Sign Language

Sign Language What Everyone Should Know About Sign Language ChaptersThe Advantages of Learning Sign LanguageFinding Sign Language ClassesResources and Apps to Learn Sign LanguageTips to Help You Learn Sign LanguageUnless you live in a very small town and never watch the telly, you have surely laid eyes on people who, through gestures and facial expression, enjoy lively conversation.Well, at least it looks lively; certainly livelier than mere speaking.Indeed, sign language is a fairly energetic undertaking; it involves much of your body â€" not just hands and arms.Wouldn’t you like to know how complex ideas can be conveyed without uttering a single word? How about being able to understand the concepts illustrated by those fluid gestures?Learning to sign involves equal parts of making the correct movements and building receptive skills â€" correctly ‘receiving’ the ideas conveyed through gestures and expressions.Sign language is communication on a whole different level, one that hearing people seem little aware of. And if there is awarene ss, it is more of an abstract variety.For hearing people and for much of the world, sign language is what deaf people do, just like Chinese people speak Chinese and French people speak French.Bet you didn’t know that there is a French sign language for French people who are deaf!There is so much about deaf culture, deaf history and the deaf community that the average person hasn’t even considered.Your Superprof hopes to remedy that situation by showing you how learning to sign can benefit you even if you are not hearing-impaired. We’d also like to point you to classes for learning sign language, and tips and resources so you can learn better and faster.Put on your noise-cancelling headphones and read on! £30,000 per year, that the job often involves travel (usually at your clients’ expense) and that you will always learn new things.We’d like to put a very personal reason for learning how to sign in the spotlight.When infants arch their backs, they are communicating that th ey want to be picked them up. Clearly, this baby wants something; could baby signing unlock that mystery? Image by joffi from PixabayIf you have ever been around a baby that’s even a couple of months old, you might have witnessed such a thing: the child, laying on its back, looks up at the adult face hovering over him (he can’t really see at that stage), and arches his back.Isn’t it remarkable how much easier that makes it to slide your hands under and lift him?If you are around babies a lot or if you have a baby, you must have noticed that your child learned early how to communicate: this cry means ‘hungry’ and that one means ‘nappy change, please!’All of this early communication is a subject of much wonder and awe… but what does the average parent do with it? Besides cherishing, nothing. We wait for a year for our children to become verbal.That is a lot of wasted time.If you want to see for yourself how powerful and influential sign language can be, why not teach your child baby sign language?St udies have shown that children who were taught to sign as babies generally perform better in school, suffer lower levels of stress, are more confident and can express themselves better.Sign language offers you those same benefits, along with those you might enjoy by learning any other language.You will find yourself multi-tasking like a pro, thinking at lightning speed and delighting in the boost to your memory. You will become more focused, with unparalleled attention to detail and still have brainpower to spare.Can you imagine how these advantages of learning sign language will play out in your career?Finding Sign Language ClassesWhether you are excited at the prospect of signing for your child or yourself, the best way to learn sign language is to take a sign language course.You might think you could hop on Duolingo or any other language learning app or website and get plenty of instruction to learn sign language; there are three main reasons that you shouldn’t.Will you learn t he right sign language?How will you know you’re signing correctly?  How can you develop the needed receptive skills?You may have already tried typing ‘learn sign language’ into your favourite search engine and, surely, you’ve gotten many returns. Do any of them specifically say British sign language or BSL?Most likely, unless you specified you wanted to learn BSL, most â€" if not all of the hits returned were for ASL or American sign language. In fact, those sites may not even specify that their materials are for American sign!You might wonder how different those languages could be; after all, both countries speak mainly English.Let us assure you that even the alphabets are not the same and, as radically different as they are, you couldn’t so much as finger-spell your name and be understood in Britain!Even if you searched specifically for BSL lessons online, you may learn quite a bit but, with nobody to sign with or to, how will you determine that you are communicating cor rectly?And what about interpreting what someone else is signing? If you get no practice conversing in sign, you may never be able to hold a conversation with someone who is deaf or hard of hearing.That is why your Superprof stands firm on taking a sign language class, where you can meet fellow signers, learn all of the vocabulary particular to your area â€" yes, sign language is regional, just like spoken dialect is.We’ve highlighted some of the best courses in the country in our companion article. You can find plenty of resources online to help you learn your second language, just be sure you select BSL apps! Image by Gerd Altmann from PixabayResources and Apps to Learn Sign LanguageIf you are keen to start signing as soon as possible, you only have one recourse: practise as often as you can.You could stand in front of a mirror for hours on end, holding conversations with your reflection or you could make use of the very best resource available to anyone learning to sign.Why not enjoy the warm welcome that the deaf community provides?All