What is the Best Muay Thai Gear

What is the Best Muay Thai Gear Top Muay Thai Equipment for all Boxing Enthusiasts ChaptersTraditional Muay Thai Boxing EquipmentChoosing your Muay Thai GlovesOther Essential Kickboxing Equipment and AccessoriesThai Boxing Equipment for Lower Body ProtectionDefinitions: Thai Boxing and Thai Boxing EquipmentI hated every minute of training, but I said, 'Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.' Muhammad AliTaking lessons in Muay Thai - one of the most comprehensive full body combat sports there is - means equipping oneself with a rather substantial set of Thai boxing equipment and sportswear in order to avoid injuring oneself and actually to protect one's opponent too.In Thailand, Muay Thai is so widespread and well-received that the practice of Thai boxing has enabled approximately 200,000 people (usually young people) to live off and make a professional career out of the sport. Be it as boxers, instructors, personal trainers, managers or promoters, to name but a few.In the West, the kick and fist boxing that epitomises Thai boxing is cl assed as a form of Martial Arts. As most boxing enthusiasts will tell you, this national sport of Thailand is ever-growing in popularity in the UK too where specialist boxing classes and training sessions are offered by hundreds of gyms across the country.If you want to join Thai boxing classes near me or try out a local Thai boxing club, then read on! This guide will give an in-depth introduction to all the Muay Thai equipment you will need.Groin protectors had not yet been introduced to combat sports!Fighters were also equipped with a Mongkon, which is a small bandana that would be worn around one's skull and was intended to protect and bring glory to the boxer!Gradually as time went on, boxers began to cover their fists with wraps and hemp in order to increase the power of their punch and avoid injuries caused due to fighting with bare hands. The Kaadchuek is a traditional hand wrap that could be as much as 20 metres long!By the 20th century, this famed Thai sporting discipline h ad considerably evolved from what it once was and had even been influenced by elements of standard boxing and Savate practised in the West. It has also become internationally standardized as protective boxing gear became obligatory for amateur and professional kickboxers alike.That does not mean it is without its dangers though! Injury and even death are still common among Muay Thai fighters the world over.Choosing your Muay Thai GlovesMuay Thai gloves were first used by fighters under the rule of King Rama VI in the 1920's, which marked the beginning of a transition from military training to an autonomous sporting discipline.Thai boxing gloves and inner gloves (boxing mitts and hand wraps) help to minimise the impact of blows received from and aimed at one's adversary. Hand wraps are especially used to protect the phalanx and metacarpal bones as well as to regulate sweating of the hands.Avoid choosing boxing gloves with drawstrings when preparing your boxing wardrobe! (Source: Visu al Hunt)Gotta protect myself so that I'm not boxing with bare hands - OK, but gimme leather and velcro!Thai boxing gloves have two main functions - safety and hygiene (a glove that guards against humidity and perspiration will last longer).Boxing Glove WeightAs in standard boxing and savate, the weight of Thai boxing gloves is calculated in ounces (Oz) and range from 6 Oz to 16 Oz.It is worth noting that the heavier the glove, the larger the surface area it has when striking. Thus, the less impact you want your punch to have (to protect your opponent), the larger the glove should be.This is why heavier Thai boxing gloves (14 Oz) are recommended when you are acting as a sparring partner and training with somebody else.Speed and suppleness are master qualities to acquire in Muay Thai. It is important to consider the weight when choosing your gloves, not only to increase your speed and flexibility but also as unsuitable gloves can damage your hands when fighting in the boxing ring or t raining with a punching bag.You can use the following scale when selecting the weight of your gloves, note that 1 ounce = 28,3495 grams.24 kg to 30 kg: 6 Oz30 kg to 45 kg: 8 Oz45 kg to 60 kg: 10 Oz60 kg to 75 kg: 12 Oz75 kg to 90 kg: 14 OzMore than 90 kg: 16 OzOther Criteria to Consider: Boxing LevelHighly qualified boxers working on a professional level always train and fight with leather boxing gloves (as they are very resistant). Beginner level boxers will usually opt for plastic or synthetic boxing gloves or boxing gloves made of fake leather because they are a lot less expensive and mean that one can start training without having to worry about ruining the high-quality material.You will find that Muay Thai boxing accessories are often sold directly at your local boxing club. Nonetheless, you might still like to compare prices on the boxing market, which is why we have listed the prices from some online sports catalogues below.Decathlon: boxing gloves from £7.99 to £29.99 (Dom yos, Addidas, Outshock),Sports Direct: boxing gloves from £10.00 to £94.99 (Everlast, Lonsdale, Addidas, Reebok),Flight Equipment UK: boxing gloves from £17.99 to £219.99 (Fairtex, Sandee, Venum, Twins, Revo)Made 4 Fighters: boxing gloves from £12.30 to £129.75 (Ringside Boxing, Sandee, Venum, Fairtex, Adidas, Nike, Top Ten, Twins Special)RDX Sports: boxing gloves from £15.99 to £119.99 (RDX)The best brand to choose for Thai boxing gloves is Fairtex. Although quite costly (prices range from £75.99 to £209.95), Fairtex products are are durable and can be used for Muay Thai training as well as actual combat. £45.00 (Everlast, Venum, Fairtex, Sleeppro).Thai Boxing HeadgearRequired for training, protective boxing headgear is an obligatory part of amateur Muay Thai competitions as it protects the head and prevents injury (although it does not defend against brain contusions and bruising).Good protective headgear â€" or a full coverage head guardâ€" is defined as being of a size and material adapted for shock absorption. Quality Thai boxing head guards contain specially designed padding to absorb the impact of a punch or kick to the head.When choosing your Muay Thai head guard, you can select it according to the following criteria:Personal taste - the shape, the colour and what feels comfortable for youThe chin-cup - not too tight or too looseThe internal paddingThe visibilityThe brand and the price ( £20.00 to £124.75 from brands such as Fairtex, Blitz, Venum and RDX Sports).In Thai boxing, elbow punches and knee-kicks are authorised; to achieve the best possible protection many Muay Thai boxers also use other pieces of Muay Thai gear to absorb the impact of blows to the upper body. The most commonly used additional accessories are elbow pads and body protectors.Elbow Pads and Body ShieldsElbow pads are an essential part of Muay Thai training practice. They consist of an elastic belt attached to a foam padded section and help to prevent violent shocks wh en fighters' elbows clash together.The price of Muay Thai