How Do Drawing Tutorials Work

How Do Drawing Tutorials Work Learn to Draw: What Goes on in Drawing Lessons? ChaptersAt What Age Should Children Start Having Drawing Lessons?What Happens in Drawing Lessons?What Should Children be Taught when Learning the Basics of Art?What Sort of Art Teacher Does Your Child Need?Children are introduced to drawing at a very early age.Once the scribbling stage has come to an end, children learn to better control their drawing instruments as their fine motor and observational skills develop.Is your child interested in drawing and art?Are you thinking about signing them up to a course to help improve their technique?Maybe you’re an artist yourself and want to share your passion by becoming an art tutor for kids?Extra-curricular drawing lessons online complement art lessons given in primary school and give the child a good opportunity to develop their relationship with art as they find their talents and broaden their creative outlook. FernandoDrawing Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EmmaDrawing Teacher 5.00 (5) £75/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DavidDrawing Teacher 4.75 (4) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NatashaDrawing Teacher 5.00 (7) £37/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LorrenDrawing Teacher 5.00 (2) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SabrinaDrawing Teacher 4.33 (3) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Julia janeDrawing Teacher 5.00 (5) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EvelinaDrawing Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsAt What Age Should Children Start Having Drawing Lessons?Before you start thinking about children's art lessons, your child should have already developed certain drawing skills.There is one step they need to take when going from sketching for their own amusement to getting the hang of basic drawing techniques.As Pablo Picasso said:Before the age of six, children draw for fun. As an activity, drawing helps children develop their motor skills and stimulate their senses â€" these are just two of the be nefits of drawing for youngsters.Drawing is something that children practice on a daily basis at school and at home.Drawing and painting workshops usually only aim to help people learn to realistically represent the world. Although this is a method of artistic expression, young children lack the cognitive ability which is necessary to grasping realistic drawing.A child's ability to represent perspective develops with age ¦ source: Pixabay - jarmolukDrawing workshops which are adapted to young children have a different objective. They aim towards encouraging children to use their imagination and their creative abilities.This is where they learn about colour and space, and get to grips with artistic techniques. Art workshops for children are centred around having fun and letting children freely express themselves.Quite often, when they’re learning to read, children discover a new passion to explore. All of a sudden, their discovery of books, like the other discoveries they make at a young age, gives them a means of exploring other worlds and playing a role in the stories they read.If your child continues to go through life with a sketchbook under their arm, it’s clear that their passion for drawing is more than just a hobby.Once you realise that your child’s passion for art is one that they want to keep developing, you can look into signing them up for drawing classes.Learning to draw from another person will help them get to grips with the knowledge they need to take their own work to the next level.What Happens in Drawing Lessons?Art lessons should be suitable for the age of the child, but also for their level!Children who are aged 6-10 don’t have the same capacity for concentration as a teenager. Their low level of maturity and perception of reality means that the lessons they take should be adapted to their age.This means that the accuracy of the work they are expected to produce and the duration of the session will be different to those of art cour ses aimed at adults.Beyond learning new techniques, art lessons should draw on the theories linked to artistic practice. This is why taking drawing lessons is the ideal time to teach children about the famous artists of the past and present, including painters, illustrators and sculptors.Group sessions are particularly useful in artistic subjects. They facilitate exchange between pupils, stimulate creativity and encourage progress. ·               Drawing Lessons for 6 to 11-Year-OldsFor primary school pupils, art lessons are made up of several disciplines which are all linked to the same theme (this could be a particular artist or technique).Lessons can be broken down into several sections:The presentation of a work of art and discussion around its characteristicsExplanation of the techniques to work with and demonstration by the teacherLearners have a go at producing their own work  around the theme of the lessonAt this age, mimicking the works of great artists may be nearly impos sible, however, the way they can inspire children in their art is invaluable.It’s also incredibly easy for children to get their inspiration from contemporary artists who rely more on colour and texture â€" both things that make their work more accessible to younger artists.For instance, children may look at the work of Keith Haring, an artist whose use of colour greatly appeals to children.And why not even look at Matisse?Still life drawings are particularly popular with children at this age.Sometimes colours are all you need to get young children excited about art! ¦ source: Pixabay - garagebandStill life drawing gives children a chance to work on their observational skills. By choosing to draw a few simple objects and discuss how they should arrange them before beginning to draw.Interacting and discussing with others before they create their art gives children an opportunity to share their ideas with others and enjoy their work.Talking with others about their ideas can also st imulate their curiosity and help improve their observational skills. ·               Art Lessons from the Age of 12At age 12, young teenagers will have already developed some skills which will be useful in their art.At this age, people