across the UK, there are deaf clubs where people get together, often socially but sometimes for a specific purpose â€" think ‘England Deaf Football’, for a convivial evening of signing and fun. Anyone who can sign, hearing or not, is welcome to join them.The deaf and hard of hearing are truly your best help for learning sign language (and they’re great people to be around, too!) but there are more resources for you.You might want a sign language dictionary to download to your phone or watch some sign language videos between classes, just to pick up on particular facial expressions that go with certain signs or that are associated uniquely with sign languages.You may even want to find some fingerspelling exercises and games so you can practise that skills set!All of that can be had online, with one caveat: make sure you are targeting British sign language resources, not some foreign language!Perhaps it would be best to check out the resources and apps we found… During your sign language studies, you might consider a fun night out with your local deaf club Image by Ira Lee Nesbitt from PixabayTips to Help You Learn Sign LanguageWe leave you now with some ideas to consider as you learn this visual language.The first, most vital tip to learning how to sign is to abandon the idea that signing is only for deaf people.In fact, it would be a good idea to educate yourself about deafness â€" for instance, did you know that deaf people, for the most part, do not particularly want to become 'hearing'?You might spend some time with deaf students to see how their lessons are taught and learn about deaf education in general.Learning sign language without immersing yourself into the deaf community is a little like learning French without ever going to France or having any exposure to French culture, French people or French society.You can learn the words but, without understanding the culture, your expressions will lack depth and you will surely miss out on the context of what is being said.By the same token, don’t just learn the sign language alphabet and claim you can sign; that’s a bit like someone who says they speak French and then blurts out the famous line from the Lady Marmelade song…Besides ridding yourself of preconceived notions about deaf people and immersing yourself into the deaf community, we offer these tips:Understand what sign language is: this expressive, gestural form of communication is not a word-for-word translation of your native languageBeware of online tutorials; they may not be in British sign languageChoose your teacher well: some prefer an instructor who can speak and sign; others contend it is better to have a deaf instructor who has been signing since childhoodPractise every day by seeking opportunities to engage with the deaf community: talk with deaf children, go to deaf club meetings and participate in activities with people who are deaf and hard of hearing.Whatever your reason(s) for taking u p sign language â€" because someone in your circle or your hearing demands it, you’ve been studying linguistics or because you are simply interested in language acquisition, we applaud you and encourage your studies by offering more tips for learning sign language.Won’t you let us know how your language studies are coming along?

Chemistry Online Tutors Crack Compounds and Elements with Ease

Chemistry Online Tutors â€" Crack Compounds and Elements with Ease 0SHARESShare Are the doors of Chemistry shut upon you? Get online help and know the secrets of Chemistry. Tutor Pace opens its doors for you to usher in and understand the language of Chemistry. Chemistry Online Tutors-unfolding the magic of Chemistry Whenever you touch Chemistry, Atoms and Molecules expect you to work wonders with them. But you know not a, b, c, d, of them and there lies your miserable failure. Avail the services of Chemistry Online Tutors in Tutor Pace. They would teach the basics of these topics and make you learn the key concepts with ease. Similarly, when your lab reports tantalize you with their results of Chemical Reactions, the tutors show their helping hand to determine the results and prep proper reports. Chemistry Homework Help-fine job done by our tutors Chemical bonding and equalizing equations need expert handling and Tutor Pace’s tutors provide the expected help. They are especially helpful in areas like Stoichiometry or Thermo chemistry and physical Chemistry when you approach them for Chemistry Homework Help. You feel safe to score high grades that would push you to the helm of the class. Chemistry tutoring-needed in its essence As far as Chemistry learning is concerned, you could not stop with classroom listening. You miss a link, you miss everything.  Chemistry Tutoring from Tutor Pace is an advantageous offer for you to clarify your doubts and understand the topics in their essence. Tutor pace rolls up distinguished tutoring services through its Chemistry Online Tutors. [starbox id=admin]

What is it Like to Attend The Ohio State University

What is it Like to Attend The Ohio State University The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Noor is a Chicago tutor who specializes in Spanish tutoring, English tutoring, and Test-Taking Strategies tutoring. He graduated from The Ohio State University in 2011 with a degree in Arts and Sciences, specifically in International Relations and Diplomacy and Spanish. Check out what he had to say about his school: VT: Describe the campus setting and transportation options.How urban or safe is the campus?Are there buses or do you need a car/bike? Noor: Ohio State is a pretty urban campus. As far as Columbus goes, campus sits comfortably near the center of the city. In this sense, it's mostly safe, but a little rough around the edges. Campus security stays vigilant, though. As far as getting to classes on time, I recommend having a bike or taking a bus, which is really easy as OSU has its own bus system and plenty of bike racks all over campus. I say this because the campus is big - really, really big. Walking could easily get tiring. VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Noor: All faculty members have rather open office hours, which they're apt to inform students of. But outside of office hours, email is the only way to contact most professors and advisers. I found that anytime I needed to speak with a professor, I didn't have a problem communicating with them. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Noor: Dorm life at OSU varies slightly based on what part of campus you're living in. Again, the campus is really big, so it's commonly separated by location - North Campus, South Campus, and West Campus. I lived on South Campus where most of the freshman dorms are, and it was an excellent place to meet people and get a feel for the campus in general. I'd say it's the same all over campus, but North and West Campus have a smaller concentration of freshmen than South Campus does. All parts of campus are close to class buildings and sport various dining halls, ranging from Mexican to Asian to hearty, American-style buffets - the palate never finds itself bored. Rooms are what you'd expect from a dorm. They're slightly cramped, but have enough wiggle room to satisfy even the most claustrophobic student. VT: Which majors/programs are best represented and supported?What did you study and why? Did the university do a good job supporting your particular area of study? Noor: While most majors and programs are rather well supported, Business, Law, and Medicine are the most supported. I also found that Art and Music had a rather large representation. OSU has its own hospital, Business School (The Fisher School of Business), and Law School (Moritz College of Law), as well as an art-gallery-meets-art-campus in the Wexner Center. There are also specific buildings for many other majors and programs, such as Architecture, Engineering, and Language. OSU is very diverse. I dual-majored in International Studies and Spanish, but that was due to interests I had and professors I met that guided me in that direction. I found that the university did a wonderful job supporting my majors, as highly influential and intelligent professors populated both fields of study. I can easily say that most of the professors that I had impacted both my life and thought process for the better. VT: How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Noor: Due to the nature of the dorms and freshman campus life, it was stupendously easy to make friends and meet people. As a matter of fact, many of the friends I have today are friends that I met freshman year. There are myriad social events on campus all throughout the year, including free concerts, barbecues, and so much more that would take decades to list. Campus is constantly bustling with activity. Greek life plays a role, but not an overpowering one. All of the fraternities and sororities are located off campus, and while there are many, I wouldn't say that they're inextricable with campus life. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Noor: Quite a few reputable companies recruit on campus, especially around the Business School. Also, being that Columbus is not only a huge test market for the country, but also home to the headquarters of many businesses, finding a career in the Columbus area is pretty easy. The student union also abounds with career fairs and opportunities for involvement and securing internships. The Career Center is staffed by genuine, helpful people whose aim is seeing students succeed, and professors and advisors were always, in my experience, ready to help and guide. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Noor: As I've stated a few times already, The Ohio State University is big, and everything about it is also big. The main library and the student union were both recently remodeled and are in impeccable shape; the library boasts 11 floors and the union is a sprawling expanse of possibilities. There is ample space for studying and a plethora of resources to utilize. As far as the dorm lounges, they're great, but a bit more readily occupied. I would definitely recommend doing work in either the main library or the union. VT: Describe the surrounding town. What kinds of outside establishments / things to do are there that make it fun, boring, or somewhere in between?To what extent do students go to the downtown area of the city versus staying near campus? Noor: Columbus is a wonderful town, pockmarked with so many options for diversion that it borders on overwhelming. In every direction there are restaurants, cafes, lounges, malls, and everything else the mind can conjure. Columbus is a very diverse city; near campus, there are restaurants encompassing almost every ethnicity and nationality. A very hip and young district lies just south of campus, called The Short North. It's a veritable haven for students, filled with cheap places to eat or hang out, and it also hosts a weekly event called Gallery Hop, which is essentially an art show. Students are often found all over the city, because Columbus is very spread out and every part of it offers a different experience. Fun doesn't even begin to describe it. One will never find himself bored, and it's almost too easy to avoid doing the same thing twice. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Noor: Ohio State competes with Arizona State for holding the record for the largest student body in the country with nearly 50,000 students. This sounds overwhelmingly large at first, and while the sheer amount of students is easily noticeable, class sizes are rather manageable. Of course, GECs that take place in lecture halls can contain upwards of 500 students, but most major-specific classes are a decent size. I never felt like I was overcrowded in any class, and I believe that the professors there understand the amount of students they have very well, and do their best to accommodate to all of them. So, I was rather pleased with the typical class size, which, outside of GECs, never really exceeded 30-40 students, and sometimes even less. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Noor: My freshman year, I had a Spanish professor that truly shaped my mind for what I'm doing now. She was incredibly inspiring and did her utmost to culture and educate us, her students. I still maintain contact with her today, and the imprint she left on me is one that I will never regret. She encouraged me to pursue language and international education, and instilled in me the courage to take the risks I needed to take in order to further myself. Check out Noors tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Dont Let Fear Get the Better of You during Physics Tests

