Gibson vs. Fender Which Brand Do Guitar Players Prefer [Vote]

Gibson vs. Fender Which Brand Do Guitar Players Prefer [Vote] Suzy S. In the Gibson vs. Fender debate, where do you stand? Here, professional musician  Michael L.  shares his thoughts on the two brands…     Theres nothing like being a guitar player, am I right? Youve got your pick of genres to explore, from jazz to country to metal. You have amazing guitarists to look up to and learn from. And when it comes to gear, you have your pick of some of the coolest innovations to make your sound rock. If youre like most guitarists,  you like to talk about your gear, too. Youll find  heated debates online about the best guitar amps, strings, pedals, and more. And if you’re in the market for  your first guitar, you’ll likely get a lot of (unsolicited) advice about the best guitar brands and models. One of the biggest rivalries in the world of electric guitars is Gibson vs. Fender. Many guitar players have allegiances to their favorite company, although both produce professional-grade guitars. So, which brand is better? To start, lets review the  history of both companies, as well as  a general breakdown of the types of guitars offered. Then, Ill share  my personal preference between  the guitar manufacturers. All About Gibson Guitars Gibson dates back to the late 1800s, when Orville Gibson patented a mandolin design that was much more durable than other instruments at that time. He sold these instruments out of a one-room workshop in Kalamazoo, MI, until his death in 1918. The designs lived on, however, as the company hired designer Lloyd Lear to continue creating new instruments. In 1936, the company invented the first  commercially successful Spanish-style electric guitar, the ES 150 (ES stands for Electric Spanish). Next came the P-90 pickup in 1946 and the Les Paul in 1952. The Les Paul, perhaps the most  iconic model from the company, was Gibsons first solid body electric guitar. In 1958 Gibson also introduced semi-hollow body guitars with the ES-335. Afterward came  the Gibson SG and Firebird in the 1960s. Since then Gibson has stayed on top of the list of premier instrument manufacturers. All About Fender Guitars Leo Fender started Fender Guitars in 1946, and his first innovation was the production of solid body guitars. Up until then, electric guitars were made with hollow bodies, meaning that they were somewhat fragile and somewhat complicated in design. Leo Fenders guitars offered a more  straightforward design; the were bodies made from one solid block of wood and the bridges were simply attached to the body, removing the need for extra calibration of elevated bridges. The first commercially available guitar from Fender was the Telecaster, originally called the Tele, in 1951. That same year Leo Fender also invented the electric bass. Until then, bassists had to use an upright bass, making it difficult to hear the bass while electric guitars and drums were being played. Next, the Stratocaster hit the market in 1954, introducing a tremolo bridge (or whammy bar) to the world. Fender kept the amazing innovations coming, introducing the Jaguar, Jazzmaster, Jazz Bass, and Twin Reverb amp over the next decade. Gibson  vs. Fender: Style Adaptability When choosing between Fender or Gibson, there are many factors  to consider.  The main factor for me is style adaptability. Both Fender and Gibson have different models for different musical styles and tastes. The  Gibson Style Gibsons  electric guitars generally sport humbucker pickups,  known for their thicker, rounder tone. You also get less feedback, which limits the types of delay and overdrive tones you can experiment with, but ensures a cleaner and more consistent sound. Gibson mainly  uses mahogany for their guitar bodies, which is what gives it that slightly darker sound. Another feature that affects a Gibson guitars sound is the scale length. Gibson typically uses a 24.75 scale length, producing warmer, muddy overtones. Outside of the sound created, Gibson guitars also feel different to players. Gibsons typically have a longer fingerboard radius, at 12, which means a fatter neck. With a fatter neck, the strings are at a more even height, which may help you  play faster. Gibson Guitars Les Paul guitars in particular boast a  full tone that can serve as an entire rhythm section if need be. With a switch of pickups, you can also find a lead tone that cuts through, while still maintaining low-end frequencies.  Jimmy Page, Joe Perry, and Zakk Wylde are known for playing Les Pauls. A Gibson SG, another example, is a straight rock-n-roll or punk rocker guitar. Its shrill with big low frequencies, which is great for blues. Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Angus Young, and Tony Iommi favor the SG. The  Fender Style Fender guitars have a bit of a different sound, again because of the way theyre made. Fenders are  usually  made with alder and ash, producing a brighter tone and offering a lighter feel. Fender typically uses a 25.5 scale length, which provides a rich, almost bell-like tone. And for its fingerboard, Fender typically uses a shorter radius (7.25-9.5), offering a thinner, curved neck.  