The First World War

The First World War How the First World War Shook the World ChaptersThe Lead-up to World War IThe Shot Heard Round the WorldEveryone Gets InvolvedWorld War I and the Rest of the WorldAnalysis of WWIThe dawn of the 20th Century was a time of unprecedented progress and innovation: the possibility of humans taking flight became a probability with the Zepplin (1900), the Wright brothers’ aeroplane (1903) and the helicopter (1907).Bakelite, a virtually indestructible petroleum-based product opened new markets and sharp minds; every plastic implement in the world today originates from Leo Baekeland’s formula (1907).Everything from a favourite teddy bear (1902) to the artificial illumination (1902) we give little thought to was discovered/invented/created around the turn of the century.Even the teabags for your fav cuppa were invented in 1904!Hoovers, tractors and neon lights... the early 20th century saw the world treated to such a veritable explosion of genius incrementally making human life better and easier.Who could have known the war to en d all wars was just a few years away?Your Superprof now goes back in time to examine the simmering socio-political unrest and chronicles the events leading up to when that turmoil seethed to a boil, to survey the destruction and tally the losses.We’ll get to that event soon enough. For now, let’s continue drawing our map...Nobody liked the French so, to keep France from becoming any type of power to be reckoned with, Germany’s chancellor brokered the League of Emperors; an alliance between Europe’s three major thrones.Otto von Bismark is today credited brokering that deal. Sharply intuitive and cunningly astute, he seemed to have had the right touch for just about any negotiation. By all accounts, he wasn’t really a nice guy, though.Still, concerns over Russia’s commitment to the League led Prussia and Austria-Hungary to form a Dual Alliance, leaving the Tsar’s interests (and military strength) out of further negotiations. Later, Italy joined, making it a Triple Allian ce.America, reveling in its pre-Depression prosperity, was busy making great strides in industry that would later impact the outcome of the war.What about the British Empire?Until just after the turn of the century, we were enjoying our splendid isolation â€" avoiding any long-term alliances and relying only on our vast colonial resources for military strength as well as our economy.While there was relative peace in Europe during this time, there were skirmishes: the Boer wars, for one, that clearly illustrated Britain’s vulnerability in spite of the Empire’s might.For that reason, we entered into an Entente Cordiale, a series of agreements that greatly improved Anglo-French relations. Later, we signed into the Anglo-Russian Convention, meaning that, if either France or Russia needed our help in wartime, we would join in.Meanwhile, France and Russia had brokered their own agreements.Coming into 1914, there was Germany-Prussia, Austria-Hungary and Italy â€" the Triple Alliance, s andwiched by Great Britain-France-Russia’s Triple Entente.Now that our battle lines are drawn, let’s get on with the fighting!Discovering their country's annexation to Austria-Hungary left many Serbians angry Source: WikipediaThe Shot Heard Round the WorldArchduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austrian throne, was touring Sarajevo, Bosnia being a territory that the Austria-Hungary empire had annexed from the waning Ottoman Empire.Among the crowds lining the motorcade route were six members of Young Bosnia, a body of political dissidents particularly active in schools. They intended to assassinate the Archduke in order to force the relinquishment of the south Slav provinces.The grenade lobbed at the passing car missed its mark, injuring several bystanders. Remarkably, that was the only attempt made on the dignitary’s life while in procession.Purely by chance, as he was returning from the hospital, having visited those wounded by the blast, a wrong turn brought him in the sig hts of one of the assassins, who was armed with a pistol.Two shots, one for the Archduke and one for his wife, fired by a youth just shy of his 20th birthday caused Europe to descend into chaos.Although the winds of war hardly ruffled Viennese society, the political effect was deep.From anti-Serb riots in Sarajevo encouraged by Austro-Hungarian leaders to imprisonment and extradition of prominent Serbs, all of which led to the July Ultimatum: intentionally unacceptable demands placed on the Serbian government with the deliberate intention of provoking war.Such demands have a way of causing earth-shattering events; just think about how such demands gave rise to Nazi Germany!world war; there was fighting on virtually every continent and on the open seas to boot!AsiaGermany held large swaths of territory â€" in China and what was then called German Samoa. New Zealand and Australia got in on the action by liberating that Samoan territory as well as the island that later came to be known as New Britain.Meanwhile, Japan got busy in Micronesia and then proceeded to capture Qingdao, in China’s northwestern province. Both were German territories.AfricaMuch of the continent had been colonised by European powers; now was the time those colonies rose up in arms against one another.The French and British united themselves against the Germans, taking over their Togoland and Kamerun protectorates.The Germans positioned in Southwest Africa attacked South Africa, where British forces were encamped. Fighting there continued for the duration of the war.IndiaIn spite of Germany’s best efforts to incite uprisings, India remained staunchly loyal to the Crown. Men enlisted in record numbers; more than a million Indian soldiers served in Africa, Europe and the Middle East.We note that their efforts were an attempt to gain their independence from Britain. They were sorely disappointed when, after cessation of hostilities, it was not given them.The Americas joined in the fighting r ather late.The United States had adopted a stance of non-intervention until 1915 when a German submarine sank  the Lusitania. The 128 Americans on board that perished caused President Woodrow Wilson to demand that Germany not target civilian ships.Germany agreed but, as the war ground on â€" now in its third year, they resumed unrestricted submarine warfare with full awareness that the U.S. would fight back.The German foreign minister sent a telegram inviting Mexico to ally themselves with Germany to fight the Americans but British forces intercepted the missive, which was presented to the American president via the U.S. embassy in London.That and the sinking of six American merchant ships were all the incentive President Wilson needed: on the 6th of April 1917, the United States joined the Allied Powers in fighting Germany.South American countries and Caribbean nations were not excluded: in that last year of the war, just about every nation declared war on Germany, with Panama and Nicaragua also declaring war on Austria.For its sheer scale, WWI ranks among the world's most famous historical events.Trench warfare killed by explosion and disease Source: Wikipedia Credit: John Warwick BrookeAnalysis of WWIAustria suffered heavy casualties in the early days of the conflict. In fact, Serbian forces defeating the Austro-Hungarian forces is considered one of modern history’s greatest upsets.With more than 35 million casualties, WWI is regarded as one of the bloodiest wars in all of humanity.A lot of deaths likely came from the fact that the war started with a lot of troops using 19th century weaponry and battlefield tactics but, as the war progressed, the same explosion of innovation that advanced civilisation also made fighting much more deadly:The British Ladyship tanks premiered on September 1916; France’s and Germany’s soon followedArtillery and aircraft brought new threats from the skyradios, telephones and wireless communication permitted communication b etween the front lines and the decision makers who remained far removed from the fighting.Trench warfare, made possible by the development and improvement of the grenade, took lives indiscriminately â€" by disease or by explosion.The might of the British Navy could not overcome the stealth of German submarines.Things might have kept on indefinitely were it not for the Russian revolution, whose conclusion culminated in the signing of a treaty with Germany.One by one, all of Germany’s allies capitulated. Left alone to face enemies around the globe, Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated on November 9th, leaving the remaining politicians to sign the armistice.It was truly a war to end all wars... until World War II came along.

