Learning
Distance Learning: Top Universities Offering Online Courses for International Students
As the world grappled with the reality of the pandemic, most of the academic activities across the world moved to online platforms. Educational institutions utilized technological tools to provide classes and even hold exams. And with that, the concept of distance learning resurged in the limelight. Many renowned universities offered distance learning even before the pandemic. With time, it is becoming a popular and convenient way of attaining a higher degree. This article looks at some of the best international universities providing distance learning opportunities.
What is Distance Learning?
The concept of distance learning is nothing new. The earliest example of distance learning dates back to the 1840s. Back then, Sir Issac Pitman taught shorthand to his students via postal mail. However, today’s concept of distance learning largely differs from that of the 1800s.
Distance learning today essentially mimics an actual classroom with teachers and students. Universities across the globe partner with platforms like Coursera, and edX to provide certification courses to aspiring students. Some universities offer these courses on their own platform. Recently, undergraduate and postgraduate degrees are also made available through distance learning opportunities.
Read more: Best Countries for Bachelor's Degree in 2023
8 Best Universities in the World with Distance Learning Opportunities
This list includes universities offering certificate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees. It's important to note that distance learning bachelor’s programs are less common than master’s or certificate courses.
University College London
University College London or UCL was founded in 1826. It was established after the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge. In addition to their London campus, the university has campuses in Qatar and Australia.
UCL has 11 academic wings ranging from arts and humanities to medical sciences. It ranks 12th in US News’ list of Best Global Universities. The university offers 403 undergraduate degrees. Additionally, it offers 621 master’s degrees, and 271 online courses/degrees. The online courses are a mix of certificate as well as postgraduate degrees in all of their available academic wings.
Read more: Cheapest countries for Bangladeshi students for higher studies
Self-learning for Career Growth: Know the Pros and Cons
In today’s rapidly-evolving professional landscape, achieving continuous career growth is a crucial objective for individuals across various industries. One powerful strategy to propel one’s professional career forward is self-learning. This is an approach where individuals take charge of their learning journey. This article delves into self-learning, exploring its advantages and limitations in the context of career advancement.
How Self-learning Strategy Can Help Career Growth
Tailored Learning Experience
Self-learning allows individuals to personalise their learning path according to their unique learning styles, pace, and preferences. In contrast, traditional classroom education often follows a standardised curriculum. Sometimes it might not align perfectly with an individual's specific career goals.
Flexibility and Convenience
Self-learning offers flexibility in terms of when and where one can learn. It accommodates busy professionals who may not have the time to attend regular classes. On the other hand, formal education often requires a fixed schedule and physical presence. This procedure makes it less convenient for those with full-time jobs or other commitments.
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Cost-effectiveness
Self-learning can be a cost-effective alternative to formal education. Many online resources and courses are available for free or at a significantly lower cost compared to tuition fees and other expenses associated with traditional education.
Speed of Learning
Self-learners have the freedom to progress at their own pace. They can dive deeper into subjects they find challenging or swiftly move through material they already understand well. In a traditional classroom setting, the pace of learning is determined by the instructor and the class as a whole.
Diverse Learning Resources
The internet provides an abundance of learning resources in various formats. It includes videos, articles, forums, and interactive platforms. Self-learners can access a vast array of materials that cater to different learning preferences. This ensures a comprehensive understanding of the topic at hand.
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How AI Can Improve Education
Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionising numerous sectors and industries, including the realm of education. AI can potentially address significant global challenges and opportunities in education, encompassing aspects like accessibility, quality, equity, personalisation, and lifelong learning. This article explores how AI can lend support to educators, learners, and policymakers in creating more efficacious and all-encompassing learning environments. AI is causing a revolution in various industries, like medicine and finance. However, its impact on education is equally remarkable. Let's delve into some instances where AI is enhancing the educational landscape.
10 Ways AI Can Help Students Learn
Personalised Learning
One theory in pedagogy suggests that individuals have diverse learning styles, such as visual, aural, or kinesthetic learners. Although this theory has been debated, it is generally acknowledged that people learn differently, varying in work and study styles, learning pace, and ease with specific subjects or concepts. Given this understanding, personalising the learning experience becomes essential. However, manually tailoring lesson plans for every student is impractical due to time constraints. This is where AI-powered personalised learning comes into play.
AI's strength lies in its ability to quickly analyse vast amounts of data and identify patterns, making it the perfect tool for developing personalised learning plans. AI-based learning systems can provide teachers with detailed insights into students' learning styles, abilities, and progress, enabling them to customise their teaching methods accordingly. For instance, AI can suggest more advanced work for some students and offer extra attention to others.
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Furthermore, AI can enhance accuracy in predicting results, assisting teachers in ensuring their lesson planning meets learning targets.
AI's role in planning, scheduling, and creating unique learning experiences for students can free up teachers' time, allowing them to focus on high-value tasks such as individual student support. Several universities have tested the use of chatbots for repetitive tasks typically handled by professors, providing 24/7 assistance to students.
Adaptive Learning
Adaptive learning employs AI to tailor resources and learning activities to suit each learner's unique needs, especially in online learning.
This method involves rigorous analysis of a student's performance data, enabling the AI algorithm to adjust the course material's pace and difficulty, optimising the learning process.