Beginners and players with small hands might find these thinner necks more comfortable. Fender Guitars The single coil pickups of a Stratocaster, in particular, may be your preference if you like lots of treble in your tone and want to make lead lines pop. Some famous Stratocaster players are Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, John Frusciante, and Jeff Beck. Telecaster tone, on the other hand, has a bit of a flat thud to it. The notes generally dont have a full sustain and the lipstick pickup promotes more mid to low frequencies. Players like Joe Strummer, Keith Richards, and Prince favor telecasters. Who Wins? For me, its difficult to take a personal side in the Fender vs. Gibson debate. Both companies have produced legendary instruments that have shaped music around the world. Both have helped define electric guitar tone. However, I will have to side with Fender in this arena. I love the feel of Fender instruments, particularly Jazzmaster and Telecasters. Both have broad, flat necks that fit my fingers and a tone that sounds divine. The Telecaster has an honest thud to its sound and the Jazzmaster gives you a full range of tonal experimental possibilities. What Other Opinions Are Out There? Search through any guitar forum or blog, and youll find tons of information  about Fender, Gibson, and other guitar brands. If youd like to research some more before casting your vote, here are some articles and posts to check out: Stratocaster vs. Les Paul: Which is Right For You? via The HUB from Musicians Friend Les Paul Vs Stratocaster Guitar Review, via Spinditty Fender vs. Gibson list your preference and why, via GearSlutz forum Your Turn Which guitar brand is best? Cast your vote here: Which guitar brand is better? Gibson Fender View Results Loading ... Dont have an opinion yet? If youre trying to decide which guitar to buy, dont just trust the poll results. Try out different guitar brands, models, and styles, and youll find what you like best. And once you have that perfect  guitar, its time to improve your skills! Search for guitar teachers in your area and  get help with playing chords, songs, and much more. Good luck! Photo by  Larry Ziffle Post Author:  Michael  L. Michael teaches ukulele, guitar, drums, and music theory in Austin, TX. In addition to private lessons, Michael teaches music to special education students and foster children with Kids in a New Groove.  Learn more about Michael here! Need Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher

7 Tips to Make Your Freelance Career Successful - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / 7 Tips to Make Your Freelance Career Successful - Introvert Whisperer 7 Tips to Make Your Freelance Career Successful Many people today are making the change from full-time jobs that are usually characterized by a lot of restrictions to enjoying the freedom of freelancing. As a freelancer, you become your own boss, and have to undertake a lot of tasks on your own. It requires good judgment in the manner in which you will go about your business. So exactly how does someone make this very important switch? Knowing where to begin sounds like an easy task but it is one of the hardest. This article will offer you 7 Tips to make your freelance career successful. Some of them may seem as common sense but they will help in reminding you the need of refining your work. The 7 useful insights No one ever leaves their permanent employment and become a busy freelancer overnight. In freelancing, work slowly builds up over time. In case one is surrounded with unavoidable financial commitments, it will be important that he takes time to plan his freelance career before making the big leap. This will involve carefully thinking of what you wish to offer, who you wish to offer it to, and slowly fishing out future clients. As a freelancer, it is imperative that you learn how to network. It will involve branching out past old work contacts or friends and family. Connections can be made from face to face events or through virtual platforms. From local groups to national events, all these situations present an opportunity of expanding your horizon by getting to know new people. Social media is also an invaluable tool when it comes to networking, with the right set of skill, anyone can comfortably use this virtual platform to engage his audience about his expertise and talents. Finding clients is a key area in every freelancing career. However, the problem arises when you do not know where to exactly find them. The first place a freelancer should look at is people he already knows. This may include previous and current bosses, past clients, or old colleagues. You should get in touch with them, let them know that you have gone freelance, and ask them whether they may have any projects at they may need help in. Apart from the direct contacts, venture into the indirect ones. Immerse yourself into the social media by creating profiles and providing relevant information about your business. Do not be afraid to say no. Always remember that you do not have to take anything that comes your way. Avoid making the wrong commitments. This is because you may end up finding it impossible to deliver the project to the client, miss out on family due to long working hours, and become stressed with the job itself. Making the wrong commitments may make it impossible for you to take on a golden opportunity when one finally