Don’t Let Fear Get the Better of You during Physics Tests 0SHARESShare Physics, for some students leads to poor confidence and fear which can cause havoc during exams and render you helpless. You may find yourself stressed and this could stop you from answering questions that are right up your alley! A methodical approach to learning the subject can help boost your confidence levels and can do wonders to improve your grades. If you feel thoroughly intimidated by the subject and simply can’t study by yourself, the best thing for you to do would be to work with online physics tutors. We have compiled a couple of tips that can help you learn physics concepts better and master them; read on. #1: As always basics of physics are important If you arent very confident in this area, work on your basic concepts and seek help from experts as and when required. You could either take a look at basics as and when you require or spend some time with it first with the help of online physics tutoring experts. Such an approach is healthy and will contribute to better learning in the long run. #2: Math is the key to improving your physics grades Invariably, you have to rely on math for derivations or problem solving and the two subjects are very closely connected. If your math requires work too, better get on it first! Without good math skills, it would be really difficult for you to work with physics. #3: Understand how complex physics formula are derived Some equations could be straight forward and easy to remember. However, there are many complex formula and equations that simply cannot be understood without effort. Don’t try the rote learning way; it won’t help you solve problems! Try to understand how the equation has been derived and try to do it yourself. This sort of an approach will help you wrap your head around the concept better. #4: Work on problems on a daily basis Even when you haven’t been assigned any homework, it is advisable to take up a concept daily and work on problems. Problems help you understand the underlying concepts easily and practice is required to get them right in exams. If you are struggling with problem solving, get in touch with an expert tutor for physics homework help and get all your doubts clarified. Doing this on a daily basis will certainly help you improve your confidence level. We also recommend that you take up mock tests and work on your assignments diligently to score better in your exams. Being better prepared will do wonders for your confidence levels and will certainly help you beat fear and score well. Good Luck!

A Guitarists Guide to Odd Time Signatures

A Guitarists Guide to Odd Time Signatures Megan L. Do you know how to count music in odd time signatures? Guitar teacher  Joe L.  breaks down the basics that guitarists need to know about playing in unusual times Timing is something that most guitarists have to pick up early in playing music. Playing in time is very important; it may be the most important quality and skill you can develop and improve upon as you continue learning to play guitar. If youre looking at a piece of music, the time signature is the two numbers that look like a fraction at the beginning of the piece. These numbers tell you how to count time in the piece youre going to play. The two most popular time signatures are 4/4 (1-2-3-4) and 3/4 (1-2-3-1-2-3).  People can naturally follow along with these time signatures, but what happens when the timing is different? Many newer musicians can get lost trying to play along with others who are playing in an odd time like 7/8. But there are some simple tricks you can do to play in time with strange grooves. Time Signatures in 5 For example, when playing in 5/4, you can count (1-2-3-4-5), (1-2-1-2-3) or (1-2-3-1-2).   By doing so, you will break down the structure to the timing, and you can then split it into two parts: 1-2 and then 1-2-3 (or the other way around: 1-2-3 and then 1-2). Youll find the groove in there somewhere (depending on how the music that youre playing goes) by recognizing where the accent is (the beat that gets stressed or emphasized) in the song. You can get very imaginative when breaking the rhythm down, such as (1-2-3-4-1). Here are some examples of popular songs in 5. Halloween Theme (Main Title) (from Halloween) by John Carpenter Mission Impossible Theme by Lalo Schifrin Time Signatures in 7 In 7/8, you can break the rhythm down into (1-2-3-1-2-1-2) or (1-2-1-2-1-2-3).  You can also use (1-2-3-1-2-3-1) or (1-2-1-2-1-1-2).  Again, listen for the accent notes to figure out how to break up your counts.   Get creative on how you can break these rhythms down; my examples arent the only methods. Below are a couple of popular tunes in 7. Dreaming in Metaphors by Seal Die To Live by Steve Vai With other times, such as 11, you can break them down in multiple ways, for example (1-2-3-4-1-2-3-4-1-2-3), (1-2-3-1-2-3-4-1-2-3-4) or (1-2-3-4-1-2-3-1-2-3-4). A suggestion to getting better playing in odd times is to use a metronome in the time youre trying to learn. Or, you can look up drum tracks in odd times online, and play with them until you start finding yourself feeling the rhythm and playing in the groove. These unusual time signatures arent found too often, but when they are used, they can be the most recognizable pieces youve heard. Before you try to tackle these odd times with chords and scales, try muting the strings and work it out until you feel these grooves. It helps a lot to tackle only the rhythm first before trying to incorporate the chords. Once you feel comfortable strumming in odd time signatures, you can then start adding in chords and scales to really start jamming! Good luck! For more help learning the basics of guitar, taking lessons from a private teacher is the best way to improve. Find your guitar teacher now! Joe L. teaches guitar lessons in New York, NY. He has been teaching guitar for 15 years and in his teaching he focuses on breaking down music theory to make learning music easy and accessible for all his students. Learn more about Joe 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 Photo by  Jen Gallardo