Why Is It Important to Develop Your Leadership Skills

Why Is It Important to Develop Your Leadership Skills Does Everyone Need Leadership Skills? ChaptersWhat Are Leadership Skills?Why Everyone Needs Leadership SkillsWhat Leadership Skills Can Do for YouThe Need Good Leadership SkillsWe see them everywhere: at our place of business, in our email inboxes; in coffee shops, libraries... maybe even at the gym! Those adverts promoting leadership training, a full range of leadership courses, workshops in essential leadership...Blaring from the telly and the radio: “Do you have what it takes to be a leader?” Followed, of course, by an invitation to attend the next personal development seminar, retreat or self-assessment ahead of said retreat or seminar.All of which seems to imply that only the good, the strong, the determined and the ‘chosen few’ can be leaders â€" and you, obviously not one of them, must be trained.The thing is, you never wanted to be a leader; you have never had any intention of spearheading any remarkable discoveries, becoming chief executive officer of a multi-national corporation or making earthshatterin g decisions that would affect millions.All you ever wanted was to get by with a minimum of fuss and a lot of dignity. There’s nothing wrong with that.What would you need leadership classes for, then? The answer may surprise you.Come along with your Superprof as we lay out the case for leadership as it applies to you, me and everyone in the world. TraceyPersonal development Teacher 4.92 (9) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NatashaPersonal development Teacher 5.00 (7) £55/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AntonellaPersonal development Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors IsamPersonal development Teacher 5.00 (3) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AndriyPersonal development Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MichelePersonal development Teacher 4.73 (7) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FlloydPersonal development Teacher 5.00 (11) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliverPersonal development Teacher 4.33 (4) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhat Are Leadership Skills? You may think you'll never step up to the podium but don't you actively practise participative leadership on the home front? Image by Florian Pircher from PixabayIf you’re thinking about leadership development, you should have some idea of what effective leadership is.We’re going out on a limb to presume that you have in the past or currently are working for an exemplary leader â€" perhaps someone who has undergone leadership skills training and is now putting to use all that s/he learned.If that truly is the case, consider yourself lucky! According to an article on LinkedIn, a social media site for professionals, bad boss statistics are truly staggering.An effective leader has a balance of inherent qualities and learned skills that function together to make that person someone you trust and are loyal to.Now, we give a breakdown of what, exactly, makes a leader.Leadership QualitiesHonest and Integral: Integrity is the number one quality that all good leaders embodySelf-confident: far from being arrogant, this person is assertive without being overbearingPassionate about their work, about giving their all and motivating others to do soAccountable: they will never yell at you for a mistake they (or someone else) made.Creative: leaders like to think up new strategies and they will encourage you to do so, tooEmpathetic: strong leaders all have emotional intelligenceThese are qualities that cannot be taught. After all, you are either ethical or not; honest or not, passionate and creative or not. However, if those qualities are present, they can be developed.Often, leadership and management courses will conduct exercises and activities that will draw on these qualities; how well a management trainee responds is a good measure of their capacity for any of these assets.Skills, on the other hand, can be taught; now we put them under the microscope.Effective Leadership SkillsThe ability to teach and mentor: many styles of leadership emphasise mentoring subordinatesTh e ability to delegate: delegating responsibilities is an act of trust as well as self-confidenceTeam building: great leaders help to build bridges between employeesThe ability to solve problems: problem-solving skills cut through all the distractions to get to the core of any problemproblem-solving draws on critical thinking skills â€" the ability to analyse, reason and arrive at a solution faster.The ability to make a decision (and stick by it): a good leader’s sense of accountability permits them to stand by a decision and accept whatever consequences there may be.The ability to communicate effectively: communication skills are absolutely vital to those in leadership roles!You can see how leadership qualities and skills work hand-in-hand to make company culture â€" a facet of working life formerly seen with derision and scorn, now desirable.With such leadership competencies in effect, morale is always high, team performance always exceeds norms and everyone goes home happy â€" o r, at least satisfied with their day’s work.Now that you know what leadership skills are, you may still wonder: why should you learn how to lead if you have no intention of leading anything or anyone? The ability to lead a team at work is on par with being able to lead your family Image by rawpixel from PixabayWhy Everyone Needs Leadership SkillsImagine for a second that you were in Japan when Typhoon Hagibis was due to hit. What would you do?You could look to your hotel’s management for direction; after all, they are used to managing such crises. They will surely advise you on   shelter and safety practices, and provide you with a list of do’s and don’ts while the storm rages.Or you could take matters in your own hands: keep the weather radar refreshed to see exactly where and when the storm will hit. Pack a ‘bug-out bag’ with essentials: first aid kit, nutrition bars and water; don’t forget clean socks.Waterproof your valuables â€" passport and money; it wouldn’t hurt to put your phone in a plastic bag, either.Now, you are ready for whatever may happen, thereby freeing up hotel staff to manage guests who are not as decisive, creative and self-assured as you.Isn't t hat a good example of how leadership skills can help in your everyday life?Cultivating personal leadership can prepare you to handle any crisis or emergency, be it caused by a natural phenomenon or a situation â€" say something gone awry in your family.Developing leadership skills can help you foster an environment of collaboration so that, when you cantankerous aunt or your surly teen tries to wreak havoc in your life, you can practise transformational leadership so that they come to the conclusion that