, for example, would give you a variety of tasks and tests that will ultimately embed the words into your long-term memory. It would feel like you’re simply enjoying a series of game tasks, but lo and behold, you’re already learning Russian.Forty-four (44) words per hourâ€"thats the Memrise call-to-arms. Its designer, Ed Cooke, is himself a memory and learning dynamo. He has gathered in one place all the best scientific research and memory-enhancing techniques that makes learning a new language as intuitive and fun as possible.What you have with Memrise  are rich, engaging media resources (audio, video, animations) and multiple game modes (Visual Learning, Review Strengthen, Rapid Recall) that target different linguistic skills. All these are geared to not only boost learning, but more importantly, to ensure that you never forget what has been learned.DuolingoDuolingo  green owl watches over 70 million learners (Bill Gates included) who have used their online porta l and app to learn a new language.So, how does Duolingo  teach you new words? Well, you’ll be drilled, over and over until your phone’s battery runs out. For example, lets say they want to teach you the word, el niño  (the boy). You’ll probably be given multiple choice at first, so all you do is pick the correct answer.Then they’ll switch it up and ask you to  choose the correct English  translation  for the Spanish word. Then they’ll give you fill-in-the-blanks tasks. Next, you’ll probably hear the phrase being spoken, and you’ll have to type the words into a box. All this time, a cute picture of a boy will be accompanying the phrase so youve got something to go by.But this is no cookie-cutter tool. Not everybody gets the same series of tasks because it will all depend on how you perform. Duolingo’s algorithm rates your progress and determines how to serve you best.This app is perfect for the absolute beginner whos intent on learning a language on the go, or while waiting for his latte at Starbucks.SkypeYou may very well ask, “How  does Skype have anything to do with learning a new language?”Quite a lot actually. And if you’re going to be building a well-rounded language lab, Skype should be on your list.Think about it. Skype gives you the opportunity to talk to anyone in the world. This means you can cut through the geographical distance and get connected to specific people who can do a lot of good for your language learning cause.Do the terms “native speakers” and “language exchange partners” ring any bells? Well, Skype  is a way of getting in touch with these people.“Language exchange partners” belong to  a special group of native speakers who are also interested in learning your first language. So maybe you’re an English speaker trying to learn Japanese. You should strive to find a native Japanese speaker who’s interested in learning English, so you can trade the  language skills you have for the ones he or she has. This way, teaching and learning goes both ways. You teach each other your languages and may become lifelong friends in the process.Impossible? I think not.Here’s a post  that teaches you how to find these wonderful people and how to get the most out of your Skype.As we end this post, let me remind you of what you have in your handsâ€"it’s not just a phone, it’s not just a tablet.It’s a veritable language lab that learners of yore could  only dream of.You have in your hands the power to learn a new language in a whole new way. I encourage you to use it.Download the five  apps presented here, take them for a spin and then invest time in them. Soon enough, you’ll be amazed at what technology can do for you.You’ll never look at your smartphone the same way again.

