How It Should Be Used in Crystal Structure For Drugs

How It Should Be Used in Crystal Structure For DrugsThe crystallization definition defines a lot of things. It has two components - crystallization definition for drugs. Many other definitions exist but the crystallization definition for drugs is the most common one.The crystallization definition tells how it should be used. For example, when it is used in pharmaceutical studies or for drug development. One can find many examples of this in any research papers. The second component is when it is used to define the crystallization types of substances.One thing that the crystallization definition for drugs can tell us is what it means to have a crystal structure and how it comes about. In other words, how did these molecules get crystallized in the first place? So, it helps to know exactly what it means to have a crystal structure. That way we can determine the exact processes that have to be followed in order to find a crystal structure of any substance.The crystal structure has three parts: the molecular number, the orbitals of the molecule, and the bonding configuration of the molecule. Let's see how these relate to crystallization definition for drugs.The molecular number defines the size of the molecule and is one of the parameters that needs to be considered when analyzing the crystal structure. The next step in crystallization definition for drugs is to identify the order of the atoms in the molecular structure. This is done by considering the density or the spacing between the atoms.The next parameter is the atomic number, which is the number of protons and neutrons in the molecular structure. Lastly, we have the bond size, which is the distance between the two atoms. These are the parameters that are involved in crystal structure of a substance.In the case of crystallization definition for drugs, the bond size and atomic number are the important ones. We also need to know the molecular number, which is the measure of the number of atoms in the crystal st ructure. Since, the number of atoms may differ between crystals, it will be necessary to use the calculation formula to determine the molecular number. The remaining parameters are also important to know.

The 7 Basic Principles of Critical Reasoning - Private Tutoring

The 7 Basic Principles of Critical Reasoning BobbiM Jan 29, 2014 The 7 Basic Principles Of Critical Reasoning Here are the basic things that you need to succeed of CR questions:  1. Understand the structure of an argument. First, you must know how arguments are structures, so that you can know how to break them down into their core components. When we use the word argument, we dont mean a conversation where 2 people are shouting at each other. An argument in Critical Reasoning means any piece of text where an author puts forth a set of ideas and/or a point of view, and attempts to support it. Every GMAT argument is made up of two basic parts: • The conclusion (the point that the author is trying to make) • The evidence (the support that the author offers for the conclusion) Success on this section hinges on your ability to identify these parts of the argument. There is no general rule about where conclusion and evidence appear in the argument-the conclusion could be the first sentence, followed by the evidence, or it could be the last sentence, with the evidence preceding it. Consider the stimulus (in other words, a passage):  The Brookdale Public Library will require extensive physical rehabilitation to meet the new building codes passed by the town council. For one thing, the electrical system is in adequate, causing the lights to flicker sporadically. Furthermore, there are too few emergency exits, and even those are poorly marked and sometimes locker.  Suppose that the author of this argument was allowed only one sentence to convey her meaning. Do you think she would waste her time with the following statement? Would she walk away satisfied that her main point was communicated? The electrical system [at the Brookdale Public Library] is inadequate, causing the lights to flicker sporadically. Probably not. Given a single opportunity, she would have to state the first sentence to convey her real purpose:  The Brookdale Public Library will require extensive physical rehabilitation. That is the conclusion. If you pressed the author to state her reasons for making that statement, she would then cite the electrical and structural problems with the building. That is the evidence for her conclusion. But does that mean that an evidence statement like, The electrical system in inadequate cant be a conclusion? No, were just saying its not the conclusion for this particular argument. Every idea, every new statement, must be evaluated in the context of the stimulus in which it appears. For the statement above to serve as the conclusion, the stimulus would be: The electrical wiring at the Brookdale Public Library was installed over 40 years ago, and appears to be corroded in some places (evidence). An electrician, upon inspection of the system, found a few frayed wires as well as some blown fuses (evidence). Clearly, the electrical system at the Brookdale Public Library is inadequate (conclusion).  To succeed in Critical Reasoning, you have to be able to determine the precise function of every sentence in the stimulus. Use structural signals when attempting to isolate evidence and conclusion. Key words in the stimulus-such as because, for, since- usually indicate that evidence is about to follow, whereas therefore, hence, thus, and consequently usually signal a conclusion.  2. Preview the question. Before you read the stimulus, look over the question. This will give you some idea about what you need to look for as you read. It gives you a jump on the question. Suppose the question with the library argument above ask the following: The author supports her point about the need for rehabilitation at the Brookdale library by citing which of the following? If you were to preview this question stem before you read the stimulus, you would know what to look for in advance-namely, evidence, the support provided for the conclusion. Or if the question stem asked you to find an assumption on which the author is relying, you would know in advance that a crucial piece of the argument was missing, and you could think about that right off the bat. Previewing the stem allows you to set the tone of your attack, and thus saves you time in the long run. As youll soon see, this technique will come in especially handy when we discuss methods for the various question types.  3. Paraphrase the authors point. After you read the stimulus, paraphrase the authors main argument to yourself. That is, restate the authors ideas in your own words. Frequently, the authors in Critical Reasoning say pretty simple things in complex ways. So if you mentally translate the verbiage into a simpler form, the whole thing should be more manageable. In the library argument, for instance, you probably dont want to deal with the full complexity of the authors stated conclusion:  The Brookdale Public Library will require extensive physical rehabilitation to meet the new building codes just passed by the town council. Instead, you probably want to paraphrase a much simpler point: The library will need fixing-up to meet new codes. Often, by the time you begin reading through the answer choices you run the risk of losing sight of the gist of the stimulus. So restating the argument in your own words will not only help you get the authors point in the first place, it will also help you hold on ot it until youve found the correct answer. 