5 Things That Challenge Even the Best Guitar Newbies

5 Things That Challenge Even the Best Guitar Newbies Suzy S. Learning a new instrument can be challenging, and guitar is certainly no exception. You may find yourself struggling with building your calluses or reaching certain chords, but dont worry youre not alone! Here are 5 things that can challenge the beginner guitar player, and simple strategies you can use to improve. 1. Building calluses New to the guitar? Calluses might seem like your worst nightmare, but building them up will help you fret the strings easier and produce a clear, even tone each time you play. It might take a while, but trust us, its worth it! What to try: Try using lighter gauge guitar strings at first. If you prefer the sound of heavier strings, you can work your way up to this type, but in general the lighter nylon strings are more comfortable for beginners. Remember that you wont build guitar calluses overnight, so consistent practice is key. Some guitarists also swear by soaking the fingertips in rubbing alcohol to speed up the process. Another thing to keep in mind is that most beginners press down too hard to begin with. Try relaxing your fingers and experiment with the pressure. The string should hit the fret evenly, but you dont need a death grip! 2. Finger coordination Dexterity, coordination and also finger strength are all integral to creating a beautiful sound and also killer licks and solos! But sometimes, those individual fingers just dont want to cooperate. It can be even harder for guitarists with small hands, but there are several exercises you can do to improve. What to try: First of all, relax! If youre so focused on your finger coordination, youll just end up stressing yourself out. Start slowly, and try practicing with a metronome to work on your accuracy. You can also start each practice session with specific exercises to get your fingers warmed up and loose. For example, try starting with a chromatic scale in the first position, but switch it up a bit.   Start on the 6th string and then jump to the 1st string, followed by the 5th, and then the 2nd to 4th and then 3rd. You can also alternate the pattern by moving upward on the 6th and then descend on the 5th, followed by ascending again on the 4th and so on in that pattern. 3. Keeping time Sometimes tapping your foot or counting in your head while playing can feel a lot like rubbing your stomach and patting your head at the same time. Its not always easy! With practice, though, your internal metronome will improve. Developing that sense of rhythm is essential for guitar players. What to try: Keep that metronome out, even after youve done your warm-up exercises! Use it when practicing strumming patterns for example, try setting it at a comfortable tempo (60-80 beats per minute) and play a downstroke on each beat. Increase the tempo a bit, and then switch it up by playing on every other beat, or other patterns such as triplets. Add this to your practice routine every day until you can keep the rhythm steady without the metronome. 4. Memorizing guitar chords There are literally thousands of guitar chord combinations out there, so it can be pretty daunting for the beginner guitar player. But dont fret you dont need to learn all of them right away. What to try: Start simple! Even just memorizing these 5 easy guitar chords can give you loads of songs to play. A great place to start is with the 12 major chords and 12 minor chords.   Beyond that, there are a lot of possible strategies for helping you memorize the chords, depending on your learning style. If youre a visual learner, make chord chart flashcards, and review them throughout the day. Kinesthetic learner? Close your eyes and play a few chords, consciously making the association between the name of the chord and where your fingers are placed. Practice, practice, practice eventually your muscle memory will take over. 5. Staying motivated Do you find yourself coming up with excuses for why you cant practice? You, my friend, might be burnt out. Its a common thing for beginners, especially if you started playing the guitar with unreasonable expectations. What to try: If you find your motivation levels dwindling, consider switching up your repertoire, taking a break for a day, listening to different styles of music, reevaluating your goals, or shortening your practice sessions into smaller, more manageable chunks. Let your guitar teacher know, and he or she may be able to find the right solution to bring that excitement back. All of these issues are common for beginners, but   keep in mind you wont solve them overnight. Being an accomplished guitar player will take time, and your commitment to practicing regularly will make a big impact. Keep at it! Suzy S., TakeLessons staff member and blogger 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 Rachel Hoefling.