elbow pads ranges from £6.99 to £42.99 depending on the quality that you desire.A body protector (otherwise known as a body shield or chest guard) allows you to take hits to the chest or torso. Often covered in an outer layer of leather, a body protector is a kind of armour - think bullet-proof vest for boxers! Except, of course, it's not actually bullet-proof...Made of PU leather (bi-cast leather), PVC or polyester, they help to soften blows whilst not taking away any of the force of your kicks and punches.The cost of body protectors ranges from £36.51 to £159.99 with brands such as Top Ten, Title, Sandee, Lonsdale and RDX.Thai Boxing Equipment for Lower Body Protection'I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times' - Bruce Lee, Mixed Martial Arts ArtistA boxer does not care about his appearance, he develops a mind of steel and wears an armour of protec tive clothing in order to outperform his opponent. These are the necessary lower body protective items needed by any Muay Thai boxer.Muay Thai Boxing ShortsIn Thai boxing, boxing shorts must be in line with a specific dress code. Muay Thai shorts are a light piece of sportswear made of satin - red satin, black satin, white satin or yellow satin - with a large opening so that they are baggy. These specially designed shorts will allow the wearer to jump and bounce around and execute difficult leg movements.Luckily my shorts are loose fitting! Even a champion of the world needs to look after his Thai boxing equipment!  (Source: Visual Hunt)Online, the cost of Thai boxing shorts ranges from £19.95 to £44.45 with brands such as RDX, Danger Thailand, Sandee, Blitz and Twins.Of all Muay Thai gear, (as with all other contact sports) Muay Thai shorts are an accessory that are largely chosen for subjective reasons. Choose your the colour and style of shorts according to your own personal lo ok!Groin Protector CupsWhy use a Groin Protector Cup for Thai boxing?Well, the key is in the name. In order to protect your groin and genitals from blows made by your opponent's feet and knees, you will need a groin protector! Wearing a groin protector for any kickboxing activity - be it sparring training or an actual fighting match - is strictly obligatory in all boxing clubs.Groin protectors can be found ranging from £6.99 for cups that offer minimal protection (Blitz), £25- £30 for mid-range products (Adidas, Title, RDX Sports) to as much as £158 for high-end professional protectors (Kozuji, Rival, Title).Knee PadsThere is significant knee-contact and stress on the knees in boxing and other combat sports, but especially in Thai boxing. This is why it is so important to protect your knees before combat even if they are not the first thing that comes to mind when you think of easily injured body parts. Shocks and blows to the knee can cause bone and joint problems, especially as one gets older or increases the intensity of training.Costs starts from as little as £3.95 (NeoPrene) and £5.39 (KickFit) for basic pads and go up to as much as £30.98 (Venum) for extremely strong knee pads that offer intense knee support to prevent ligament strain and injury.Shin PadsThe last accessory you will need is shin pads! Remember that this form of boxing is practised barefoot, so no need to purchase any costly boxing shoes!Shin pads are recommended for Muay Thai training and obligatory for matches. This regulation has been introduced as a way to preserve one's legs and avoid any irreversible fractures occurring.Muay Thai - the spectacular national sport of Thailand! (Source: Wikimedia)The Thai paradox - the national sport of the Land of Smiles is actually one of the most violent in Asia.All the same, you are advised not to wear shin pads when hitting boxing shields, punch bags, punch pads or bear paw gloves.Why?In order to get used to receiving blows to the shin and to harden one's legs.Hardening and strengthening one's legs in this way is an effective way of preventing direct contact between your tibia and other parts of your opponent's body.Composed of a plastic shell covered in foam and designed to soften blows and absorb shock, shin pads cover the legs from the knees to the ankles.The price range for shin pads starts at £9.59 (for beginner level boxers looking for pads with a simple foam protective layer) and goes up to approximately £78.99 (for more professional level users looking for shin pads made of superior quality leather, double velcro fastenings and ventilation with an opening at the back).In conclusion:For a complete boxing kit you need to prepare a certain budget (probably around £400 to £500 for a good protection from high-quality Thai boxing gear). Although fairly pricey, this equipment is likely a worthwhile investment last for several years.Note that these prices are indicative.Boxing AccessoriesSellersBrandPrice RangeBoxin g GlovesDecathlon, Sports Direct, Flight Equipment UK, RDX, Made 4 Fighters,Domyos, Addidas, Outshock, Everlast, Lonsdale, Reebok, Fairtex, Sandee, Venum, Twins, Revo £7.99 to £219.99MouthguardSafejawz, Fruugo, Made 4 Fighters, AmazonShock Doctor, Everlast, Venum, Fairtex, Sleeppro £2.99 to £45.00HeadgearRDX Sports, Amazon, Sports Direct, Decathlon, BlitzFairtex, Blitz, Venum and RDX £20.00 to £124.75Elbow PadsMade 4 Fighters, eBay, Amazon, Blitz, FruugoVenum, Honeycomb, Islero, Fairtex, Boom £6.99 to £42.99Body ProtectorRDX Sports,Top Ten, Title, Sandee, Lonsdale and RDX £36.51 to £159.99Boxing ShortsFlight Equipment UK, Sports Direct, Fruugo, Athlete Shop, BlitzRDX, Danger Thailand, Sandee, Everlast, Blitz and Twins £19.95 to £44.45Knee PadsAmazon UK, Made 4 Fighters,Neoprene, KickFit, Venum £3.95 to £30.98Shin PadsRDX Sports, Fruugo, Hyper Trade, Flight Equipment UKRDX, Title, Blitz, Twins £9.59 to £78.99Learn how best to choose your boxing equipment.Find out what you n eed for Savate boxing.See a guide to full contact and American boxing.Definitions: Thai Boxing and Thai Boxing EquipmentThis is just a quick run through of some of the most basic definitions to ensure we are all on the same page!What is Thai Boxing?Also known as Muay Thai, Thai boxing is a martial art classed as being a type of fist and kickboxing. The sport is derived from Muay Boran, which is one of the ancestral martial arts of Thailand.With a history spanning over 2 000 years, Muay Thai used to be a royal sport without many specific sporting rules and regulations. In the 20th Century, the sport began to gain more international influences and became one of the most comprehensive sports there are, but also one of the most violent.What do we mean by 'Thai Boxing Equipment'When we talk about boxing equipment we are referring to all the sporting accessories that are needed to prevent injury and are usually used to protect oneself and one's opponent when hit.Thai boxing equipment is a fundamental form of protection needed in order do training safely and usually consists of boxing gloves, mouthguards, shin guards, groin protectors and headgear, other equipment that is also recommended for Thai boxing but is not obligatory are elbow pads, knee pads and ankle supports.