tend to make their work more realistic. The eye for minute detail which was not developed in childhood becomes an essential part of producing realistic works, and artists begin aiming towards perfecting their technique on a deeper level.Their ability to concentrate is also greatly increased from that of childhood.The artist can, therefore, spend more time on their work and their art becomes a means of expression. From landscape drawing to still life to abstract works to impressionism, there are many possibilities for budding artists.Teens particularly enjoy having a go at learning how to draw cartoons, comic strips, manga and caricature.Not only do they learn how to draw faces, hands, and scenery like their favourite illustrators, but they also learn about how to tell a story through drawing.What Should Children be Taught when Learning the Basics of Art?You can’t really progress in anything until you have mastered the basics, and this applies to art, too. Once children have learnt the essential basic  drawing lessons, they can then aim to perfect their technique.Here are just some of these essential skills (which differ according to the age of the artist):Drawing lines: Learning to trace shapes, draw the outlines of objects and keep things in proportionPerspective drawings: Moving from 2-dimensional drawings to three-dimensional ones with shading and perspective drawig to make creations more realisticLearning to use different tools: Which materials should you use for each effect? Art lessons give children a chance to familiarise themselves with all kinds of tools other than a graphite pencil such as acrylic paint, oil pastels, charcoal, colored pencils, pen and ink.Light and shadow: Learning to bring depth to a drawing and fai thfully reproduce realityLearning how to draw is firstly about polishing your attention to detail and learning to master your own movements and control your tools.The next most important thing is to look to the work of others and their techniques for inspiration in your own work.When you’re learning to draw, your work is rarely ever finished.You learn new techniques, think up new ideas, see your style evolve and find new sources of inspiration.Art is an ever-evolving passion which opens new perspectives to its practitioners.What Sort of Art Teacher Does Your Child Need?When children learn how to draw, a teacher with an effective methodology as well as a good level of patience is essential.Even the greatest artist that ever lived would not be able to teach their profession to children unless they had the capacity for understanding the young mind and adapting teaching to the level of the learners.Leading a young art class takes a special kind of teacher ¦ source: Visualhunt - All4E dWhen teaching children how to draw, these things are essential:Getting on with children and knowing how to capture their attention: Teaching kids is something you are either naturally good at, or need to work harder to get there.Making lessons fun: A presentation on the origins of cubism is interesting, but not exactly suitable for primary school childrenAdapting your vocabulary: Even if you have to use complex terms when discussing art, you should try to explain these to children in plain English so that they fully understand what you meanBeing fair: Of course, you would never tell a child that their work is rubbish. Instead, you should congratulate them on their work and give them advice on how they can make their work even betterBeing enthusiastic: In order to improve, children need encouragement, so it’s important that teachers find alternatives to negative words, if possibleDrawing lessons should be above all enjoyable for the child, allowing them to use their creativity to blossom. To take those first steps or stimulate their artistic sense between lessons, there are even some drawing apps for kids out there.Drawing gives children an opportunity to relax outside of the academic environment as well as get to know themselves better through developing their observation and artistic skills.Who knows? Your child might be the next Picasso!Begin drawing lessons with a private tutor:drawing lessons Londondrawing lessons Manchesterdrawing classes Glasgow

What is it Like to Attend University of Houston

What is it Like to Attend University of Houston The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Dana graduated from University of Houston in 2012 where she studied Political Science and Economics. She is an Austin tutor who specializes in SAT prep tutoring, Literature tutoring, Writing tutoring, and more. See what she had to say about her alma mater: VT: Describe the campus setting and transportation options. How urban or safe is the campus? Are there buses or do you need a car/bike? Dana: UH is historically a university for the working class, located in Houston's Third Ward. Thus the student body is dedicated, supportive, and highly diverse. Campus is close to downtown and Montrose, a great neighborhood filled with restaurants, museums, and more. Third Ward itself is a dynamic neighborhood, and despite some occasional crime, common sense is enough to keep you safe around campus (don't walk around alone at night, for example). Houston's transportation system is lacking, to say the least. But, depending on where you live, there are indeed buses and a new light rail coming to campus. Most students live in the far-flung suburbs though, and must use a car. VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Dana: From my experience, professors are available and willing to help, if not highly encouraging and committed to their students. Academic advisers are a hit and miss, and it depends on the department. Cultivating a good relationship with your advisers can go a long way though, so you can get past any initial unavailability. My classes were always small, as part of the Honors College or in advanced classes (both in the Political Science Department and the Economics Department), so I did not have much interaction with teaching assistants - only once in my entire undergraduate career. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Dana: Dorm life at UH has drastically improved, including the quality of the rooms and dining options. More restaurants have opened up as new buildings have been added. I never lived in the dorms, and some students find them a bit overpriced. But socialization opportunities have certainly increased for students, especially since dorms now group students by interest and college. VT: Which majors/programs are best represented and supported? What did you study and why? Did the university do a good job supporting your particular area of study? Dana: UH is the type of school, size-wise, where many programs are very strong and well-supported. For instance, UH is ranked in the top schools for diverse majors such as Creative Writing,Entrepreneurship, and Engineering. I personally double majored in Political Science and Economics. All of my professors were well-established and had graduated from top institutions. The university focuses more on the Natural Sciences, from my experience, but still provides a number of research grants to the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. I had no problem pursuing my areas of study past the classroom when I wanted, with the logistic and financial support of the university. VT: How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Dana: It was very easy to meet people and make friends as a freshman. UH has many active student groups and consistently fun school-wide events. I was also a member of the Honors College, which does a great job helping their students get to know one another and cultivate relationships. There are a variety of Honors College events, many catered to freshman alone. Admittedly, the best relationships I made at UH were not made through the Honors College, but it does not take much effort to pursue other activities. Information on campus events is widely available. VT: How helpful is the Career Center and other student support services? Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Dana: There are a number of job fairs organized by the university career center, or specific colleges. The success rate seems to be quite satisfactory for the students involved, and many find internships and entry-level positions. I always wanted to pursue an academic career, and I did not utilize this particular support service. But, from my impression, they seem to be successful. VT: How are the various study areas such as libraries, student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Dana: The main library is wonderful, spacious, and a great place to study. It's open late when you need it and features a number of great events each semester, including Undergraduate Research Day and a late night pancake dinner during finals. The camaraderie between students studying in the library is wonderful to see and experience. The University Center, UH's student union, is currently being re-modeled. It will hold more restaurants and more areas for students to study or get involved in activities. Dorm lounges, particularly in the newer buildings, are very fancy and well-equipped, available to residents only (so I didn't get to see much of them). VT: Describe the surrounding town. What kinds of outside establishments / things to do are there that make it fun, boring, or somewhere in between? To what extent do students go to the downtown area of the city versus staying near campus? Dana: Houston is the fourth largest metropolitan area in the country, and UH is right in the thick of things. There isn't much youcan'tdo there; all interests are well represented. Students often spend time in Montrose, Fourth Ward, the Heights, and other great neighborhoods in central Houston. There are enough activities on campus to keep you busy, too, including athletic events, plays, and art shows. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Dana: Although the student body is 35,000 strong, many of my classes were 30 students or smaller. Rarely did I attend a large auditorium class, so I was always very pleased with class size. For a large university, UH does a great job making the student's educational experience as personal as possible. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one you regret the most. Dana: I enjoyed all the classes I took with Dr. Ryan Kennedy, who teaches in the Political Science Department. I also had the opportunity to take a capstone seminar with Dr. Robert Zaretsky and Dr. Olivia Miljanic on globalization. Through this course, I was able to pursue an undergraduate thesis, which I credit for helping me get into graduate school soon after. Check out Danastutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

English Adjective Word Order

English Adjective Word Order Knowing how to order multiple adjectives in one sentence can really help your English sound more natural and fluent, especially when youre talking to native speakers.For example, do you know how to correctly order the adjectives in the sentences below?My cat is (furry, awesome, small, old).This is a (red, wool, beautiful, Irish) sweater.Watch the video below to get the answers.Order the adjectives below:1. The couch is (classic, canvas, tan, small, new).2. Her new apartment is (cool, blue, small, cozy, inexpensive).3. The painting is (American, dark, oil, interesting, expensive).4. My new car is a (1970s, blue, awesome, fast) Mustang.5. Seattle is (fun, rainy, quiet, hip).You can write your answers in comments below, and we will correct them. Anton The couch is classic small new tan canvas Her new apartment is inexpensive cool cozy small blue The painting is expensive interesting dark American oil My new car is awesome fast 1970s blue Mustang. Seattle is fun rainy quite hip. LOIEn glish Anton in number 2: cool and cozy are opinion adjectives so they must come first. The same with number three: interesting must come first. Also it wasnt included but you need to add and before the last adjective. Aglaya 1. The couch is classic, small, new, tan, canvas.2. Her new apartment is cool, cozy, inexpensive, small, blue.3. The painting is interesting, inexpensive, dark, American, oil.4. My new car is a awesome, fast, 1970s, blue Mustang.5. Seattle is fun, hip, rainy, quiet. LOIEnglish AglayaVery good. The only mistake is a little tricky. You need to have the word and in each of the sentences. LOIEnglish AnYou are correct in that last sentence quiet is technically an opinion/judgement and should come before temperature. So it is better to say: Seattle is fun, hip, quiet and rainy.

