The Benefits and Disadvantages of Franchise Agreements

The Benefits and Disadvantages of Franchise AgreementsIf you are the owner of a tutoring center and would like to expand your business by hiring some additional staff or looking for more students, you may want to consider opening a franchise. Businesses that use franchising frequently sell at a premium because of the opportunity they offer; however, there are benefits as well as disadvantages to owning a franchise.The obvious benefit is the cost savings. With franchise agreements, a business owner is not investing capital and often will save on advertising and marketing costs. Because there is little inventory to maintain, there is no need to spend money on re-stocking supplies or equipment.Also, franchise agreements allow a business owner to retain control over the location of the tutoring center. By owning a franchise, the franchisor provides all of the operational functions, and sometimes even the ownership of the furniture, to the business owner. This gives them more flexibility in their planning.However, there are some disadvantages to franchise agreements. For example, it can be very difficult to decide on a franchisee if you are unsure of his or her qualifications or experience. In many cases, the franchisor does not have much input into the decision and therefore cannot ensure quality service.A franchisor also may restrict how the business operates. By law, any action taken by the franchisor must be 'reasonable.' This means that a franchisor must be prepared to deal with any disputes that arise between its franchisee and its customers.It can also be difficult to find the perfect candidate to work for a potential franchisee. Some franchisees require the same qualifications as those for an entry-level position at a regular school. Because of the need for a person to complete a specific number of hours of training, it is difficult to find someone who meets all the qualifications necessary to become a teacher without having to pay the fees required by tradi tional schools.If you are looking for a way to expand your tutoring centers and make them more efficient, consider opening a franchise. It is important to carefully consider the pros and cons before making a final decision. It may also be helpful to find a mentor or consultant who is knowledgeable about the industry to provide valuable information to help you determine which choice is right for you.

Learning German Discover Germanys Brightest and Best Historical Heros

Learning German Discover Germanys Brightest and Best Historical Heros The German Language’s Best Ambassadors ChaptersAlbert EinsteinMartin LutherClaudia SchifferAnne FrankImmanuel KantLudwig Van BeethovenBoris BeckerKarl LagerfeldJohann Wolfgang von GoetheHorst TappertKarl MayAs Europe’s most populous country and 4th global economic power, Germany is a power destination for those wanting to live abroad.  Whether you want to live, study, or do an internship in Germany, you should definitely learn German.However, traditional German studies at school tend to be ineffective. Parents and students are now deciding to adopt a different approach and focus on German culture and learning more about German speaking countries.German personalities and celebrities, especially poets and writers, act as ambassadors for the language and the culture and are a great way for students to learn more about German and integrate themselves into German culture.Here’s our list of the most influential German personalities for anyone who wants to learn more about the History of the German language...Taking german l essons london could also be of benefit.Cosmetics: Unilever, Coty, InterparfumsPhotography: Gerhard Steidl, 3 Suisses, Le Figaro.Publishing: 7LCinema: The Valet, Totally SpiesProperty: Eddie Trump Group, Isla ModaAt just 6 years old, Karl Lagerfeld had already mastered English, German, and French. He’s an ambassador for the German language and “Karlisms” in which he mixes together several foreign languages.Johann Wolfgang von GoetheIf there’s one author you need to know to pass a German citizenship test, it’ll be Goethe!Born in 1749, Goethe is one of German literature’s most famous writers. Both a novelist and a statesman, Goethe influenced several European writers and thinkers.Some of his most famous works include:Faust, Part OneFaust, Part TwoThe Sorrows of Young WertherTheory of ColoursPrometheusElective AffinitiesWilhelm Meister's ApprenticeshipItalian Journey, etc.Goethe is as important for the German language as Shakespeare is for the English language.While both hug ely famous and popular, his works were also often controversial as they included themes that were rejected by the bourgeoisie of the 18th century. Nevertheless, Goethe’s novels like The Sorrows of Young Werther are classics of German literature.Goethe is basically the German Shakespeare. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)“Those who know nothing of foreign languages know nothing of their own.” -  Johann Wolfgang von GoetheIf you really want to understand the German language, you need to study Goethe!Horst TappertDoes the name Horst Tappert ring a bell?  His face might be more familiar. He played Derrick in the German TV series!In Germany, Horst Tappert is one of German cinema’s most famous actors. In addition to his role as a detective, Tappert appeared in around 50 different films throughout his career.The German crime series took the German language worldwide and was bought in 100 different countries. After 25 years on TV, Horst Tappert last appeared as the detective in 1998.A Ger man television institution, even Pope John Paul II was a fan of Horst Tappert and the actor was even given the title of honorary police commissioner in Munich.  Tappert is one of Germany’s most famous cultural exports!Karl MayKarl May is one of the most famous German writers in the world. In addition to poetry, autobiographies, music, he is also known for his adventure novels.Some of his most famous works include:WinnetouOld ShatterhandThe Treasure of Silver LakeThe Oil PrinceOld DeathOld SurehandIn the DesertDespite his international success, Karl May isn’t widely known in the UK. This means it’s very difficult to get into his books without speaking German.  Karl May’s works were inspired by German and English Westerns and are great for anyone wanting to learn German.