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Adaptive learning not only improves the learning process but also saves time and resources by eliminating unnecessary repetition and focusing on areas where a student may struggle. The teacher can offer support where needed, while the student can learn at a comfortable pace.
Many companies are embracing adaptive learning to improve content delivery. A notable example is Duolingo, a language-learning app that provides personalised exercises for learning various languages. The app uses AI to ensure lessons are paced and levelled according to each student's performance.
Automated Grading
Grading assignments and exams is among the most time-consuming tasks in education. AI-powered tools, utilising machine learning algorithms, can evaluate essays, multiple-choice tests, and programming assignments with remarkable accuracy and efficiency, thus saving teachers considerable time.
Using computers for grading ensures consistency and reduces bias, including unconscious bias that teachers may have, while also providing personalised feedback to students. This encourages students to take ownership of their learning and improve in problem areas.
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Although automated grading has significant advantages, it is crucial to address biases that may persist in AI due to the underlying data used to train the algorithms. China has been experimenting with AI auto-grading platforms, with around 1 in 4 schools using machine-learning auto-grading platforms.
Intelligent Tutoring Systems
Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS) are computer systems powered by machine learning algorithms that offer personalised and adaptive lesson plans based on individual students' learning needs and pace. Similar to other AI tools, ITSs analyse student data to understand learning patterns, enabling them to provide customised suggestions, feedback, and exercises tailored to each student's requirements.
ITS benefits both students and teachers, allowing educators to monitor students' progress and modify their teaching approach for effective lesson delivery. Students can learn at their own pace while receiving support when needed and engaging in more advanced concepts when ready.
A study by the U.S. Department of Education revealed that existing ITS can enhance student literacy by improving their reading comprehension and writing skills. Implementing these systems in classrooms poses challenges, and natural language processing techniques have been suggested for scoring student responses.
Read more: How Can Artificial Intelligence Improve Healthcare?
Smart Content Creation
Creating lesson plans presents a significant challenge for teachers, as each student has unique learning requirements. "Smart content creation" refers to the use of AI to automate and enhance the generation of educational content. AI platforms analyse student data to create personalised and engaging educational material.
This customised content can then be used to create tailored environments catering to different learning outcomes. Students can select lesson plans that align with their needs. AI can generate interactive quizzes, simulations, and experiments using chatbots, augmented reality, or virtual reality, enriching the learning experience.
Coursera is a prime example of successful smart content creation, using AI to curate multiple educational and professional courses and suggest appropriate courses based on students' learning performance, pace, and individual needs.
Learning Analytics
Analysing large amounts of student data can be a tedious task, but AI-powered automated analytics make the process easier. Teachers can use the data to track student performance and engagement, enabling timely interventions and additional support as required. Students can also leverage analytics to monitor their own progress and request help when needed.
Read more: Ai and Future of Content Writing: Will Artificial Intelligence replace writers?
For instance, the University of Michigan offers a dashboard called "My Learning Analytics," allowing students to visualise and track their grade distribution, assignment planning, and resources.
Implementing learning analytics in education may face ethical and privacy issues, as well as challenges related to data collection and analysis. Addressing these concerns with the help of AI is essential to ensuring responsible usage.
Virtual Assistants
Virtual assistants powered by AI can automate administrative tasks such as lesson planning and scheduling, freeing up teachers' valuable time to focus on essential duties like lecturing and engaging with students.
Virtual assistants also provide customised feedback to students, monitor their progress, and offer additional resources based on individual needs. Interacting with AI-powered virtual assistants has even shown positive correlations with students' academic performance.
Read more: Top 5 AI Chatbot Platforms and Trends in 2023
Natural Language Processing
Natural Language Processing (NLP) is an AI field focused on making computer systems capable of understanding and interpreting human languages. NLP has various applications, such as text generation, chatbots, and information extraction. For instance, ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, serves as a language model used by students for homework help, exam preparation, and learning in general. Teachers can also use ChatGPT to prepare lesson plans and check assignments for grammar and information.
It is important to view NLP and AI as assistive technologies, not absolute sources of knowledge, as they may have limitations and potential biases. Careful consideration of the technology's impact on the education sector is essential.
Predictive Modelling
AI-powered predictive modelling analyses large amounts of data to predict various outcomes, such as student performance. This information is valuable to teachers, parents, institutions, governments, and students, as it can greatly enhance the learning experience and set benchmarks. Predictive modelling allows teachers to offer timely guidance based on students' predicted performance and previous test or exam results.
Data-driven analysis helps improve individual student performance and provides additional support when needed, enriching the learning experience. Governments can also utilise predictive modelling for planning educational goals.
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Augmented and Virtual Reality
Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) technologies have gained popularity in recent years. AR overlays computer-generated content onto real-world objects, while VR creates a simulated virtual environment. These immersive technologies hold immense potential for education.
Students can interact with AR and VR learning materials to enhance their understanding of complex concepts and their overall learning experience. VR can simulate labs for conducting chemistry experiments or virtual dissections, while AR enables studying stars and galaxies up close.
AR and VR technologies have promising applications in enhancing STEM courses, medical simulations, arts and humanities materials, and technical education. They are already being utilized by various institutions, like Arizona State University (ASU), to offer unique learning experiences.