Appearing For SAT Test Do You Have Supporting SAT Literature

Appearing For SAT Test Do You Have Supporting SAT Literature 0SHARESShare Tutor Pace online tutoring services are inclusive of SAT test preparation, SAT literature and SAT study tips. SAT literature / the study material for SAT forms a critical part of the SAT test preparation. Tutor pace focuses on building the students competency by encouraging them to procure effective SAT study material. With SAT study guides you can, Build a customized preparation methodology Identify your strengths and weaknesses Be in a better position to address those weaknesses Give your best shot in the real exam because the study guides reflect the SAT exam pattern Make yourself comfortable with the type of questions asked in the SAT exam Increase your level of confidence and appear for the exam without any apprehensions Tutor Pace SAT study tips If you are studying for English SAT start building on your vocabulary by using resources such as vocabulary.com, then focus on the reading and comprehension part If you are studying for Math SAT then start practicing regularly and develop the habit of problem solving If you are a SAT II aspirant interested in taking the subject tests then initially plan to appear for subject tests that you may find easy and interesting Consult your online tutor or college tutor about, ‘how much time should you ideally take to prepare for each SAT exam module?’ [starbox id=admin]

English Vocabulary English Expressions related to Last Minute

English Vocabulary English Expressions related to Last Minute We have all rushed out at the last minute to buy something we forgot. It is always stressful. Here are  some English expressions related to last minute.  We always think we have got everything we need. Whether it is the birthday party for a family  member or Christmas shopping we panic when we remember that we should have bought  something for your Aunt or a little toy for you nephew or god daughter. So we inevitably have to  jump into (get in quickly) the car and head back (return) to the city centre or shopping centre for  that last minute gift. English Expressions related to Last Minute Here are some English words and phrases with a similar meaning:  A LAST MINUTE RUSHA rush is a quick race either on foot or in your car when you have not got time.ex. Sorry, I cannot stop and talk to you I am in a rush (in a hurry). A last minute rush is that last  (hopefully) run into the city to buy the few things you forgot.  RACE AGAINST TIME    Someone must do or finish something very quickly because they don’t have enough time to finish it.  We seem to be constantly in a race against time.    ex. Michael had a deadline to submit his project at the latest of midnight  on the 20th December. As always he did not start the project until the last minute and therefore was  in a race against time to get it completed and submitted by the time agreed.  UP AGAINST THE CLOCK  People like to give us tasks to complete in a timescale that can be very  challenging.  ex. My French test had to be completed in 2 hours. I had a lot to do. When I looked at my  watch I had only 20 mins remaining. I was really up against the clock and I doubted that I would got  all the questions answered in time. IN THE NICK OF TIME  When you just get something completed with very little time to spare you can  say I did it in the nick of time. Another minute and it would have been too late.  ex. Although the  deadline was tight I managed to finish the essay just as the teacher shouted time is up I finished it  just in the nick of time.  AT THE ELEVENTH HOUR  Nobody likes to be constantly in a race against the clock but some people  operate better when their back is to the wall (under pressure).  ex. My brother always leaves things  to the last minute he likes the thrill of completing his assignments by the eleventh hour (late into  the night). He thinks he does his best work in this way.

19 School Year! - Heart Math Tutoring

Volunteer Recruitment Kickoff - Volunteers needed in the 2018/19 School Year! - Heart Math Tutoring Volunteer Recruitment Kickoff Volunteers needed in the 2018/19 School Year! Volunteer Recruitment Kickoff Volunteers needed in the 2018/19 School Year! July 26, 2018 Heart Tutorings 2018 Volunteer Drive is officially underway! Students across 22 school partners need tutors in the 2018/19 school year, which means Heart Tutoring will be working to recruit over 1,300 volunteers between now and mid-September. **Please sign up to be a volunteer tutor today!** If you have already secured your volunteer spot, we’d appreciate your help in recruiting volunteers with these quick and easy tips: Help spread the word by using these tools to recruit friends, family members, and colleagues who you think would be interested in being a Heart Tutoring volunteer. Educate others by talking about your experience with Heart. Add Heart Math Tutoring to your LinkedIn profile as a volunteer activity. Click “Edit Profile,” “Add Section,” and select “Volunteer Experience.” When you type “Heart Math Tutoring,” LinkedIn will find our Company Page. Reach out to your employer or civic organizations about Heart Tutoring, or invite Heart Tutoring staff to do so. (See Hearts partner organizations here. Thank you!) Tag Heart Math Tutoring in your social media posts and use the hashtags #YourAdditionMakesADifference #VolunteerWithHeart; change your Facebook profile picture and/or cover photo with these social media tools; and share our social media posts. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. If you’re not a tutor yet and want to give it a try, sign up atwww.hearttutoring.org/become-a-volunteer! Heart Tutoring provides tutor-friendly lesson plans and a staff person on site. In volunteer recruitment, we get to offer a positive way to make a difference in the life of an elementary student. Last year, 98% of 893 Heart Tutoring students met program growth goals in math. On our year-end survey, 100% of Heart Tutoring volunteers rated the experience positive, and 98% said they would recommend the program to a friend or a colleague. Read the full Press Release here. Thank you in advance for making this year count! ~The Heart Tutoring Team