their behaviours are not acceptable.In taking a leadership role in your life, you can motivate others â€" yes, even that cranky aunt into cooperating with you to make family gatherings fun for all.Speaking of being motivating and inspiring... what motivates you?Discover the best ways to develop leadership skills...What Leadership Skills Can Do for YouWe gather from your earlier assertion that you want a quiet, dignified life. Guess what? Leadership theories can help you there, too.B ecause leadership skill isn’t all about the workplace, you see. It’s also about self-awareness and interpersonal skill. It’s about growing into the assured, confident person you always knew you were but maybe didn’t quite dare to become.Discovering your leadership style is a way to understand and learn more about yourself, to understand how you’ve changed over time and to prepare you for other changes yet to come.Being a leader does not automatically put you at the head of a Fortune 500 company but it does put you on par or ahead of any situation that needs managing, from a rebellious teenager to choosing a career path.And then, with such assertiveness cloaking you, you will no longer need to beseech (perhaps somewhat plaintively) for a quiet life in charge of nobody.You were never really not in charge of anyone, anyway.Did you know there is a wealth of online resources to help you develop your leadership skills? The success you achieve in employing leadership skills does not automatically demand you must take a supervisory position at work! Image by Gerd Altmann from PixabayThe Need Good Leadership SkillsEvery day, you are in the business of yourself, seeing to your own best interests and taking care of the people in your life.It might sound somewhat self-centred but it is absolutely true: if you are above, say, the age of 12, you are, in fact, seeing to your interests and desires being met - from the salary you earn which affords you the life you live to the relationships you foster and cultivate.  That holds true for everyone, not just you.Let’s consider that idea: 7.5 billion people on this earth; each struggling for food, shelter, clothing, respect... perchance a quiet life.A hundred years ago, the business of being oneself was pretty much a zero-sum game, individually and collectively, among nations. Countries went to war because one party had what the other party wanted.Thankfully, w e’ve moved away from that model; we’ve realised on an international level what we’ve always known on a personal level: cooperation and collaboration work so much better than annihilation.Diplomacy, a particular brand of management and leadership â€" call it Civility 2.0 has made its way into the boardrooms and offices of companies great and small.Managers are getting away from shouting and berating employees; effective communication is the order of the day. Soft skills â€" active listening, conflict resolution and patience are far more valuable today than anyone’s ability to intimidate.If these skills work on a global scale to get results, if they work in a boardroom and to improve team performance â€" whether said teams are a project team or a sports team...If a leadership presence works everywhere it is, why wouldn’t leadership skills work for you?You don’t have to take a managerial position with a company to be a great leader.Simply having the management skills to add ress the issues in your life â€" cranky aunt, crabby teenager or college and career choices is reason enough to seek out a leadership development program.Now discover how you can develop your leadership traits...

Vocal Tips Structuring Your Practice Time

Vocal Tips Structuring Your Practice Time Suzy S. You know the importance of practicing but do you know how exactly to organize your practice sessions for the most effective use of your time? Read on for helpful advice from Saint Louis, MO teacher Cathy C Voice students do you LOVE singing?   Isn’t it wonderful to listen to singers perform their art beautifully?   Do you get chills when the most powerful part of your favorite piece is sung with emotion and skill? Guess what?   When you practice, you get to do what you love you get to sing!   Your practice time is the chance to experiment, self-assess, gain skill and emotionally connect with the music. You practice so that when performance time comes, you can share the joy of making music with your listeners. But how do you structure this time? Vocal practice sessions are not a one-size-fits-all kind of work.   Vocal students need to be self-aware enough to assess what works for them in relation to the particular musical goal they hope to achieve.    Some questions to ask are: (1) What is my goal for this week?   (2) Do I have all the supplies I need?   (3) What warm-ups should I use to help me focus on my weekly goal?   (4) Where should I practice in order to meet my goal?   Does the space matter to me? Once you answer those questions, you will know what you need to do when you sing in order to make progress. GOALS: Goals should be set in each lesson as a teacher-student partnership.   You should leave each lesson knowing what you should work on between lessons.   If that is not clear, your voice teacher can help you! SUPPLIES: Do you have everything you need to reach your goal?  Necessary items may include accompaniment recordings, stands, printed music, alternate recordings or online links, a personal recording device, a mirror, and note-taking materials. WARM-UP: Just as runners stretch before they head out for a training run, vocalists need to warm up the body and voice.   Vocalists should be engaging the breath and all of the vocal embouchure (jaw, lips, tongue, pallet, teeth), and also establishing mental focus.  Specific warm-up exercises that cater to the end-goal are also important. LOCATION: Some students need solitude and quiet, some need the shower (yes, it’s true), and some need an audience.   You know what works best for you! Consider that mental rehearsing counts as practice and can be done anywhere you can mentally focus.   Lyrics can be memorized in the car or during an exercise session, and vowels can be sung in nearly any location.   Time spent listening to recordings of yourself (in the car, for example) is valuable and will help move you toward your goal. Structure your practice time around who you are as a person and what your singing goal for the week is! Enjoy the effort and the results.   Staying goal-focused will move you along and help you make the most of your vocal lessons! Cathy C. teaches guitar, singing, music performance and songwriting lessons to students of all ages in Saint Louis, MO. Her specialties include classical voice, pop voice, contemporary Christian guitar and voice, folk guitar and acoustic; she is also a Board Certified Music Therapist. Learn more about Cathy, or visit TakeLessons to find a teacher near you! Photo by D Simmonds