Conclusion
Artificial Intelligence presents promising advancements for the education sector, benefiting both teachers and students. However, it cannot replace human interaction and empathy, and addressing biases and data privacy concerns remains crucial. Integrating AI responsibly is essential for leveraging its potential while understanding its limitations. The future of education could be revolutionised with AI's continued implementation, shaping the learning experiences of future generations.
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Covid-induced school closures: New learning resource module launched to reduce learning gaps
Plan International Bangladesh and Surovi have developed a new learning resource module as many students, especially students from low-income areas, are facing learning gaps following long-term school closures.
This module will be used in Dhaka's 22 high schools under the "Child Bride to Bookworm" project. Bangla, English and math, have been included in this package.
This resource pack aims to develop a resource pool by providing training to 257 teachers of the selected 22 secondary schools.
Professor Nehal Ahmed, director general of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education, launched the package in Dhaka Wednesday.
"The government has been working to reduce the learning gap caused due to Covid. The Covid crisis has emerged as a unique challenge for us. Through online education, we have worked to mitigate the challenge to a great extent," he said.
"But online classes are never an alternative to in-person classes. Students learn more effectively when they are present in the classroom and learn from the teachers directly. Long-term school closures created several challenges for us. The government has been working to reduce the learning gaps. And this flexible learning package can be an impactful initiative."
Jolly Nur Haque, director (programme development and learning) at Plan International Bangladesh, said: "The learning package will help the teachers identify the learning gaps of the students from previous classes and teach them accordingly."
Also read: Covid deaths lowest since pandemic began: WHO
Motivating Kids to Study, Do Homework, Get Good Grades: Know Secret Ways
Most parents find it difficult to engage their kids to do their homework and study attentively. Some kids are reluctant to do their homework and some others claim that they don't have homework. But when the report card comes out, everything becomes clear to parents. If you face this problem, don’t be frustrated, angry, and exhausted. We are here with some proven tips on how to motivate your child to study and do homework.
What are the most common reasons kids don't want to study?
Before motivating your child to study and do homework, you should first understand the root cause of the problem.
The following are some common causes of a lack of motivation:
- Lack of interest in school work or a subject
- Low self-esteem
- Bullying at school or home
- Depression
- Poor grades in school
- Excessive pressure from parents and teachers.
Also read: Learning Disabilities in Children: Types, symptoms, ways to help
13 ways to encourage your child to study, do homework
Make it Fun
Encourage them to complete your homework by making it enjoyable! Teachers have discovered that doing homework with amusement is the most effective method to motivate students to complete it. The trick is to find out the student's passions and then apply their interests to provide the basis to help them with their homework. For example, if the student is passionate about sports, maybe you can assign them a task where they make their team and also write about it.
Offer a Reward
Another best way to motivate the child to study is to provide a good incentive. A good reward can be an outing with the family or a film night. Some prizes may be better suited for youngsters, like an exciting new video game or toy. Rewards work best to make them regular and prompt.
Be Consistent
Keep supporting your child's efforts to perform well in school. It is crucial to consistently support your child's endeavors at school. Your constant assistance will make them feel more secure and inspired to succeed in school.
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Be Present
Keep them in your presence when they're at school or working on an assignment. The most important thing you can do is to remain present and not get distracted by other activities. If you're in the moment and can assist your child with their work or assignments, they will feel more confident about themselves.
Create A Study Plan Together
A child thrives with structure. Having a proper study plan can help to keep your child focused. Sit with your child and develop an outline of how they will complete their homework every evening.
Your plan should contain:
-What amount of time needs to be spent on homework?
-How often should breaks be taken, and how long?
-Which tasks should be given priority.
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Make Study Time Easier
Make studying as simple as you can by providing them with everything they need to finish work:
-A quiet space: Find an area that is quiet and free of distractions for your child to work in.
-Drinks and food: A child cannot concentrate on the task with an empty stomach. Offer your child small snacks before studying and drink plenty of water to stay focused.
-The best instruments: Make sure that pencils, an eraser, a calculator, and other essential tools are readily available, so you don't have to locate them.
Achieving that your child has everything he or she requires will mean fewer fights and excuses.
Distractions
Today, the primary distractions for students are likely their devices on the internet, such as mobile phones. Studies have shown that schools that have banned mobile phones saw an impressive increase in students' academic performance. Thus, while your child is doing homework, you should try to take the electronics from their room. This will allow them to complete their work more quickly and better.
Read Dyslexia: How to help kids with this learning disability
Help your child organize their time
The quality of organizing anything is an essential nature your child needs to develop and learn. If they are assigned various tasks to accomplish, take them to a table and inquire about the most efficient method of splitting your hours. Offer suggestions if there's a better way to do it. Outline and assist them in adhering to it to complete their duties.
Growth mindset
When it comes to homework, You may hear your child say "I don't know how to do this" as well as "I can't do this". This kind of thinking is called fixed thinking and implies that their skills are fixed in stone.
The opposite, also known as the growth mentality, is based on the idea that you can improve your ability, intelligence and performance. As a parent you must inspire your child to build a growth mindset. Inspire them that they can achieve what they desire with a little additional time and effort.