To Vaccinate Or Not To Vaccinate The Choice Should Be Yours

To Vaccinate Or Not To Vaccinate The Choice Should Be Yours specialedpost.org A lot of people cringe away from talking about their opinions on vaccines because it can become a very heated subject, especially if you are against them. Vaccines scare the crap out of me, and while I’m not saying that you shouldn’t get vaccinated, I hope this article will make you stop and think before just letting some doctor inject something into your body. I’ve never been the type of person who just goes along with something without question. While this isn’t always the best of qualities, I always liked finding things out for myself instead of just going with what the majority was saying, even when I was very young. The main thing that triggered this attribute was an incident that happened to me when I was thirteen. When I was twelve, I went to the doctor for a check-up before my family and I were going to move to Malaysia for a year, and they told my mom about a new vaccine called Gardasil. image via videodemonews.wordpress.com Gardasil is used to prevent four types of human papillomavirus (HPV). This is supposed to help with certain types of cervical cancers and genital warts. Sounds good right? One of my mom’s very good friends has cervical cancer, so she was quickly convinced by my doctor that I should get the vaccine. It comes in three doses, which should be given over six months. The doctor then explained that only girls between 9-26 were  eligible  to get it  (guys can get it now as well, but this was when the shot first came out.) The fact that the shot was new and that only a certain age range could get it freaked me out a bit, but I didn’t want to get cervical cancer so I allowed the nurse to administer the first dose without much fuss. The shot was probably one of the most painful shots I ever experienced, and I couldn’t move my arm for two days. I decided to consult Google about the vaccine, and found out that there were many horrible side effects associated with the shot. I can’t find the exact one that I was looking at when I was twelve, but according to this article: ‘“Between May 2009 and September 2010, 16 deaths after Gardasil vaccination were reported. For that timeframe, there were also 789 reports of serious Gardasil adverse reactions, including 213 cases of permanent disability and 25 diagnosed cases of Guillain Barre Syndrome,’ Judicial Watch reported.” Other side effects include, seizures, speech problems, paralysis, short term memory loss, blindness, Guillian Barre syndrome, Pancreatitis, Ovarian cysts, and though it may protect some cervical cancers, you can still get it because there are over 100 types. No one is warned about the side effects; they are just bullied into vaccinating their children, and if they don’t they are seen as “bad parents.” image via voices.yahoo.com So after reading up on what the shot could do, I didn’t want to continue the sequence. We went to Malaysia and then when we came back to the states, I had to go in for another check up. I told my mom again that I didn’t want the second shot, which I had mentioned about a dozen times on the ride to the doctors office. She assured me that it would probably be too late anyway, since the series was supposed to be completed within six months. This made me relax. At the very end of the check-up the doctor told me I would be getting three vaccines, Tetanus, DTaP, and the second Gardasil shot. Before I had a chance to protest, she was out of the room, telling the nurse to get them ready. I looked to my mom, telling her that I didn’t want the Gardasil. She hesitated, because she knew I didn’t want it, but she wanted to keep me safe. When the nurse came in, I told her I didn’t want the Gardasil shot, but the nurse told my mom  that the shot was already filled and we would have to pay for it either way so I might as well get it. The nurse didn’t look at me when she replied, even though I was the one who told her that I didn’t want it. I pleaded with my mom, who was caught in a tug of war. I started spurting out how the shot was bad and had killed people, and the nurse laughed and told me that the shot was good for me, and that I shouldn’t believe everything that I read on the Internet. She tried to lunge at me with the shot, but I spun out of the way; I wasn’t going down without a fight. She told me that if I didn’t cooperate, then she would have to get back-up. I told her I would cooperate for the other two vaccines, but not for the Gardasil. The nurse went on to ration with my mom, pretending like I didn’t exist. After two more failed attempts of her trying to administer the shot, she got three more nurses to help her. Two of them grabbed my legs and the third pinned me down to the table, as I screamed for them to stop. It was my body, and therefore my decision, but they didn’t care. My opinion didn’t matter because to them I was just some stupid kid who was probably afraid of needles, and who was disrupting the flow of their day. They injected all three shots into the same armâ€"which they weren’t supposed to do because Tetanus and Gardasil are both very painful and should have been put into different armsâ€"and then patted themselves on the back for giving me the vaccines. One of the nurses who held my leg jokingly said that she would have to put me on her calendar for when I got the third shot because I was a workout. I could have punched her. image via www.macquirelatory.com The doctor came in and gave my mom a card for a psychiatrist who specializes in helping kids get over their fear of shots. That’s the part that angers me the most. I wasn’t scared of the needles. Sure, they aren’t exactly my most favorite things in the world, but that wasn’t the point. The point was that I didn’t want the poison of Gardasil in my body, but they thought I was stupid for thinking medicine could hurt me instead of help. I was treated like I wasn’t a person, like I wasn’t capable of having my own thoughts because I wasn’t eighteen. As I was writing this and revisiting this memory, I almost cried, because it still holds such an impact. I was forced against my will to get something that I didn’t agree with, and that is wrong. The thing is, a lot of people never question shots, because they’ve never had a reason to. Max Meyer, a second year business management economics student at UC Santa Cruz, said, “since vaccines are tested, they are more than likely going to help each person instead of harming them.” I’m definitely not saying that vaccines are bad; I do agree that they can do a lot of good and have helped prevent diseases from spreading. I do, however, think that we ourselves should know more about the vaccines we are getting. Calvin Sainz, a third year neuroscience student at UC Santa Cruz, said “if there was a way for people to want to infect others, they could just tamper with the medical vaccines at the free clinics, so they can be scary.” A main controversy that gets brought up when it comes to vaccines is whether or not they can cause Autism in children. Mary Medeiros, a second year MCD biology student at UC Santa Cruz, said “ a lot of people think that vaccines cause autism, but I don’t believe that at all. Vaccines help prevent diseases, and if you don’t vaccinate your children, they can die at a younger age.” Meyer agreed with Medeiros in saying that vaccines don’t cause autism, that he knows of. This is one of those things that you will have to decide on your own. I think it is important to vaccinate children, though I think that they give too many vaccines at once and therefore autism can be a factor. image via snarkecards.com Basically what I want you to take from this is to know you have a choice, and you should never let someone bully you into doing something that you don’t want to/don’t feel comfortable with. I have now switched to a new doctor, who will listen to me, give her opinion, but also respect mine and not make me feel bad if I don’t want to do something. Have a story to share? Get your voice out there on the Vaccine Freedom Wall.