Studying Japanese at High School

Studying Japanese at High School How Do You Study Japanese at High School? Chapters Is It a Good Idea to Learn Japanese at High School? Is It A Good Idea to Study Japanese Alongside Another Foreign Language? What About Learning Japanese Outside of School? Where Can You Get Japanese Lessons or Tutors? What Should You Study for Japanese?After middle school, you’re going to have to go to high school. That’s just the way things are (sorry).How are your studies going? Have you been thinking about your foreign language choices? There’s a lot of different decisions to make.Have you ever thought about studying Japanese for your foreign language class? Should you study Japanese at high school, alongside another foreign language, or outside of school?This article should have the answers you’re looking for. NanaJapanese Teacher 5.00 (3) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YukoJapanese Teacher 5.00 (3) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EllyJapanese Teacher 5.00 (1) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MomokoJapanese Teacher £2 0/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MelanieJapanese Teacher £14/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JamesJapanese Teacher 5.00 (5) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PippaJapanese Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarikoJapanese Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Is It a Good Idea to Learn Japanese at High School?If you’ve already studied Japanese at middle school, are familiar with kanji, hiragana, and katakana, and can have a basic Japanese conversation, then studying Japanese at high school shouldn’t pose a problem. Of course, you should always check that the high school you’re going to actually teaches Japanese before you get your hopes up. It’s one of the rarer languages taught at high schools around the country, after all.If you thought learning to use chopsticks was difficult, you're going to love learning kanji! (Source: rawpixel.com)If you want to learn how to speak Japanese and you’re going to a high school where it’s taught, you’re in luck. That’s really rare. Additionally, if you’ve already studied it at middle school, you’ll have the opportunity to further study Japanese writing, pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, and reading and listening comprehension.On the other hand, if you’ve never studied it before, you could always choose it as a second foreign language alongside a more popular foreign language like Spanish or French. This is a particularly good idea if you’re not entirely sure how far you’re going to pursue your studies in Japanese.This is all theoretical at this point as it all depends on whether or not you’re going to one of the few high schools that actually offer it. If you are one of the lucky ones and you’re getting good grades in middle school, then there shouldn’t be any reason why you should stop studying it when you go to high school and your teachers will probably feel the same way about it.On the other hand, if you didn’t study i t at middle school but every other kid in your class did, things are going to be a little bit more complicated.Generally speaking, if you really want to learn to speak the language, the hours you do at school won’t be nearly enough. Your teachers won’t have the time to fully help you if they have a class full of other students, too. You’ll have to put the extra effort in yourself.In summary, choosing to study Japanese requires a lot of commitment, especially if you’re joining a class of students who’ve already studied it and you haven’t.  Of course, you can always use your free time during the summer to catch up by hiring a Japanese private tutor or evening visiting Japan. Is It A Good Idea to Study Japanese Alongside Another Foreign Language?With nearly 90% of students taking Spanish, can you really afford not to take it at high school?  If you feel this is the case, you might have to consider taking both Spanish and Japanese.If you have an aptitude for foreign language s and got good grades in middle school, I’d say go for it! It would look great on your resume or college applications. I can’t imagine that there are many college applicants with English, Spanish, and Japanese!Of course, this can be a lot of work and the skills aren’t necessary directly transferable between the two languages. Students that take two foreign languages like Spanish and French can benefit from the similarities between the two languages (as long as they don’t confuse the two, that is).For a long time, Japanese was considered a language isolate. This means that there wasn’t a single language that was related to it.  While this was later proved to be untrue, I don’t think there’s a single school in the country that teaches any of the other Japonic or Ryukyuan languages.There are certain things you'll need to know about Japan if you want to learn Japanese at high school. (Source: skitterphoto.com)Put simply, Japanese is a class you’ll take because you love J apanese and want to work with it in the future. It’s probably not going to help you get any better at any other language directly. That said, it never hurts to have taken a more common language class, too.If you already got the basics down in middle school, it would be a waste not to continue studying and make yourself stand out as one of the few Japanese-speaking students in the US. NanaJapanese Teacher 5.00 (3) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YukoJapanese Teacher 5.00 (3) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EllyJapanese Teacher 5.00 (1) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MomokoJapanese Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MelanieJapanese Teacher £14/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JamesJapanese Teacher 5.00 (5) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PippaJapanese Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarikoJapanese Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors What About Learning Jap anese Outside of School?If it’s not going to get in the way of your other high school classes, you could always consider studying Japanese outside of school. There are several benefits:You can start studying the language regardless of whether or not you’ve studied it before.It’ll look great on college applications as it shows you’re driven.You can learn the language in a less academic way and have a lot of fun while you learn the language.If you learn a language outside of school, you’re learning the language for the love of it rather than just to pass some tests and put together a college application.When you learn Japanese, you should learn about the fascinating culture of Japan. (Source: Akane Zen)This means you can use resources like manga, anime, Japanese movies, TV shows, and video games to help you learn. Furthermore, you get to choose your tutor rather than just getting put in the class with the teachers available at school.Classes with a private tutor can go at yo ur pace and your tutor can work with your strengths and weaknesses in order to get the most out of every hour you spend together.  