Tutorfair The story behind us

Tutorfair The story behind us On a sunny winters day in January 2012 I met with Andrew who showed me some concepts for a new website that he’d come up with. He was a parent who’d found the process of finding tutors for his own children both confusing and a little hit-and-miss. His concept was a website that would allow parents to actually browse for great tutors and then book them. I agreed that there wasn’t anything quite like it at the time, but what really captured my imagination was the concept that the company would give tutoring to children who otherwise couldn’t afford it. Hence the ‘fair’ bit of Tutorfair. In my 14 years of tutoring, most of the tutors I’d known had either  moved on to other work or set up agencies. I’d not set up my own simply because I had very little interest in running a company. Yet here was a concept that seemed so simple, and so likely to do some real good, that I found myself getting very excited. If there are billions of dollars being put into tutoring worldwide every year, why not take some of that money and give it to the kids who need it most? Andrew Ground wasn’t just a parent, he had a background in marketing and had been involved in building the hugely successful UK company LOVEFiLM. He introduced me to Edd Stockwell, a fantastically energetic web entrepreneur who’d been doing a large amount of research into the education sector. In our first proper meeting in a tapas restaurant in Old Street we discussed how this could work, and thus Tutorfair was born. Over the years, I’ve been fortunate enough to meet most of the highest paid and best regarded tutors in the world. In fact, many are close friends. When we pitched the idea to those in Britain, most were hugely excited and almost everyone wanted to help in any way they could. At the very least, we’ve been able to help Andrew find tutors for his kids! Beyond individual tutors, there are many tutoring agencies. Most of the best in London are run by friends of mine or people I’d known professionally for years. We weren’t sure how they’d see Tutorfair, but the response was amazing. These professional tutoring agencies do a good job of finding and retaining great tutors so it was essential we had them on board too. Most seemed very open to our concept and loved the idea that if we worked together we could actually do some good. They’d list their recommended tutors on the website, and thus open up their tutor networks to parents wanting to book online. Together we agreed the promise that for every student who pays we’d give tutoring to a child who couldn’t afford it. Our aim has been to assemble the best tutors in London to kick us off. We meet all of them, check their documents and film videos of them so parents can get a better idea of what they’re like. We also offer training and mentoring for those looking to develop their tutoring into a career, and this has been a particularly fun part for me. The next challenge was how to arrange the free tuition. The solution was simple, rather than try find these children ourselves why not look for schools and charities that had already identified the children most in need of our help? I took the rest of 2012 to meet with various schools, charities and organisations. I went into classrooms, taught with children who’d never been given any personal tutoring and we took the time to look into what was working well. Once we’d earmarked the teams who seemed to make the most *real* difference to children’s lives: we pledged our support, our tutors and our time. Fast forward to early 2013, the website is live, we are receiving bookings and we’re already running a number of initiatives for the Tutorfair Foundation, our new charity. It’s an incredibly exciting time! Tutoring has been proven to be an incredibly effective education tool* but up until now it’s something that only the most wealthy can afford. Hopefully we can start to make it fair! In this blog we’ll keep you updated on how the company is going and what we’re doing with the charity. We’ll also be providing tips, tutoring resources (for students educators) and sharing with you what we find is getting results. We hope you enjoy! * (Bloom, 1984)

Where can I get free board games and card games for my ESL class

Where can I get free board games and card games for my ESL class Despite the enormous popularity of video games, young learners still love to play board games with family and friends. Designing a game for others to play can double the fun. And it can add engaging learning opportunities to a course on any subject, including English as a Second language. Why are games so engaging? Most people would explain the appeal of games by saying that games are simply funand they are funbut why are they fun? What makes a game enjoyable to play? I have a few ideas on the subject. Games are Stories You Play Games are a lot like stories. You have probably noticed that there are elements that both games and stories sharecommon elements that help to explain their common appeal. Like fiction, what happens in a game feels like it matters but doesnt really. When the tears begin to flow, we console each other saying, Its just a game, or Its just a story. Both games and stories engage the imagination and are non-literal. Like the protagonist in a story, we start off with a goal, hoping for success. Depending on our luck or skill, we experience sudden reversals of fortune. Like