Practical Tips for Your First Physics Class Part II - TutorNerds

Practical Tips for Your First Physics Class Part II - TutorNerds Irvine Physics Tutoring: Practical Tips for Your First Physics Class Part 2 Irvine Physics Tutoring: Practical Tips for Your First Physics Class Part 2 These final three tips now pertain to solving physics problems themselves. Every chapter in your physics class will include word problems. Sometimes the questions will be exclusively word problems. You need to know how to tackle the confusing ones if you’re going to succeed book your private Irvine physics tutor today. 4. Draw pictures Draw your vectors. Draw your free-body diagrams. Draw your circuits. When they tell you that a ball is thrown off a building at a 45-degree angle, draw the ball, draw the building, and draw the angle. Draw your triangles, label everything, and give yourself enough space to make it clear. This will help you avoid mistakes, understand what’s going on, and also help your teacher grade your work or help you. Many students get lazy with their pictures or try to skip them as a short-cut. Don’t do this. Just draw your picture. Everyone makes mistakes especially with physics word problems but a carefully made picture can help you prevent them. 5. Write down your variables An extremely common issue students have with solving physics problems is not knowing where to begin. Physics classes tend to include a very high number of word problems with multiple sentences, variables, and details. This can feel overwhelming, especially if the problem does not feel familiar, and can lead to giving up before you even get started. To combat this, you want to pull the details and numbers from the problem and write them down in a list. If they tell you the mass of a ball is 10 kilograms, then write down mball = 10 kg. If they tell that ball is initially moving at 15 meters per second, then write down vball initial = 15 m/s. Listing your variables can help make complex problems generic. 6. When you’re stuck, just try your equations Once you have all of your variables written down, then you write down any equations you know that might be relevant. Did they mention friction? Write down any equations you have with friction. Is something going in a circle? Write down your centripetal equations. You can also just look at what variables you have and check your equation sheet for equations that use those variables. If you’re confused don’t be afraid to just guess an equation that might be helpful. See where it takes you and if you can solve for anything important. Worst case scenario is you still get the question wrong. But at least you got some work on the page and opened yourself up to partial credit and a chance for success. The biggest hurdle students have with physics problems is not knowing how to start and giving up. Your equations can help you. Get used to them, even if your class doesn’t make you memorize them. And if you are in an AP class you should get a copy of the AP equation sheet and start using it since it’s the one you’ll have for the test. If you keep these tips in mind you will have a better chance of doing well in your first physics class. You already know that you should go to class, do your homework, take notes, and study. I don’t need to tell you that again. If you are still struggling with the class and your teacher can’t help you, consider hiring a private Irvine physics tutor to explain the material better and help you overcome your difficulties. Physics tutors are experienced in presenting the lessons in multiple ways to make sure their students understand. They are also familiar with physics and what you need to do to get a good grade. Read part one here! Michael C. is currently a private math, science, and standardized test tutor with TutorNerds in Irvine and Anaheim. All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at pr@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us write.