This is a great idea if you’re driven, love languages, and obsessed with Japan and Japanese culture and history! Where Can You Get Japanese Lessons or Tutors?Regardless of whether you’re studying Japanese in school or outside of it, you might want to consider looking for lessons or a tutor to help you.Fortunately, there are plenty of Japan-America Societies around the country that promote Japanese education.Put simply, if you’re doing anything related to Japan or Japanese, these societies should be top of your list. In addition to culture and education, they also promote business programs between the two companies.Here are a few of them:Japan Society, Inc.  (New York)Japan America Society of Southern CaliforniaJapan Society of Northern CaliforniaJapan-America Society of ChicagoJapan-America Society of Northwest FloridaJapan America Society of Great er PhiladelphiaJapan-America Society of PennsylvaniaJapan-America Society of Dallas/Fort WorthJapan-America Society of HoustonJapan-America Society of Washington DC, Inc.The Japan-America Society of GeorgiaJapan Society of BostonJapan America Society of Michigan and Southwestern OntarioJapan-America Society of the State of WashingtonJapan America Society of MinnesotaJapan America Society of ColoradoJapan America Society of St. LouisJapan America Society of NevadaJapan-America Society of OregonJapan America Society of Greater CincinnatiJapan-America Society of Central OhioHeart of America Japan-America SocietyJapan-America Society of Indiana, Inc.Japan America Society of WisconsinJapan-America Society of North CarolinaThe Japan-America Society of AlabamaThe Japan-America Society of MississippiJapan America Society of KentuckyJapan-America Society of Tennessee, Inc.Japan America Society of St. LouisJapan Society of New OrleansJapan-America Society of Greater AustinJapan-America Societ y of San AntonioIf you have a look at this list, you’ll probably be able to find an association near you.If you are in the UK, check out the best Japanese lessons London.Most of these sites also have an education section where you can look for tutors, classes, or educational events about Japanese culture and history or the Japanese language. As you can see, almost every state has a Japan-America Society.  If not, you should check out the Embassy of Japan’s website for schools and resources for learning Japanese.Did you know that you could also study Japanese by using video games? What Should You Study for Japanese?Whether you study Japanese as your first foreign language, second foreign language, or outside of school, the things you’ll have to study will be more or less the same.In school, you’ll be tested on the same elements of language you would be if you took any other language: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. However, if you study outside of school, you can s ort of mix up the order you learn these. You can learn languages more naturally by studying speaking first and learning to speak long before you pick up a pen.Unfortunately, in school you won’t be so lucky. Your studies will be far more academic than classes with a private tutor. This is because the main goal of studying Japanese at school is to pass exams, not to actually learn to speak the language.  Of course, this doesn’t mean that you can’t learn to speak the language in your high school Japanese classes.If just means that you’ll get less time to practice speaking the language because there are tests to take (sorry!). On the other hand, learning the language in the free time gives you the freedom to master the language in any order you want.It's important that you study hard if you want to learn Japanese. (Source: skitterphoto.com)In both cases, you’ll probably start with basic conversational stuff like greetings, starting and ending conversations, and asking basic qu estions. You’ll also have to cover some of the most common words, the kanji and kana (hiragana and katakana) writing systems, as well as some basic grammar points such as particles. Fortunately for you, Japanese doesn’t have subject-verb conjugations like Spanish does. In Japanese, you only need to conjugate in terms of tense (past, present, future, etc.).Once you understand some basic vocabulary, grammar points, and reading and writing, you’ll start moving on more complicated aspects of the language.  At this stage, you’ll be expected to expand upon the simple conversations you were able to have with the expressions you first learned, show that you can understand written texts, and show a mastery of the kana.While this may sound like a lot, the key to learning a language is to practice just a little bit regularly.  You’ll be surprised how much you can learn just by studying for 10 minutes every day rather than studying for two hours on the weekend.This will all be very ea sy for you if you’re a hard-working student and you’re lucky enough to have a good teacher or tutor. Don’t forget that you can always travel to Japan to boost your Japanese, too!It’s never too late to learn a language and high school might just be the stepping stone you need towards become fluent in Japanese.You’ll still have more than enough time to:Memorize Japanese wordsStudy Japanese historyLearn to count in JapaneseStudy Japanese pronunciationStart building Japanese sentences and using Japanese grammarIf you can’t afford a trip to Japan or to participate in a language exchange program there, don’t forget that you can always hire a private tutor to help you!What about studying Japanese after high school?