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Be a role model
Let your child observe you working on tasks that they need to do, for example, creating grocery lists or discussing what you've completed at work during the day. If your child sees that you are also doing things, it will encourage your child to complete homework too.
Focus on learning instead of performance
Instead of focusing on the grades, focus on the achievements of learning, both big and small. Praise your child when he or she can solve an intricate math problem or after he or she is finished writing the initial outline or essay. If you shift the focus to studying, the child will have more fun doing work, increasing motivation.
Encourage your child to set small goals
Instruct your children to establish small, manageable goals for their studies in line with what must be achieved. Setting goals provides your child with a clear direction of what they need to accomplish and increases confidence when they complete the objectives.
Examples of goals for studying are:
-Complete one chapter of the reading assigned
-Notes on review for 20 minutes
-Take 5 practice questions from the text.
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Take proper study breaks
The brain of children may become distracted and lose focus without interruptions. Breaking down studies into manageable pieces is crucial to keep your child's mind sharp and active. Make sure your child takes regular breaks during study.
What is the Best Strategy for Motivating Kids?
The best strategy for motivating kids is to give them the right amount of autonomy. This will make the child feel like they are in control of their own destiny and more motivated to do what you want them to do.
Here are some ways that parents can give their children more autonomy:
- Give them the freedom to choose their clothes in the morning
- Help them to choose what they want for dinner
- Let them decide when they want to go to bed.
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Bottom Line
Children are naturally stubborn. They like to play instead of sitting down in a space and doing homework. If your child is not willing to study or complete homework, you need to deal with this problem with patience. So far, we have discussed several ways to motivate your child to study, and complete homework. Incorporating these suggestions into your daily routine can make the learning process go faster. This will support your child's academic growth.
Everyday Habits to Learn English Successfully
English is indispensable around the globe. International businesses hold meetings in English, Universities offer courses in English, and all over the world, travellers and tourists use English as a standard language. Therefore, it is impossible to compete in the current competitive market without having good English writing or speaking skills. However, learning English can be challenging, and that progress requires time and effort. Can everyday habits help your English learning process?
10 Habits Can Help You Improve Your English
We have many habits. Some are good while some may be bad. But practising some good habits can help your learning process. Here are 10 proven tips to help you establish solid learning habits to make English learning a part of your everyday life.
Make a Routine
The process of learning a language isn't something that can happen over the night. It is necessary to set aside time for it and think about the best time and place to incorporate it into your schedule. Small, regular pieces of work tend to be more efficient than long, more frequent ones. Therefore, spending much time is not essential.
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You can take five to ten minutes to review your vocabulary or complete some exercises daily. A regular session with your teacher will eventually help increase your proficiency.
Focus on Pronunciation
When planning is done, focus on your pronunciation. Research on the internet and local English language learning institutes to collect resources. You can also follow helpful YouTube channels who teach English pronunciation accurately.
Learning the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) will help you pronounce every English word accurately. Start studying and practising the correct pronunciation through following a daily routine. It would be best if you can practise your pronunciation while communicating with friends, colleagues or teachers in everyday life.
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The habit of improving pronunciation does not mean getting rid of your original accent artificially. Rather, it means making your pronunciation clear enough for others so that they can comprehend what you are saying when you speak. Proper English pronunciation will help you avoid many hassles and confusion in both daily life and career path.
Apply English for Doing Things You Love
You will be able to master the language faster by using the language while learning it. There are various ways to achieve this, but the most effective is to utilise it to perform something you love.
For instance, if your passion is music, travel, sports, fashion, art, or even reading news, you should try doing your work and making the necessary communications through the English language. This habit will help you hone your English language skills in a stress-free and natural way.
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Write
Make the habit of writing every day. It has incredible advantages. Writing is among the most effective ways to remember new English terms and phrases that you have encountered recently. It is the best way to remember vocabulary too.
While reading a book, online article, or watching television shows, you come across fresh concepts and phrases. Rather than just listening to the terms, and allowing them to remain in your head, note them down. You can keep a notebook for this purpose.
Later, you can utilise the new vocabulary and sentence structures to express your thoughts through spoken or written English.
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Read
The habit of reading will help you learn new vocabularies, sentence structure, etc. You should read something every day. It may be online news, articles, journals or a printed book or newspaper. However, you may feel overwhelmed confronting new words.
If you are at a basic level, consider comics or books for children. Although it may seem silly, the images, common words, and basic structure of sentences will help you comprehend the story. Thus, you can strengthen your grasp in English day by day.
Regular reading practice will not only help you to understand everyday vocabulary, but also enable you to develop the skill of speaking and writing in the English language.
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Listening
Everyone loves movies. Find the english dubbed versions of your favourite television shows, dramas or movies. For the beginners, it is an excellent idea to enjoy movies with English subtitles.
Besides entertainment, make the habit of listening to English contents or resources for professional and education purposes. For instance, you can use the internet to search for the topics you are interested in such as science, technology, sports, business, history or anything else. You can listen to international news telecasts, podcasts, youtube videos, etc,
Overlook Mistakes
It's easier to say than to do. Continue the practice of learning. Use the English language for listening, writing and speaking whenever you get the chance.