4. Judge the arguments persuasiveness. You must read actively, not passively, like you might on the GMAT. Active readers are always thinking critically, forming reactions as they go along. They question whether the authors argument seems valid or dubious. Especially when you are asked to find flaws in the authors reasoning, its imperative to read with a critical eye. How persuasive is the argument about the library, lets ask? Well, its pretty strong, because the evidence certainly seems to indicate that certain aspects of the librarys structure need repair. But without more evidence about what the new building codes are like, we cant say for sure that the conclusion of this argument is valid. So this is a strong argument but not an airtight one. Since part of what youre called on to do here is to evaluate arguments, dont let yourself fall into the bad habits of the passive reader-reading solely for the purpose of getting through the stimulus. Those who read this way invariably find themselves having to read the stimuli twice or even three times. Then theyre caught short on time. Read the stimuli right the first time-with a critical eye and an active mind. 5. Answer the question being asked. One of the most disheartening experiences in Critical Reasoning is to understand the authors argument full but then supply an answer to a question that wasnt asked. If youre asked for an inference supported by the argument, selecting the choice that paraphrases the authors conclusion will earn you no points. Neither will selecting a choice that looks vaguely like a summary of the authors evidence if youre asked for an assumption. The classic example of this error occurs on Strengthen/Weaken questions. When youre asked to strengthen or weaken an argument, you can be sure that there will be one, tow, even three answer choices that do the opposite of whats asked. Choosing such a wrong choice is less a matter of failing to understand the argument than of failing to remember the task at hand. The question stem will always ask for something very specific. Its your job to follow the test makes line of reasoning to the credited response. Also, be on the lookout for reversers, words such as not and except. These little words are easy to miss, but they change entirely the kind of statement youre looking for among the choices.  6. Try to prephrase an answer. This principle, which is really an extension of the last one, is crucial. You must try to approach the answer choices with at least a faint idea of what the answer should look like. That is, prephrase the answer in your own mind before looking at the choices. This isnt to say you should ponder the question for minutes-its still a multiple-choice test, so the right answer is on the screen. Just get in the habit of framing an answer in your head. Once you have prephrased, scan the choices. Sure, the correct choice on the exam will be worded differently and will be more fleshed out than your vague idea. But if it matches your thought, youll know it in a second. And youll find that theres no more satisfying feeling in Critical Reasoning than prephrasing correctly, and then finding the correct answer quickly and confidently. Continuing with the library situation, suppose you were asked: The authors argument depends on which of the following assumptions about the new building codes? Having thought about the stimulus argument, you might immediately come up with an answer-here that the argument is based on the assumption that the new codes apply to existing buildings as well as to new buildings under construction. After all, the library will have to be rehabilitated to meet the new codes, according to the author. Clearly, the assumption is that the codes apply to existing buildings. And thats the kind of statement you would look for among the choices. Dont be discouraged if you cant always prephrase an answer. Some questions just wont have an answer that jumps out at you. But if used correctly, prephrasing works on many questions. It will really boost your confidence and increase your speed on the section when you can come up with a glimmer of what the right answer should look like, and then have it jump right off the page at you. 7. Keep the scope of the argument in mind. When youre at the point of selecting one of the answer choices, focus on the scope of the argument. Most of the wrong choices on the section are wrong because they are outside the scope. In other words, the wrong answer choices contain elements that dont match the authors ideas or that go beyond the context of the stimulus. Some answer choices are too narrow, too broad, or have nothing to do with the authors points. Others are too extreme to match the arguments scope-theyre usually signaled by such words as all, always, never, none, and so on. For arguments that are moderate in tone, correct answers are more qualified and contain such words as usually, sometimes, probably. To illustrate the scope principle, lets look again at the question mentioned above: The authors argument depends on which of the following assumptions about the new building codes? Lets say one of the choices read as follows: The new building codes are far too stringent. Knowing the scope of the argument would help you to eliminate this choice very quickly. You know that this argument is just a claim about what the new codes will require: that the library be rehabilitated. Its not an argument about whether the requirements of the new codes are good, are justifiable, ore ridiculously strict. That kind of value judgment is outside the scope of this argument. Recognizing scope problems is a great way to eliminate dozens of wrong answers quickly.

Staff Spotlight Mike Parman - Heart Math Tutoring

Staff Spotlight Mike Parman - Heart Math Tutoring Staff Spotlight: Mike Parman Staff Spotlight: Mike Parman February 20, 2017 Mike, a native of Nashville, Tennessee, graduated from the University of Tennessee with a B.S. in Secondary Education. He then received certification in Elementary teaching, School Counseling and Supervision, and a M.A. in Administration and Supervision. He has worked for over thirty-five years in public education as a teacher and elementary school principal. After retiring to Charlotte to be near family, Mike joined Heart in 2015 as a tutor.Mike believes that all students can learn when they are exposed to relevant, hands-on activities in a secure and caring atmosphere. Mike’s wife Deborah is also a tutor and together they love spending time with their two wonderful grandchildren. Mike is currently the Program Coordinator at Greenway Park Elementary. Here are Mikes answers to our Spotlight questions: Who was your best teacher and why? My third grade teacher Mrs. Hearn. She believed in me and taught me how to love reading. What is yourfavorite quote? My favorite quote is from Bonnie L. Mohrs Living Life. Recognize the special people youve been blessed to know. Live for today, enjoy the moment.' Whats an interesting fact about yourself? After teaching 8th grade math all day, l left the school for my second job, working as a custodian in a school in the same community. (We had three children under the age of 5). Two years later, I became the principal of that school.