comes your way. It is important that you decide a decent rate of pay for yourself. A figure that you are happy with, worth your time, and does not scare off any potential clients. Knowing what you are worth can be easily done by taking the full-time salary of a permanent worker of the same profession and, and adding a third of that amount to the original figure. It should also involve researching on the charges of other freelancers. As much as most clients are usually fair and honest, there are also some very difficult clients out there. Because of this, ensure that you take sensible precautions by keeping clear and elaborate paper trail of every instruction from the clients and quotes accepted by them. Ensure that all emails containing such information are kept. Whenever a verbal agreement  is made, quickly follow up with emails to confirm the agreements. A good workman never blames his tools. Remember to invest in good equipment. This will range from hardware to software needs. Ensure that your equipment are well serviced and fully functional. Conclusion The above tips will be truly beneficial if implemented in one’s freelance career. They will allow you to grow majorly into working with the best in the freelance industry. For example, as a freelance journalist, you may get to do business with PayDesk, one of the biggest freelance journalism companies available in the world. As a web developer or web designer, you can start with Peopleperhour. If you’re a programmer check FreeLancer . Always keep these insights in mind and remember to work, work and work! Guest Author: Liam Evans CAREER ACCELERATION Do you know what your next career step is? Many people don’t. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my eBook on how to construct your Career SMART Goals â€" that will help you put together your actions and keep you accountable. Get your copy now and start your action plan today: CLICK HERE!

Recipes for Beginners

Recipes for Beginners Dishes for Budding Chefs ChaptersCooking: How to Make a Quiche Lorraine?How Do You Make Crepes?Cooking: How to Make PizzaHow to Make a Croque Monsieur“Food, to me, is always about cooking and eating with those you love and care for.” - David ChangAre you sick of pasta and searching for recipes?Even if you’re not a great chef, you can start making tasty meals. According to a survey by Quitoque, 78% of women and 89% of men would like to spend more time cooking.So are you ready to start playing around with ingredients?Courgettes, carrots, shrimps and prawns, salmon, asparagus, rice, lamb, chicken, etc. Whether you’re making salads, chocolate dessert, or bakes, have fun!To get started, here are some easy recipes! GiovanniCooking Teacher 4.83 (12) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HalimaCooking Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HakimCooking Teacher 5.00 (5) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors VincenzoCooking Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GinellaCooking Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ArronCooking Teacher 5.00 (2) £9/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JoshuaCooking Teacher 5.00 (5) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FlickCooking Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsCooking: How to Make a Quiche Lorraine?The quiche lorraine (a type of bacon and cheese quiche) is arguably the most popular quiche in the world. Whether it’s as a starter or main, it can be eaten hot out of the oven, refrigerated, or you can reheat it if any of it remains. This quiche recipe is quick and easy to make in a cooking class and is essentially an omelette or frittata in a pie crust. The quiche lorraine is one of the easiest recipes to make and you can have it as a starter or main. (Source: jess1981)You just need to start by making the pastry. You can use a shortcrust pastry or a puff pastry for a quiche lorraine.Shortcut pastry is easier to make at home.  You need to mix flour, butter, egg yolks, salt, and water. You can then put extra pastry to one side, keeping it in the freezer, for the next time you make a quiche. You just need to separate the pastry into bowls and cover them. Once your pastry is ready, put them in a pie plate or pie pan and pierce the base with a fork.  Finally, bake the pastry for ten minutes.Place some baking paper on the pastry and then add some baking beans to the base. You can then move onto making the quiche filling. To do this, you’ll mix creme fraiche, milk, 5 eggs, and some lardons.Break the eggs one by one into a salad bowl. Beat them and then add the creme fraiche and milk. Whisk it all together. You can add salt, pepper, and n utmeg. Make sure that you don’t add too much salt as the lardons are already quite salty on their own.Place the lardons on the pastry that you cooked earlier and then pour the mix on top (having removed the paper and baking beans).  Preheat your oven to 180 °C and bake for half an hour.  