What is it Like to Attend Lindenwood University

What is it Like to Attend Lindenwood University Michael earned his bachelor's and masters degrees in accounting from Lindenwood University. He specializes in economics tutoring, public speaking tutoring, and a number of other subjects. Below, he shares his experience at Lindenwood University. Describe the campus setting and transportation options. Michael: I commuted to campus, so I never used campus-offered transportation options. The campus setting is nice for students. How available are the professors, academic advisors, and teaching assistants? Michael:Professors and academic advisors are very available to help students. They will make appointments in advance or offer immediate help when students need it. How would you describe the dorm liferooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students, etc.? Michael:Since I didnt live on campus, I didnt experience dorm life. The campus did offer socialization opportunities for students to take advantage of. Which majors/programs are best represented and supported? What did you study and why? Michael:I went to Lindenwood to study accounting, earning both my bachelors and masters degrees in this field. How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Michael:Meeting people is easy. However, making friends is a challenge because not everyone has time to socialize outside of class; many students were working jobs to support themselves. I found the most success in making friends depended on whether or not you were in the same club or classes. How helpful are the Career Center and other student support services? Michael:When it comes to the job hunt, they have handouts on resume tips, mock interviews, and a database called Handshake where you can apply to posted jobs online. Once every fall and spring semester they have a job fair for students, as well. How are the various study areas, such as libraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Michael:Everyone observes the rule of keeping all conversations quiet while in the library. Anyone who causes trouble will quickly be escorted out by campus police. Describe the surrounding town. Michael:The school is located in St. Charles, Missouri. There are many shops and restaurants for students to enjoy in the surrounding town. How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Michael:Classes can have as many as 25 students and as few as seven. Generally, class sizes fall to between 10 and 23 students. Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one you regret the most. Michael:Professor Michael Carpers philosophy classes are beyond amazing. He is incredible at asking hard questions, listening, and encouraging you to think critically. He's dedicated to teaching students how to question their beliefs and think for themselves. Without a doubt, one of the greatest college instructors I ever studied under. Check out Michaelstutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Pottery Classes Manchester

Pottery Classes Manchester The Best Pottery Lessons in Manchester Chapters7Spot Pottery StudioSeven Limes PotteryPottery Lessons at the Clay StudioIt must be said that Mancunians lack for little when it comes to entertainment: music, film, outdoor activities...We in Manchester love our sports; Man UTD and Man City are constant sources of pride. Our record for champion boxers is sterling and our Old Trafford cricket ground is world-famous.Museums and art galleries, a vibrant nightlife and our unique Madchester vibe make our city one of the most attractive; to wit, ours is the third-most visited UK city after London and Edinburgh.With all of the noise and hustle, it might be nice to take things down a notch; that could be why there is a renewed interest in pottery in Manchester.There is something so soothing about working with clay, seeing your artistic vision take shape beneath your hands. Knowing you are working with the most elemental materials: water and earth, and forming it to become an expression of your inner landscape.Could you see yourself transforming raw clay into earthenware dishes or a clay sculpture for your garden? What about learning the different clays and what they are best suited for?Maybe you’re unsure of whether making pottery would even be your thing. Perhaps you would like to try it out first, before committing yourself completely to pottery-making.If that’s the case, you’ll appreciate all of the short pottery classes and taster sessions we found in and around Manchester. CalumDrama School Entrance Teacher 5.00 (15) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToriSpanish Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliviaSchool support Teacher 5.00 (2) £21/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarkESOL (English) Teacher 4.76 (17) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JenniferMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LouiseAutoCAD Teacher 5.00 (3) £60 /h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyPercussion Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolasGuitar Teacher 5.00 (2) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MyriamOrganic chemistry Teacher 5.00 (13) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JonathanEconomics Teacher 5.00 (9) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Oluwakemi imoleMaths Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexPhysics Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdamSinging Teacher 5.00 (14) £48/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValentiniMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MilenaMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RashmiEconomics Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors7Spot Pottery Studio You can learn how to make such a cup and more in pottery classes Image by Somchai Chitprathak from PixabayPottery artists make working a pottery wheel look easy: they sit still, cupping clay in their hands until it miraculously takes shape.In spite of the seeming ease that ceramic artists demonstrate in plying their craft, there is a certain amount of skill and technique that goes into using a pottery wheel.That is why, if you have never worked clay on a wheel before, it would be a really good idea to take a wheel throwing course.Technically, that term encompasses everything from the initial centring of clay on the pottery wheel to the piece being ready for its first firing.That is the focus of 7Spot’s 6-week class, targeted to beginners. Their intent is not to produce pottery â€" although, of course, there will be production.They are more interested in making sure you master the fundamentals of throwing:Wedging: preparing the clay to be workedThrowing forms: unique pieces, as oppo sed to ‘throwing off the mound’ or creating a mass production of the same pieceTrimming: removing excess clay after your piece is formedHandle-making: incorporating a handle to your design â€" a skill in itself!Glazing: the final step, rendering your design waterproofGlazing can also serve to colour or decorate your workClasses are held either Mondays or Tuesdays, in the evening, from 6:30 to 9:00; the course costs £165, which covers the cost of materials and studio usage.They recommend that you bring an apron and towel for cleanup at the end of each class; working with clay can be quite messy!Pottery classes in London also recommend you bring your own clean-up towelette...If you’re uncertain about trying your hand at a pottery wheel or if you’re busy on Monday and Tuesday evenings, you might try their handbuilding classes, which is held on Wednesdays.Handbuilding gets closer to the origins of pottery, to the time before the invention of the wheel.In these courses, you woul d learn techniques such as coiling, pinch-forming and press-moulding.Working from a clay slab, you can learn to sculpt figurines or make cylinder forms, such as those used to make drinking mugs. Naturally, glazing is a part of the process.The cost for this course is £100 including tools and materials. If this six-week long a course still doesn’t feel quite right, you might try one of the many taster sessions and workshops they have on offer.Unfortunately, they only offer adult classes; this is a working studio with many artists renting space. If you were looking for kids’ classes or parent and child classes, we have to direct you elsewhere.Birmingham has some great pottery classes for children! In pottery and building arts, lime means something quite different than this Image by Robert-Owen-Wahl from PixabaySeven Limes PotteryWe’re not sure why the number seven is invoked in reference to pottery in Manchester; oddly, two of the most prominent course offerings are at pottery studios with that number in their name.While the first ‘seven’ studio runs a rather tight ship, this one adds a dash of fun into the mix â€" not the kind of fun that small children can partake of but fun nevertheless.First up on their list of courses are tasters. They generally take place on Saturdays, last around two hours (and 30 minutes for cleanup), and allow for hands-on experience with a pottery wheel.These taster classes cost £50 and you get to keep what you make... after the professional