English Listening Exercise iPods, Steve Jobs and Magic

English Listening Exercise iPods, Steve Jobs and Magic When I heard today that Steve Jobs has retired as head of Apple, I wanted to make an English listening exercise that had an Apple theme.Jobs is, I think, one of the greatest businessmen in American history, and Ive always loved Apple products (Im writing this on my iMac). Ive heard people say before that Apple products give you the feeling that they are almost magical, which is why I thought this TED video would be appropriate.In the video, Marco Tempest uses iPods to perform magic tricks. Marco is from Switzerland. Like a lot of modern English speakers, he is not a native speaker, so he has a slight accent. This is good listening practice for the real world that English is spoken in these days.Why you should listen to Marco Tempest:Marco Tempest’s imaginative combination of computer-generated imagery, quick-cut video and enthusiastic stage presence has earned him a place in the pantheon of great illusionists. At 22, the Swiss magician won the New York World Cup of Magic, launching him into international prominence. Tempests award-winning television series “The Virtual Magician” airs in dozens of countries worldwide, while his lively phonecam postings on YouTube, done without post-production and video-editing tricks to astonished people on the street, get millions of views (search on virtualmagician). His Vimeo channel showcases his artistic side like his recent hypnotic series levitation, using a high-speed camera.Through his art, Tempest creates a highly entertaining way to be entranced by the reality-bending tech magic that surrounds us all every day.Here is the video, find listening questions below.What type of magic does Marco like? What does his application do? What is his favorite subject? He ___ this wonderful _____ where a rosebush would bloom _____ __ _____ of your ____. Magic is the ____ honest profession, a magician _______ to deceive you and he ____. What do you think the context is when the man in the video says Its just what Ive always wan ted. What was his joke about men and women and lying? I didnt deceive you, you ________ ________. Have you ever deceived yourself? What does it mean that art is a deception? Do you think lying is a fundamental part of life? Do you think men lie more than women?

Take 5 Minutes to Improve Your Fluency

Take 5 Minutes to Improve Your Fluency I always love watching OK Gos music videos.  In their latest one, they turn a 5 second clip into a slow motion video for their song, The One Moment.  As you enjoy the video, I invite  you to sing along with the lyrics below.  Singing is a great way to improve English fluency because of the quick and repetitive nature of songs.  It also helps us learn new vocabulary  and  common slang words.  Its even better to memorize the song so you can continue to practice in the car, shower or wherever you are!Do you have a favorite song that helps you practice  fluency?  Please share it with us in the comments section!  You might also notice some strange grammar or vocabulary as you read the lyrics.  As always, feel free to write  your comments or questions in the section provided.  Now, have some fun!Youre right There is nothing more lovely Theres nothing more profound Than the certainty Than the certaintyThat all of this will end That all of this will endSo open your arms to me Open y our arms to meAnd this will be The one moment that matters And this will be The one thing we remember And this will be The reason to have been here And this will be The one moment that matters at allSo while the mud Reclaims our footprints And while our bones keep looking back The overgrowth is swallowing the path There for the grace of god go we There for the grace of god go we There for the grace of time and chance and entropys cruel handsSo open your arms to me Open your arms to meAnd this will be The one moment that matters And this will be The one thing we remember And this will be The reason to have been here And this will be The one moment that matters at allSo wont you stay here with me And well build until weve blistered our hands So wont you stay here with me Well build us some temples Well build us some castles Well build us some monuments And burn them all right downSo open your arms to me Open your arms to meAnd this will be The one moment that matters And this will be The one thing we remember And this will be The reason to have been here And this will be The one moment that matters at allSo wont you stay here with me And well build until weve blistered our handsThis will be The one thing we rememberSo wont you stay here with me And well build us some temples Build us some castles Build us some monuments Well build us some temples Build us some castles Build us some monumentsThis will be This will be The one moment that matters And this will beThe one moment that matters at allWritten by Damian Kulash, Timothy Nordwind • Copyright © BMG Rights Management US, LLCLyrics credit