You can then serve your quiche lorraine with a salad.You can also make a quiche lorraine without eggs, pastry, or even make a vegan quiche lorraine. You can also use other foods to garnish the quiche. Whether you make it with gruyere cheese, sharp cheddar, ham and cheese, leek, spinach, or even crustless quiche, anything is possible!The most important thing when cooking is to have fun. Find out more about making quiches.How Do You Make Crepes?Who doesn’t love crepes?With sugar, chocolate, caramel, jam, sweet, or savoury, crepes are good for any occasion.But do you know how to make crepes? And where do they come from? Making crepes is far easier than you think. (Source: RitaE)Crepes date back to around 7,000BCE. Pancakes made from water and crushed cereals were regularly made. They were a lot thicker than how we currently make them, but they were the basis for the recipe that you use nowadays.During the 13th century, the Bretons made buckwheat pancakes. Buckwheat had made its way from Asia and was used to make savoury crepes. Bit by bit, the recipe changed. Crepes started to be cooked with wheat flour and milk. Crepes have many relatives around the world including blinis, pancakes, etc!If you want to make French-style crepes, start by mixing flour, milk, eggs, butter, sugar, and salt.  Pour the flour in a large mixing bowl. Make a hole in the middle and start adding the eggs one by one. Mix the eggs and the flour with a whisk, then slowly add milk to the mix.Add the softened butter and a pinch of salt and sugar. Keep mixing until the batter is a smooth liquid. It needs to be slightly thicker than water.  Let it sit for two hours in the fridge.If you don’t happen to have a crepe pan or pancake maker, you can always just use a regular frying pan. Warm it for a few minutes and add a bit of oil, allowing it to spread.With the help of a ladle, take a bit of the batter and pour it onto the pan. Tilt the pan so that the batter spreads across the base of the pan.Cook for a couple of minutes. The crepe should come cleanly off the pan. Use a spatula to flip the crepe and heat for another minute. You can get the toppings ready at this point.Your crepe is ready!Just like with the quiche lorraine, you can also change the type of crepe you make by changing the batter ingredients. You can make vegan, savoury, or rum crepes! You can choose whatever you want to put on your crepe.Find out more about making crepes.Cooking: How to Make PizzaAfter having made crepes and quiche, why not learn how to make your homemade pizzas? Want a pizza? Learn how to make your own. (Source: igorovsyannykov)Italy’s most famous dish, the pizza, has changed a lot since starting as a bit of bread with tomatoes on it.  Nowadays, pizzas are famous all over the world. Brits and Americans are huge fans of pizzas, too!If you want something a little different from the pizzas you normally get, learning to make a pizza is a great way to save money and enjoy pizzas exactly the way you like them.The key to a good pizza is the dough. Thick, thin, soft, crispy, anything is possible.  You can make your pizza dough with flour, baker’s yeast, and a bit of warm water. Knead it for a few minutes and then let it sit for a few hours. You’ll then have the dough of your dreams.  Of course, you can also buy readymade pizza dough if you don’t have the time to make your own.Spread out your dough to the size needed and then place it on a baking tray with some baking paper and olive oil. Pop it in the oven for around 10 minutes at 220 °C.  T ake it out of the oven and then put the ingredients on it.You can opt for a tomato or creme fraiche base. Then add the toppings you want.You can also make a sweet pizza with melted chocolate or jam.You just need to put it all back in the oven and keep an eye on it as it cooks. The time taken will depend on which ingredients you’ve added. The best thing to do is to stay by the oven and watch it cook.Find out more about making pizzas.How to Make a Croque MonsieurThe Croque monsieur is the cheese toasty’s French cousin. You can make a Croque monsieur with plenty of different ingredients. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)While it’s popular in Parisian bistros, it originated in Australia. The aboriginal peoples would grill meat between two slices of bread. This type of toasted sandwich is an early ancestor of the Croque monsieur.It wouldn’t be until the 20th century that the Croque monsieur started showing up in the French capital. It soon became very popular. Bit by bit, it became internationally popular, too.To make a Croque Monsieur, you need to first butter two slices of bread (white or brown). Pour a mix of milk, grated cheese, and salt onto the slices. Add slices of cheese and ham to the bread. Close the sandwich by adding a slice of cheese and a slice of bread.Butter the top and add some grated cheese.  Bake in the oven for around ten minutes.For the real thing, replace the milk and cheese mix with a bechamel sauce!There are several variations on the Croque monsieur.  You can even make a Croque m adame by putting a fried egg on top.There are all sorts of different ways to make them. Whether you want it with onions, mushrooms, creamed spinach, pineapple, cheese, or berries and goat’s cheese.Anything is possible so start having fun in the kitchen!Find out more about making Croque monsieurs.If you'd like to learn how to cook, consider getting private tutorials from one of the many talented private tutors on Superprof.Think carefully about your budget and how you like to learn before choosing your tutor and keep in mind that many of the tutors offer the first hour of tutoring for free.

