How To Master Portuguese Pronunciation

How To Master Portuguese Pronunciation Looking For Tips On How To Speak Portuguese? ChaptersLearn The Portuguese Language Basics â€" Starting With The AlphabetImproving Your Portuguese PronunciationLooking For More Tips When Learning Portuguese?Portuguese is a wonderful foreign language to learn, for so many reasons. For example, Portuguese is:One of the most widely-spoken languages across the world, with over 200 million native speakers in countries including Portugal and Brazil;One of the romance languages, along with Spanish, French, Italian, and Romanian. This means learning Portuguese can make it easier to learn another romance language;A brilliant language to have on your CV if you want to stand out from the crowd, as Portuguese is not widely taught in the UK compared to other languages such as Spanish.If you have decided to take up Portuguese, then there’s plenty to learn on your way to fluency. However, what’s worth realising from the outset is that every language comes with its own set of challenges that non-native speakers may struggle with.For an exam ple, take German. For an English speaker, some aspects of German are relatively straightforward â€" for instance, some words are very similar (die Hand / the hand). However, German has four different cases â€" the nominative, accusative, dative, and genitive â€" which English speakers often struggle to master.Although English speakers will not find the exact same difficulties when learning Portuguese, there are some unique challenges to be aware of. One of the main issues English speakers face when learning Portuguese is conquering Portuguese pronunciation.With that in mind, this article provides some tips when it comes to getting a hold of Portuguese grammar and pronunciation so that you can improve your Portuguese speaking skills.Before you can learn to speak Portuguese you should learn the Portuguese alphabet. (Image Source: CC0 1.0, Pexels, Pixabay)It helps you spell and write down common words.Portuguese has 26 letters in its alphabet in total and those 26 letters are the same as in English. Specifically, Portuguese comprise 23 letters that historically were part of the language, while 3 additional letters â€" K, W, and Y â€" were introduced into the official Portuguese alphabet in 2009.While it might be reassuring to know that you don’t have to learn any new letters to learn the Portuguese alphabet, it’s vitally important that you learn how each letter, and in fact combinations of letters, are pronounced in Portuguese.This is because Portuguese isn’t a phonetic language. A phonetic language is one where you know how to say a word just by reading how it is spelt. English, like Portuguese, isn’t phonetic.To give that statement some context, take the following examples of the difficulties of English pronunciation:Words spelt similarly - such as tough / through / though â€" are all pronounced in very different ways; andEven native speakers differ in how they pronounce certain words â€" for example, how would you say the word scone?Although Portuguese pronunciation doesn’t have the exact same issues that are present in the English language, many non-native Portuguese speakers do struggle with how to pronounce certain Portuguese words.As a result, some tips are provided below for how to improve your understanding and knowledge of the nuances of Portuguese pronunciation.You can improve your Portuguese pronunciation by speaking Portuguese regularly with native speakers. (Image Source: CC0 1.0, Alanyadk, Pixabay)Improving Your Portuguese PronunciationAs mentioned above, it’s important to identify early on how each letter in the Portuguese alphabet sounds and to also try to get a handle on how common combinations of letters are pronounced.Some common letter combinations include:CH;LH; andRR.However, while learning how these letters are pronounced is a very important first step to take when learning Portuguese, it will only take you so far. This is because one of the best ways to improve your overall Portuguese speaking skills, an d your pronunciation, as a result, is to put what you’ve learnt into regular practice.Converse As Much As You Can With Native Portuguese SpeakersThe best way to improve your Portuguese pronunciation is to understand how native speakers speak Portuguese.Whether you’re just listening to Portuguese through mediums such as films, radio, and TV, or you’re actively speaking with Portuguese native speakers, the more you hear in Portuguese the more you’ll come to recognise how certain words are pronounced, which should, in turn, improve both your Portuguese listening and speaking skills.When listening to Portuguese, it’s equally important to consider the type of Portuguese that you’re listening to. For instance, if you’d like to learn Brazilian Portuguese, then you’d be better off trying to speak with a native Brazilian Portuguese speaker than someone who has lived in Portugal their entire life.This is because Portuguese and Brazilian Portuguese do have some differences when it comes to things such as how certain words are spelt and pronounced, so it’s best to learn about those differences early on as you progress through your proficiency in the language.Practice Using Common Words and PhrasesAnother way to improve your Portuguese pronunciation is to get on top of how Portuguese speakers say common words, expressions, and phrases.While