June Language Challenge Video Pledges 4

June Language Challenge Video Pledges 4 See Whos Taking June Language Challenge If you are taking June Language challenge were  giving away 50 free ITC if you make a video challenge pledge. Life Hacks research  has shown that if you put yourself up to something by doing it in public, you follow through because others are watching.  So use peer pressure to your advantage!  So help out your fellow language learners participating in the challenge!  Leave them words of encouragement on their notebook entries!  And dont forget to sign up for yourself, and get the summer of to a great start! Click the links below to see: June Language Challenge Video Pledges 1 June Language Challenge Video Pledges 2 June Language Challenge Video Pledges 3 Ian from the United States, is learning Cebuano and Tagalog Ian is participating our June Language Challenge to improve his Cebuano and Tagalog. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Manuel from Spain, is learning English Manuel is learning English and in order to improve his pronunciation and communication skills in English, hes participating June Language Challenge to make the best out of it. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Jairet from the United States, is learning Brazilian Portuguese Jairet wants to improve his Portuguese skills by taking Language Challenge and his goal is be able to have at least 5 minutes conversation without stopping in Portuguese after the Challenge. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Tom from the United States, is learning Russian Tom was fascinated by Russias history and the way how Russian sounds, hes taking June Language Challenge to boosting his level of Russian. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Scott from the United States, is learning Spanish Scott felt that he learned quit a bit of Spanish by participated our Language Challenge last time so hes going to continuing down this journey. Lets support him by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Robert from the United States, is learning Portuguese and French Robert speaks pretty fluent Portuguese and French and hes going to take June Language Challenge in order to improve more. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Kitti from Thailand, is learning English Kitti from Thailand is participating our June Language Challenge to improve his English. Lets support him by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Murillo from Brazil , is learning French Murillo is a big fan of italki as you can see he wears italki T-shirt in the video, he speaks decent French and still decided to participating June Language Challenge to improve his French into a new level. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Emily from the United States, is learning Italian Emily only started use italki a couple of weeks ago. Shes been learning Italian 2 years now and her goal by joining Language Challenge is to get more confident to speak Italian and not get nervous when communicate with native Italian speakers. Give her some support by leaving a quick message in her notebook. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CFzauRQwAkfeature=youtu.be Bianca from the United States, is learning Spanish Bianca is taking June Language Challenge to commit her Spanish learning goals which is to improve her Spanish ability to have a better communication with her students . Give her some support by leaving a quick message in her notebook. Benjamin from the United States, is learning Chinese Ben speaks quite decent Chinese. Hes taking June Language Challenge to improve his Chinses, at the same time to help him pass his Chinese and English Medical Licence exam. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Diego from Chile, is learning Czech Diego is participating our June Language Challenge to improve his Czech from A1 to A2 level so he can have more interesting and comprehensive conversation with native Czech speakers. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Vitor from Brazil, is learning Chinese Vitor is taking June Language Challenge to improve his Chinese skills as he has a lot of Chinese friends, he would like to have a better communicate with them. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Alex from the United Kingdom, is learning Chinese Alex speaks quite fluent Chinese, by participating Language Challenge hes looking forward to improve his general Chinese skills as well as his pronunciation and accent so by the time his parents visit in China he will be able to show them around.   Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Avital from Isreal, is learning Chinese Avital speaks very fluent Chinese, She would like to improve more of her pronunciation, vocabulary in Chinese by participating June Language Challenge. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Tiffany from the United States, is learning Japanese Tiffany would like to find out how much of her Japanese can be improve by participating June Language Challenge. Her goal after the Challenge is be able to communicate in Japanese for 10 minutes. Lets give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Brad from the United States, is learning Korean Brad speaks decent Korean. Hes goal is be able to communicate in Korean with native speaker for at least 5 minutes by participating Language Challenge. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. June Language Challenge Video Pledges 4 See Whos Taking June Language Challenge If you are taking June Language challenge were  giving away 50 free ITC if you make a video challenge pledge. Life Hacks research  has shown that if you put yourself up to something by doing it in public, you follow through because others are watching.  So use peer pressure to your advantage!  So help out your fellow language learners participating in the challenge!  Leave them words of encouragement on their notebook entries!  And dont forget to sign up for yourself, and get the summer of to a great start! Click the links below to see: June Language Challenge Video Pledges 1 June Language Challenge Video Pledges 2 June Language Challenge Video Pledges 3 Ian from the United States, is learning Cebuano and Tagalog Ian is participating our June Language Challenge to improve his Cebuano and Tagalog. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Manuel from Spain, is learning English Manuel is learning English and in order to improve his pronunciation and communication skills in English, hes participating June Language Challenge to make the best out of it. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Jairet from the United States, is learning Brazilian Portuguese Jairet wants to improve his Portuguese skills by taking Language Challenge and his goal is be able to have at least 5 minutes conversation without stopping in Portuguese after the Challenge. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Tom from the United States, is learning Russian Tom was fascinated by Russias history and the way how Russian sounds, hes taking June Language Challenge to boosting his level of Russian. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Scott from the United States, is learning Spanish Scott felt that he learned quit a bit of Spanish by participated our Language Challenge last time so hes going to continuing down this journey. Lets support him by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Robert from the United States, is learning Portuguese and French Robert speaks pretty fluent Portuguese and French and hes going to take June Language Challenge in order to improve more. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Kitti from Thailand, is learning English Kitti from Thailand is participating our June Language Challenge to improve his English. Lets support him by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Murillo from Brazil , is learning French Murillo is a big fan of italki as you can see he wears italki T-shirt in the video, he speaks decent French and still decided to participating June Language Challenge to improve his French into a new level. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Emily from the United States, is learning Italian Emily only started use italki a couple of weeks ago. Shes been learning Italian 2 years now and her goal by joining Language Challenge is to get more confident to speak Italian and not get nervous when communicate with native Italian speakers. Give her some support by leaving a quick message in her notebook. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CFzauRQwAkfeature=youtu.be Bianca from the United States, is learning Spanish Bianca is taking June Language Challenge to commit her Spanish learning goals which is to improve her Spanish ability to have a better communication with her students . Give her some support by leaving a quick message in her notebook. Benjamin from the United States, is learning Chinese Ben speaks quite decent Chinese. Hes taking June Language Challenge to improve his Chinses, at the same time to help him pass his Chinese and English Medical Licence exam. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Diego from Chile, is learning Czech Diego is participating our June Language Challenge to improve his Czech from A1 to A2 level so he can have more interesting and comprehensive conversation with native Czech speakers. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Vitor from Brazil, is learning Chinese Vitor is taking June Language Challenge to improve his Chinese skills as he has a lot of Chinese friends, he would like to have a better communicate with them. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Alex from the United Kingdom, is learning Chinese Alex speaks quite fluent Chinese, by participating Language Challenge hes looking forward to improve his general Chinese skills as well as his pronunciation and accent so by the time his parents visit in China he will be able to show them around.   Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Avital from Isreal, is learning Chinese Avital speaks very fluent Chinese, She would like to improve more of her pronunciation, vocabulary in Chinese by participating June Language Challenge. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Tiffany from the United States, is learning Japanese Tiffany would like to find out how much of her Japanese can be improve by participating June Language Challenge. Her goal after the Challenge is be able to communicate in Japanese for 10 minutes. Lets give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Brad from the United States, is learning Korean Brad speaks decent Korean. Hes goal is be able to communicate in Korean with native speaker for at least 5 minutes by participating Language Challenge. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. June Language Challenge Video Pledges 4 See Whos Taking June Language Challenge If you are taking June Language challenge were  giving away 50 free ITC if you make a video challenge pledge. Life Hacks research  has shown that if you put yourself up to something by doing it in public, you follow through because others are watching.  So use peer pressure to your advantage!  So help out your fellow language learners participating in the challenge!  Leave them words of encouragement on their notebook entries!  And dont forget to sign up for yourself, and get the summer of to a great start! Click the links below to see: June Language Challenge Video Pledges 1 June Language Challenge Video Pledges 2 June Language Challenge Video Pledges 3 Ian from the United States, is learning Cebuano and Tagalog Ian is participating our June Language Challenge to improve his Cebuano and Tagalog. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Manuel from Spain, is learning English Manuel is learning English and in order to improve his pronunciation and communication skills in English, hes participating June Language Challenge to make the best out of it. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Jairet from the United States, is learning Brazilian Portuguese Jairet wants to improve his Portuguese skills by taking Language Challenge and his goal is be able to have at least 5 minutes conversation without stopping in Portuguese after the Challenge. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Tom from the United States, is learning Russian Tom was fascinated by Russias history and the way how Russian sounds, hes taking June Language Challenge to boosting his level of Russian. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Scott from the United States, is learning Spanish Scott felt that he learned quit a bit of Spanish by participated our Language Challenge last time so hes going to continuing down this journey. Lets support him by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Robert from the United States, is learning Portuguese and French Robert speaks pretty fluent Portuguese and French and hes going to take June Language Challenge in order to improve more. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Kitti from Thailand, is learning English Kitti from Thailand is participating our June Language Challenge to improve his English. Lets support him by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Murillo from Brazil , is learning French Murillo is a big fan of italki as you can see he wears italki T-shirt in the video, he speaks decent French and still decided to participating June Language Challenge to improve his French into a new level. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Emily from the United States, is learning Italian Emily only started use italki a couple of weeks ago. Shes been learning Italian 2 years now and her goal by joining Language Challenge is to get more confident to speak Italian and not get nervous when communicate with native Italian speakers. Give her some support by leaving a quick message in her notebook. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CFzauRQwAkfeature=youtu.be Bianca from the United States, is learning Spanish Bianca is taking June Language Challenge to commit her Spanish learning goals which is to improve her Spanish ability to have a better communication with her students . Give her some support by leaving a quick message in her notebook. Benjamin from the United States, is learning Chinese Ben speaks quite decent Chinese. Hes taking June Language Challenge to improve his Chinses, at the same time to help him pass his Chinese and English Medical Licence exam. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Diego from Chile, is learning Czech Diego is participating our June Language Challenge to improve his Czech from A1 to A2 level so he can have more interesting and comprehensive conversation with native Czech speakers. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Vitor from Brazil, is learning Chinese Vitor is taking June Language Challenge to improve his Chinese skills as he has a lot of Chinese friends, he would like to have a better communicate with them. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Alex from the United Kingdom, is learning Chinese Alex speaks quite fluent Chinese, by participating Language Challenge hes looking forward to improve his general Chinese skills as well as his pronunciation and accent so by the time his parents visit in China he will be able to show them around.   Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Avital from Isreal, is learning Chinese Avital speaks very fluent Chinese, She would like to improve more of her pronunciation, vocabulary in Chinese by participating June Language Challenge. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Tiffany from the United States, is learning Japanese Tiffany would like to find out how much of her Japanese can be improve by participating June Language Challenge. Her goal after the Challenge is be able to communicate in Japanese for 10 minutes. Lets give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Brad from the United States, is learning Korean Brad speaks decent Korean. Hes goal is be able to communicate in Korean with native speaker for at least 5 minutes by participating Language Challenge. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook.