Read: English Listening Skills: Some effective ways to improve
Don't worry about mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes, including native speakers! and making mistakes is the most effective learning method! There will be a time when you will easily identify the errors you have made. Thus you can develop the ability to rectify mistakes without the help of your teacher.
Speak and Record
Try to speak in English when you communicate in professional life. Even if it's difficult to know how to express something, don't translate directly, but find a way to convey what you wish to say. Make use of simple phrases. Simple sentences can make you feel more comfortable and assist you in translating what you are thinking into words.
Self-critical learners attempt to evaluate their progress. Record yourself speaking a short text or discussing the topic. You can utilise the webcam of your laptop or computer and the video camera of your phone.
Read: How to be a Confident English Speaker?
After you have made your recording, review it immediately and consider what you could do to improve the quality of your recording. Re-record it, then watch it and compare it to your original recording to see whether it's better. Continue this process regularly and save all of your old recordings. After a few months, you will begin to notice a noticeable improvement.
Vocabulary and Grammar
Refresh your knowledge of grammar and vocabulary. This will allow you to write well-formed sentences and increase your confidence when speaking English.
You can learn new vocabularies from online resources, printed books, dictionaries, etc. Besides these, the habit of reading, and listening to English contents will introduce you to many new vocabularies. For memorising vocabulary you can use diverse techniques like using vocabulary cards, writing blogs, etc.
Read Best Free English Editing, Proofreading Courses Online
Grammar is very essential to write and speak English correctly. The basic Grammar includes, Parts of Speech, voice, narration, syntax, idioms, Phrases, etc. Pick a good grammar book to learn the basic to intermediate level grammar. Then advance your knowledge accordingly. You can take the help of a mentor to learn Grammar in a systematic way.
Make the habit of applying the grammar lessons in your everyday English communication including speaking and writing.
Join a discussion
Participate in English discussions about something you are interested in. You can join or create an online community. Schedule some time in your daily routine to check in and look at what other people are talking about a certain topic. Try to share your opinions too.
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While navigating social media or social networking platforms, you will see that numerous people are placing queries regarding many issues. If you have knowledge regarding any of these queries, take it as an opportunity to express your opinion. Stop scrolling and share your opinion in English. This habit will encourage you to communicate in English without hesitation.
Bottom Line
In your suitable time of the day practice reading, and writing in English. Create a flexible schedule to get you started. During leisure time, try to watch dramas in English or with subtitles. For professional purposes try to communicate in English with the right pronunciation. At home, practise English speaking by recording yourself regularly and then re-listening the recordings.
So far, we have discussed some simple but efficient habits for successful English language learning. Keep in mind that developing healthy habits requires a bit of time. It's not as simple as deciding you should do it.
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Dyslexia: How to help kids with this learning disability
Disorders that affect the abilities of understanding or using spoken or written language, doing mathematical calculations, coordinating movements, directing attention are called learning disabilities. Dyslexia is one kind of learning disability. This may happen in very young children but they are generally not recognized until the child reaches school age. Continue scrolling to know how to help children with Dyslexia.
What is dyslexia?
If a child struggles with reading, writing, or speaking maybe she or he is with dyslexia. When you or your partner or someone else in your large family struggles to learn to read, dyslexia is probably the cause.
It is a specific learning difficulty and can affect (10-15)% of the population. It can be mild, moderate, or severe and it can run in families. If a child experiences a particular learning difficulty like dyslexia, it does not mean they are less intelligent than their peers, they just process and learn in a different way.
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Reading and spelling difficulties are most common in dyslexia. Besides, it can also affect an individual’s ability to remember information also.
Symptoms of Dyslexia
Although it is difficult to identify the signs and symptoms of dyslexia before your child enters school, some early clues may indicate a problem.
Before school
Symptoms that a young child may experience are as follow:
-Late talking
-Learning new words slowly
-Face problems forming words correctly- reversing sounds in words or confusing words that sound alike
-Cannot easily remember letters, numbers, and colors
-Difficulty learning nursery rhymes or playing rhyming games.
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School-age
Dyslexia signs and symptoms of school-age children may be:
-Reading level remains below the expected level for age
-Face difficulties in processing and understanding hearing
-Don't find the right word or form answers to questions
-Cannot remember the sequence of things
-Problems sounding out the pronunciation of an unfamiliar word
-Difficulty spelling
-Take a long time completing tasks related to reading or writing
-Don't like to take part in reading activities.
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Teens and adults
Some common dyslexia signs and symptoms in teens and adults are:
-Difficulty aloud reading
-Slow and labor-intensive reading and writing
-Problems spelling
-Difficulties of mispronunciation
-Take a long time completing tasks that involve reading or writing
-Difficulty summarizing a story
-Trouble learning a foreign language
-Difficulty memorizing
-Difficulty doing math problems.
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Causes of Dyslexia
Dyslexia tends to be a genetic problem. The causes are as follows:
-A family history of dyslexia
-Premature birth or low birth weight
-Take nicotine, drugs, or alcohol during pregnancy or being infected that may alter brain development in the fetus
Complications of Dyslexia
Dyslexia can create the following problems:
Trouble learning
Of course, reading is a basic skill like most other school subjects. A child with dyslexia experiences difficulties in reading class and cannot keep up with peers.