English Greetings and Goodbyes - Learn English with Harry ??

English Greetings and Goodbyes - Learn English with Harry ?? Here you will learn different English greetings and goodbyes. Saying hello and goodbye can be very easy in English, there are many options. There are formal options and more informal ways to greet people. English Greetings and Goodbyes - Formal and Informal English Greetings and Goodbyes - Formal and Informal For friends and family   you can choose from :A: Hi.B: Hi. How are you?A: Nice to see you.B: Nice to see you also.orA: How are you getting on?B: Fine (great), thanks.A: Great to see you again.B: Yeah and you.orA: Hows it going? (Irish)B:  Pretty good, and you?or simplyA: Hello.B: Hello, Hi.For more formal occasions you should use:A: Good morning.B: Good morningorA: Good Day (depending on the time of day) or May I help you? How do you do?B: I am well thank you. And you?A: Pleased to meet you.B: Pleased to meet you also. When leaving somebody again you have many choices and you can choose formal or informal farewells depending on the relationship with the person or people.Informal:Bye-bye or Bye or See you or Cheers or Thanks or Catch up soonReplies to all of these can be varied:Bye, Cheers, See you, Take careFormal :A: Goodbye.B: Goodbye.A: Thank you.B: Thank you also.A: Nice to have met you.B: It was nice to meet you also.On Friday afternoon we usually say:A: Have a nice weekend.B: Yeah, same to you.Try to complete the following dialogues:A:  How are you getting on?B:  __________ thanks.A:  Hows it going?  B:  ____________, and you?A:  Pleased to meet you.B: ______________also.

Get Involved With Your Childs Education This School Year

Get Involved With Your Child’s Education This School Year Get Involved With Your Childs Education This School Year Youve probably heard before how valuable parental involvement is when it comes to supporting a childs academic success and well-being. Researchers and education professionals continue to find that a familys involvement in their childs education is not just beneficial, but essential. Parental involvement is closely tied to student achievement, high motivation , self-esteem and more. But how exactly should you get involved, and how much? Are certain activities more beneficial than others? Here are several suggestions on how you can get involved with your childs education this school yearand make the most of those efforts. Voice your opinion on school issues. Attend meetings for your schools Parent Teacher Association and help weigh in on important decisions that impact your childs education. This is a great way to make changes at your school and a wonderful way to get to know teachers, administrators and other parents. Spend time at school. Volunteering in the classroom helps out your childs teacher, but its also a great opportunity for you to observe your childs work habits and behavior. Another idea is to volunteer in the lunchroom or help out during lunchtime activities if your childs school allows it. Be sure to stop into the classroom to touch base with your childs teacher as well. Foster your childs learning at home. If your work schedule doesnt allow you to get to school much, dont worry. Parental involvement and student achievement studies show that at-home activities such as reading with your child actually have a greater impact on student educational outcomes than involvement such as parental participation in school events. Whenever possible, be on hand to help your child with homework. If your child is older and does homework independently, you can still ask questions about and show interest in school, homework and what your child is learning (and enjoying). Get to know the teachers in your childs life. Building a home-school bond is important. Make sure to attend all parent-teacher conferences, but also maintain open lines of communication with the teacher in between. Ask how you can best support your child at home and keep in touch about how those efforts are going. Work on the basics. A less obvious way of parental involvement is to help your child develop some of the essentials for school success: organization, time management, good study habits and maintaining a schedule. These skills require consistency and practice, and most children need support at home to learn them. Run a structured household that has a predictable school routine and encourage your child to do the same.