a well-told story, the outcome of the game remains uncertain. Our fortunes change for better or worse when we draw a card or roll the dice. There has to be enough excitement in both stories and games to keep us engaged. However, when we encounter long chapters of exposition or periods of grind during a game, we remain patient and wait for the excitement to start again. There is mystery and adventure. Like any protagonist, we take risks in games with bold moves, hoping that our fortunes will improve by tempting fate. The bigger the risk, the bigger the emotional highs and lows. Ups and Downs Games and stories provide a kind of emotional exercise. Whether they end on a happy or sad note, the emotions we experience as we travel through a game or a story leave us emotionally refreshed. As with stories, we feel real emotions when our luck changes. We feel elated when our luck suddenly improves. We feel frustration and disappointment when we fall behind. When our opponents draw a lucky card or roll sixes, we feel envy, and our desire to win heightens. In our imaginations, the other players can transform into threatening antagonists that draw out dark competitive instincts. We imagine that we must defeat them. When we lose, it feels tragic. When we win, we feel relief and satisfaction. Until that point, we feel uncertainty because we can never be sure what will happen next. The emotions are real. In this way, games and stories are cathartic, clearing away fear, pity, envy, and aggression to re-balance our emotions. Like a house cat stalking a leaf in the backyard before reclining and preening itself in the sunshine, we summon the wildness inside us momentarily in games and stories before reattaching the collar and leash of civility. In other words, games and stories help to tame the the wild animal within us by giving it a safe form of expression. In short, games and stories domesticate us. Cooperation Games produce cooperation. Players must establish the rules at the beginning of the game, taking turns and agreeing to pay attention to the game until the end. Players who withdraw from the game before the end have broken an important rule. You must stick it out until the end. Games involving cards or dice require players to accept the consequences of drawing a card or the roll of the dice and act accordingly. If designed well, the game will provide multiple opportunities to reverse your fortunes before the game comes to an end. In this way, the game rewards continued cooperation with chances to advance. Winners and Losers Games build to a climax after a significant investment of time and attention, and so the end feels like it matters. Games then produce at least one winner and one or more losers. Mysteriously, games reward winning with an enjoyable ego boost, but protect the ego from damage when we lose. We shrug off the loss with the claim, It was just a game. In other words, a win feels real, but a loss feels fictional. Everyone recognizes that the winner has earned the right to celebrate. But while losers may feel a little crestfallen and resentful, hope and peace return when someone says, Cmon! Lets play again! Skill versus Luck While many games involve elements of luck using cards and dice, we tire quickly of games that depend entirely on luck, especially if there is no prize at the end. When no skill is involved, there can be no significant ego boost for the winner. Then, the reward has to be extrinsic. Door prizes and lotteries are examples of games entirely of chance. The less likely you are to win, the the bigger the prize has to be at the end for anyone to want to play. Games of skill are different. Players need to be pretty evenly matched for the game to seem fun. If one player is much better than the other, the novice will soon lose interest in playing when every game predictably ends in a humiliating defeat. Nevertheless, if the novice gains skill quickly while playing the game, a loss is not really a loss. Skill is the reward. Ideally, games should have a combination of skill and luck for players of different levels to play together. Weaker players feel hopeful that this time they will win. Stronger players feel the uncertainty that comes while drawing a card from a shuffled deck, blindly selecting tiles from a bag, or rolling unpredictable dice. In games involving skill, players can observe their opponents strategies and tactics, and then emulate or prepare for them. Players can increase their chances of winning trivia games by studying. Scrabble players study the dictionary. Chess players read books on strategy and study the games of the grand masters. Winning a game of skill that you usually lost in the past can be immensely satisfying. Game Design Because games require goals, investments of time, rules, and reversals of fortune, designing a game can be a learning opportunity for students. Not only will students gain a deeper understanding of what makes a successful game fun, they can review grammar, vocabulary, and facts related to their lessons while designing a game for others to play. Creating card game and game board templates, however, can take time away from the content of a course. Adjusting borders, cell padding, and tables can take hours away from the language you are trying to teach and or the concepts you are trying to review. It would be a whole lot easier if someone would just make a bunch of templates and share them with everyone else, right? Well, thats exactly what I have done. Board games teach us cooperation and relieve us of aggressive and competitive instincts Download free board game and card game templates here On this page, you will find a variety of board game templates that you can download and adapt to your learners. All the templates are in MS Word DOCX format for letter-size printers. My goal is simply to share. Sharing gives me a reason to tidy up unfinished ideas that I have had knocking about my hard drive for years. These templates are something I started working on in 2002 while working at Chonnam University in Kwangju, South Korea. Sharing