Hearts Growing Strong! $50,000 Match Available. - Heart Math Tutoring

Heart’s Growing Strong! $50,000 Match Available. - Heart Math Tutoring Heart’s Growing Strong! $50,000 Match Available. Heart’s Growing Strong! $50,000 Match Available. June 23, 2016 Heart Donors, Funding Partners and Prospective Partners As we near the final stretch of our 2016 Spring Funding Initiative, I wanted to share the great news that we have raised $620,000 to date! We are beyond thrilled with our continued growth and success as we are now poised to expand from eight to 11 schools for the 2016/17 school year! We are also excited to share that The Leon Levine Foundation has awarded Heart a grant that matches new, increased, or lapsed donations dollar for dollar up to $50,000. We’d rather not wait until the November deadline and would like to surpass the $640,000 fundraising mark by Thursday, June 30. Doing so would enable us to get into a 12th school this fall. It costs $50,000 to fully fund a school site where 50-80 students receive one-on-one instruction for 30 minutes twice a week from September thru May. The cost for a new school partner includes: an on-site coordinator, tutoring supplies, volunteer recruitment, assessments and data analysis. To make a donation to Heart’s 2016 Spring Funding Initiative, please contact me at or 980-292-2297. No amount is too small. Heart accepts individual donations and sponsorships from corporations and foundations. Anything you or your business is able to contribute would be greatly appreciated to ensure all students build the strong foundation in math and enthusiasm for academics needed for long-term success. Thank you for supporting our efforts to meet the need for math intervention in CMS elementary schools. Your contributions enable us to recruit and support tutors, to give hundreds of students an opportunity for a brighter future. With Gratitude, Emily Elliott Executive Director Heart Math Tutoring

10 Ways You Can Get Involved in Politics

10 Ways You Can Get Involved in Politics (via Pixabay) 1) Knowledge is Power Before getting involved in politics it is essential to know and understand its background.  USA.gov  will be your best friend when it comes to learning the basics of how the government actually works. If you dont feel like looking up books in the library, you could always check out some YouTube videos that would speed the process along a little more quickly.  Here  is a seven-minute  crash course on the government basics! School House Rock is no longer around, their catchy, easy-to-follow tunes can be found on YouTube, like the classic  Im Just A Bill  song. Basically, there are several ways to learn about government and its history, whether youd like to indulge in a novel or just watch a quick video. 2) Register to Vote This step is simple and can be achieved in just a few minutes. You can register to vote at your local Department of Motor Vehicles or online. Visit this site  to find out more about where your local DMV is located and how to properly go about the process. 3) Go Actually Vote This should be obvious, but some feel as though their votes do not count. With the proper education on the voting process, you can find out that the constituents do indeed matter. This process can seem sketchy when talking about the electoral college but this actual weighs a states population in connection to the rest of the country. These electoral college numbers represent your  vote in a way that is cohesive and fair when it comes to the total population of the country. If this explanation  is confusing heres a short video  on explaining what it is and another discussing the voting process. US Capitol (via Wikimedia Commons) 4) Learn Who Reps Your State Whos your rep?? The government has three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. The legislative branch is where representatives come into play. This branch consists of Congress and the Senate  that are responsible for weighing in on decisions that the executive branch proposes. The legislature is the checks and balances that prevents every decision from becoming an executive order that overrides typical government practice. Its important to know who your state representatives are because you can have an influence on their decisions. Call your representatives, and keep in contact with them to have your voice be heard. You can find out who your representatives are on this website. 5) Share What You Know Knowledge is power for real. The things you know can be impactful to the people you know. Just like how you share stories, you can also share knowledge. You may have heard of the term share the wealth and this is almost one in the same. You can share what you know online or to the people close to you, anything counts! The more that everyone knows about government processes, the more say that constituents have. 6) Meetings on Meetings on Meetings This is possibly the most boring step, but still important! Town hall meetings or meetings in your district can be a direct way of speaking to your local representatives and voicing your opinion. These meetings allow for you to become aware of the things happening in your area that may have been unbeknownst to you. These meetings are a more intimate way to speak your mind rather than leaving your congressman voicemails and emails. But like mentioned earlier, these meetings can be super boring. Depending on what the meeting is about can determine which may be of interest to you. (via Pixabay) 7) Volunteer! Becoming involved does not necessarily always