artists glaze it and fire it for you.If that’s not quite enough time at the potter’s wheel to suit you, you might select their intensive weekend workshop.During this time, you will learn many more skil ls such as decorating your vessel, throwing cylinders and bowls and turning the underside of your pieces.Have you ever wondered how your stoneware plates get that nifty ring on the underside and, more importantly, why there are notches in them?You can learn all about that and more during this focused clay pottery seminar; a lot of education for £160.Finally, if you are completely sold on the idea of being a ceramic artist, you may opt for the full six-week beginner’s course for £120.You will go more in-depth on basic pottery, both at the wheel and handbuilding techniques but the best part of these lessons is that they are a part of a broader curriculum that will get you completely ready to become a ceramic artist in your own right.Unlike other basic skills courses, Seven Lime charges a small fee for materials but, considering their relatively low class fees, the additional cost does not push them over the top of the price scale.Still, it’s best to enquire before you find yours elf owing more than you had budgeted for...Join the discussion: should pottery classes near me charge for materials? Now is the perfect time to consider a workshop to learn how to cast ornaments! Image by Free-Photos from PixabayPottery Lessons at the Clay StudioYou may well accuse us of saving the best for last â€" not quite true, seeing as all of the studios and classes featured so far are quite popular.Besides, this is not the end of the article; further down is a table listing all of the pottery classes we could find in and around Manchester.  That would be a case of saving the best for last!Still, for the sheer variety of classes on offer, the Clay Studio would be hard to beat!True, they promote the standard taster sessions and beginners’ classes, but then, they go even further with their generous menu of one-off courses and weekend workshops.For instance, you might enjoy coiling a jug: making a fully functional pitcher using the ancient technique of coiling clay.Using an extruder to dispense ropes of clay, you would carefully wind them. First making a base and then the walls, which will lat er be supported while the clay dries.If you’d rather work clay manually instead of pumping clay out of the extruder, you may choose to roll it into ropes, to a thickness determined by what you're making - your instructor's input would be helpful in deciding.Hand-rolling and extruding won’t be quite as messy as wheel-thrown pottery and your design will be sure to get raves!What about making Christmas ornaments?With the holiday season right around the corner, you might consider this Saturday course that will introduce you to the slip casting process.Slip casting calls for liquid clay, called ‘slip’, to be poured in a mould. The mould will seem to drink the slip but don’t worry: that’s supposed to happen. Around 20 minutes later, your ceramic ball will be ready for release from its mould.And then, you get to trim and decorate it...Or you could make porcelain decorations to gift to friends and family. Hearts, stars, snowflakes and trees... they come out pure white; you might contemplate drawing and painting on them.These courses both cost £35 and take place on Saturday morning. Be sure to book with them in advance because these fun sessions fill up rather quickly.We found similarly engaging pottery classes in Leeds; clearly, they are all the rage!By far their best Saturday (and Sunday) morning offerings are family classes. They are organised in terms, meaning three to four sessions - you don't sign up for a class but for a term. Each session costs £12 for the adult and £10 for the child â€" who should be five or older.This is a great opportunity for the whole family to get creative and learn new skills, and for the young ones to develop haptic skills and dexterity.Besides getting hands-on with clay, you will also learn glazing techniques and learn about the various clay tools that the artists use. And, yes: you get to take your ceramic art home.Ceramics can be beautiful, dramatic and funny. Ceramic arts are engaging, relaxing and... also fun.Whether you want to take these art classes on your own or with a friend, as a series of classes with your family or a single workshop just to see if clay work is for you, there are certainly plenty of opportunities to do so in Manchester.Are there as many great pottery classes in Glasgow?Contact information for the pottery studios we've reviewed (and some we didn't):Studio namePhysical addressPhone numberWeb address7Spot PotteryIslington Mill James Street, Salford M3 5HW0161 278 6404https://7spotpottery.co.ukSeven Limes Windrush Millennium Centre70 Alexandra Road, Manchester M16 7WD0752 707 8853https://7limes.co.ukClay Studio61 Old Birley St Hulme Manchester M15 5RF0161 505 0678http://claystudio.org.ukPottery Corner34 Beech Rd, Manchester M21 9EL0161 882 0010www.potsareforpainting.co.ukThe Potter's BarnRoughwood Lane, Sandbach, Cheshire CW11 4XX,0127 088 4080www.thepottersbarn.co.uk

10 Things Only Guitar Players Understand

10 Things Only Guitar Players Understand Megan L. Do you know the secrets of  being a guitar player? Check out this list by guitar teacher Jessica D. and let us know if you can relate Psst. Hey youâ€"guitar playerâ€"you may not know it, but you’re actually an elite member in a group of very special peopleâ€"people who play the guitar. Sure, there are a lot of us out there, but there are still many others of all ages who are mystified by our moves, flummuxed by our finger work and down right impressed with our axes. They look from the outside in, thinking, “Maybe, one day…” but then somehow life, work, and other interests kept  their guitar dreams from coming true. Thus, they think that a fret is to worry about an accidentally unpaid bill, their favorite jam is blueberry, and the fact that you can actually play “Freebird” makes you a rock genius. Here are some other things that only guitar players understand 1. The Value of a Guitar At a flea market or a yard sale, a non-guitar player might see a sweet acoustic dreadnought priced at $200 and think, “Wow, what a steal!” But the truth is, you can get a used or even a brand new guitar online for somewhere in the $50 range. Meanwhile, the same non-guitar player might wonder why that 1960’s Martin Guitar is hanging up at Guitar Center for $10,000. The bottom line is, it doesn’t matter if you’re playing a used classical guitar or a new Taylor. If you love playing guitar, you are happy to have one in your hands, no matter what the value is. 2. How To Pronounce Yngwie Malmsteen (Skip to 8:28 in video) This cat is incredible in his way, and most people who are serious about playing guitar have at least heard of him, and can usually, mostly correctly pronounce his name (depending on who you ask, it’s “Ing-vay” or “Ying-vie” Maahlm-steen). Seeing him live in concert is similar to a religious experience to some guitarists. But if you’re really a pro, you know the truth: he’s a dude who spent a lot of time practicing his scales, and with time and practice, anyone can do what he does, even a 15 year old girl. which leads us to… 3. There Are a  Lot of Dope Female Guitar Players Out There Some people think that guitar is a fella’s game, but there are many straight up incredibly talented female shredders out there. Professional guitarists know their names: Carrie Brownstein, Joni Mitchell, Jennifer Batten, Nancy Wilson, Joan Jett, Orianthi, Lita Ford, PJ Harvey, Bonnie Raitt, Marnie Stern, St. Vincent, Kaki King, more recently Taylor Swift and Tina S, the list literally goes on and on. Anyone who thinks that “guitar isn’t for girls” is just living in the dark ages. 4. Fingernails Grow Like, REALLY Fast Guitarists notice this even more, because fretting with fingernails totally sucks. Serious guitarists are known to carry finger nail clippers in their guitar cases or pockets, or heck, just bite their nails off before a gig in a pinch. And the hard core ones just get manicuresâ€"all the time. Hold the fancy decals or rhinestones in the nail polish though; the steel strings of the guitar will  pull them right off. 5. Picks (for Strumming) Are for Suckers When most people pick up the guitar for the first time, they assume that a pick is a necessary accessory for rocking purposes. But the truth is, a pick distances you, literally, from your guitar. It takes you millimeters away from your strings, making things like finger picking and even just familiarizing yourself with the strings much more difficult. The pick, should you decide to include it in your regular rotation of guitar-tillery, should come later, young grasshopper. 