italki October 2015 Language Challenge BEFORE and AFTER videos !

italki October 2015 Language Challenge BEFORE and AFTER videos ! Check out Videos of Students Who Completed the October 2015 Language  Challenge! So, first of all we would like to thank everyone of you who have joined the October 2015 Language Challenge. Whatever your reasons of learning languages, we hope that by doing this challenge you will have a consistent language learning habit throughout 2015! Here are some of the best videos that we received for this challenge: Alex Barnes from United Kingdom completed October 2015 Language Challenge learning German! In July Alex already did italki language challenge in Chinese and this time he would like to do it in German. He studied Chinese and German at University in England but last year he was in China, so he has forgotten a lot of German. Alex has no particular goals but he wants to improve his pronunciation and accent and to be a bit more fluent when he talks. He has finished his October Language Challenge. Here is the public video pledge that he made before the challenge: And here is the video after challenge: Alex Gureev from Russia completed October 2015 Language Challenge learning English! He decided for this Language Challenge to improve his English skills. Here is the public video pledge that he made before the challenge: And here is the video after challenge: Blair  from the United States completed October 2015 Language Challenge learning Dutch! Blair wants to improve his target language that is Dutch. Here is the public video pledge that he made before the challenge: And here is the video after challenge: Israel  from China completed October 2015 Language Challenge learning Swedish! Israel decided to learn Swedish because he is leaving in Sweden right now! He has finished his italki October Language Challenge! Here is the public video pledge that he made before the challenge: And here is the video after challenge: Helga  from Russia completed October 2015 Language Challenge learning Italian! Helga was  going to learn Italian. She speaks Italian quiet well but she was so struggle with propositions, articles and talking about the past. Here is the public video pledge that he made before the challenge: And here is the video after challenge: Jesper  from  Denmark  completed October 2015 Language Challenge learning Japanese! Jesper has just completed the italki October Language Challenge where he was studying Japanese! And here is the video after challenge: Pierre Bredel from Brazil completed October 2015 Language Challenge learning English! Pierre is learning English. This was his fifth italki Language Challenge. Here is the public video pledge that he made before the challenge: And here is the video after challenge: Zeeshan from the United States completed October 2015 Language Challenge learning Spanish! Zeeshan is learning Spanish. This time he was going to a continue practice in his Spanish because he wanted to achieve a really high level. His goal is to able to sustain high level conversations and more advanced topics such as global warming or alternative energies. Here is the public video pledge that he made before the challenge: And here is the video after challenge: Ric from the United States completed October 2015 Language Challenge learning Spanish! The main goal for Ric was to be able to speak Spanish faster! Here is the public video pledge that he made before the challenge: And here is the video after challenge: Jonathan from the United States completed October 2015 Language Challenge learning Spanish and Italian! Jonathan is learning Spanish and Italian. He wanted to improve his Spanish also because his family speak Spanish. Moreover Jonathan wanted to improve his Italian because he travels frequently for work in Italy! Here is the public video pledge that he made before the challenge: And here is the video after challenge: We really do hope that after the challenge you will not stop learning languages. We hope that this challenge gives you that extra push  to keep learning languages throughout the year! italki October 2015 Language Challenge BEFORE and AFTER videos ! Check out Videos of Students Who Completed the October 2015 Language  Challenge! So, first of all we would like to thank everyone of you who have joined the October 2015 Language Challenge. Whatever your reasons of learning languages, we hope that by doing this challenge you will have a consistent language learning habit throughout 2015! Here are some of the best videos that we received for this challenge: Alex Barnes from United Kingdom completed October 2015 Language Challenge learning German! In July Alex already did italki language challenge in Chinese and this time he would like to do it in German. He studied Chinese and German at University in England but last year he was in China, so he has forgotten a lot of German. Alex has no particular goals but he wants to improve his pronunciation and accent and to be a bit more fluent when he talks. He has finished his October Language Challenge. Here is the public video pledge that he made before the challenge: And here is the video