involve the government, but the little things that you can do to help your community. There are often local organizations that you could volunteer for to spread awareness of a cause or assist in their day to day activities. Many churches, schools, and shelters offer volunteer programs that would help out the community around you. There are ways to volunteer in helping people register to vote, and I guess you could consider campaigning for the candidates you believe in as volunteering too. 8) What Do You Believe In? What are you passionate about? What drives you and or riles you up? These things that you feel so strongly about can make your political involvement much easier. If you focus on one topic, or aspect of government, you can direct all of your attention to this cause. Having a focal point will make volunteering and activism seem more easily attainable. Some examples of a focal point would be systematic oppression, environmental factors, or gun control. 9) Find a Publication that Suits You The news media industry is flooded with publications of all kinds. Mainstream publications might not represent your views on a subject but there could be others that do. When you have a source to read from that aligns with your views or provides more information on what you care about, youd be able to keep up on what you believe in. 10) Donate If You Can All of these steps are optional but donating can be the most inconvenient. Unless you have excess money you can spend, donating can take a back seat while you pursue other methods of taking action. Donating to organizations and charities helps them be able to continue making a difference in whatever it is they focus on.

Toscars ~ Awards For The Best Tutors

Toscars ~ Awards For The Best Tutors It is Oscar night at TutorZ around here we prefer to say Toscar night. Come again? A Toscar is a compound word which we made up by connecting the first letter of our company name T (for TutorZ) with the famous annual Academy Awards celebration in Hollywood Oscar. Yes, you guessed Toscar is a bit of a joke. After all TutorZ does not award talent for entertainment. Instead TutorZ rewards talent and dedication in education. Therefore, the TutorZ CEO Dirk Wagner coined the term Apple awards for being more appropriate in tutoring industry and in congruence with the tradition of the teaching history. This is because, the apple has been a traditional childrens gift for a teacher. In Europe and in the colonial United States students would put apples on their teachers desk as a form of payment or recognition. At TutorZ we put apples on the profile page of our tutors as an award??. Only our best tutors who distinguished themselves for serving our student and parent clientele with professionalism, creditable knowledge the subjects taught and adjusting their teaching style to the students needs will be recognized with the Apple award. ?Mr. Wagner created 3 ?types of Apple awards: the Green, Red and Gold Apple. The first award the Green Apple award is given to those tutors who have created and activated a complete profile, and responded quickly and professionally to their tutoring jobs. Out of our 40,000+ tutors only 474 tutors carry the Green Apple award. Listing our awards by increased value the Red Apple award comes next. These tutors have been consistently buying or declining your tutoring jobs, communicating effectively with students and have been hired by students or their parents on numerous occasions. Currently, there are 109 Red Apple awarded tutors. Finally, the Gold Apple award is bestowed upon only the most distinguished tutors. As of today, TutorZ has only 12 such decorated tutors. The Apple Awards have been made possible through our signal-based ranking algorithm says Dirk. It employs 28 signals to carefully assess a tutors behavior. If a tutor responds quickly to a student request, communicates professionally and receives positive feedback from the student she will go up in rank. And one more thing: Ranking and deploying signals is not just possible at Google chuckle. For more information about ranking and awards check out our page Ranking and Apple Awards. We wish our Apple awarded tutor an entertaining night and thank them for their distinguished tutoring service. Toscars ~ Awards For The Best Tutors It is Oscar night at TutorZ around here we prefer to say Toscar night. Come again? A Toscar is a compound word which we made up by connecting the first letter of our company name T (for TutorZ) with the famous annual Academy Awards celebration in Hollywood Oscar. Yes, you guessed Toscar is a bit of a joke. After all TutorZ does not award talent for entertainment. Instead TutorZ rewards talent and dedication in education. Therefore, the TutorZ CEO Dirk Wagner coined the term Apple awards for being more appropriate in tutoring industry and in congruence with the tradition of the teaching history. This is because, the apple has been a traditional childrens gift for a teacher. In Europe and in the colonial United States students would put apples on their teachers desk as a form of payment or recognition. At TutorZ we put apples on the profile page of our tutors as an award??. Only our best tutors who distinguished themselves for serving our student and parent clientele with professionalism, creditable knowledge the subjects taught and adjusting their teaching style to the students needs will be recognized with the Apple award. ?Mr. Wagner created 3 ?types of Apple awards: the Green, Red and Gold Apple. The first award the Green Apple award is