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Social problems
Children with dyslexia may experience low self-esteem, behavior problems, anxiety, aggression, and withdrawal from friends, parents, and teachers.
Problems as adults
Children with dyslexia or learning disabilities cannot reach their potential when they grow up.
10 Effective Ways to Help Children with Dyslexia
Here are 10 practical ways to assist kids with dyslexia.
Nurture thinking skills
Grow thinking skills in your child so that they become an independent and active learner rather than passive learner. Discuss the problem or topic related to school assignments. Share points of view. You can spend fun and quality time together with your child.
Read Best Free Online Educational Game Sites for Children
Work on reading skills
Ask them some questions to understand your reading comprehension. The questions may include: What do you have to find out? What do you already know? Who are the main characters? What are the main ideas? Have you read something like this before? What’s your plan for answering this question? If your children follow these steps, they will increase their reading skills.
Work independently
Let your child handle his or her work independently. But make sure you follow up afterward. Your follow-up question: Did you use your plan? Is this your best work? Can you clarify this? Show me how to do it?
Praise
Never forget to praise appropriately to your child. Perfect praise and rewards are a great thing for your child. Don’t miss any opportunities to acknowledge their effort and highlight the positives where you can.
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Building positive self-image
Dyslexic children may have to try much harder than other kids to keep up with school work, which can be tiring and eat away at self-esteem. So, let them create a positive self-image of themselves and remind them of their strengths. Help them keep things in perspective when they're having a bad time.
Allowing enough sleep
Enough sleep is fundamental for every child and it is more essential for dyslexia children. Naturally, a well-fed and well-rested child learns better. So, make sure they go to bed early so that they wake up refreshed. A good night’s sleep boosts confidence and helps review information right before bed.
Providing study space
Different children learn in different ways. Some can study in a noisy place but some others cannot. Try to understand your child's choice and make sure they know they have a dedicated space to retreat to when they need it.
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Following custom calendar
A custom calendar can give your child a nice routine for his studies. Prepare a calendar and put it on a notice board or the fridge and keep it up to date. Make your child prepared for tomorrow the night before.
Setting ground rules
If you have a target for work to be completed, make some ground rules. Never tolerate conflict. As you are in charge as a parent, set out your expectations clearly. Make them understand that without finishing the work, they don’t enjoy certain privileges.
Bottom Line
Dyslexia or learning disability is not a permanent or serious problem. Your care, love and companionship can ease this problem. Besides, you need to take some effective steps to work with dyslexia-affected children. Our above-mentioned tips will help to handle your child with dyslexia.
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Overcoming Study Gap: How to Start Studying after a Long Break
You might have been occupied with a job or family duties or any personal reason for a long time and now want to advance your career or start something new. Undoubtedly, it will be difficult to get back into the middle of things. It will be hard to get back into studying after a long absence. However, it is still possible to overcome the study gap and start studying again after a long break. This article will assist you in getting back into studying so that you can grasp your creative ventures and achieve your full potential.
What is a Study Break or Study Gap?
Gap year students are students who take a year (or fewer, seldom more) off from their normal education, generally between high school and college (university). Some students may opt to take a gap year before starting their senior year of high school or even after graduating from university to begin their career preparation.
As a consequence, a gap year may be used to bridge the gap between different stages of life, such as high school and university, university and professional jobs, or changing professions or retiring later in life.
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A gap year is also known as a gateway year, a preparation year, a leap year, a delayed year, a year out, a bridging year, a drop year, a year off, an overseas excursion (OE), or a foundational year. The name you choose will be determined by your plans for your gap year, the nation you're in, and, in certain cases, the institution you want to attend when your gap year is done.
How to Start Studying After A Long Gap?
The most prevalent issue raised by older students is their inability to return to the study mindset: reading textbooks, recalling knowledge heard in lectures or discovered in articles, and taking notes that are still understandable when read back later.
All of these abilities are tough to perfect at any age, but since they are almost exclusively associated with academic work, the longer you've been away from it, the more elusive they might look. Here are a few tips that will help you overcome most of the common issues faced by students with a long study break.
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Getting Back on Learning
Mature students must face the fact that they will have to relearn how to study, which will take time and effort. Remember that your greater life experience and maturity provide you an edge over young school leavers in various elements of your study.
You could also find it beneficial to enroll in supplementary study skills classes provided by your institution or university to help you brush up on the areas where you feel you need the most assistance. Finally, being able to study efficiently comes down to practice and motivation. Because older students are often the most driven in any group, you have an edge right away.
Devising a Routine
Establishing a regimen is maybe one of the most critical components of getting back into the groove of studying. Sounds straightforward. It can be. It may, however, be difficult for people who have been away from school for a long period. Every day, your thoughts grow used to what you do.
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You may haven't studied in a long time and have no desire to do so now. Without exerting considerable effort, This is when having a schedule comes in handy. Here, you are retraining your minds to study once again.
Being Disciplined
Being disciplined follows the previous point. You'll have to retrain ourselves to study. You conditioned yourself to accomplish the chores you do every day today, regardless of how large or tiny they were. You may repeat the process of studying.