after challenge: Alex Gureev from Russia completed October 2015 Language Challenge learning English! He decided for this Language Challenge to improve his English skills. Here is the public video pledge that he made before the challenge: And here is the video after challenge: Blair  from the United States completed October 2015 Language Challenge learning Dutch! Blair wants to improve his target language that is Dutch. Here is the public video pledge that he made before the challenge: And here is the video after challenge: Israel  from China completed October 2015 Language Challenge learning Swedish! Israel decided to learn Swedish because he is leaving in Sweden right now! He has finished his italki October Language Challenge! Here is the public video pledge that he made before the challenge: And here is the video after challenge: Helga  from Russia completed October 2015 Language Challenge learning Italian! Helga was  going to learn Italian. She speaks Italian quiet well but she was so struggle with propositions, articles and talking about the past. Here is the public video pledge that he made before the challenge: And here is the video after challenge: Jesper  from  Denmark  completed October 2015 Language Challenge learning Japanese! Jesper has just completed the italki October Language Challenge where he was studying Japanese! And here is the video after challenge: Pierre Bredel from Brazil completed October 2015 Language Challenge learning English! Pierre is learning English. This was his fifth italki Language Challenge. Here is the public video pledge that he made before the challenge: And here is the video after challenge: Zeeshan from the United States completed October 2015 Language Challenge learning Spanish! Zeeshan is learning Spanish. This time he was going to a continue practice in his Spanish because he wanted to achieve a really high level. His goal is to able to sustain high level conversations and more advanced topics such as global warming or alternative energies. Here is the public video pledge that he made before the challenge: And here is the video after challenge: Ric from the United States completed October 2015 Language Challenge learning Spanish! The main goal for Ric was to be able to speak Spanish faster! Here is the public video pledge that he made before the challenge: And here is the video after challenge: Jonathan from the United States completed October 2015 Language Challenge learning Spanish and Italian! Jonathan is learning Spanish and Italian. He wanted to improve his Spanish also because his family speak Spanish. Moreover Jonathan wanted to improve his Italian because he travels frequently for work in Italy! Here is the public video pledge that he made before the challenge: And here is the video after challenge: We really do hope that after the challenge you will not stop learning languages. We hope that this challenge gives you that extra push  to keep learning languages throughout the year!

Want to teach abroad Try teaching English online first.

Want to teach abroad Try teaching English online first. Eager to see the world and explore different countries, landscapes and cultures? A couple weeks of vacation a year might not quite cut it, then. If you’re planning on teaching abroad this year or next, though, here’s our advice: If you’ve got a few hours free in the early morning or on weekends, it’s well worth giving online English teaching a go first. Whether you’re working or studying, full or part-time, teaching English online is a great (and super flexible) way to work around the world, save for the move abroad, get some relevant experience for your teach abroad resume. Or, if you have some nagging doubts about this whole teaching English abroad thing, it’s the perfect chance to figure out whether it’s the right move for you in the first place! Read on to find out more: You can work your way around the world - without the hassle of getting a visa. The world is too big to stay in one place forever, right? You want to live the dream - travel the world, set your own hours and fund yourself along the way. The digital nomad lifestyle is gaining huge traction for a very good reason. Working on the road could be the solution you’ve been looking to make long-term travel attainable for you at long last. If you don’t want to commit to one job or living in one country for a prolonged period of time, then an online English teaching job could be the perfect remote gig for you. Usually, you need a working visa to teach English abroad. In lots of countries, being granted a visa involves lots of jumping through hoops and all sorts of tiresome paperwork, including a medical check. Teaching English online, however, takes visas and all that annoying red tape out of the equation. So long as you continue to pay taxes in your home country, you’re not technically working in the countries that you visit along your travels. All you need to teach English online is a decent internet connection, your laptop or computer and, more often than not, you can easily teach remotely with just a tourist visa. Best of all, the cost of living in places like Bali, Thailand, Argentina