Build Breath Support With This Physical Warm-Up

Build Breath Support With This Physical Warm-Up Suzy S. When you begin learning how to sing, you may come across several styles of vocal warm-ups.   Building your breath support is an important part of voice lessons, so spending time on appropriate warm-ups is key.   Heres a great exercise to try, courtesy of Dallas teacher Jacklynn T.: Singing is a total body workout, and warm-ups as part of a regular practice routine are essential to your vocal health and progress. There are warm-ups for range extension, intonation, breath support and placement, to name only a handful of objectives. As singers, our bodies are our instruments; therefore, I like to begin my vocal warm-ups with some type of rhythmic physical movement to reinforce appropriate singing posture and foster an awareness of the breath. The following warm-up is fantastic for awakening the body and building breath support at the same time. Greg Jasperse demonstrated a variation of this warm-up each morning at the Vocal Jazz Workshop at the University of North Texas this past June. In my exploration and application of it, I have found that it encourages the internalization of rhythm, reduces performance anxiety and fosters a focused practice/rehearsal mindset. First, find an open space away from furniture or other potential obstacles. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, chest open, arms resting at your sides, and wrists and fingers free of tension. Inhale slowly through the nose over four counts while maintaining a relaxed and open throat. Draw the breath downward, allowing it to fall deep into the belly. As you inhale, sweep your arms out and up toward the sky so that they are above your head by the fourth count. Next, exhale over four counts with a gentle “shh” sound. Arms should reach up above the crown of the head, down and away from the body while you begin to bend at the waist and fold toward the floor. Then, inhale again through the nose over four counts, gently lifting at the waist (only slightly, not coming back to standing position just yet) while inviting airflow into your lower back. Exhale over four counts making a “shh” sound, and explore folding deeper toward the ground. Finally, inhale to come up, gradually stacki ng the vertebrae in your spine atop one another and letting the arms come to rest gently at your sides. Exhale over four counts as you come to rest in your original standing position. Repeat for several cycles. You may choose to exhale silently through the nose if you would like and add the “shh” sound as you become more comfortable with the movement. If you don’t want to “shh” you can buzz (by loosely placing the top teeth on the lower lip) or a “vuh” to further activate the breath. It is also fun to practice this warm up while listening to music of varying styles, tempos (i.e. a slow four count to a ballad versus a fast four count to a pop song) or time signatures. Get instrument-specific updates and expert advice, tips and more right in your inbox!  Sign up for email updates here! Jacklynn T. teaches singing, violin,  Broadway singing, music performance, music theory, and opera voice lessons to students of all ages in Dallas, TX. Jacklynn joined the TakeLessons team in July 2012, with a Bachelors degree in Music Education from Texas Tech University.  Sign up for lessons with Jacklynn, or visit TakeLessons to search for a teacher near you! Photo by Bengt Nyman.

5 FCE Oral Prep Tips When the Examiner Joins the Discussion

5 FCE Oral Prep Tips When the Examiner Joins the Discussion In the final part of the Cambridge First Certificate (FCE) oral exam the examiner will join in the discussion in order to stimulate it.This three-way discussion is generally based on the photographs you have already discussed with your partner during the exam.Here are some tips to help you shine.1. AnecdotesThis is a great time to show off your own unique English skills. When relevant, make reference to your own personal experiences when answering the examiners questions. It’s a good idea to keep them short however.Some good ways to lead into this are…This reminds me of when…Actually, I have personal experience with this particular issue…2. Use a Variety of AdjectivesUsing a wide variety of adjectives could set you apart from other candidates.Rather than saying, that’s a good point you could use the adjectives:Excellent,Interesting,Fascinating,Intriguing,Thought-provoking3. Don’t forget the other candidateWhen the examiner joins in the discussion, it is tempting to forget the other candidate in the exam with you. This would be a mistake, however, because you will be marked on the interaction between the three of you.4. Don’t be afraid to disagreeIf you don’t agree with what the examiner is saying, don’t be afraid to disagree with him/her. Indeed, this is a great way to get the discussion going. However, be careful with the tone you use to express this contrary opinion.Actually, I hold the opposite view…I hope you don’t mind me saying, so but I think the opposite is true…Yes, I see what you are saying but I think we should also bear in mind that….  5. Build On What You Have Already Said. Don’t Repeat ItThe purpose of this section is to show a development, and not a repetition, of what you have already said.A great way to shine in this part of the exam would be to say that after considering the topic further you have changed your opinion of it.You can do this in a number of ways:On further consideration, I would go back on what I said earlier….Actually, that’s a really good point. You have made me see the topic in a new way…  Did you find this blog helpful? Feel free to share it on Facebook and Twitter.