given to those tutors who have created and activated a complete profile, and responded quickly and professionally to their tutoring jobs. Out of our 40,000+ tutors only 474 tutors carry the Green Apple award. Listing our awards by increased value the Red Apple award comes next. These tutors have been consistently buying or declining your tutoring jobs, communicating effectively with students and have been hired by students or their parents on numerous occasions. Currently, there are 109 Red Apple awarded tutors. Finally, the Gold Apple award is bestowed upon only the most distinguished tutors. As of today, TutorZ has only 12 such decorated tutors. The Apple Awards have been made possible through our signal-based ranking algorithm says Dirk. It employs 28 signals to carefully assess a tutors behavior. If a tutor responds quickly to a student request, communicates professionally and receives positive feedback from the student she will go up in rank. And one more thing: Ranking and deploying signals is not just possible at Google chuckle. For more information about ranking and awards check out our page Ranking and Apple Awards. We wish our Apple awarded tutor an entertaining night and thank them for their distinguished tutoring service.

The Best Way to Learn a Language 7 Smart Hacks to Soar to Fluency

The Best Way to Learn a Language 7 Smart Hacks to Soar to Fluency The Best Way to Learn a Language: 7 Smart Hacks to Soar  to Fluency Whats faster than a cheetah?Give up?The peregrine falcon.This bird can  reach speeds over 200 miles per hour.  Wowzer!This happens when the falcon is diving to catch its prey.And its  able to get to those speeds thanks to its  stiff feathers, pointed wings, large keel (a special bone) and incredible circulatory and respiratory systems.We can take a lesson from this bird in order to reach our language learning goals at incredible speeds as well.If you want to learn faster, youll have to design a system as efficient as the peregrine falcons body.How you create this  system will depend on  you and your language learning goals, so  the  best way to learn a language will look a bit different for everyoneâ€"just as the cheetah and peregrine falcon have different features that allow them to  travel so fast.Once you have this strategy in place, every minute spent learning will be valuable. Youll discard the tools that dont suit you, increase your efficiency and be left with a method that get s you fast results.Theres nothing like seeing how much progress youre making!  So are you ready to discover the best way for you  to learn a language?Here are seven  smart hacks thatll help you reach record speeds on your way  to fluency. The Best Way to Learn a Language: 7 Smart Hacks to Soar  to Fluency1. Decide What Your Goals AreTo learn a language the best way, youll first need to identify your personal language learning goals. Here are some questions to ask yourself that will help you pinpoint your aims:Why are you studying your target language?  Consider your motivations for wanting to learn  your target language. It may be for a new job, to travel, to understand your favorite K-pop songs or  even to impress  a foreign fella! Knowing your reasons for learning a language will help you  narrow your focus.Which language skills do you need most?  With your goals in mind, make a list of what youll need  to do in your target language. For example, if youll be attending a conferen ce, choose listening as a priority. If you have to network, make speaking your top skill. If youre learning a language  to read or research original texts, youll obviously want to prioritize reading.Is there an exam looming? If there is, thats great because it gives you a concrete goal to work towards. In fact, even if you dont need a test score for any reason, it might be a good idea to sign up for one several months or half a year from now, just to give you a solid goal and motivation. Whether  youre taking  the DALF in French or the  IELTS for English, there is no shortage of practice test materials.How much time do  you have?  Finally, consider your timeline for reaching your goals, as well as how much daily and weekly time youll be able to dedicate to your learning mission. Use this information to make your goals specific. For example: My goal is to be able to order food at restaurants, ask for directions and make small talk when I travel to France five months from now. Ill spe nd 15 minutes a day, Monday through Saturday, learning French. Write  down this commitment  in whatever system  you preferâ€"whether thats a planner or a calendar app.If you have your specific goals and timeline in front of you, youll be one step closer to locating  the best way for you to learn your target language.2. Select the Best Methods and MaterialsChoosing a method and materials which suit you, the most important person in all this, is an important step in designing your falcon-fast system. The first factor  to consider is your learning style.Discover your learning styleCan you understand and remember words better through listening, or do your prefer a visual style? If its the latter, youll thrive on flashcards, lists and other visual content.  