Focus And Confidence Help This Young Musician Achieve His Goals

Focus And Confidence Help This Young Musician Achieve His Goals Focus And Confidence Help This Young Musician Achieve His Goals Isaac, 11-years-old, Math Level I 11-year-old Isaac is studying above his peers, as he’s currently working on algebra concepts like quadratic equations and the Pythagorean Theorem in the Kumon Math Program. Isaac began his Kumon journey six years ago when he was just five years old. Along the way, he has improved his focus and gained confidence, which has helped him overcome any challenge that is thrown his way. Isaac continues to strive for excellence both in-and-out of the classroom, which is a strong testament to his many accomplishments. As a budding musician, Isaac has applied the discipline and focus he developed in Kumon when he’s performing on the saxophone and piano. “Kumon has helped me beyond academics when it comes to music,” said Isaac. “For example, I play the saxophone and piano. I see many elements of math related to rhythms and beats in music. Knowing that has helped me improve as a musician. Kumon teaches me to be more focused, disciplined, organized, and to have better study skills. Kumon helps me to persevere and to always try my best no matter what.” Isaac’s practice and focus on the piano has paid off, as he was presented the “Outstanding Award” in piano by the New York State School Music Association in 2014-16. The NYSSMA ®â€™s mission is to enhance the music education programs in all of New York State. Top performing students from across the state are carefully selected by their music educator and go on to the audition process. Musicians are critically evaluated on performance elements such as sight-reading and technique. When he’s not performing, Isaac can be found on the soccer field and the basketball court. Not only does he enjoy playing sports, he also loves being a spectator. Isaac is a dedicated sports fan of the New York Rangers and New York Mets. He has found that his increase in focus has helped him become a stronger athlete as well. “Not only has Kumon helped me in school and with music, it has also helped me with sports,” said Isaac. “For example, in school I receive good grades and it motivates me to do well on projects and tests. Another example is when I play soccer. I am more focused and always watching the ball. With this level of focus, I make better passes and saves â€" making me a stronger athlete.” Isaac’s hard work and discipline didn’t go unnoticed, as he was one of 55 students selected to attend the 2018 Kumon Student Conference in Calgary, Canada. We had the opportunity to speak to Isaac about his Kumon journey. How has Kumon helped you academically? Kumon has helped me stay on task with my homework and assignments at school. How has Kumon helped you outside of the classroom? Kumon has given me confidence, and now I strive to be the best I can be at everything I do. What do you enjoy most about Kumon? I really enjoy learning new concepts and being able to finish each level. What keeps you motivated in Kumon? When I overcome problems in Kumon, it pushes me to keep going and to not give up. I continue to work towards getting to the next level, putting me closer to completing the Kumon Math Program. If you could sum up your Kumon experience in one word, what would it be? Encouraging. What’s the most beneficial thing you’ve learned from Kumon so far? The most beneficial thing I’ve learned in Kumon has been how to concentrate and stay focused in everything I do. It has also taught me to try and solve problems independently. What did it mean to you attending the Student Conference? I was so excited when I found out I was selected to attend the Student Conference! I must say, that this has been one of my greatest achievements so far. The conference was an awesome experience. I met so many students and speakers. The forums I attended were so much fun! What advice do you have for other Kumon Students? Don’t get frustrated! With more practice, hard work, and confidence â€" you can overcome anything! Discover even more student success stories. You might also be interested in: Accomplished Pianist Applies Focus and Discipline in Her Everyday Routine This Young Artist Gained Her Confidence With Kumon Increased Confidence has Inspired this Young Girl to Take on any Challenge Determination And The Will To Never Give Up Has Helped This Guitar Player Achieve Greatness Focus And Confidence Help This Young Musician Achieve His Goals Focus And Confidence Help This Young Musician Achieve His Goals Isaac, 11-years-old, Math Level I 11-year-old Isaac is studying above his peers, as he’s currently working on algebra concepts like quadratic equations and the Pythagorean Theorem in the Kumon Math Program. Isaac began his Kumon journey six years ago when he was just five years old. Along the way, he has improved his focus and gained confidence, which has helped him overcome any challenge that is thrown his way. Isaac continues to strive for excellence both in-and-out of the classroom, which is a strong testament to his many accomplishments. As a budding musician, Isaac has applied the discipline and focus he developed in Kumon when he’s performing on the saxophone and piano. “Kumon has helped me beyond academics when it comes to music,” said Isaac. “For example, I play the saxophone and piano. I see many elements of math related to rhythms and beats in music. Knowing that has helped me improve as a musician. Kumon teaches me to be more focused, disciplined, organized, and to have better study skills. Kumon helps me to persevere and to always try my best no matter what.” Isaac’s practice and focus on the piano has paid off, as he was presented the “Outstanding Award” in piano by the New York State School Music Association in 2014-16. The NYSSMA ®â€™s mission is to enhance the music education programs in all of New York State. Top performing students from across the state are carefully selected by their music educator and go on to the audition process. Musicians are critically evaluated on performance elements such as sight-reading and technique. When he’s not performing, Isaac can be found on the soccer field and the basketball court. Not only does he enjoy playing sports, he also loves being a spectator. Isaac is a dedicated sports fan of the New York Rangers and New York Mets. He has found that his increase in focus has helped him become a stronger athlete as well. “Not only has Kumon helped me in school and with music, it has also helped me with sports,” said Isaac. “For example, in school I receive good grades and it motivates me to do well on projects and tests. Another example