How to Learn a Language Online FluentUs 11-step Method

How to Learn a Language Online FluentUs 11-step Method How to Learn a Language Online: FluentUs 11-step Method Language learning is full of hurdles.You want to study a language, but you dont have time to take a class.Youd like to practice your existing language skills, but authentic resources are still too advanced.Youre hoping to take your skills to the next level, but you just dont know how.Challenges like this could seem insurmountable, but theyre not. You just need the right toolâ€"and that tool could be FluentU.FluentU takes real-world videosâ€"like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talksâ€"and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.FluentU can provide a solution to your language learning dilemmas.Not only can you improve your language skills with real-world resources, you can learn online or on your favorite device by using the iOS app or the Android app.Heres what you need to know about how to learn a language online with FluentU! How FluentU Can Meet Your Online Language Learning NeedsYou need to use reliable resources.Theres no doubt about it there ar e tons of great online language learning tools out there.However, making sure all the resources you use are high-quality and reliable can be challenging and time-consuming. After all, anyone can put language education materials up online, so how can you trust that the content creator actually knew what they were doing?With FluentU, you dont have to worry about researching resource after resource. FluentU is committed to quality language education, and the videos it provides are authentic.You need to develop balanced skills.Part of developing well-rounded language abilities is  mastering all four language skills: reading, writing, speaking and listening. With FluentU, listening and reading are core parts of the experience. FluentU uses captioned, real-world videos, so youll be reading along as you listen to real, native speech.While you wont be writing by hand with FluentU, our quizzes give you plenty of chances to practice your writing skills. Dont worryâ€"we wont let you accidental ly memorize the wrong accent mark in a word! Our quizzes will catch that mistake.Its also easy to work speaking practice into your FluentU experience. Simply pause videos and respond aloud to what youve heard.You may need a flexible resource.Not all language learners are able to go to an in-person course. Some people can only study for an hour each day, while others may not even have 10 minutes. Everyones needs are different, so many learners require a flexible resource.FluentU is super flexible, and it can work well with any schedule or preferences. You choose what you watch, when you watch it and how long you spend watching, so you can spend hours studying each day or just a couple minutes.Plus, you can use Fluentu online, through the  iOS app or through the Android app, making it easy to use FluentU wherever its convenient for you.You need to find level-appropriate material.Choosing the right level of material can be tricky. After all, how do you even know what level youre curren tly at? Sure, you could invest the time into an assessment to determine your current proficiency level. Sure, you could carefully analyze online resources to see if theyre at your level. But theres an easier optionâ€"FluentU.FluentU offers six levels of videos: beginner 1 and 2, intermediate 1 and 2 and advanced 1 and 2. You can filter videos by level to identify which options are most appropriate for your abilities.But beyond that, FluentU uses an algorithm to adjust to your unique learning level. While you watch and study, FluentU tracks your learning to present you with level-appropriate questions that build on what you already know.And because FluentUs algorithm adjusts to your level, FluentU grows along with you!You need something youll continue to use.The only way youll ever become fluent is to keep at it. However, with some study tools, its easy to quit. You can only study for so long before you get bored and move on to something else.FluentU, on the other hand, can inspire a ddictive learning. Videos are fun and engaging, so you may find yourself continuing to study your target language even if you meant to quit an hour ago.You need a broad range of vocabulary.To reach more advanced proficiency levels,  your vocabulary  will need to be vast and varied. That means youll need multiple resources to provide a greater variety, or youll need one powerful resource that incorporates a diverse selection of words. FluentU can be your go-to destination for the wide array of vocabulary you need.Videos on FluentU cover a huge array of topics, including news, science, holidays, entertainment and more.Plus, FluentU makes it easy to target specific vocabulary sets. Many videos focus on clear topics, so you can anticipate what sort of vocabulary youll learn before you even watch.Once you select a video, youll see a list of key vocabulary that