Mexico, Hungary and Portugal is a whole lot cheaper than, say, Toronto or Chicago. Meaning the money you can make teaching English online will stretch a whole lot further than it would at home. Watch this: A day in the life teaching English online Teaching English online doesn’t just help you bemore location independent, though… Teaching English online can also make enough money to cover your startup costs for your move abroad. Let’s be real here. Moving abroad to teach can be an expensive process. Homesickness and language barriers aside, there's a lot of logistics that go into dropping your life and moving halfway across the world. Let’s say you snag a teaching job abroad that helps with housing and airfare costs. Great! But there’s other stuff you’ll need to stump for before you hop on that plane, like getting TEFL certified. Not to mention everyday living expenses, like food, cell phone and entertainment, that can all mount up well before that first paycheck actually hits your bank account. At a minimum, you’ll need to bring enough cold, hard cash to get you through the first 4 - 6 weeks, along with a contingency fund in case of a rainy day. And if you need to cover your own rent and utilities, plus health insurance, you’ll really need to bump up those savings. Which can be a tough ask when you’re fresh out of college and broke. Or already renting in an expensive city. This means that if you’re looking to teach abroad sometime in the next few months to a year but you’re light on funds, then you might want to look at a flexible way to earn some extra money on the side. Enter teaching English online. Sign up to Teach Away today for access to the latest teaching jobs around the world. You can find out if you even like teaching English in the first place! This one’s pretty important. We know you’ve probably read a lot of overwhelmingly positive stories about how incredible and life-changing teaching abroad is (we have our fair share of these on the blog - here’s one for starters). But let’s face it - teaching, in general, isn’t for everyone and is certainly not a step to be taken lightly. Most English teaching job contracts overseas are at least a year and finding a job in the first place is a fairly big time (and financial) commitment. Getting TEFL certified is one way to ease the transition. But what if teaching kids just isn’t your thing and you find yourself in a classroom in some far-flung location, teaching English grammar 25 boisterous five-year-olds? You’ll have spent a whole of time, money and effort to get there in the first place. It’s difficult to back out at this point without: Leaving your students down Losing your visa status Heading back home with your tail between your legs (and a massive dent in your savings) Anyone who’s taught young learners understands the battles you have to fight to get kids to pay attention and consistently do their work. Adult learners, on the other hand, are usually a little more self-motivated and serious about the whole learning-a-new-language thing. To figure out which age group suits you best, you can test the waters a little with the numerous online English teaching jobs out there working with all age levels. You’ll have a killer resume for English teaching jobs abroad. Not all English teaching jobs abroad require you to have teaching experience - the minimum schools usually require is a bachelor’s degree, native English fluency and an ESL teaching certification. But there’s no getting away from the fact that having direct experience teaching English language learners will not only better equip you to help your new students. It’s also far and away the best way to stand out from the crowd as a superstar candidate for the best-paying teaching positions abroad. Love the idea of a job you can do from anywhere? Apply today to learn more about teaching English online with VIPKID, including upcoming jobs, requirements, work environment and more.

Record pass rates for Scottish Higher and Standard Grades

Record pass rates for Scottish Higher and Standard Grades Hot on the heels of the news that our primary school children have missed the mark in their English SATs come some happy tidings. Higher and Standard Grade pass rates for Scottish pupils have reached record levels. The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) has confirmed that the pass rate for the 159,901 students sitting Scottish Highers is 74.2% - a 0.8% increase on last year. The pass rate amongst Standard Grade pupils was 98.5%, up from 98% last year. In total, exams for 67 subjects were taken by Higher pupils and there was a slight increase in the number of passes for English: from 68.3% in 2008 to 68.9%. However, the Maths pass rate fell from 71.6% to 69.7%. Pass results for Standard Grade English were unchanged at 98.7%, while the number of Maths passes rose from 98.7% to 99.3%. Just under half of the entries (46%) were awarded a credit level (grades 1 and 2). Predictably, these results have prompted the usual debate about exams getting easier. Is that true? Or are our young people simply reaping the rewards of the hard work they've put into their studies?