is when I play soccer. I am more focused and always watching the ball. With this level of focus, I make better passes and saves â€" making me a stronger athlete.” Isaac’s hard work and discipline didn’t go unnoticed, as he was one of 55 students selected to attend the 2018 Kumon Student Conference in Calgary, Canada. We had the opportunity to speak to Isaac about his Kumon journey. How has Kumon helped you academically? Kumon has helped me stay on task with my homework and assignments at school. How has Kumon helped you outside of the classroom? Kumon has given me confidence, and now I strive to be the best I can be at everything I do. What do you enjoy most about Kumon? I really enjoy learning new concepts and being able to finish each level. What keeps you motivated in Kumon? When I overcome problems in Kumon, it pushes me to keep going and to not give up. I continue to work towards getting to the next level, putting me closer to completing the Kumon Math Program. If you could sum up your Kumon experience in one word, what would it be? Encouraging. What’s the most beneficial thing you’ve learned from Kumon so far? The most beneficial thing I’ve learned in Kumon has been how to concentrate and stay focused in everything I do. It has also taught me to try and solve problems independently. What did it mean to you attending the Student Conference? I was so excited when I found out I was selected to attend the Student Conference! I must say, that this has been one of my greatest achievements so far. The conference was an awesome experience. I met so many students and speakers. The forums I attended were so much fun! What advice do you have for other Kumon Students? Don’t get frustrated! With more practice, hard work, and confidence â€" you can overcome anything! Discover even more student success stories. You might also be interested in: Accomplished Pianist Applies Focus and Discipline in Her Everyday Routine This Young Artist Gained Her Confidence With Kumon Increased Confidence has Inspired this Young Girl to Take on any Challenge Determination And The Will To Never Give Up Has Helped This Guitar Player Achieve Greatness

2014 New Years Language Challenge has Started!

2014 New Years Language Challenge has Started! Ready! Set! Go! The italki 2014 New Years Language Challenge has now officially started! Review the rules here. Today marks the beginning of italkis biggest and baddest Language Challenge yet!    All in all weve got hundreds of Challengers learning more than 30+ languages on italki!   We have representation from Challengers from all over the world, including the following countries: Angola Argentina Australia Austria Barbados Belgium Brazil Canada Chile China Czech Republic France Germany Indonesia Ireland Israel Italy Japan Korea Lebanon Mexico Netherlands New Zealand Norway Peru Poland Romania Russia Rwanda Saudi Arabia Singapore South Africa Spain Sweden Switzerland Thailand Turkey Ukraine United States United Arab Emirates United Kingdom Vietnam As you start the challenge we wanted to share some tips to make sure you finish the Challenge.  A great post about what to expect in a Language Challenge can be found here from our friend Lingoholic who pointed out some lessons learned from the Add1Challenge.  The original blog post is a great read and below is a quick summary of it: 1. Realize you will experience Ups and Downs! We get all fired up when we first start to learn a new language. Then life gets in the way, excitement fades, all of a sudden we don’t have any more time, we beat ourselves up for not being excited anymore, and then we stop learning.  The secret to overcome the ups and downs of the inevitable enthusiasm (or motivation) curve is: Expect and accept the ups and downs, there is nothing wrong with it When you are at the bottom of the curve, focus on figuring out  what it will take to get excited about learning your language again. 2. Practicing with a Native Speaker Online makes the Challenge Fun and Easy Lingoholic actually did the Add1Challenge but he noted that what made learning fun were his italki sessions.  Just speaking with a native speaker online was all he needed to do and then  boom, 30 minutes or an hour is gone in the blink of an eye.  He even goes on to say, It is very affordable, it’s totally worth it and anyone can do this. Thanks for the props Lingoholic! 3. Focusing on your mini-steps one day at a time We all know that it takes a lifetime to master and be REALLY fluent in a language.  It’s like climbing a huge mountain, Mt. Fluency.  In Lingoholics case, he knew that he needed to work on was building a routine that worked for his schedule, as well as making time out of my day dedicated to language learning. His  mini goal became to take 1 hour a day and do something related to his target languages (Japanese and German), every day. Your goal might be to log on to italki every day and make sure that you have an upcoming session scheduled at least 2-3 times a week.  Or do an Instant Tutoring session once a week.  Its up to you, but make sure that you take those mini-steps to reach your goal! Follow Lexies Challenge! We know that the biggest obstacle that Challengers will face with the Language Challenge will be motivation. For that reason, our very own Marketing Manager, Lexie, will be publicly sharing her experiences and all her ups and downs on this blog to help motivate you to Complete the Challenge with her! One last note there is still time to make a Public Video Pledge and earn an extra 50ITC! Lexie and many of our Challengers already did. The whole idea is to use peer pressure (in a good way) to help our Challengers finish the Challenge .  The theory is that if you put yourself up to something by doing it in public, you follow through because others are watching.  Things that you put on the Web have a better chance of getting done!  What have you got to lose?  Make your Public Video Pledge now! 2014 New Years Language Challenge has Started! Ready! Set! Go! The italki 2014 New Years Language Challenge has now officially started! Review the rules here. Today marks the beginning of italkis biggest and baddest Language Challenge yet!    All in all weve got hundreds of Challengers learning more than 30+ languages on italki!   We have representation from Challengers from all over the world, including the following countries: Angola Argentina Australia Austria Barbados Belgium Brazil Canada Chile China Czech Republic France Germany Indonesia Ireland Israel Italy Japan Korea Lebanon Mexico Netherlands New Zealand Norway Peru Poland Romania Russia Rwanda Saudi Arabia Singapore South Africa Spain Sweden Switzerland Thailand Turkey Ukraine United States United Arab Emirates United Kingdom Vietnam As you start the challenge we wanted to share some tips to make sure you finish the Challenge.  