4 Ways Kumon Helps Preschoolers Develop Important Handwriting Skills

4 Ways Kumon Helps Preschoolers Develop Important Handwriting Skills 4 Ways Kumon Helps Preschoolers Develop Important Handwriting Skills As we watch three-year-olds easily navigate iPads and teens communicate primarily through smart phones, it’s easy to question the value of handwriting in today’s society. While it may not seem as important as it used to be, research indicates that handwriting positively influences reading, writing, language and critical thinking. Without overcomplicating things, the brain just engages differently when we write something as opposed to typing on a keyboard or touching a screen. Yet, 25 percent of all elementary students are lacking competency in this foundational skill. That’s where Kumon can help! From counting pictures to repeating words, thousands of early learners enrolled in Kumon develop a love of learning and a solid academic foundation. Kumon’s Pencil Skills level provides even greater support, complementing the early level of the math and reading material. Handwriting is an important part of completing the Kumon Worksheets. For students to begin learning their letters and numbers and writing them correctly, proper pencil grip and a certain level of pencil skills are needed. Let’s take a closer look at the Pencil Skills level. Introduction to Fine Motor Skills through Coloring Young students are introduced to holding and using pencils or crayons in a fun,colorful and engaging way. Through coloring, scribbling and drawing freely, students enjoy the experience of using a pencil for the first time. Proper Pencil Pressure Similar to the math and reading worksheets, the expectations of writing increases incrementally through the Pencil Skills level. As children become more comfortable with pencil grip, they will start practicing proper pencil pressure. They learn the amount of hand strength it takes to draw lines by connecting two pictures. Children will start to practice the direction of writing by drawing from top to bottom and left to right. Pencil Control Stamina As children progress, they increase pencil control by drawing longer lines and actively staying inside curved lines. Worksheets go from relatively wide spaces with short lines to progressively longer, thinner lines. This helps children become comfortable with moving their hands in different angles and directions. Even as adults, our hands tend to tire easily when writing. The Pencil Skills level helps preschoolers develop the proper stamina before advancing into the more difficult levels. Introduction to Pre-Reading Skills The Pencil Skills level is meant to compliment the Kumon Math and Reading material. As children progress through this level, they are introduced to pre-reading skills, while developing the proper pencil skills needed to excel in school. As they are not expected to read on their own yet, colorful worksheets with illustrations help them develop word association skills. In combination with other activities that advance motor skill development, the Pencil Skills level prepares children to write their letters and numbers for the first time with excitement and confidence. Discover even more study tips and resources that will give your preschoolers a head start! You might also be interested in: 3 Benefits of Enrolling Your Toddler into an Early Learner Program Developing Fine Motor Skills: How Kumon Helps Strengthen your Child’s Handwriting Skills What are the School Readiness Skills that Preschoolers Learn in Kumon? Is your Child Ready for Kindergarten? 4 Ways Kumon Helps Preschoolers Develop Important Handwriting Skills 4 Ways Kumon Helps Preschoolers Develop Important Handwriting Skills As we watch three-year-olds easily navigate iPads and teens communicate primarily through smart phones, it’s easy to question the value of handwriting in today’s society. While it may not seem as important as it used to be, research indicates that handwriting positively influences reading, writing, language and critical thinking. Without overcomplicating things, the brain just engages differently when we write something as opposed to typing on a keyboard or touching a screen. Yet, 25 percent of all elementary students are lacking competency in this foundational skill. That’s where Kumon can help! From counting pictures to repeating words, thousands of early learners enrolled in Kumon develop a love of learning and a solid academic foundation. Kumon’s Pencil Skills level provides even greater support, complementing the early level of the math and reading material. Handwriting is an important part of completing the Kumon Worksheets. For students to begin learning their letters and numbers and writing them correctly, proper pencil grip and a certain level of pencil skills are needed. Let’s take a closer look at the Pencil Skills level. Introduction to Fine Motor Skills through Coloring Young students are introduced to holding and using pencils or crayons in a fun,colorful and engaging way. Through coloring, scribbling and drawing freely, students enjoy the experience of using a pencil for the first time. Proper Pencil Pressure Similar to the math and reading worksheets, the expectations of writing increases incrementally through the Pencil Skills level. As children become more comfortable with pencil grip, they will start practicing proper pencil pressure. They learn the amount of hand strength it takes to draw lines by connecting two pictures. Children will start to practice the direction of writing by drawing from top to bottom and left to right. Pencil Control Stamina As children progress, they increase pencil control by drawing longer lines and actively staying inside curved lines. Worksheets go from relatively wide spaces with short lines to progressively longer, thinner lines. This helps children become comfortable with moving their hands in different angles and directions. Even as adults, our hands tend to tire easily when writing. The Pencil Skills level helps preschoolers develop the proper stamina before advancing into the more difficult levels. Introduction to Pre-Reading Skills The Pencil Skills level is meant to compliment the Kumon Math and Reading material. As children progress through this level, they are introduced to pre-reading skills, while developing the proper pencil skills needed to excel in school. As they are not expected to read on their own yet, colorful worksheets with illustrations help them develop word association skills. In combination with other activities that advance motor skill development, the Pencil Skills level prepares children to write their letters and numbers for the first time with excitement and confidence. Discover even more study tips and resources that will give your preschoolers a head start! You might also be interested in: 3 Benefits of Enrolling Your Toddler into an Early Learner Program Developing Fine Motor Skills: How Kumon Helps Strengthen your Child’s Handwriting Skills What are the School Readiness Skills that Preschoolers Learn in Kumon? Is your Child Ready for Kindergarten?