Being Motivated
Now comes the motivation to aid with routine and discipline. If you can locate your motivation, you'll be on to a winner. Your desire to finish this new course will make everything else much simpler.
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No matter what the cause is, no matter how large or tiny. It's because of you. You have a compelling reason.
Balancing Between Study and Life
It is critical to adhere to your program and remain disciplined. Maintaining a balance is also important. Finding the ideal balance of learning, working, and, of course, some much-needed relaxation.
It's challenging to balance between work and study at the same time. Multitasking and time management abilities will be quite beneficial. Not to mention personal life.
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Making Use of the Free Time
For example, during lunch breaks at work or train rides, it's simple to practice multiple choice questions or master arithmetic. You'll be surprised at how beneficial and efficient brief information bursts may be - and how many more study hours you can discover by employing these 'down' periods throughout the course of a session.
Being in a Supportive Environment
It's critical to create the ideal learning atmosphere for you. It's up to you whether you do this at home or in your local or college library. Some people enjoy the library, while others prefer to remain at home, where they are surrounded by their own comforts and feel comfortable.
What matters is that there are no distractions. And that it is someplace you can simply visit and start your study sessions on time.
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Maintaining Proper Diet
You may not realize it, but what you eat has a significant impact on how you feel and how well you study. It's critical that you acquire all of the nutrients your bodies need on a daily basis in order to function properly.
You want to be able to sustain your energy levels so that you can study for extended periods of time, particularly towards test time. What you consume has a significant impact on your energy levels. You don't want to go into a rut when studying for a test.
Sharing with Closest People
Informing your closest friends and family members that you're starting a new course is a fantastic idea. This may be beneficial in a number of ways. It might be beneficial for moral support. They can encourage you when things are rough.
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Second, it might serve as an incentive. When you inform others about your new project, it shows that you are serious about it. Because there is a feeling of responsibility, it might help you show up and out at work. Your friends and family will be rooting for you to succeed. As a consequence, they'll probably inquire how things are doing whenever you see them. This might motivate you to adhere to your study schedule even if you don't want to.
Conclusion
There are several reasons why you may not have studied for a long time. Maybe your gap year after high school extended into a few years. Maybe you have been preoccupied with creating a family and raising children. Whatever the reason is, it is possible to get back to studying and do well.
So far, we have discussed some tips to start studying after a long gap. Now congratulate yourself on embarking on this new adventure and grab the opportunity to further your education to pursue that career change or whatever else you are interested in.
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'Education, learning no longer limited to boundaries'
In this age of globalisation, education and learning are no longer limited to a certain boundary.
Now and then, different sessions, webinars and workshops are being organised virtually, where international experts and academics shed light on different issues related to the overall development and future-fit skills, Dr Sandeep Ananthanarayanan, group chief executive officer of STS Group, told UNB.
"Students should explore every opportunity to learn and grow. Different professional networking sites can also help them gather insights about current market trends," he said.
"Workshops organised by study centres and universities can also help broaden the outlook of the students. When you are well aware of the changing scenario and have the necessary skills, it will be much easier to achieve your goals."
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"Also, we are living in an age when only degrees are not enough to get you a good and respectable job. The market is very competitive now. Employers look for many things in a prospective candidate, including future-fit skills that are necessary to survive the changes thrust upon us by the pandemic and the subsequent digital transformation."
"So, when you are planning your career, you must keep in mind that only earning a degree is not going to help. Rather, you have to keep tabs on the changes going around you and in the market and develop skills accordingly to stay ahead of others. Different sessions arranged by international universities can be a good opportunity," Sandeep said.
"Meanwhile, the pandemic has resulted in a very unfavourable situation for students and job-seekers. Geographical barriers and restrictions imposed due to coronavirus have compounded the situation further. So, people are having trouble getting suitable jobs. At such a time, you need the right degree with the right set of skills."
"When you are pursuing higher education, you must have the right insights and skills in your possession to thrive in a particular environment defying all odds. Moreover, it is important to develop different future-fit skills in the backdrop of changing market scenarios to flourish your career and excel in the study as well."
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In this regard, workshops in skill development can play great roles as the students get the chance to acquire new skills and gather knowledge, said Sandeep.
Also, owing to the pandemic, many countries halted educational opportunities and overseas programmes for quite some time. However, with the vaccination underway in full swing, many others are opening their doors once again.
But it is often seen that many students from Bangladesh cannot pursue higher degrees abroad because of different constraints, including financial burden and sudden shock created by a different education system.
So, many students are deprived of quality higher education. In many countries, foreign universities open study centres to facilitate the aspiring students and create opportunities for them to seek a higher degree from a foreign university.
"There are many public and private universities in the country which are offering different degrees to aspiring students. Most recently, Monash College Australia has started its operation in Bangladesh, which will contribute to developing the higher education scenario in the country in terms of academic reputation, international faculty ratio and research opportunities," said Sandeep.
The STS Group's group chief executive officer has worked with eminent professors from world-class universities such as Wharton, Yale, Kellogg and Stanford and also the co-author of the best-seller "CULT: Strategy and Leadership & Business Strategy – Ruthlessly Redefined" and the author of "Power Business Strategies."