A great post about what to expect in a Language Challenge can be found here from our friend Lingoholic who pointed out some lessons learned from the Add1Challenge.  The original blog post is a great read and below is a quick summary of it: 1. Realize you will experience Ups and Downs! We get all fired up when we first start to learn a new language. Then life gets in the way, excitement fades, all of a sudden we don’t have any more time, we beat ourselves up for not being excited anymore, and then we stop learning.  The secret to overcome the ups and downs of the inevitable enthusiasm (or motivation) curve is: Expect and accept the ups and downs, there is nothing wrong with it When you are at the bottom of the curve, focus on figuring out  what it will take to get excited about learning your language again. 2. Practicing with a Native Speaker Online makes the Challenge Fun and Easy Lingoholic actually did the Add1Challenge but he noted that what made learning fun were his italki sessions.  Just speaking with a native speaker online was all he needed to do and then  boom, 30 minutes or an hour is gone in the blink of an eye.  He even goes on to say, It is very affordable, it’s totally worth it and anyone can do this. Thanks for the props Lingoholic! 3. Focusing on your mini-steps one day at a time We all know that it takes a lifetime to master and be REALLY fluent in a language.  It’s like climbing a huge mountain, Mt. Fluency.  In Lingoholics case, he knew that he needed to work on was building a routine that worked for his schedule, as well as making time out of my day dedicated to language learning. His  mini goal became to take 1 hour a day and do something related to his target languages (Japanese and German), every day. Your goal might be to log on to italki every day and make sure that you have an upcoming session scheduled at least 2-3 times a week.  Or do an Instant Tutoring session once a week.  Its up to you, but make sure that you take those mini-steps to reach your goal! Follow Lexies Challenge! We know that the biggest obstacle that Challengers will face with the Language Challenge will be motivation. For that reason, our very own Marketing Manager, Lexie, will be publicly sharing her experiences and all her ups and downs on this blog to help motivate you to Complete the Challenge with her! One last note there is still time to make a Public Video Pledge and earn an extra 50ITC! Lexie and many of our Challengers already did. The whole idea is to use peer pressure (in a good way) to help our Challengers finish the Challenge .  The theory is that if you put yourself up to something by doing it in public, you follow through because others are watching.  Things that you put on the Web have a better chance of getting done!  What have you got to lose?  Make your Public Video Pledge now! 2014 New Years Language Challenge has Started! Ready! Set! Go! The italki 2014 New Years Language Challenge has now officially started! Review the rules here. Today marks the beginning of italkis biggest and baddest Language Challenge yet!    All in all weve got hundreds of Challengers learning more than 30+ languages on italki!   We have representation from Challengers from all over the world, including the following countries: Angola Argentina Australia Austria Barbados Belgium Brazil Canada Chile China Czech Republic France Germany Indonesia Ireland Israel Italy Japan Korea Lebanon Mexico Netherlands New Zealand Norway Peru Poland Romania Russia Rwanda Saudi Arabia Singapore South Africa Spain Sweden Switzerland Thailand Turkey Ukraine United States United Arab Emirates United Kingdom Vietnam As you start the challenge we wanted to share some tips to make sure you finish the Challenge.  A great post about what to expect in a Language Challenge can be found here from our friend Lingoholic who pointed out some lessons learned from the Add1Challenge.  The original blog post is a great read and below is a quick summary of it: 1. Realize you will experience Ups and Downs! We get all fired up when we first start to learn a new language. Then life gets in the way, excitement fades, all of a sudden we don’t have any more time, we beat ourselves up for not being excited anymore, and then we stop learning.  The secret to overcome the ups and downs of the inevitable enthusiasm (or motivation) curve is: Expect and accept the ups and downs, there is nothing wrong with it When you are at the bottom of the curve, focus on figuring out  what it will take to get excited about learning your language again. 2. Practicing with a Native Speaker Online makes the Challenge Fun and Easy Lingoholic actually did the Add1Challenge but he noted that what made learning fun were his italki sessions.  Just speaking with a native speaker online was all he needed to do and then  boom, 30 minutes or an hour is gone in the blink of an eye.  He even goes on to say, It is very affordable, it’s totally worth it and anyone can do this. Thanks for the props Lingoholic! 3. Focusing on your mini-steps one day at a time We all know that it takes a lifetime to master and be REALLY fluent in a language.  It’s like climbing a huge mountain, Mt. Fluency.  In Lingoholics case, he knew that he needed to work on was building a routine that worked for his schedule, as well as making time out of my day dedicated to language learning. His  mini goal became to take 1 hour a day and do something related to his target languages (Japanese and German), every day. Your goal might be to log on to italki every day and make sure that you have an upcoming session scheduled at least 2-3 times a week.  Or do an Instant Tutoring session once a week.  Its up to you, but make sure that you take those mini-steps to reach your goal! Follow Lexies Challenge! We know that the biggest obstacle that Challengers will face with the Language Challenge will be motivation. For that reason, our very own Marketing Manager, Lexie, will be publicly sharing her experiences and all her ups and downs on this blog to help motivate you to Complete the Challenge with her! One last note there is still time to make a Public Video Pledge and earn an extra 50ITC! Lexie and many of our Challengers already did. The whole idea is to use peer pressure (in a good way) to help our Challengers finish the Challenge .  The theory is that if you put yourself up to something by doing it in public, you follow through because others are watching.  Things that you put on the Web have a better chance of getting done!  What have you got to lose?  Make your Public Video Pledge now!