If youre a kinesthetic learner, you learn by doing, acting things out and talking.Four main learning styles are visual (seeing), auditory (listening), tactile (touching) and kinesthetic (moving/doing). There are no rigid boundaries he re, as most learners avail of a mix of styles with one predominatingâ€"and some choose from an expanded list of  seven main learning styles.If you have no idea where you might stand, heres a quick online quiz  to help you find  out your learning style.Select  materials and methods  that fit your  learning styleOnce you know your learning style, you can then match it up to the best materials and methods. Here are some ideas to get you started with three big learning styles:Visual: Read newspapers and books  |  watch  movies  |  use  flashcardsAuditory:  Listen to  music, radio and  audiobooks  |  watch  television  |  meet with a  conversation partnerKinesthetic: Take notes | draw diagrams |  play games  |  use interactive software  |  role playDefinitely  mix up materials so that you face a challenge now and again; you shouldnt stay solely in your strongest learning style. One incredibly effective method  thats suitable for most learners is using videos, and you can learn this way w ith FluentU.FluentU is an online immersion platform that takes  real-world videosâ€"like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talksâ€"and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.  You can browse videos  by difficulty (beginner to native), topic (arts and entertainment, health and lifestyle, etc.) and  format (video blog, news,  shows, etc.).FluentU is  much more than  just watching videosâ€"its about learning and actively practicing the language you hear in videos. Use the interactive subtitles, multimedia flashcards, downloadable transcripts and vocabulary lists to learn your target language  better than ever!Find a teacherIf you need a bit more direction or prefer to supplement your self-study with an experienced teacher, look for a private tutor or course. italki  is a fantastic place to find language teachers  for online lessons, whereas  your local university job board or even Craigslist might be a better place to start looking for an in-person tutor. For  sit-in courses, availability varies greatly depending on your location and target language, so use Google to see whats available near you. For more flexibility, you might prefer  one of these online language courses.3. Go for Vocabulary Instead of GrammarTo make the most progress in the least amount of  time, don’t worry too much about mastering difficult grammatical concepts. Instead, focus on  acquiring vocabularyâ€"the heart of a language.Learn common vocabMake sure youre aiming for the most commonly used words that fit in with your immediate goals.  Again, a quick Google search here can get you vocab lists of the most common words in your target language.This  will be the foundation for any meaningful interaction, the foundation for all language acquisition as Dr. Stephen Krashen points out here:Acquisition requires meaningful interaction in the target languageâ€"natural communicationâ€"in which speakers are concerned not with the form of their utterances but with the mes sages they are conveying and understanding.In other words, grammar isnt so importantâ€"getting your message across is.But  you will need grammar, of course! There are shades of meaning that can only be expressed through grammatical knowledge.  For example, making use of tenses to say when you did something. Thats pretty important when youre telling a story!Learn like children doKids are great at acquiring words for objects, and they can do it without any grammatical knowledge whatsoever! Reading is a fabulous way of acquiring new vocabulary, and if you can guess the meaning of unfamiliar words from the context, youre on a winning streak.4. Immerse Yourself in the LanguageIt doesnt matter whether or not you live in the country where your target language is spoken, there are lots of ways you can surround yourself in it. It really is just a matter of getting as much exposure as you can.  Here are some ideas:Listen to podcasts. Get your listening device  loaded up. If youre more advance d and want native podcasts, change your location in iTunes and browse local podcasts from your country of choice.Watch videos. Head back to FluentU  or over to YouTube and watch clips in your target language. Experiment with subtitles and see how it goes. As you become more adventurous, you can try to understand videos without them.Read widely. I always tell my students that there should be no books on their bedside table which are in their native language. Find something youd likely read in your native language, and which suits  your level. Dont forget about the wide variety of reading materials available: magazines, blogs, childrens books, romance novels, tabloids, graded readers, manuals, short stories, biographies, etc.Talk to native speakers.  This tip is going to catapult you towards fluency, no matter how many mistakes youre making  (there will be lots!) or how nervous you might feel. The sooner you start, the sooner youll become comfortable talking with natives.  The Mixerr  is a great resource where you can find a language partner and start talking to them via Skype.Write emails, stories and letters. Once youve switched your daily writing (to-do lists, shopping lists, calendar) into your target language, take it a step further. You can find international penpals or email language partners here, and native speakers will correct your writing here.Make  recipes. Cooking is a great passion, and is a marvelous way to discover the gastronomic culture. Search for recipes in your target language and try them out. In the comfort of your home, host  your very own cooking show  in your target language!5. Enjoy Yourself and ExperimentYoull definitely reach your goals faster if you enjoy the time spent learning your target language. So lighten up, let loose, play around and have fun!  