non-native Portuguese speakers will likely be easily forgiven for saying a particularly obscure word incorrectly, learning how to say the most common or frequently used Portuguese words correctly can make life much easier for you when it comes to making yourself understood in Portuguese.For instance, you could try to ensure that you’re comfortable pronouncing the following common phrases:Olá (oh-lah) â€" hello;Bom dia (bom dee-ah) â€" good morning;Obrigado/ Obrigada (ob-ree-gah-doh / ob-ree-gah-dah) â€" you’re welcome; andDe nada (de na-dah) â€" thank you.Once you’ve got the handle on how to pronounce the most c ommon sentences in Portuguese, you can then move on to mastering how to say more complex or longer words.Get A DictionaryDictionaries are a language learner’s best friend. They come in all kinds of sizes, from compact to absolutely huge, and give you the ability to translate unknown Portuguese words back into English, or to find the Portuguese equivalent of an English word.What’s more, good dictionaries usually contain some pointers when it comes to how to pronounce words in Portuguese, such as outlining the pronunciation next to the word in question. This can be a real help if you want to quickly find out how a certain word should be pronounced.Good dictionaries often outline how to pronounce Portuguese words, which can improve your Portuguese pronunciation. (Image Source: CC0 1.0, stevepb, Pixabay)Looking For More Tips When Learning Portuguese?Portuguese isn’t known as being an easy language to learn and one of the many issues that non-native Portuguese speakers face when le arning the language is how to get to grips with the language’s pronunciation. This is because Portuguese words aren't pronounced the same way they are written.As a result, to pronounce a word correctly in Portuguese for a non-native speaker you usually need to have a combination of knowing how letters and combinations of letters should sound and also recognising and remembering how native speakers pronounce certain words.Provided you regularly practice your Portuguese speaking skills, you should find that your Portuguese pronunciation improves. If you’re lucky enough to have a friend who’s a native Portuguese speaker, ask them to let you know when you’re saying a word incorrectly, as this may help you learn how to improve your pronunciation as well.Don't feel disheartened either if you do find yourself making a multitude of  mistakes when it comes to pronouncing words in Portuguese. Speaking any foreign language is difficult, and learning how to pronounce words in Portuguese is not a skill that is likely to come to you automatically. This is why regular practice is important, as is the belief that if you keep practising then your level of Portuguese should improve.If you don’t currently have a Portuguese speaking partner, but would still like to improve your Portuguese speaking skills, then you could look into hiring a Portuguese tutor from Superprof.Having a Portuguese tutor should give you the opportunity to practice speaking in Portuguese on a regular basis, while also giving you the chance to improve your overall proficiency in Portuguese through other exercises that aim to develop your Portuguese reading, writing, and listening skills.You may also find that having a tutor gives you sufficient motivation to continue learning Portuguese, and may also inspire you to keep learning and try to improve your spoken Portuguese even more.Enter your postcode to find Portuguese tutors located nearby or equally to find tutors that are happy to provide Portug uese lessons remotely. What’s more, Superprof also has a range of Portuguese tutors, so whether you’re a beginner and would like to improve your knowledge of Portuguese, or you’re an intermediate or advanced learner who wants to improve their Brazilian Portuguese speaking skills, there should be a tutor out there for you.

How to Structure French Sentences for Beginners

How to Structure French Sentences for Beginners How To Build French Sentences ChaptersThe Simple Declarative SentenceNegative SentencesAdding Adjectives, Adverbial PhrasesDependent and relative clausesThe French Interrogative SentenceThe French Conditional SentenceConfessions of a Language Learner: Learning with a TutorSpeaking French is more than just learning vocabulary words from flash cards. Words are just the atoms, the building blocks of a language. They have to be put into context, strung together to form a sentence that is imparted with meaning.And grammar rules don’t just govern how to decline a verb, or what gender a French word is. They also regulate in what order you are going to put the words in a sentence. Your French classes will teach you a lot about how to conjugate a verb, have your nouns and adjectives agree and what words and phrases will help you find the bathroom. What they might not teach you (but should) is sentence structure.How are sentences put together in French? Does one use the dative, nominative, accusative and interrogative ca ses the same way as in English?Setting aside that pesky grammatical gender agreement required to speak French properly, where and how do adjectives and adverbial phrases fit in a properly constructed sentence?As an overview of these topics, Superprof presents this chart, one that you might consider printing and clipping and carrying with you to your French lessons or your French tutoring sessions.Native speakers of French experience the same conundrum: if they are already speaking correctly, why do they have to analyse their speech?Grammar rules are the blueprints upon which language is built; its role obvious only upon learning a second language.Going back to the earlier analogy, that words are a language's building blocks, we can put grammar in that context by assigning it the role of mortar holding the blocks together.Just as mortar may combine different ingredients, so, from one language to the next, grammar may involve different constructions to make sentences.The most common t ype of sentence in English and in French is the  declarative sentence;  a simple expression stating a fact:Il fait beau.   