Polyglot Problems 21 Hilarious Problems That Only Polyglots Understand

Polyglot Problems 21 Hilarious Problems That Only Polyglots Understand Polyglot Problems: 21 Hilarious Problems That Only Polyglots Understand Do you speak multiple languages?Did you ever expect that it would be anything less than pure, multilingual bliss?Whether you grew up speaking several languages  or you  took the time to learn them  in adulthood, you may know by now that being multilingual isnt always a walk in the park.Sure, most of the time being multilingual is great, but every now and then  there are some problems you encounter simply  because  you know multiple languages.Even if youre not fluent in all of your languages, youve probably still come across some #polyglotproblems. Same goes for  bilingual people, by the way. Were all united in the joys and challenges of language learning. What Are Polyglot Problems?Before we get into that, lets  travel back in time to 1997â€"way back when the hashtag was still called a pound sign.Here, well find that the late rapper, Mr. Notorious B.I.G., might have been on to something with his hit Mo Money, Mo Problems. Through  this catchy tune, he and his mates gave  a detailed account of the struggles they faced as their  burgeoning celebrity status caused them  to acquire more and more money. Its a tale for the ages.Now, its unlikely that a polyglot will encounter many of the same issues faced by hip-hop superstars, but theres a theme here. The more you have of something, the more conflict youre going to face.Languages are no exception.As such, the multilinguals of the world took to the Twitterverse to air  their grievances. From this came the rise  of the now popular hashtag in the language learning community: #polyglotproblems.Its hard being brilliant and ambitious, isnt it? But you should  expect that youll have to jump over some hurdles if you take the road less traveled.  We could all sit in the corner of our bedrooms and let life pass us by so that we dont run into challenges  (except for abject loneliness, of course).  Or, we can choose to be bold and adventurous and #slay any problems that are sure to come our way.Lets be honest, would we really even take the time to learn several languages if  they werent something to conquer? We thrive on the challenges. We look forward to them. Besides, many of the problems arent even problems, but merely hilarious nuisances.And if were really being honest, its kind of fun to complain about issues  that we know will fly right over most monolingual heads. Its not to be mean. Its just that no one else really  understands woes of a polyglots life, do they?You spend your days  studying and memorizing, living your life in front of a computer screen or beneath  a pile of books. Youre not alone. We understand. We polyglots  have  issues and well cry about them  if we want to, in several different languages if we must, and theres nothing anyone can do about it.So, ready to vent yet? Good.  Lets do this.Polyglot Problems: 21 Hilarious Problems That Only Polyglots Understand1. People try to test your knowledge.You speak how many languages?! Say something in ___! Now in ___! Now in ___! Somehow yo ur hard work and practice  becomes something of a parlor trick for friends, family and sometimes strangers.But polyglots  are  a resilient  bunch. Dont huff and puff next time you hear this request. Smile, show off and make everyone around you a little jealous. They asked for it, anyway.2. You mix up languages.Je voudrais (French) un vaso de agua (Spanish), per favore (Italian).  (Id like a glass of water, please).  This is a pretty common occurrence for people who speak multiple languages.Sometimes, you  arent sure of a word and replace  it with another foreign word, and sometimes your brain just rattles off foreign words at will, it seems.Either way, when this happens dont beat yourself up. Just try to slow down when you speak, and  the words (in just one language, hopefully) will come to you more easily.3. Subtitles give you anxiety.*cries because I dont know if I should start watching my shows in Spanish, French or Korean* #polyglotproblems ??baby grass?? (@astrangegal) July 24, 2016Its no secret that we polyglots  like to use  subtitles when  watching TV or movies to maximize our productivity. The trouble is, we never really know which language to choose. There are just too many options. Its enough to make you toss your remote and give up on TV forever.Next time this happens, try just adding subtitles (or  audio) in the language that you struggle with the most. Learning through entertainment is one of the bestâ€"and most pleasantâ€"ways to focus on the trickier language issues youve been trying to avoid.4. You feel insulted by bad translations.So, youve decided on which subtitles to use. As youre watching your show  you realize that youre much more fluent than you thought, because every few seconds youre shouting at the TV, Thats not what that means!Nothing sends a polyglot over the edge like a bad translation. Its unacceptable and someone should pay. Perhaps you can write an angry letter shaming the translator for  their less than perfect  work.5. They o nly like you cause youre a native.This happens often in the language learning community. People seek you out solely because youre a native English speaker. But youre more than your language abilities. Youre funny, creative, a good listener, loyal. The list goes on.Maybe your new friend will learn to love you for who you are, but as of now, they just want you for  your vocab.6. You only like them cause theyre nativeCant really get too mad at that first guy, can you?  You probably have a friend for every language that you speak.It doesnt mean youre a  bad person. As long as youre kind and consistent, a genuine friendship is likely to flourish anyway, and youll have a language buddy for life.7. but they only speak to you in English.except if they only speak to you in English. This union is now a waste of your time. Find someone else whos willing to split the time evenly so you can both benefit from the relationship.8. You know the word in every language except your native one.Can say i t in 3 foreign languages, can ´t say it in my native #PolyglotProblems #AlmostPolyglot Emil Jönsson (@BlackAce919) July 18, 2016Were so focused on achieving fluency that we study every and anything we can. We know massive amounts of  vocabulary in the foreign languages  weve learned, so much so that  sometimes we know  words for things that we never even learned in our native language.Its always a little funny when you can identify an object in several languages, but then you realize you actually have no idea what its called in the language youve been speaking your entire life.9. You want to learn a new language while still struggling with your current ones.Our ambition can go into overdrive at times.There are several reasons why we might decide that we want to pick up a new language while were currently studying  others:  travel, competition, curiosity, love, work and many more. We want to be able to talk to everyone. It drives us crazy to say Im sorry. I dont understand.Still, sl ow down. Cramming never helps  anything.Perfect the ones youve got right now.Life is long. Theres plenty of time to learn others.10. Reading does not mean comprehension.Youve succeeded. Youre able to read books and documents in French, German and Korean  seamlessly. Theres just one problem: you only understand 50% of it.Reading is a  whole new beast. You encounter  new words and you also encounter  old words used in ways that you cant make sense of. Its stressful. It can make you feel like youve learned absolutely nothing.Its normal. Besides, if youre confident enough to read books and documents in a foreign language, youre much  further along than youre letting yourself believe.11.  