STS Group operates DPS STS School, International School Dhaka and Monash College-UCB Center – Bangladesh's first and the only government-approved international education institution.
Best YouTube Channels to Learn English
In today’s world, having English skills is a must. From global communication to job sectors, English is being prioritized everywhere. In many cases, it poses a decisive advantage. However, English is yet to emerge as a universal skill among the students of Bangladesh. It is important to realize that in this day and age, the quest of learning English should not be limited to the classroom only. With internet connectivity, YouTube can be a great platform for learning English. There are several local and international content creators who can be a great source of learning English. Let's know more about them.
Learn English with YouTube: Top 10 best channels
English Addict
This is a channel run by a creator called Mr. Duncan. He has been using the YouTube platform as a tool to teach English. What sets Mr. Duncan apart is his fun and innovative approach to teaching English. The fun content makes learning English enjoyable. Plus he does not dive into the intricacies of grammar and its application.
The channel mostly focuses on spoken English, colloquialism, and the basics of engaging conversation. He broadcasts his classes 3 times a week routinely. The channel English Addict has garnered over 900 thousand followers over the years and the community is simply growing more.
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Munzereen Shahid
Munzereen Shahid is one of the pioneers when it comes to revolutionizing English teaching in Bangladesh in recent years. Being an Oxford student, Munzereen has been using her knowledge and skills in English to benefit people from every walk of life. Her channel of the same name has over 300 thousand subscribers who regularly view her classes.
She covers all the basic aspects of English from vocabulary, synonym, antonym, pronunciation, and spoken English. In addition to her YouTube videos, she has launched class modules in collaboration with 10 minutes of school. Munzereen has also created a spoken English coursebook.
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Easy English
The channel is run by two British – Mitch and Isi. The two of them took a different approach to teach their subscribers English. Rather than going through the traditional topics and lessons, the two of them engage actual people in actual conversations through street interviews. The aim is to show people the colloquial and unfiltered conversation mechanisms. Viewers can learn in detail about pronunciation, figure of speech, and expressions through these real-life lesson plans. The channel – Easy English is currently over 44 thousand subscribers strong.
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BBC Learning English
What’s better than learning English from the largest English news network in the world? BBC has its own learning English channel on YouTube which promotes English learning across the globe. There is no fixed lesson plan in the channel. However, they tend to focus on the day-to-day communication aspect of the English language.
And what's more interesting is that they post every day, so there is no chance of running out of content. The BBC Learning Channel currently has over 3.7 million subscribers with the majority of the content geared towards basic and non-native speakers.
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Jennifer ESL
All the channels up until this point had one thing in common and that is their focus on communicative English. However, English is not just about communication and speaking. There is a need for learning the basics of English as well.
Jennifer's ESL channel focuses on these basics like grammar, pronunciation, spelling, etc. Jennifer curates her own lesson plan ranging in depth in each topic. The classroom-like feeling of her tutorials will get anyone hooked on the learning process.
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Maisun’s World
Maisun is probably a glaring example of age as just a number. This 10-year-old from Chittagong is changing the world around her through her innovative and easy-to-learn English. Maisuns videos have been viewed millions of times. Recently she joined 10 Minutes School with her lesson plans and curated 8 episode learning modules for the platform.
At this tender age, Maisun has also attended an international conference held in support of Greta Thunberg where she was a guest speaker. Her basic communicative English is perfectly curated for the Bangladeshi viewer base with a focus on correct application and fluency. She currently has over 114 thousand subscribers in her channel called Maisuns World.
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VOA Learning English
Much like the BBC learning English, VOA also has its own English learning channel. While the British media giant follows teaching British English, VOA is curated with American English. The channel focuses on snippets and the familiarization process to induce English learning. VOA Learning English currently has over 1.7 million subscribers with people tuning in to develop their expertise in American English.
Business English Pod
The application of English is not limited to casual interaction or simple communication. It spans professional and business life as well. However, casual English and business English are different. The Business English Pod channel focuses on developing the business English and subsequent speaking capabilities through their lesson plan. It ranges from different scenario-based interactions to module-based classes.
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Fun Kids English
English as a language should be introduced in the early stage of a child’s learning process. And what better way than to engage them in fun animated content? Each of the lessons is taught through simulation and story-based cartoons. The entire process is catered towards preschool children to learn English in a fun way.
In addition to cartoons, they even incorporate poems and songs to engage the kids better. With over 42 million views on their channel, they are catering English for toddlers excitingly and engagingly.
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Rachel’s English
The last one on the list is a YouTuber named Rachel. English is a delicate language with a diverse range of application scenarios. However, lack of refinement while speaking or incorrect use of words only makes it harder for a non-native to grasp the basics of the language.
Rachel’s English strictly focuses on developing the pronunciation aspect. The channel can be considered as a pronunciation repository considering the extent of its content. The channel has over 3.8 million subscribers, a testament to their impact and value generation.
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Final Thoughts
Learning something as dynamic as English should not be limited to textbooks or classrooms. Today a huge number of people have access to the internet which is one of the best sources to get going with English. YouTube is also such a platform that can be quite useful in this regard if utilized properly. So far we have discussed the top 10 YouTube channels to learn English from anywhere anytime. Hope it helps!