might also bring in new visitors to my website and could introduce them to my free grammar checker, a project I have been working on since 2012. If you would like to share these templates with your students or colleagues, please share this link to my free board games and card games page. (Right-click and copy address.) Please feel free to send the link by email or on social media so that all of this work doesnt disappear into internet obscurity. For more free games, have a look at my free downloads page. For example, there is a card game for learning sports-games-and-exercise, a free Go Fish card game, and a game for learning advanced vocabulary and tricky translations from French. If you are looking to order a textbook that uses vocabulary card games in a college-level English class, see my products page. Escape from Summer School Board Game This board game template helps to drive home the importance of reviewing concepts from the course if you dont want to have to repeat the course during summer vacation. The idea is that you should start in the middle of the game board. To earn points and move toward summer vacation, players draw cards from the card deck and answer questions. A correct answer moves you closer to summer vacation by one square. An incorrect answer moves you two squares closer to summer school. Teachers can create their own cards with review questions that will be on the final exam, or even better would be to get students to create review questions from the chapters in their textbook. Blank cards are below. Alternatively, use the Virtual Writing Tutors Error Correction Card Game by clicking on the link. Summer School Board Game TemplateDownload Summer School vs. Summer Vacation Board Game Template for MS Word Blank Card Game TemplateDownload Blank Card Game Template Snakes and Ladders Board Game Everyone has probably heard of Snakes and Ladders or by its other name Chutes and Ladders. The concept is simple. Players try to race to the end by rolling a die. If a player lands on a square with the head of a snake, he or she slides down to the snakes tail. Conversely, if a player lands on a square with the foot of a ladder, he or she climbs up the ladder to the space at the top. In my version of the game, I have included spaces that require student to select a card and answer a trivia question. You can use the blank card game template to make your own questions or you can use the questions I have made, adding and changing them as you like. Snake shaped board game with laddersDownload Snakes and Ladders Board Game Template Snakes and ladders trivia cardsDownload Trivia Card Game Template Four Start and Race to the Middle Game Board Here is a game board template designed specifically for 4 players. The spaces are large enough that you can write instructions in each square. When players land on a square, you can have them select a card or instruct younger players to do silly things like sing a song or count by fives. 4-start-blank-board-game-templateDownload 4-Start Board Game Template Thirty-Two Square Game Board Template The game board contains 32 squares. You can write instructions in each one or instruct players to select a card. You can get students to colour squares different colours that match the colours of cards. Possibilities abound. 32-square-blank-board-game-templateDownload 32-Square Game Board 30 Square Irregular Circle Game Board Template This template has a nice shape with a double headed cross in the center. You sacrifice spaces and room to write in the boxes when you experiment with the shape of the game board. Therefore, experimenting with colours and cards, money, or another kind of point system could work. Irregular circle board game templateDownload 30-Square Game Board Monopolist Board Game Template This board game template will remind you of a famous real-estate game. I never enjoyed the original it that much, but my kids like itat least for the first 20 minutes. Essentially, you go around and around buying the spaces you land on or paying rent to visit. There are chance cards to complicate things. The person who buys everything and impoverishes everyone else wins. It is more of a lesson on the immorality of Capitalism than a game for kids. Nevertheless, it is a well-known board game to model a new game on. Monopoly-circular-board-gameDownload Monopoly Game Board Template Cubic Worm Game Board Template This funny worm-shaped game board has 26 spaces. It might appeal to someone and spark an idea for a fun game. You never know. The Candy Land Board Game has a snaking path like this. cubic-worm-game-board-templateDownload Worm-Shape Game Board Freaky Five Shaped Game Board Template Perhaps you dream of knights and dragons or soldiers and tanks. This 35-space game board template has a big empty space in it to allow the game designer to add a decorative or thematic element in it. Why not? freaky-five-shaped-game-board-templateDownload Game board shaped like the number 5 Sixty-Six Squares When the goal is to get to the end and you dont want the game to end too quickly, you will need more squares to slow the players down. This game board template has 66 squares. The fastest you can get to the end is to roll eleven sixes. With two players, that 22 turns. With three, thats 33 turns. You get the idea. Many squares means more game play. This game board template reminds me of a library with many bookcases to navigate. A game board template with 66-spacesDownload 66-square game board template Conclusion So there you have it. A bunch of templates that you and your kids or students can use to build your own board games with chance or trivia cards. I hope you like them and share them with your colleagues. Please be sure to check out my other blog posts and try the grammar checker with students. I keep adding new features to this website, hoping to provide teachers and students everywhere with something non-trivial that could help. Contact me if there is a feature or resource you would like me to develop. Please follow and like us:

St. Patrick`s Day. Turn Yourself Green!