7. Guitar players should really be called guitars players Because NO guitarist in the world has only one guitar. Sure, you start out with one, but one becomes two, becomes 10. Cat ladies don’t got nothin’ on us. At this writing, I believe I am the proud owner of 8 guitars and counting. If you live with a guitarist, be prepared to sacrifice space for that sweet guitar collection. In a pinch, you can always use a hardcase as a coffee table. Rock n’ roll! 8. Not all guitars are gigantic Just like shirts, shoes and hats, there are different sizes of guitars for different sized people. There are 7/8 and ¾ size guitars for those of us with more delicate frames, smaller hands or guitarists who just like to travel light. Fun fact: The ¾ and 7/8 size guitar, such as a baby Martin, fit overhead on a plane and work as a personal item. Checking guitars is for people with too much free time! Speaking of which… 9. Not all Martins cost a fortune The aforementioned baby Martins sell for less than $200 new, and did I mention, they fit overhead on a plane…? 10. People who make and fix guitars are called luthiers And they are pretty much across the board awesome. My local luthier is a Spanish hippy who grows herbs in his windowsill and fixes my guitars for tips. Not to mention, he builds about a guitar a week using reclaimed wood, found garbage instruments and old parts out of various handtools. Can anyone say life skill? Luthier classes are very rare and quite expensive, so if you get a chance to learn from a luthier or take a class at a lesser rate, DO IT! And there you have it, 10 things that only guitarists understand. What did I miss? Post Author: Jessica D. Jessica D. is a guitar, ukulele, singing, and songwriting instructor in New York, New York. Learn more about Jessica here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher

Ten Best Dutch Podcasts Targeted To Dutch Learners

Ten Best Dutch Podcasts Targeted To Dutch Learners Want To Learn Dutch With The Help Of Podcasts? ChaptersLearn Dutch Online With These PodcastsFind The Best Way To Learn Dutch For YouThere are lots of different reasons why you might already be learning Dutch, or why you’re thinking about taking up the language.Whether you’re new to learning a foreign language or have near fluency in Dutch, one of the most reassuring things to know is that learning Dutch will allow you to communicate with a community of around 20 million native speakers worldwide. That's a huge pool of potential people to speak with!In addition, you'll also find Dutch helpful to learn as a language if you're planning on heading over to the Netherlands, whether that's for study, business, or leisure purposes.Happily, if you know that Dutch is a language you'd like to learn, there are a lot of different learning resources available to people looking to learn Dutch. For instance:There are a wide variety of websites that offer lessons to help people improve their Dutch;Lots of language learning apps now have Dutc h courses as part of their offering; andThere are also ways to learn Dutch offline, whether that’s through a personal tutor or through a group workshop.Another way that some people find useful to learn Dutch is to regularly listen to podcasts either related to learning Dutch or life in the Netherlands. Podcasts are a great learning tool, not least because they don't take much time to listen to, and you can listen to podcasts on the go. So whether you want to listen to a podcast at home, or fancy passing the time while you're on public transport, you can easily tune in and listen to a podcast or two.Find Dutch language courses you can take online.If you learn Dutch online you might learn more about life in the Netherlands. (Image Source: CC0 1.0, PublicDomainPictures, Pixabay)Learning how to introduce yourself and count from one to ten.Although this podcast is not likely to be of much help to anyone who has any prior experience learning Dutch, if you are completely new to the langu age this could be a good way to ease yourself into learning some common words and phrases, and hopefully will encourage you to learn more about the language once you’ve finished the last podcast.Laura speaks DutchThe last Laura Speaks Dutch podcast was released over nine years ago, but that doesn’t mean that the lessons within the podcasts aren’t still helpful to those learning the Dutch language.There are over 50 podcasts in total, which all cover a range of different topics. What’s more, the podcasts generally seem to sit between the 10 to 20-minute mark, meaning that it’s not a huge time commitment to listen to a podcast or two daily.Zeg Het In Het Nederlands (Say It In Dutch)This podcast relatively new compared to some of the others on this list, as it only launched back in March 2018. However, Zeg het in het Nederlands is a podcast aimed at Dutch learners, where Dutch is spoken a bit slower than you’d ordinarily hear to help Dutch learners understand the podcast mor e fully.The podcasts aren’t too long, usually under 20 minutes, which makes it a great resource to practice your Dutch listening skills either:While you’re on the go; orIf you’re short on time.You can also learn Dutch and have fun with these Dutch learning online games.SBS DutchSBS has a wonderful range of radio programmes in different languages, and as part of that offering is the SBS Radio Dutch programme. It offers a variety of different short stories that are spoken in Dutch, with most episodes coming in at 5 to 15 minutes long â€" perfect for a quick catch up on the latest Dutch news, and a good way to practice your listening skills.Dutch podcasts can be a time-efficient way to improve your level of Dutch. (Image Source: CC0 1.0, maurosegura, Pixabay)To Speak DutchThis podcast series by Frank van Rooijen ended back in 2012, but the lessons within each podcast can still be of help to anyone learning Dutch. While the podcasts cover topics such as learning useful phrases tha t you might use during your travels to the Netherlands or when speaking to a Dutch native speaker, other topics are covered as well, such as:Counting;Verb conjugation; andAsking for and giving directions, among other things.The podcasts can be found on iTunes.Echt GebeurdPerhaps a podcast for the more advanced Dutch learner, Echt Gebeurd has a series of podcasts in which people tell particularly funny or unique stories that actually happened. While a lot of the podcasts are short and sweet, coming in around ten minutes in length, others are slightly longer, coming closer to 20 minutes.If you’re looking for a way to practice your Dutch listening skills, then this podcast can be a great help, particularly if you’re time constrained.Dutch NewsThis is an English-speaking podcast that provides a round-up of the latest news in the Netherlands. The podcasts are a little longer than others in this list, with many coming in at over thirty minutes, but if you’re looking for a resource t o keep up to date with Dutch news then you could give this podcast a go.Here In HollandHere in Holland is a podcast by Andy Clark about life in the Netherlands. It’s an English-speaking podcast, so while it may not be a great podcast to use when it comes to learning the Dutch language, it is a useful resource for anyone wanting to know about what life in the Netherlands is like, particularly if you’re not from the Netherlands yourself.Actual FluencyThe final podcast on this list is a bit different, as it isn’t specifically designed for Dutch speakers or Dutch learners.Instead, this podcast is aimed at anyone learning a language, who wants to keep abreast of topics within the wider world of learning languages, and who may also be looking for some inspiration when it comes to learning a language of their choice.There are over 100 podcasts on offer, which can be accessed through iTunes, Sticher, or Actual Fluency’s website. So if you’re finding it difficult to stay motivated when learning Dutch, it might be worth tuning into a podcast or two to see whether you’re inspired to continue your learning journey.Check out some Dutch lessons London that you can take online.You can learn Dutch online, for example through Dutch podcasts or perhaps with the help of a tutor. (Image Source: CC0 1.0, qimono, Pixabay)Find The Best Way To Learn Dutch For YouPodcasts can be a great way to learn Dutch. For example, if you’re a beginner, then regularly listening to a Dutch podcast aimed at beginners can help teach you basic words and phrases, as well as how to count in Dutch and how to conjugate basic verbs.Even if you’re an intermediate or advanced Dutch speaker, there is still a lot that Dutch podcasts can offer. Namely, listening to the news in Dutch, or listening to a podcast in Dutch, can be a great way to practise your listening skills, and may even teach you a new noun or verb along the way.Of course, if you do ever find yourself getting stuck when learning D utch, or would like some extra help when it comes to a particular Dutch grammatical topic or how to pronounce certain words, you could also look at getting your own Dutch tutor, through a site such as Superprof.A Dutch tutor can give you the motivation you need to continue to improve your proficiency in Dutch, and can also be a great way to practise your Dutch speaking skills, especially if your tutor is a native Dutch speaker. So whether you're concerned about how best to learn Dutch grammar, or want some additional suggestions as to how to improve your range of Dutch vocabulary, a tutor could help you improve your understanding of Dutch.By entering your postcode, you’ll be able to see which Dutch tutors are available for either in-person or remote tuition near to you.