Mediocrity has become an  unlikely ally.There are some polyglots who seem to have superpowers and can speak all of their learned languages at near-native fluency. Most of us cant do that. We want to but it can be a bit much.Its quite normal to set a goal for near-native fluency in one or two languages a nd decide to just be pretty okay at all the rest. This isnt failure. Its just keeping your sanity.12. That internal battle when Google asks if it should translate the page.What do you do? Do you accept the challenge or do you go native? Theres some important stuff on that website. You cant afford any misinterpretations.Oh, but youre so much better at the language now. You might even learn a word or two now that  youve mastered context. You  did come to this page knowing it wouldnt be in English but you didnt expect Google to show up and give a choice.  Now what do you do?Your finger hovers back and forth over yes and no. You have to make a decision, and you have to make it soon. Theres no time to waste. You close your eyes, and you click.13. They think that you dont understand them.This is always fun.Sometimes youll be in a place where someone  will start talking about you in their language, thinking you dont  understand. People should really stop doing that. Havent they seen a sing le television show or movie? Its just never safe to assume.If this has ever happened to you, hopefully it was a kind or benign comment. That actually happens sometimes. But if someone is talking trash about you, well, theres no better time to practice oral communication than when youre giving someone the shock of their life.14. When you speak to someone in your target language and they respond  in English.Its like someone has just burst your bubble.  When this happens we feel foolish, and a little bit insulted. However, many times, people will speak English because they think theyre helping you. Or, maybe, they just want to practice English themselves.If this happens, and youve still got even a shred of confidence left, try to pick the conversation back up in your target language. Its the only way youre going to get better.15. People think you have  Dissociative Identity Disorder.For every language I have a slightly different personality. When Im bored I name them. #crazy #polyglotp roblems #whounderstands Marcus Miller (@Marquisdetour) August 6, 2016In one language youre timid. In one language youre pragmatic. In one language youre a comedian. Its not uncommon.Many of us dance between personalities as we switch languages. Most of the time we dont even realize it. Youre not crazy. There have been a ton of studies trying to figure out why this occurs. Just embrace it as being part of the job.16.  Its hard to be in multicultural locales.Ever been in a place and you hear several languages you know being spoken at once? That happens quite often to polyglots living in major cities. The brain goes topsy-turvy  trying to figure out which language to focus on.In this situation, pick the one where youre strongest. That way youll be able to hear the words with clarity (as opposed to it sounding like garble if youre  still in the learning stages) and you might be able to pull out some words or phrases you havent learned yet, and stick them on your to-do list to learn late r.17. You try to translate idioms to no avail.Who has a good example of these? #PolyglotProblems pic.twitter.com/6MGmhs3KI9 italki (@italki) June 28, 2016Yeah, its terrible when youve got a perfect idiom to whip out but you just cant.If youre trying to tell your Japanese  friends that theres no cow on the ice (ingen ko pÃ¥ isen)  which means theres nothing to worry about in Swedish, you might be better off just being direct or learning an  idiom that has a similar underlying meaning.The Swedes are right, by the way. Theres really nothing to worry about. Embrace the struggle. Its part of the process. In due time, this will all come to you like a roll with butter  (bulka z maslem),  as we say in Polish.18. You panic when studying one language because youre worried youll forget the others.Its simply not true, but weve all been there.You put so much focus on one language. You spend hours, days, weeks or months studyingâ€"and then you stop in a panic thinking of the other languages that arent getting your attention. Trust your brain. Its a lot more reliable than wed like to believe.Your sentences may sometimes sound like a language smorgasbord (see problem 2), but that goes to show you that all the words are in there. Take your time with each one. Set a schedule and follow it. This  way, youll know that even though youre not focusing on the others now, youll definitely get to them later.19. You say polyglot, they think polygamist.People who arent language enthusiasts most likely have never even heard the word polyglot before.Since our human brains like to make sense of things, theirs might just substitute polyglot with the other poly word it knows, and so now this other person is just kind of shocked and bemused.If youre met with awkward, uncomfortable looks when you say that youre a polyglot, just assure that  person that, no, you do not have several lovers. Though, if you did, none of them would speak the same language.20. Youve  thought about learning Dothraki.O r Valyrian. Or Klingon. Or any of the other made-up  languages associated with popular fictional  series. Lets be honest, we all want to sound as cool as Dany Targaryen when she shouts the Valyrian command dracarys (breath fire) to her dragon, Drogon.As a polyglot, you simply dont want to be left out of the language loop, even if youd  only be one of five people in the entire world who speaks the language outside of the presence of a film crew.If youre perfectly fine  being the super-awesome person in the room who doesnt have to read the subtitles when watching Game of Thrones, then were fine with it, too.21. Your