the video features, so you can tell if its relevant to what youre hoping to learn. This makes it easy to study whatever vocabular y areas you need to work on.How to Learn a Language Online: FluentUs 11-step Method1. Watch videos.Theres a reason why people love watching YouTubeâ€"its because videos can be downright addictive! And watching videos with FluentU can make learning your target language just as addictive.FluentU doesnt just throw you into videos unprepared. Each video is captioned, and the captions are annotated. Whenever you need a little extra help, just hover over a word to see its definition, example sentences and an associated image. If the word or phrase appears in other videos on FluentU, youll also see those videos listed, providing a quick way to see the word in a different context.Each video is accompanied by a vocabulary list that highlights key words you might not know yet. You can study this ahead of time to understand more of the video right away or use it to study more after youve watched.If you have specific video preferences, FluentU even makes it easy to find videos that are right fo r you. Filtering options can help you narrow down your video choices.For instance, you can filter videos based on the six skill levels. You can also filter by topic to find videos with a special focus, like business, culture, everyday life and more. If youre looking to watch a specific type of video, like a commercial, movie trailer or vlog, you can also filter by format.FluentU also has a search engine to help you find videos on a certain topic. Just type in whatever you want to learn about: taxi, manners, hiking, anything!Using multimedia resources like FluentU can really impact your learning for the better. One study from the American Psychological Association  suggests that language students may remember vocabulary better when they have access to both verbal and visual annotation, which means that hearing the word while seeing a physical representation can be exceptionally useful.2. Listen to music.Music lovers, take note! FluentU offers music videos in addition to other great v ideo content.Listening to music is a terrific way to learn a language.  One study published by TESOL Quarterly suggests that songs can help students learn sounds, rhythm/stress, formulae, syntactical items and vocabulary, all of which are important for language students. The repetition used in songs makes them especially memorable, so theyre convenient study tools.And FluentU provides a great way to learn a language through songs. Because videos are captioned, you dont have to struggle to differentiate between words, and you can quickly find the meaning of any vocabulary you dont immediately recognize. Plus, you can listen to spoken audio of words, allowing you to hear them outside of the stylized context of the song.3. Listen to audio dialogues.FluentU also offers audio dialogues. These dialogues can help you learn valuable keywords and sentences. Just like FluentUs videos, the audio dialogues are captioned so that you can read along and have easy access to definitions and example sentences.Plus, you can download audio dialogues to study offline, allowing you to study even in a Wi-Fi wasteland or while aboard a flight.FluentUs audio offerings differ depending on the language. For example, at the moment, there are audio dialogues for every level in Chinese but only for lower levels in French. However, were always working to create more and more material for every language!4. Keep word lists.FluentU makes keeping vocabulary lists super simple, so you can easily study any vocabulary you want to learn.Whenever you encounter a word you dont know, just click add to to put it in a vocabulary list. You can even create multiple vocabulary lists, allowing you to organize words based on theme, difficulty level or even how important they are to learn.Once youve entered a word into your vocabulary list, youll have it on hand the next time you want to reinforce what youve learned.5. Use flashcards.Want to use an existing flashcard set? Want to create your own? With FluentU , you can do either!FluentU has dozens of existing flashcard sets, particularly at the beginning levels. Students can use these to develop the foundations of their vocabulary, making it easier to watch beginning-level videos.Crafting your own flashcard sets is just as easy! You can use your existing vocabulary lists to make flashcards that target the specific words you know you need to learn.And unlike paper flashcards, FluentUs digital flashcards provide additional support, including audio and example sentences. But FluentUs flashcards offer so much more than that! Activities interspersed throughout lessons help you practice using vocabulary in context.6. Read example sentences.Each FluentU word entry is accompanied by example sentences, giving you a realistic look of how the word can be used in the real world. Example sentences also offer audio, so you can hear how the word sounds in