It (the weather) is nice.Catherine est une adolescente. Catherine is a teenager.  J'ai faim! I am hungry!Ma mère est danseuse. My mother is a dancer.  Il écoute la musique. He listens to music.  As in English, the declarative form in French is the core around which more complicated sentences can be built.Basic as (French) bread, the declarative sentence is the simplest form of expression Source: Pixabay Credit: Free-PhotosBasic French sentences with nounsWhen you learn a language, you start with basic sentences with the most common word order.In French, this is SVO - Subject + Verb + Object. As for most Romance languages - and, indeed, English - the subject (who is doing the action?) generally comes at the beginning of the sentence.There follows the verb, and then the direct object (what is he/she doing?). The sentences above are all examples of the SVO constr uct.We now expand on that basic sentence structure by adding an  indirect object (for/to/with whom is he doing it?):Subject + Verb + Direct Object + Indirect ObjectMarie donne le livre à sa maîtresse.  Marie gives the book to her teacher.Jean rend le cartable à son frère. Jean gives his brother his rucksack back.Suzanne apporte les pommes  Ã  la cuisine. Suzanne brings the apples to the kitchen.Lucie retourne les livres  Ã  la bibliotheque. Lucy returns the books to the library.  Remi mange son dîner  Ã  table. Remi eats dinner at the table.  In each of these examples, the subject is doing something with the direct object for, to or with the indirect object.Until now, we've only shown sample sentences using action verbs: somebody or something doing something. What about sentences that use a compound verb?In French as in English, compound verbs consist of an auxiliary verb and a participle verb form, either in past or present tense.In English these 'helper' verbs are to be, to h ave and to do. In French, only the first two, être and avoir, are used in compound structures with being  Ãªtre used less frequently.Nevertheless, the structure remains the same: the verb that indicates what is happening stays in second place:Le roi avait pardonné le mousquetaire. The king had pardoned the musketeer.J'ai fini la vaisselle. I have finished the dishes.  Les parents ont gaté ces enfants! The parents have spoiled these children!Le maitre avait donné des devoirs. The teacher had given homework.  Mon copain est arrivé hier soir. My mate arrived yesterday evening.  The only time a direct object might come after an indirect object is if there is additional information attached to it, such as a relative clause:Jean rend à son frère le cartable qu’il lui avait prêté. Jean gives his brother back the rucksack he had lent him.Ma soeur montre  Ã  ma mére les dessins que j'avais peint. My sister shows my mother the drawings I painted.  Mon collegue dit  Ã  nôtre patro n que je suis fainéante!  My colleague tells our boss that I am lazy!Benoit lit  Ã  sa copine des pôemes qu'il trouve romantique.   Benoit reads to his girlfriend poems he finds romantic.Gabriel donne  Ã  sa soeur les bonbons qu'il avait promi. Gabriel gave to his sister the sweets he had promised.  Naturally, you could structure the sentence in such a way that the direct object comes before the indirect:Gabriel a donné les bonbons qu'il avait promi a  sa soeur. Gabriel gave the sweets he had promised to his sister.  However, that makes the sentence meaning ambiguous: He promised the candies to his sister, but who exactly did he give them to?French being an exceedingly precise language, it is always best to follow the proper sentence structure in order to convey your intended meaning.It might take a bit of practice, but your language skills will be all the richer for it!Who exactly did Gabriel give the sweets to? Said correctly in French, we would know! Source: Pixabay Credit: Sk yradarWord order with pronounsAs in many other languages, French words are put into a different order if some or all of them are pronouns.Let’s take the sentence:Marie montre son dessin à sa maman. Marie shows her drawing to her mum.Subject pronouns stay at the beginning of the sentence:Elle montre son dessin à sa maman. She shows her drawing to her mum.  