friends  just dont get you.Youre not doing this for school or for work, but simply for internal glory.You want to be the ultimate language master of the world. You want to  increase  your  brain function and expand  your mindset.Some people just dont get that. Some people wouldnt put that much hard work and dedication into something  without the expectation of a tangible r eward. Thats fine for them.We, on the other hand, will let our passion for languages continue to drive us. We may get some funny looks for turning down a happy hour or staying in on the weekend so we can practice, but thats okay.Sure, we may have some #polyglotproblems from time to time.In the end, well have the fulfillment we need from the languages we love.So, do what makes you happy. Thats all anyone can ask for.Oh, and be sure to let us know all about  your  polyglot problems on Facebook and Twitter! And One More ThingSomething else polyglots have in common is that they love using FluentU. FluentU makes it possible to learn languages  from music videos, commercials, news and inspiring talks.With FluentU, you learn real languagesâ€"the same way that natives  speak them. FluentU has a wide variety of videos like movie trailers, funny commercials and web series, as you can see here:FluentU App Browse Screen.FluentU has interactive captions that let you tap on any word to see an i mage, definition, audio and useful examples. Now native language content is within reach with interactive transcripts.Didnt catch something? Go back and listen again. Missed a word? Hover your mouse over the subtitles to instantly view definitions.Interactive transcript for Carlos Baute song.You can learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentUs learn mode. Swipe left or right to see  more examples for the word you’re learning.FluentU Has Quizzes for Every VideoAnd FluentU always keeps track of vocabulary that you’re learning. It uses that vocab to give you a 100% personalized experience by recommending videos and examples.Start using FluentU on the website with your computer or tablet  or, better yet,  download the FluentU app from  the iTunes store  or Google Play store.

The italki team is taking the Language Challenge to learn Chinese

The italki team is taking the Language Challenge to learn Chinese We are taking the Challenge too! and if we can do it anyone can! The 2015 New Years Language Challenge has begun and were so excited that so many of you have chosen to participate in our biggest challenge ever! 3 of our very own italki Staff have also decided to participate in the New Years Language Challenge to learn Chinese.  All of them have made Public Video Pledges to learn Chinese! Were going to be following their progress on a special italki staff New Years Language Challenge update  page here.  All 3 of our staff will be posting videos and making weekly blog posts about their experiences taking the Language Challenge to learn Chinese. Karthik, Data Scientist Karthik is from the U.S. and works as our Data Scientist.  He has been trying to learn Chinese before with no results. Now he wants to challenge himself to speak with his Chinese colleagues. Josie, Services and Operations Josie recently joined italki from the U.K.  She is part of the Services and Operations team at italki.  She has been to China a few times but has never been disciplined enough to study Mandarin. Aimé, Marketing Intern Aimé is a recent college grad from the Canada who came to Shanghai to do internship at italki. So how much Chinese can they learn in 20 hours? Visit this blog for weekly updates or go directly to the special italki staff Challenge Update page to keep track of their progress!  We also put up a discussion post so you can comment on how well (or poorly they are doing?). The italki team is taking the Language Challenge to learn Chinese We are taking the Challenge too! and if we can do it anyone can! The 2015 New Years Language Challenge has begun and were so excited that so many of you have chosen to participate in our biggest challenge ever! 3 of our very own italki Staff have also decided to participate in the New Years Language Challenge to learn Chinese.  All of them have made Public Video Pledges to learn Chinese! Were going to be following their progress on a special italki staff New Years Language Challenge update  page here.  All 3 of our staff will be posting videos and making weekly blog posts about their experiences taking the Language Challenge to learn Chinese. Karthik, Data Scientist Karthik is from the U.S. and works as our Data Scientist.  He has been trying to learn Chinese before with no results. Now he wants to challenge himself to speak with his Chinese colleagues. Josie, Services and Operations Josie recently joined italki from the U.K.  She is part of the Services and Operations team at italki.  She has been to China a few times but has never been disciplined enough to study Mandarin. Aimé, Marketing Intern Aimé is a recent college grad from the Canada who came to Shanghai to do internship at italki. So how much Chinese can they learn in 20 hours? Visit this blog for weekly updates or go directly to the special italki staff Challenge Update page to keep track of their progress!  We also put up a discussion post so you can comment on how well (or poorly they are doing?). The italki team is taking the Language Challenge to learn Chinese We are taking the Challenge too! and if we can do it anyone can! The 2015 New Years Language Challenge has begun and were so excited that so many of you have chosen to participate in our biggest challenge ever! 3 of our very own italki Staff have also decided to participate in the New Years Language Challenge to learn Chinese.  All of them have made Public Video Pledges to learn Chinese! Were going to be following their progress on a special italki staff New Years Language Challenge update  page here.  All 3 of our staff will be posting videos and making weekly blog posts about their experiences taking the Language Challenge to learn Chinese. Karthik, Data Scientist Karthik is from the U.S. and works as our Data Scientist.  He has been trying to learn Chinese before with no results. Now he wants to challenge himself to speak with his Chinese colleagues. Josie, Services and Operations Josie recently joined italki from the U.K.  She is part of the Services and Operations team at italki.  She has been to China a few times but has never been disciplined enough to study Mandarin. Aimé, Marketing Intern Aimé is a recent college grad from the Canada who came to Shanghai to do internship at italki. So how much Chinese can they learn in 20 hours? Visit this blog for weekly updates or go directly to the special italki staff Challenge Update page to keep track of their progress!  We also put up a discussion post so you can comment on how well (or poorly they are doing?).