Are MCAT Prep Courses Worth It

Are MCAT Prep Courses Worth It Amy W Dec 14, 2018 Find a Top Rated MCAT Tutor Near You! It's Simple and Secure - Get Real Results Fast. Find Expert Private Tutors at Reasonable Rates Today! InPerson or Online Online InPerson Are MCAT prep courses worth it? Well, like so many things in life, that depends.   It depends on you and your motivation as well as the type and quality of the course that you choose to take. The MCAT, or Medical College Admission Test, is one of the most grueling standardized tests a student will come across. The Best MCAT Prep Course Review What is the MCAT? The exam is required to gain access into virtually every medical school in the United States and most medical schools in Canada, therefore it may come as no surprise that prepping for the MCAT should be your top priority. Enrolling in an MCAT course is one way to ensure you adequately prepared and ready for whatever may be on the exam this year. The problem is, there are many types of courses available, how do you know which one is the best. And at quite a price, are MCAT prep courses worth it? This article will help you understand the MCAT and why enrolling in a prep course may be a good idea for you. While most standardized tests are know for their uniqueness and difficulty, the MCAT is on anther level above the rest! The test itself is administered over 7.5 hours, making it physically exhausting and extremely mentally draining. It is a multiple choice test (this doesn’t make it any easier) that tests applicants on the skills and knowledge required in medical school and when practicing medicine. The content of the tests covers four sections; Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills A score is given for each section, and the scores are added together to provide a total score that is reported around six or seven weeks after completion of the test. Test Preparation Resources There are many test preparation tools available to students to help get ready for the MCAT, some are free and some come at a cost. Naturally, you want to prepare the best way possible, so how do you know if the free resources are reliable or if the paid MCAT prep courses are worth it? Some high quality, legitimate resources include; Official MCAT practice exams, section bank, flashcards, and sample tests. These are available from the AAMC website, produced by the Association of American Medical Colleges. The Khan Academy MCAT Collection is free and easily accessible to use. Speaking with students who have sat the MCAT is also worthwhile. It will give you an indication of how much time you need to prepare and you can learn from other people’s mistakes!   In addition, some of those that have taken it already might be willing to spend a little time with you preparing for your exam. It certainly doesnt hurt to ask! Using a qualified MCAT tutor. Private Tutoring at Home is an easy way to find a certified tutor in your area, one that can tailor-make study sessions to suit your needs and help you achieve your goals. While a tutor isn’t free, they usually cost a lot less than courses and can offer personalized sessions geared towards what and where you need the help and to spend the time. MCAT prep courses are often detailed and high quality. Some of the popular ones are Kaplan MCAT course and the Princeton Review MCAT prep course. They vary in delivery and cost, but there are plenty of options out there. Keep reading to find out more about these courses. MCAT Prep Courses: The Details There are many, many, many MCAT Prep courses available to prospective test takers. Naturally, the people that create these courses would like students to participate and will happily give a ton of reasons and reviews as to why theirs is the best. This guide takes an objective view on the types of courses available, allowing you to make an informed decision and get the best results possible. Let’s look at the type and style of MCAT Prep courses that are available; Self-Paced Prep Courses â€" these are ideal if you need flexibility! Students are given an array of materials and a rough agenda to follow. The course is completed at a pace that suits the individual. The down side to self-paced prep courses is that they require a high level of independent motivation and the ability to manage time effectively. While the structure and content of the course is provided, each student will have to identify their own weaknesses â€" something that can be difficult to do for even the most dedicated students. Some self-paced courses offer customized content to help cater for individual needs, so if you choose this kind of course, look out for adaptable ones. Live Online Prep Courses â€" if you like the idea of guided classes, but are unable to attend a physical class, then live online courses are a great option. You still have to commit to the set study schedule, but can do so from the comfort of your own home. This saves time traveling to and from class, as well as needing to carry books and resources with you. The key to a good live online MCAT prep course lies with the quality of teaching. They must be engaging and offer help and guidance both in and out of set class times, as well as providing resources and extra materials to help you make the most of your ‘out-of-class’ study time. In-Person Prep Courses â€" for a more traditional approach to MCAT prep, opt for in-person courses. These allow for plenty of interaction and discussion with not only instructors, but with fellow test-takers as well. The teacher should offer direct guidance and provide assistance when and where it is needed. The fact that you have allocated and structured study time is a bonus, especially if you lack the internal motivation to get studying, but you also need to spend time outside of class studying too. Make sure your course instructor is able to provide extra study materials as well as being on hand to answer questions and queries in between classes. Intensive Prep Courses â€" intensive courses are great for those with limited study time and the ability to work well under pressure and time constraints. These courses are also great for those who want a strong boost of knowledge and skills. They are often of incredibly high quality, but are so time consuming that you won’t be able to fit much more into your schedule. Intensive prep courses can also be expensive, but if you have the time and the money, they may just be worth it. The best MCAT prep course for you will depend on several factors: Your individual learning style Available time Budget And strengths and weaknesses all play a part in deciding what approach will suit you best. So… Are MCAT Prep Courses Worth It? MCAT prep courses are costly, there’s no way around that fact. For some, the cost may be just too much to bear, with time and money better spent using free tools (there are plenty of them), spending a small sum on prep books and official practice tests, or enlisting the help of a tutor at a fraction of the cost. If you are basically motivated and organized, you may not need to invest your cash in these courses. However, if you need structure in your study schedule and allocated class time to ensure you prepare, then MCAT prep courses will be incredibly useful. Equally, if you can spare the funds, you have nothing to lose. The large sum is a small drop in the ocean in order to give yourself the best preparation possible, ensuring academic success and the results on the test that you need this year. The best MCAT prep course is only going to make sense if youre willing to put the time and energy into it.   Nothing beats good ole fashioned effort and thats what getting good scores on tests like this require.   If you are willing to put the time in, then its likely that youll get a score that makes you happy and be one step closer to getting into medical school. Good luck!We can help you find the best private tutor near you! It’s simple and secure â€" Get real results fast. Your first hour with any tutor is protected by our Good Fit Guarantee: You don't pay for tutoring unless you find a good fit. Choose Your Subject â€" Add Your Zip Code â€" Find Top Rated Tutors Starting Today! InPerson or Online Online InPerson

How do students react to automated film-analysis essay evaluation