Sometimes, in French, it is much more convenient to describe an object in a sentence by using a pronoun.Consider the sentence above: She shows her drawing to her mum. How can that sentence be made less cumbersome?Elle lui montre son dessin. - 'lui' takes the place of 'maman' even though, generally, 'lui' represents a male. Elle le montre à sa maman. - 'le' takes the place of the picture. In this sentence, the gender matches; dessin is masculine. Elle le lui montre. - here, you have a combination of the two representations above, with 'le' meaning 'dessin' and 'lui' in for 'maman'.Let us now suppose you are that dear mum, telli ng a jealous mother about how your daughter creates artwork for you. You would say:Son dessin? Elle me le montre! Her drawing? She shows it to me!Because of its first person singular designation, “me” ranks higher than “le” - a mere article. Therefore, you would place 'me' before 'le' in such sentences.Object pronouns come BEFORE the verb but AFTER the subject. In what order they come depends on the pronoun:Subject + 'me', 'te', 'se', 'nous', 'vous' + 'le', 'la', 'les' + 'lui', 'leur' + (adverbial pronoun “y”) + 'en' + Verb.Examples:Elle nous les montre. She shows them to us. Note that 'montre' agrees with 'elle' - third person singular.You might also phrase it as a question:Elle vous les montre? Does she show them to you? Either way, the order listed above remains.'En' is an indefinite plural pronoun that, in this sentence's case, represents the drawings. 'en' is always placed just before the verb:Elle montre des dessins à sa maman. - Elle lui en montre. She shows some drawings to her mum. She shows her them.Learn more about French grammar rules.Negative SentencesThe French negative words are: ne…pas and ne…point (the latter is archaic or regional).“Ne” comes immediately after the subject. “Pas” comes immediately after the verb.Marie ne montre pas son dessin à sa maman. Marie does not show her drawing to her mum.  Marie ne le montre pas à sa maman. Marie doesn't show it to her mum.Marie ne lui montre pas son dessin. Marie doesn't show her her drawing.Marie ne le lui montre pas. Marie doesn't show her it.French sentence structure in the negative. Photo credit: biphop on Visual huntNegation is pretty straightforward in French, however you should be aware of using 'any' properly.The equivalent of the English “no” or “not…any” is “ne…aucun”:Marie ne montre aucun dessin à sa mère. Marie doesn’t show any drawing to her mother. Or: Marie shows no drawings to her mother.Adding Adjectives, Adverbial PhrasesAdverbs and a dverbial phrasesThe adverbial phrase or complément circonstanciel can come at the beginning, the end or the middle of the sentence. They are emphasised if they are put at the beginning or the end; it is more colloquial to only put single-word adverbs in the middle.Such phrases may denote a time:Marie lui montrera son dessin demain. Marie will show him/her her drawing tomorrow.  Demain, Marie lui montrera son dessin. Tomorrow, Marie will show him/her her drawing.Marie lui montrera demain son dessin. Marie will show him/her tomorrow her drawingOr a place:Marie lui montrera son dessin à l’école. Marie will show her drawing at school.  Ã€ l’école, Marie lui montrera son dessin. At school, Marie will show her drawing.However, if you are using a complément circonstanciel construction to denote a place where an activity has happened, you cannot put that location in the middle of the sentence:Marie lui montrera à l’école son dessin. Marie will show him/her at school her drawing .  You'll note that, as we do not know who the 'lui' in question is, it might represent a male or a female - hence both pronouns.    Adverbial pronounsThe adverbial pronoun “y” (directional) comes after most other pronouns but before the plural pronoun “en”. It is generally used to denote a progressive action, or one that is about to take place. However,  'y' can only be used if the listener knows what the speaker is talking about:Marie va à l’école. Marie goes to school. If the listener knows where Marie is headed, the speaker could say: Marie y va - Marie is going.Another example: Nous irons au bois. We go to the forest. Contrast that with the much simpler: Nous y allons. We're going - the usage is contingent on it being known where we are going!Caution! You should never say:Marie y va  Ã  l'école or Nous y allons au bois  - it suggests the listener both knows and doesn't know the destination.Find French lessons that may interest you here.How would you say Marie and P aul go to school in French? Source: Pixabay Credit: Mohamad HassanAdjectives and their placement in the sentence.Unlike in English, Adjectives  are generally placed right after the noun:Whereas an English speaker would say: 'the red balloon', in French, the proper order is: 'le ballon rouge'. Here are some more examples:The hungry lion = le lion affamé.The sleepy child = l'enfant somnolent(e).The playful cat = le chat (la chatte) ludique.A good book = un bon livre.Do you know of the BAGS group? It denotes constructions wherein the adjective comes before the noun:Beauty: Un joli ballon. A pretty balloon.  More: Une jolie femme (a pretty woman), une belle chanson (a pretty song)Age: Un vieux ballon. An old balloon. More: Un viel homme (an old man), une vieille bicyclette (an old bicycle)Goodness: Un méchant ballon. A mean balloon. More: un bon vin (a good wine), une bonne amie (a good friend).Size: Un grand ballon. A big balloon.  More: Un petit ballon (a small balloon), une petite fille (a small girl).Adjectives used with verbs expressing a state come after the verb:Le ballon est vert.  The balloon is green.Le ballon semble petit.  The balloon seems small.Le ballon deviendra grand.  The balloon will become big.  Note that adjectives should always agree with the noun they are qualifying in gender and number.La chatte deviendra grande. The (female) cat will become big.  La fille semble petite. The girl seems small.  