Early Years Teaching Jobs Abroad

Early Years Teaching Jobs Abroad Teach Away is hiring Early Years teachers in countries around the world. Early Years teachers with a variety of experience are encouraged to create a profile with Teach Away at any time - even if you don't see your dream job advertised now. IB teachers, Montessori teachers, and instructors experienced in standard American, Canadian, or British curriculum are in demand for schools across the globe.Requirements will vary by position, so interested teachers should take some time searching the Teach Away Job Board for current job openings and their minimum requirements. In general, though, teachers applying for Early Years teaching jobs abroad should have a valid teaching license with a specialization in Early Childhood Education. Many jobs - though not all - will also require 1-2 years of previous related experience.*Teaching jobs for Early Years teachers may be in private schools or public schools abroad. Your expertise and experience could lead you to a new adventure teaching overseas !*Previous related experience generally refers to full-time experience (not student teaching or substituting), teaching children of the relevant levelCurrent Overseas Teaching Jobs for Early Years TeachersTeach Away's current openings for Early Years teachers include the following opportunities:English teaching positions in Hong Kong, starting July 2013This private school in Hong Kong uses a bilingual co-class teaching approach, and is looking for English teachers for students from nursery years to upper grade levelsRequirements: Teaching license; Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education; 1 year of experienceView more detailsKindergarten Teacher in Kuwait, starting  September 2013Teach Away is looking to hire a kindergarten teacher for this private international school. The school uses an American curriculum and provides its students and staff with state-of-the-art facilities.Requirements: Teaching license; Bachelor's degree in Education; 2 years of experience with American c urriculumView more detailsEarly Childhood Coordinator in Thailand, starting August 2013Providing a beautiful environment for its young learners, this private international school is hiring a coordinator for its Early Childhood program.Requirements: Teaching license; Bachelor's degree in Education or Early Childhood Education; 10 years of experience; past experience working with the Reggio ApproachView more detailsKindergarten Teachers in Saudi Arabia, starting August 2013Teach Away is accepting applications for kindergarten teaching positions in this private international school, which uses a curriculum focused on comprehension and creativity.Requirements: Teaching license; Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education; 2 years of experienceView more detailsEarly Years English Teachers in China, starting July 2013This private school, which operates with an IB PYP curriculum, is hiring English teachers for children aged 2-6.Requirements: Teaching license; 2 years of experience OR a 120-hour TESOL/TEFL certificateView more detailsView more teaching jobs for Early Years teachers abroad.ApplyTo apply online with Teach Away, please create an online profile at /teacher/register.Have you already applied with Teach Away and want to be considered for one of the positions above? Email una(at)teachaway.com directly to state your interest.