Aspiring Gold Medalists Motivation Keeps Him on Top of His Game

Aspiring Gold Medalists Motivation Keeps Him on Top of His Game Aspiring Gold Medalists Motivation Keeps Him on Top of His Game Aidan, 12-years-old, Math Level J, Reading Level K 12-year-old Aidan has his sights set on winning. As a competitive swimmer, he dedicates several hours of his day, six nights a week, to practice with his top-tier swim team. The dedication isn’t just in the poolâ€"Aidan is also a member of the National Junior Honors Society, takes several Pre-AP courses, and maintains a spot on his school’s honor roll.   Aidan’s motivation to be the best that he can be in all areas is something that he was able to focus on in Kumon. He first enrolled in the Kumon Math and Reading Program three short years ago. He has since completed the entire reading program, which ends in analyzing Shakespeare, and is currently studying high school level mathâ€"all before even entering high school!   Aidan’s advancement through Kumon has made it possible for him to complete his homework in a snap, thus leaving extra time to continue training to be a professional swimmer. “No matter the challenge, whether it be big or small, long or short, hard or easy â€" I will always give it my best shot,” said Aidan. “The most beneficial quality I have learned through Kumon is devotion, because no matter how tough a question or challenge might be, I know I will make it through.” When we asked Aidan who his role model was, he responded that it was five-time Olympic gold medalist, Katie Ledecky. However, he doesn’t just idolize her for her athletic careerâ€"Aidan admires her academic drive and the fact that she attends college at the prestigious Stanford University.  In addition to aspiring to make swimming a career, Aidan also has interest in becoming an inventorâ€"and with his motivation and dedication both in and outside of the classroom, that goal is well within reach. It’s not surprising that Aidan was one of 56 students chosen from across North America to attend Kumon’s 3rd Annual Student Conference. He traveled with his family to Chicago, Illinois to connect with like-minded Kumon Students that aspire to be the best they can be. We had a chance to chat with him and learn more about his aspirations and Kumon story. What do you enjoy most about Kumon? I enjoy learning new things by myself without the help of others, because it makes me feel good about myself that I learned to solve a new problem all on my own. How has Kumon helped you outside of the classroom? Kumon has helped me beyond academics and outside the classroom by teaching me to stay consistent in my work and manage my time better. Because of this, I now have more time to participate in the hobbies that I am passionate about, like hanging out with my friends and having swim practice every night for two hours. What keeps you motivated? Aidan shakes hands with Kumon North America president Mino Tanabe When the material gets extra challenging and my life gets busier, I stay motivated to keep up with my Kumon education when I think of my ability, and where I used to be compared to where I am now. I went from an average student to being at the top of my class. What achievements are you most proud of? I am most proud of completing Kumon’s Reading Program in just three years, and being able to compete in Zones, which is swim meet that only the best in Colorado go to. What was your experience like at the Student Conference, and what was your favorite part? My experience at the Student Conference was amazing and a lot of fun! One of my favorite moments was when we got to meet the other older Kumon students who have completed the program and learn how they completed Kumon. Discover even more student success stories. You might also be interested in: Motivation is the Key to this Kumon Student’s Success This Aspiring Astronomer is Shooting for the Stars Hard Work and Discipline Help this Problem Solver Go for the Gold Finding the Motivation to Persevere and Succeed Aspiring Gold Medalists Motivation Keeps Him on Top of His Game Aspiring Gold Medalists Motivation Keeps Him on Top of His Game Aidan, 12-years-old, Math Level J, Reading Level K 12-year-old Aidan has his sights set on winning. As a competitive swimmer, he dedicates several hours of his day, six nights a week, to practice with his top-tier swim team. The dedication isn’t just in the poolâ€"Aidan is also a member of the National Junior Honors Society, takes several Pre-AP courses, and maintains a spot on his school’s honor roll.   Aidan’s motivation to be the best that he can be in all areas is something that he was able to focus on in Kumon. He first enrolled in the Kumon Math and Reading Program three short years ago. He has since completed the entire reading program, which ends in analyzing Shakespeare, and is currently studying high school level mathâ€"all before even entering high school!   Aidan’s advancement through Kumon has made it possible for him to complete his homework in a snap, thus leaving extra time to continue training to be a professional swimmer. “No matter the challenge, whether it be big or small, long or short, hard or easy â€" I will always give it my best shot,” said Aidan. “The most beneficial quality I have learned through Kumon is devotion, because no matter how tough a question or challenge might be, I know I will make it through.” When we asked Aidan who his role model was, he responded that it was five-time Olympic gold medalist, Katie Ledecky. However, he doesn’t just idolize her for her athletic careerâ€"Aidan admires her academic drive and the fact that she attends college at the prestigious Stanford University.  In addition to aspiring to make swimming a career, Aidan also has interest in becoming an inventorâ€"and with his motivation and dedication both in and outside of the classroom, that goal is well within reach. It’s not surprising that Aidan was one of 56 students chosen from across North America to attend Kumon’s 3rd Annual Student Conference. He traveled with his family to Chicago, Illinois to connect with like-minded Kumon Students that aspire to be the best they can be. We had a chance to chat with him and learn more about his aspirations and Kumon story. What do you enjoy most about Kumon? I enjoy learning new things by myself without the help of others, because it makes me feel good about myself that I learned to solve a new problem all on my own. How has Kumon helped you outside of the classroom? Kumon has helped me beyond academics and outside the classroom by teaching me to stay consistent in my work and manage my time better. Because of this, I now have more time to participate in the hobbies that I am passionate about, like hanging out with my friends and having swim practice every night for two hours. What keeps you motivated? Aidan shakes hands with Kumon North America president Mino Tanabe When the material gets extra challenging and my life gets busier, I stay motivated to keep up with my Kumon education when I think of my ability, and where I used to be compared to where I am now. I went from an average student to being at the top of my class. What achievements are you most proud of? I am most proud of completing Kumon’s Reading Program in just three years, and being able to compete in Zones, which is swim meet that only the best in Colorado go to. What was your experience like at the Student Conference, and what was your favorite part? My experience at the Student Conference was amazing and a lot of fun! One of my favorite moments was when we got to meet the other older Kumon students who have completed the program and learn how they completed Kumon. Discover even more student success stories. You might also be interested in: Motivation is the Key to this Kumon Student’s Success This Aspiring Astronomer is Shooting for the Stars Hard Work and Discipline Help this Problem Solver Go for the Gold Finding the Motivation to Persevere and Succeed

ACT Test Dates 2017-2018 (Plus a BONUS!)

ACT Test Dates 2017-2018 (Plus a BONUS!) Looking for  ACT  test  dates  for the 2017-2018 school year? Check out our complete schedule with registration deadlines. 2017-2018 ACT Test Dates: Plus a bonus free official ACT Practice Test and answer key.  Prepare for the ACT online by taking this free sample practice test. Whats inside: -full-length practice tests, including a writing test -information about the optional writing test -strategies to prepare for the tests -what to expect on test day Click  to find more available  official ACT practice tests  for  free. If  you need  a  tutor  here is a list of the best  ACT prep tutors.  Our  ACT prep tutors  are trained to approach each students individual needs, providing a customized tutoring program that is tailored to yield the best results!