Here are some things you can do: Watch cartoons.  Do a Google search for  â€œwatch cartoons in [your target language].” As always, youll want cartoons  that are fit for your level and your learning objectives.Do quizzes and competitions. The European Day of Languages site  has some great ideas for this.Play computer games. Get your competitive edge going by playing some computer games in your target language. If youre just starting out, play an online game in English for language learners,  like Free Riceâ€"which currently has German, French, Spanish, Italian and Latin in their foreign language category.Read kids books. Stock up with childrens  books in the language of your choice. See what your local library has available, or buy  kids stories for your Kindle or e-reader on Amazon.  Relive fond childhood memories, and discover new favorites!Watch TED talks. These short instructive videos are really entertaining and inspirational, plus they come with subtitles and interactive transcripts. TED has over 100 languages availableâ€"just use the language pull-down to search by language.6. Measure Your Progress and Increase Your MotivationThe peregrine falcon gets t o eat dinner when it succeeds. Talk about instant feedback!  Youll also want a way to measure your progress, so you can evaluate  whether or not its in line with your expectations and tweak your system accordingly. Being able to view the progress youve made can also do wonders for your  motivation.Here are some practical ways you can do this:Chains. Language learning is the result of good habits, rather than being very talented and having an ear for languages. Chains is a great site/app to help you keep track of your new language learning habits and goals. Dont break the chain!Test yourself. There are lots of ways you could  test yourself, and this is a great way to measure progress. If youre aiming for vocab, for example, use FluentU to track  how many words you have learned. If you want to improve your reading speed,  time yourself and see how long it takes you to read one page of a novel. Repeat the same test weekly, biweekly or monthly and write down  your results in the same pl ace.Track your conversations on Skype. Look at how many conversations youve had with your language exchange partner and add up the total time. Do a weekly check to see if its  increasing, and set a goal for next month.Check  off specific things you can do.  The Common European Framework established by the Council of Europe is full of can do statements which are the basis for measuring progress in languages. You can follow these or make your own list. Theres nothing more satisfying than being able to cross off things on your can do list. For example, youll be able to order a simple meal, ask for directions, introduce a speaker or write a report.Pace yourself. You do not want to risk burnout by doing mega sessions. Aim for short and intensive learning bouts for actively practicing the language.Keep positive. Having a positive mindset is crucial. Whenever you need a lift, read a blog post from Marc and Angel or these tips on Life Hack  to stay optimistic and hopeful.Persistence pays of f. Yes, there will be difficulties, frustration and setbacks, but never quit. Small, repeated, consistent efforts will get you farther than you ever imagined.  7. Reach out and Gain ConfidenceThe key here is to continually step outside your comfort zone and challenge yourself. Choose growth over comfort, and youll see your  confidence grow along with your language abilities. Here are some ideas:Pick up the telephone.  Call a museum or major company in Madrid, Beijing or Tokyo, for example. Ask for basic or more detailed information, and then check if you have understood correctly by looking at their site online.Talk to tourists.  If you live in a large city, you have a golden opportunity. Go out of your way to help tourists with directions and guiding whenever possible (in your target language).Set yourself new challenges. No sitting back on your laurels,  think up new challenges to test yourself. For example, if youre just starting out, you might challenge yourself to have a 15-min ute conversation with a native speaker two or three months from now. If youre more advanced, challenge yourself to  give a speech in your target language (set it up and schedule it). For the best results, keep your challenges  realistic and attainable, and then announce your challenge to others for added incentive to follow through.Dont aim for perfection. Get used to making mistakes, and dont view people correcting you as a criticism. Its a learning opportunity!Follow these seven smart hacks and youll  create the most efficient language learning system for you. Spread your wings and soar! And One More ThingWeve already mentioned FluentU a few times, but theres a lot more to see, so we thought wed offer you a more detailed look.With FluentU, you learn real languagesâ€"the same way that natives  speak them. FluentU has a wide variety of videos, including movie trailers, funny commercials and web series, as you can see here:FluentU App Browse Screen.FluentU has interactive captions th at let you tap on any word to see an image, 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 over or tap on the subtitles to instantly view definitions.FluentU Interactive Transcripts You can learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentUs quiz 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.