St. Patrick`s Day. Turn Yourself Green! Saint Patricks Day, also known as the Feast of Saint Patrick, is observed in many countries on or around March 17 each year. This day is intended to commemorate Saint Patrick, one of Irelands patron saints. The holiday, originated in Ireland the Middle Ages, was spread to other parts of the world by Irish immigrants in the 19th and 20th centuries. In the 21st century the interest in St. Patrick’s Day celebrations has really heated up in the area of commercial sales  and since then St. Patrick’s Day became extremely popular in many counties. Even though it is not a federal holiday Saint Patricks Day is largely recognized and celebrated in the United States. Celebrations of Saint Patrick’s Day concentrate around Irish and Irish American culture and traditions that commonly include themed parties, Irish food and drinks. The use of the color green  is predominant during this occasion: people often wear green clothing, consume food and drinks colored in green, water in public places is also dyed green in some cities. Other St. Patricks Day symbols include the shamrock or four-leaf clover, the flag of the Republic of Ireland, Irish brands of beer, leprechauns, pots of gold, harps, serpents and snakes. Large street parades feature St. Patricks Day in many cities: New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, Seattle, Houston, Boston, Pittsburgh, Denver, New Orleans and others. St. Patrick, remembered on Saint Patricks Day, is famous for promoting Christianity in Ireland during the 5th century. His life is a wonderful example of firmness and commitment to his beliefs. He was born in Roman Britain but at a young age he was kidnapped and taken to Ireland as a slave. Being a prisoner in Ireland, he had a dream in which he was instructed by God to escape from captivity. Some years later he returned home, entered the church and became a priest. After that he returned to Ireland and ministered Christianity in the north and west of the country. He died on March 17 around the year 493. A popular legend about St. Patrick says that he rid Ireland of snakes. However, there is also an opinion that there were no snakes in Ireland since the last ice age. So most likely, the “snakes” in this story symbolize pagan serpent gods and the druids who were banished from Ireland by St. Patrick. Another story tells that Saint Patrick used the shamrock while teaching the Christ ian doctrine of the Trinity to  the Irish people. So Saint Patrick was a talented tutor who came to the idea of utilizing clear illustrations from nature to his teaching methods in order to simplify understanding of the religious concepts by his audience. The shamrock or four-leaf clover, the most common symbol of St Patricks Day, is commonly associated with good luck. We wish all our readers good luck in work, study and all undertakings. Happy Saint Patricks Day! St. Patrick`s Day. Turn Yourself Green! Saint Patricks Day, also known as the Feast of Saint Patrick, is observed in many countries on or around March 17 each year. This day is intended to commemorate Saint Patrick, one of Irelands patron saints. The holiday, originated in Ireland the Middle Ages, was spread to other parts of the world by Irish immigrants in the 19th and 20th centuries. In the 21st century the interest in St. Patrick’s Day celebrations has really heated up in the area of commercial sales  and since then St. Patrick’s Day became extremely popular in many counties. Even though it is not a federal holiday Saint Patricks Day is largely recognized and celebrated in the United States. Celebrations of Saint Patrick’s Day concentrate around Irish and Irish American culture and traditions that commonly include themed parties, Irish food and drinks. The use of the color green  is predominant during this occasion: people often wear green clothing, consume food and drinks colored in green, water in public places is also dyed green in some cities. Other St. Patricks Day symbols include the shamrock or four-leaf clover, the flag of the Republic of Ireland, Irish brands of beer, leprechauns, pots of gold, harps, serpents and snakes. Large street parades feature St. Patricks Day in many cities: New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, Seattle, Houston, Boston, Pittsburgh, Denver, New Orleans and others. St. Patrick, remembered on Saint Patricks Day, is famous for promoting Christianity in Ireland during the 5th century. His life is a wonderful example of firmness and commitment to his beliefs. He was born in Roman Britain but at a young age he was kidnapped and taken to Ireland as a slave. Being a prisoner in Ireland, he had a dream in which he was instructed by God to escape from captivity. Some years later he returned home, entered the church and became a priest. After that he returned to Ireland and ministered Christianity in the north and west of the country. He died on March 17 around the year 493. A popular legend about St. Patrick says that he rid Ireland of snakes. However, there is also an opinion that there were no snakes in Ireland since the last ice age. So most likely, the “snakes” in this story symbolize pagan serpent gods and the druids who were banished from Ireland by St. Patrick. Another story tells that Saint Patrick used the shamrock while teaching the Christ ian doctrine of the Trinity to  the Irish people. So Saint Patrick was a talented tutor who came to the idea of utilizing clear illustrations from nature to his teaching methods in order to simplify understanding of the religious concepts by his audience. The shamrock or four-leaf clover, the most common symbol of St Patricks Day, is commonly associated with good luck. We wish all our readers good luck in work, study and all undertakings. Happy Saint Patricks Day!