context.Not only that, but if the word appears in other videos on FluentU, you can also see exampl e sentences from those videos, making it easy to cross-reference how the word may be used in different situations.Reading example sentences is useful in and of itself because it gives you more insight into a words meaning and usage. However, you could also memorize example sentences to give you a handy model to construct similar sentences.7. Follow a playlist for structure.Sometimes, deciding your own learning path can seem like too big a burden to bear. But no need to worry! If you need a little guidance, FluentU can show you a good path.FluentU offers structured playlists. These playlists introduce basic vocabulary and sentences to give you the foundations you need for additional study down the road. They feature captioned audio lessons and word lists to give you a good foundation for your road to fluency. After youve completed each video in the playlist, you can even take a quiz to test what you learned.Not only that, but you can download playlist lessons directly to your phone s o that you dont need internet access to use them.8. Take quizzes.You can take quizzes at the end of course lessons, but that isnt your only opportunity to take fun, engaging quizzes that put your language skills to the test! You can also take a quiz after each video you watch. This means youll have the opportunity to reinforce what you learned by using it in context. And who doesnt love a good challenge?Quizzes present you with a variety of activities, including fill-in-the-blank sentences, translation exercises and more. With videos and audio interspersed, the quizzes can be both engaging and enjoyable for language learners.9. Use a spaced repetition system.Learning vocabulary can be so time consuming. You study the same words over and over again, but how can you get them to stick?The secret may be spaced repetition. Spaced repetition focuses on presenting words at specific intervals intended to aid retention and increase learning efficiency.Studies show that this method can be hig hly effective. But how does that impact learners? Well, using a spaced repetition system can help you shave some valuable time off learning new words, so you might be able to learn your target language more quickly and with less effort. Who wouldnt want that?And guess what? FluentU uses a spaced repetition system! If you want to get into the technical details, FluentU uses an algorithm based on a variation of the Supermemo SM2 algorithm, which is the algorithm used by Anki, a leading flashcard app.10. Look up new words.Weve already told you that you can easily look up any word you hear in a video or audio clip, but theres more! You can also use FluentUs search feature to look up specific words.With FluentU, you can search for words in English or your target language, making it easy to find the vocab youre looking for. And once you find your word, boy, are you in for a learning experience!Not only will you have access to the words pronunciation, definition and part of speech, youll a lso be able to see which FluentU videos use that word. If that word appears in any videos, you can watch the videos quickly and easily, which allows you to see the word in context.Not only that, but looking up words produces a convenient word/phrase list that can show you other words and phrases that are related to what you searched. If you typed the word incorrectly or just couldnt remember the spelling, this can help you find the word you were looking for. However, you could also use this list as a tool to study additional words that share a similar spelling or meaning.11. Set goals.Sure, setting goals can give you direction and help you stay on track but goals are so much more than that.A study published by Educational Psychologist  suggests that setting and meeting goals can actually make students feel more capable of continuing to improve their skills. Feeling capable could prove an important motivational tool that gives you the confidence you need to progress forward towards f luency.But who will hold you accountable for the goals you set? FluentU can.  FluentU allows you to input your daily goal for how much time you want to study. If you meet your goal, you earn points. If you set and meet bigger goals, you earn even more points. Once you earn a certain number of points, you graduate to the next level.Seeing how high you can get your point total can be a fun way to challenge yourself and ensure you always meet your goals.If you have a competitive streak, you could also challenge your friends to a learning showdown! Just set a deadline and challenge everyone in your group to see how high they can get their point total before that deadline passes. And because FluentU offers a variety of languages, you and your friends dont even need to study the same language to compete!Which strategies will you use to learn a language online with FluentU? Sign up for a free trial to see what FluentU can do for you!