Beyond the GMAT 3 Tips for Evaluating MBA Program Options

Beyond the GMAT 3 Tips for Evaluating MBA Program Options GMAT MBA Admissions Blog You’ve just finished taking the GMAT, and you’re happy with your score. There are more options for obtaining an MBA than you might think. I recently read an interesting article from Accepted.com about the various options available for individuals considering an MBA. The article offers a nice overview of the various MBA options available today. To summarize the article, there are five basic options: 2 Year Full-time MBA programs (traditional MBA program) 1 Year Full-time MBA programs (full-time, no internship) Part-time MBA programs (nights/weekends) Executive MBA programs (for more experienced professionals) Specialized MBA programs (focused on industries) If you’re not sure what one of the above options entails, I’d read the aforementioned article. If you’re currently studying for or have taken the GMAT, you’re obviously considering one of these options. However, I’d encourage you to make sure you review all of these options, on the off-chance that one is actually more attractive than you realized â€" or perhaps there’s an option for getting your MBA that you didn’t even realize existed. 3 Tips for Evaluating Your MBA Options The MBA is a graduate program in business administration for professionals who seek knowledge, new skills, a credential, and/or a network to advance in the business world. It can “signal” to employers that you have the knowledge and the ability to excel and perform at a high level. However, unlike the JD, the MD, or even a teaching certification, it is almost never a required degree â€" yet at the same time, it’s expensive. Since as a potential MBA student you should be concerned with getting a return that far exceeds the investment required to get the degree, here are some thoughts to keep in mind. Tip #1 - it’s critical to attend a top-ranked, well-regarded MBA program It often only makes financial sense to obtain an MBA, regardless of type, from a top school. There are too many MBA programs offering degrees that cost tens of thousands of dollars, but which offer little in the way of signaling your value to employers or helping you build a network. You might learn a bit about business, but there are less expensive ways to learn about business (i.e., books, certifications, on the job training, etc.) Of course, if your employer specifically wants you to earn an MBA to learn certain skills that are applicable to your career track within a given company, it makes all the sense in the world to settle for a less selective MBA program. But, if you’re unhappy with your current career trajectory and expect that simply having the MBA credential, regardless of school attended, will improve your job prospects, you might be surprised by how employers react to MBA degrees from less selective schools. All that said, MBA programs can be well regarded within regional or even local circles. One of my earliest consulting clients had a lot of MBAs from Wayne State in Michigan. I don’t believe anyone is all that impressed with a Wayne State MBA nationally, but within 50 miles of the school, it’s well-regarded. Tip #2 â€" take advantage of high quality part-time programs As the accepted.com article states about part-time programs, “often admission is less competitive than for the same school’s full-time program, enabling part-time students to obtain a “brand” they may not qualify for otherwise.” In my experience, that’s a powerful and true statement. For example, here in Chicago, both Chicago-Booth and Northwestern-Kellogg offer large part-time programs. An individual with a clear career plan and a 650 GMAT score may have a difficult time getting into either program’s full-time program, but has a real shot at getting into the part-time program. Upon graduation, there is no requirement to list “part-time” on your resume â€" you took the same classes, from the same professors, and were exposed to the same ideas. Now, you have the same network as the full-timers. Tip #3 â€" consider a 1Y or specialized program I was initially dead set on applying to a traditional, top-tier two year MBA program. However, after just a little research, I discovered that Northwestern University offers a full-time, 1 year MBA program for folks with an undergraduate business degree or other evidence of a strong previous business background. The downside of such a program is that you can’t do an internship. But, it saves you an entire year of tuition and opportunity cost of lost salary. As a strategy consultant who knew I wanted to continue a consulting career or become an entrepreneur after business school, this program was a great fit for me. However, as I’ve spoken with students studying for the GMAT, many aren’t even aware of this program. And, before reading the accepted.com article, I was unaware of the range of specialized MBA options available. I’d expect there are certainly many students currently on the path towards getting a 2 year MBA from a top school, who know they want to work in non-profit or healthcare upon graduation. These students’ career prospects may be served better by Boston University’s Public Nonprofit MBA is or UC Irvine’s Health Care Executive MBA (HCEMBA). Summary Still the most popular option, a two-year, full-time MBA program with an internship in the summer may make sense for many aspiring MBA applicants â€" especially those interested in obtaining a new position post-MBA who aren’t currently sure exactly what industry or function they’ll be targeting. Indeed, recruiting by potential employers is a clear benefit of deciding to invest in a full-time MBA. However, keep in mind that all MBAs are not equal â€" it’s important to choose well-ranked, highly regarded program. Furthermore, part-time, 1 year, or specialized programs may be more relevant for your situation than you realize â€" so do your research about the various MBA program options available to you. hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(215486, '6baac2ae-05a3-4610-9d1f-265c8cbd809f', {});