How do students react to automated film-analysis essay evaluation Recently, I reported on the perils and promise of a project I have been working on with Dr. Frank Bonkowski. We created an automated film-analysis essay evaluation system to provide the correction and formative scoring of essays to his advanced English Second Language learners at CEGEP de St-Laurent, in Montreal, Canada. The idea was to have the Virtual Writing Tutor process an essay and give formative feedback on grammatical errors, content and organization, vocabulary use, and scholarship. He tried the automated formative evaluation system with his students and we have some preliminary results to share. To see the first blog post on this topic and test the system with a sample essay, click below. Automatic Film Analysis Essay Evaluation Perils and Promise How will automated film-analysis essay evaluations help? We expected the system would help in two ways. First, we expected that the essay evaluation system would reduce the teachers workload by about 12.5 hours per week. Every time a teacher assigns an essay to his or her 120-150 students, the ten minutes spent correcting each essay adds about 25 hours of work to the teachers workload. Spread over two weeks, thats about 2 hours a day of extra work. However, by using the regularly scheduled computer lab hour to have students submit their essays to the VirtualWritingTutor.com online essay evaluation system, we expected that the teacher would be able to forgo much of that correction work. Secondly, we expected that students would be able to use the automatically generated feedback and scores on multiple drafts of their essay to improve the final result. That seems to be the case, also. Frank filmed semi-structured interviews with a handful of his students, asking them about their experience using the formative evaluation system. As we expected, students made multiple revisions of their essays, using the feedback and score from the Virtual Writing Tutor to guide the changes they made to their vocabulary, cohesion, language accuracy, thesis statement and topic sentences. The experiment Frank and I discussed the essay format, indicators of essay quality, and how students would use the system. Frank prepared his students with a series of lessons on researching and writing a film-analysis essay. Meanwhile, I worked with my programmer to define thresholds and comments based on essay features that we can detect with the Virtual Writing Tutor. With their research in hand, the students wrote a draft of their essays in the multimedia lab, but instead of handing them in to the teacher and waiting two weeks for feedback, the students ran their essays through the Virtual Writing Tutors formative film-analysis essay evaluation system. In just 2 seconds, the system generated four pages of feedback, scores, and comments on how to improve their grades. Using formative evaluation from the VWT, students revised for a week and handed in their final draft for Frank to evaluate. The results are encouraging. The students textThe first page of feedback The second page of feedback The third page of feedback The fourth page of feedback Bugs and catastrophic failures Until the system was fully debugged, the axiom held true that human intelligence fails by degrees but Artificial Intelligence fails catastrophically. Some students encountered Internal server error messages when they submitted incomplete drafts. Others balked at mystifyingly low scores triggered by a misspelled heading for their Works Cited list, two apostrophes instead of quotation marks, camelcase or other unexpected characters in their in-text citations, lack of paragraphing, and other formatting errors. Obviously, human teachers are still better able at handling the unexpected chaos in student writing than the VWT. We gleaned two insights from the failures. First, human coaching is essential for getting confused students to use the system successfully. (Incidentally, I have come to believe that the teachers prestige increases when students come to view him or her as an ally in a battle against the machine.) We expect that the second time they use it, they will understand the limitations of the machines AI and develop some persistence and patient problem-solving in the face of trouble. Second, we saw the need for a method to anonymously capture texts that trigger system errors and bad feedback. To that end, we added a Rate Feedback button and popup that would allow students signal a positive or negative reaction (thumbs up or down) and leave comments to guide our debugging efforts. Rate Feedback popup Semi-structured interviews What follows below are the video recordings and key findings from those semi-structured interviews. A summary of the increases in scores between the first draft and the final draft calculated by the Virtual Writing Tutors film-analysis essay evaluation system is given for each student interviewed. On average, the five students that Frank interviewed improved their scores by 21.2%. Frank told me that he selected the students to interview based on their willingness to revise their drafts, so it is doubtful that all of his students increased their scores by 21%. Student reaction #1: Ada Ada improved her score by 47% from 50% to 97%, making 7 revisions. She found the automatically generated comments detailed and useful. She rewrote her topic sentences based on sentiment analysis feedback to make stronger claims. She also added film and literary analysis vocabulary to improve the depth of her analysis. Student reaction #2: Sophie Sophie improved her score by 20%, going from a 59% to a 79%. She added literary analysis vocabulary based on suggestions of words listed in the automatic comments. Sophie also made corrections based on the grammar checker feedback. Student reaction #3: Alissa Alissa improved her score by 14%, going from 68% to 82%. She made her topic sentences more specific based on the sentiment analysis feedback, and she used the examples of a model topic sentences in the comments to rewrite her own topic sentences. She rewrote her conclusion based on feedback on her word choice. She increased the number and specificity of transition words to build cohesion. Student reaction #4: Valencia Valencia revised her essay 2-3 times and improved her score by 11%., going from 76% to 87%. She used the grammar feedback to improve her language accuracy (spelling). She increased the number and specificity of transition words to build cohesion. She made her thesis stronger using sentiment analysis feedback and the example of a model topic sentence provided in the comments. Student reaction #5: Rosalie Rosalie improved her score by 14%, going from a 63% to a 77%. She added film and literary analysis vocabulary to increase her score. She notes that the system did not recognize her Works Cited section at first. Part of the increase in her score may have been due to our debugging efforts. What have we learned about automated film-analysis essay evaluations? Remember that this was an early pilot of the system. Though we are optimistic that automated formative essay evaluations are likely to become a more common feature of ESL instruction in the future, this was simply a proof-of-concept experiment. We see this as encouraging evidence that there could be a place for automated essay scoring for formative purposes in our own courses. There is still a lot to learn. Franks comments Frank shared some of his own observations with me. He told me that his score of each students essay did not exactly match the score generated by the VWT. The system cannot tell the difference between meaningful reflections on a film and well-structured blather. Feedback overload Frank also told me that the volume of feedback (four 8.5 x 11 inch pages at a time) was overwhelming for some students. Some students told Frank that they just wanted the system to tell them what to do next. This remark prompted me to ask my programmer to put the comments into collapsed accordion sections showing just the score for each of the four dimensions of evaluation: content and structure, vocabulary, language accuracy, and scholarship. In some cases, we just want the headlines of the news and not all the details all at once, right? In the first iteration of the evaluation system, the comments were all regular black text. Since then, I have colour-coded the feedback so that green comments indicate 100%, black comments come with scores of 60%-90%, and red comments are for scores that less than 60%. In this way, students get a better sense of what requires immediate attention. How it works now with accordion sections and colour-coded comments. Reliability In terms of the system helping a teacher determine a summative score for the final drafts of the film-analysis essays, Frank told me that the system seemed most reliable at scoring the range and depth of vocabulary. Because it involved a straight count of literary analysis words and film analysis words, it helped him make an evidence based judgement about how much of the literary analysis toolkit he had taught them in class. Sometimes, even a straight count of vocabulary items can indicate achievement. Essays with literary terms suggest that student can and are willing to use literary terms in an analysis of a film. Thats good. Reliably less reliable were the automatically generated language accuracy scores. Foreign actors and directors names were flagged as errors even when correctly spelled. Whoops! Im not too worried about this, though. The system will perform better in the future. I added a list of exceptions to the grammar checkers internal spelling dictionary. However, the false alarms created some consternation for students. They were disappointed to see low language accuracy scores with no way to improve them. Frustrating. I get it. Coverage Frank noted that there were a number of glaring errors that the system missed. Obviously, the lack of error-detection coverage is a concern for me. I have been coding error detection rules for the past seven years, focusing mostly on high-beginner and low-intermediate learner errors. Now that Frank is using the system with his advanced students, I will have to write more rules to detect their most common errors. I will get there eventually. First, do no harm Frank certainly did not seem to think that the quality of his students writing declined. This automatic essay evaluation system is not doing anybody any harm. Nicks comments On the whole, we are both pretty confident that the system is helping students with their writing. Students seem to be able to use the scores and the comments to make changes to their essays. Gamification of revision I suspect that there is a kind of gamification happening. The student might enjoy using a comment to get an extra percent or two. Each revision provides a little boost and creates a kind of ludic loop. You play, your points increase, and you want to keep playing. Thats good. At junior college, students can sometimes lack college readiness. They can have the attitude of I did my homework and now its the teachers problem. Jock Mackay at a conference in 2014 called it efficiency syndrome. Students often try to get their school work done as quickly as possible. Think of it as optimal foraging. Students want a score above zero while expending as little energy as possible. Gamifying essay writing with automated formative evaluations seems to keep even underachieving students coming back to the task because they get immediate feedback that the job is not quite done yet. They keep plugging away at it, willing to make a micro effort in order to get the next bump in their score. Scholarship checker Upon reflection, I admit that the Scholarship calculation is still very rudimentary. Frank told me that some students reference lists were very sloppy but scored 100% anyway. I should explain that the system simply checks for a Works Cited heading and counts the number of non-empty lines below it. We have not made any attempt to check if the MLA style has been followed or not. At junior college, I am usually happy just to see that students are discovering and reporting other peoples ideas. They will have to up their game at university, but we can work on a more rigorous analysis using MLA or APA style requirements in the future. Revision strategies The fact that the students Frank interviewed reported making multiple revisions is the biggest news. Why? Getting students to reread and reflect on specific features of their writing is itself progress. Franks students said that the scores with comments were helpful in guiding their revisions. This tells me that the cognitive load of explicit, detailed feedback will remain manageable for some students with just accordion buttons and colour-coded comments. If we discover that only the most highly proficient students can use the comments productively and other weaker students find it all too bewildering, we will have to reflect on how teachers give feedback to that kind of student. Experienced teachers comments with stressed out students will tend to focus on the next concrete step toward improvementnot the next 30 steps. One strategy we could use might be an easy-win summary box of only the feedback with the biggest impact on the the students score. As a teacher faced with an anxious student, I would not want to try to give feedback on all aspects of the essay at once. Instead, I might draw the students attention to glaring omissions. For example, I might say, You have made a good start, but you forgot your works-cited section. Adding that will increase your score by 25%! Big score boosts can alleviate that sense of helplessness and allow for further revisions later. It is something to think about. Please follow and like us:

A Parents Guide to the 11 Plus Exam

A Parent’s Guide to the 11 Plus Exam The 11 Plus (or 11+) examif your child is approaching or in Year 4 or 5 of primary school, you are likely familiar with this grammar school staple. If you'd like your child to attend grammar school or certain independent schools in England, note these facts about the important exam. What is the 11 Plus exam? The 11 Plus is an exam that is designed to identify the most academically able students for grammar school admittance. It consists of four general areas (English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning), but the exact configuration differs throughout the country. Two exam boards provide the 11 Plus: GL Assessment and CEM. Depending on your intended grammar school, your child will take one or the other. Your child may also need to take additional tests set by the school. Students who do well and who are offered a place in grammar school begin at their new school in Year 7. Once you find out which test your student will take, determine which subjects are assessed, as they differ from CEM to the GL Assessment. Who takes the 11 Plus exam? The 11 Plus exam is for students in their last year of primary school. It is not a compulsory exam for all grammar school students. While the name of the exam is derived from the age at which students will enter grammar school, they will usually be 10 years old when they take it. Be aware that in some areas, students will automatically be entered for the 11 Plus, so if you'd like to opt out, you'll have to do that yourself. When will my child take the 11 Plus exam? Students will generally take the 11 Plus at the beginning of Year 6. What is the timeline for ideal 11 Plus preparation? Most families will decide in Year 4 if grammar school is an option. In Year 4, you can begin to introduce exam skills like taking a timed test and further develop core subject knowledge. As Year 5 begins, go on grammar school visits with your child to gauge what you and your child are looking for. This is when you'll also want to create a study plan and enlist any necessary additional resources. How can my child best prepare for the 11 Plus exam? In order to create the most effective preparatory plan, first determine which version of the 11 Plus your child will take. Verify this with your specific schools. Familiarise yourself and your child with the content, structure, and length of the exam. Next, gauge your child's strengths and weaknesses, and be certain to practice under test-like conditions. As with many exams, you may wish to consider an 11 Plus tutor, who can help you maximise your child's performance on this test and provide guidance as you navigate the complex grammar school admittance process. Aside from the more targeted strategies referenced above, you can also encourage your child to read widely and to employ the use of vocabulary in daily conversations.