Everything You Need To Know About Online Graduate Programs

Everything You Need To Know About Online Graduate Programs pexels.com How Many Students are Pursuing Online Degrees? A surprising number of students are pursuing online degrees and it is becoming a more common and accepted practice with each passing year. The 2015 Survey of Online Learning conducted by  the Babson Survey Research Group found the following findings: More  than  one  in  four  students  (28%)  now  take  at  least  one  distance  education  course The total of 5.8 million Fall 2014 distance education students was composed of 2.85 million taking all of their courses at a distance and 2.97 million taking some, but not all, distance courses. Public institutions command the largest portion of distance education students, with 72.7% of all undergraduate and 38.7% of all graduate-level distance students. Public institutions command the largest portion of distance education students, with 72.7% of all undergraduate and 38.7% of all graduate-level distance students. “The growth of distance enrollments has been relentless,” said study co-author Julia E. Seaman, research director of the Babson Survey Research Group. “They have gone up when the economy was expanding, when the economy was shrinking, when overall enrollments were growing, and now when overall enrollments are shrinking….  While the rapid pace of online learning growth has moderated, it still accounts for nearly three-quarters of all US higher education’s enrollment increases last year.” And as for online graduate programs? A 2016 annual survey of online college students conducted by the Learning House and Aslanian Market Research showed that online learning is one of the largest and fastest-growing segments of higher education with 3.5 million students,  of whom 74% are 25 or older. If you are interested in pursuing online graduate studies, do not be daunted! You are by no means alone. You yourself could be one of the students enrolling in an online graduate program! Are online master’s degrees credible? This is a major question that many students interested in potentially enrolling in online graduate programs have. If they take the time, apply, get accepted, enroll, take the courses, and get it all done in order to graduate, will their degree really be worth anything? The short answer is maybe. That may not be very confidence inspiring, but there are just a few important factors that will influence whether the online master’s degree you are interested in is credible or not. Most human resource professionals, who do the bulk of hiring, are more likely to find an online master’s degree more credible if it is from a college or university with a respected reputation built around the traditional, on-campus model.  Another important factor is whether or not the graduate program you are interested in is accredited or not. We will discuss what accreditation is in more detail further down the line as well! What is most important to take away, however, is that most colleges and universities make little to no distinction between degrees, bachelors or masters, earned through distance learning and those earned on campus. pexels.com Do masters programs need to be accredited? In order to know if the masters program you are interested in enrolling in needs to be accredited, you need to understand what being accredited means. According to US News World Report, “Accreditation is a process conducted by an outside authority to ensure that a school and  degree program  meet certain standards of quality and rigor. Online, blended and on-campus degree programs can all be accredited. While its voluntary, accreditation has many benefits and, in many ways, validates a program to employers and other colleges or universities… Legitimate online degree programs are accredited by agencies recognized by either the  Department of Education  or the nonprofit  Council for Higher Education Accreditation, known as CHEA.” Being accredited is a very important aspect of choosing what online graduate program to enroll in. You should definitely enroll in an online graduate program that is not accredited with much caution and it is not recommended as the best course of action. Stick to the safe side and enroll in a program that is accredited, which employers will approve of. It will make it much easier for you to get hired if your online master’s degree comes from an accredited program rather than one that is not. Being enrolled in an accredited program will also qualify you for federal financial aid, should that be a consideration for you. What happens if a school loses accreditation after you graduate? As discussed, accreditation is incredibly important. And you did you due diligence and made sure the programs you chose were accredited. Then you did the thingâ€"you applied, were accepted, did the work, and graduatedâ€"when boom! Your college loses its accreditation. What does this mean for you? When a collegiate program loses its accreditation, it is not good for the school. It means that the school and program did not meet minimum education standards, meaning that it does not adequately prepare its students. When accreditation is lost, often the school has to shut down. This is because without their accreditation, the federal government will not provide the school with any funding (they usually do not provide any financial aid to post-secondary institutions as a rule). This funding is what keeps most schools afloat, and so without it, they will have to close their doors. Other schools will be hard pressed to accept credits from a school that became unaccredited should a student need to transfer if their program is shut down as a result of the loss of accreditation because they feel like the students may not have been sufficiently prepared or taught in the classes they took at such a place. And if a school does not close and a student is able to barrel through and graduate from their program, despite the lack of accreditation, employers will be hesitant to hire them. Often, they will be nervous that this graduate was not sufficiently trained in a program like that and could end up being a potential liability because of it. HOWEVER. If you already graduated from a program, and you got your degree from the institution while it was still accredited, you should be fine. Just make sure this distinction is made clear to your potential employers when applying, especially if the loss of accreditation happened close to the time that you ended up graduating from the program. It was accredited at the time that you graduated, which is what really matters. Infographic by Danielle Wirsasnky How long do online master’s degrees take? This question can be a little bit harder to answer, but that may actually be one of the benefits of getting your master’s degree online! Many potential students interested in this kind of program are looking for programs that will offer them flexibility, whether that be from where they can study, the hours they can study, and more. So often a program will cater to you and your needs and you can finish the program at the pace you need to in order to get it all done. Typically, an on-campus, in-person, and full-time student enrolled in a master’s program can complete their studies within two years. This means that in an online program, you can go at the pace you want, whether than be accelerated or slowed down. Often, you do not have to be a full-time student either when completing online graduate programs as well. This is a great option for someone who wants or needs to continue working, has health issues that stop them from taking arduous course loads, is raising a family, or has other large and time-consuming responsibilities to uphold while pursuing their graduate degree. So, if you need more than two years to finish your masters, that can definitely be arranged. And if you are interested in an accelerated program, focusing solely on your school work and getting it done as soon as possible so you can move on in your career or whatever other personal reason you want or need it for, you can arrange that as well. It might be possible to get the coursework done in a year or in eighteen months if you hustle. However, some programs do have cohorts, where it means that students that come into a program and start it at the same time must stay together as a group and proceed at the same pace. If this is something you are not interested, make sure to find a program without that requirement. Is there a difference between a non-profit and for-profit school? This is an important distinction to understand. For-profit schools often have a stigma, which carries over onto students that graduate from their programs. But before you rule out a for-profit school, you should understand what the stigma comes from and how you think it might affect you if a for-profit school’s program interests you. A for-profit school is basically in the education game for profit, as its name implies. They need to make money off of their students, so often their focus is on recruiting students without offering them the resources they need to navigate their programs adequately. In recent years, governments have been scrutinizing such organizations because students that graduate from these programs often do so with overwhelming amounts of student debt. The Institute for College Access Success reported that eighty-eight percent of for-profit students took out student loans  in 2012 versus 66 percent of students at public schools, as well as that students at for-profit schools graduated with higher debt loads. For-profit schools usually justify their steep tuition prices by claiming that they give students from low-income families or who had poorer grades in school the option to go to a school that is flexible to their needs. But more often, these types of institutions are accused of preying on students that feel that they have no other options to attend school (they might not be accepted at other institutions) and then extort them with crazy expensive tuition and a sub-par education that does not truly prepare them for the real world. Not for profit schools are either public or private colleges and universities. The tuition that they charge simply covers the cost of learning and is not meant to turn over a profit for the school. They often receive federal funding as well to keep them afloat and so while tuition may be high at these institutions as well, it is seen as more acceptable. Learning and understanding the travails of your online graduate school options is incredibly important so that you can make an informed decision. Be sure to scour the web and find programs that not only fit all of your requirements (like being accredited or offering the program you want at the speed you need) but also are interesting to you and will truly help you to accomplish your dreams!