La voiture est verte. The car is green.  An imperative phrase,always begins with the verb. Photo credit: biphop on Visual HuntDon’t forget to do the grammar exercises in your French grammar textbooks and from your online French course to help you learn all about French sentence structure, learn French expressions and how to conjugate French verbs.Confessions of a Language Learner: Learning with a TutorLet us again reflect on how we learned our native tongue: by speaking it. That being the case, wouldn't it make sense that language classes would fo cus on spoken language rather than language mechanics?All while acknowledging that grammar is indeed essential to language, must we inevitably conclude that lessons in grammar are a vital component of language lessons?It seems to be a universal practice that language classes will devote a substantial portion of their time to teaching grammar, placing less emphasis on speaking and listening skills.I can say that with some veracity. Having been a language learner for all of my life - aren't we all? - and currently embroiled in picking up a new tongue, I feel frustration at grammatical exercises in the classroom that do seemingly little to improve my speaking ability.I could rail about it, complain to my teacher or school leader... or I could do something about it.Grateful as I am of my teacher's efforts at imparting declensions, cases and other grammatical particulars - and having no desire to detract her, I have engaged a tutor for the express purpose of practicing my speaking skills .This gives me the best of both worlds.I have a teacher, in a formal setting, imparting all of the nuts and bolts that makes this language I'm learning so very challenging.I also have a conversation partner who is a native speaker of this language, whose focus is exclusively on my pronunciation and my ability to understand what he says.Whereas in class, I get very little talking time; with my online tutor, I get to talk as much as I want - indeed, I am encouraged to talk ever more!If you are reading this, then you too must be a language learner. As such, you might consider the solution I hit upon to acquire the most language capability in the fastest manner possible.A language tutor will tailor his/her lessons to your needs and abilities, all while driving you to improve steadily. Also, s/he will give you a substantial boost in confidence - something that sometimes gets left out for all of the busy-ness in class.Why not contact a Superprof French tutor to help you, the way my tutor helps me?

Memorial Day Activities for Families

Memorial Day Activities for Families While summer officially begins on the June solstice, the season unofficially begins on the last Monday in May: Memorial Day. Its the end to what is often a three-day weekend for families across America involving barbeques, swimming pools, and other gatherings. But its important to remember the meaning behind Memorial Day as a federal holiday. The day is designated as a time to remember and honor the people who died while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. Memorial Day Activities for families can include attending a Memorial Day parade, visiting military cemeteries and memorials, or visiting museums to learn more about Memorial Day and military history. [RELATED: 4 Educational Field Trips] What should you do on Memorial Day this year? Heres a list of some educational Memorial Day activities for families: 1. Attend a Memorial Day parade Traditions in and of themselves, Memorial Day parades are a great way to celebrate this holiday. The National Memorial Day Parade in Washington, D.C. is the biggest and most famous in the country. However, a huge number of cities and towns host their own parades as well. During the parade, youll likely be entertained by: marching bands youth groups floats performers Moreover, you will be educated by veterans and military officials who will speak about the history of the holiday and some of the fallen soldiers it honors. 2. Visit a memorial honoring fallen soldiers on Memorial Day Many memorials have been constructed all across the U.S. to honor fallen servicemen and women. Memorials have educational placards, and sometimes even docents who give tours and offer more information. [RELATED: 6 Activities to Keep Students Learning This Summer] Some of the most famous are on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and include the National World War II Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and the Korean War Veterans Memorial. Many other well-known war memorials are in New York City, including the Korean War Memorial, Brooklyn War Memorial, Soldiers and Sailors Monument, and New York Vietnam Veterans Memorial Plaza. 3. Visit a National Cemetery on Memorial Day There are 147 National Cemeteries in the U.S., which contain the graves of fallen U.S. military personnel, veterans, and their spouses. Even if you do not have a relative buried in one of these cemeteries, it can be rewarding to visit one and pay respects to fallen soldiers. One of the most famous National Cemeteries, Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, holds more than 400,000 military veterans and their immediate family members. This cemetery is the final resting place for military veterans who have served since some of the countrys earliest days as a nation, from the Civil War to today. You can tour the cemetery on foot or by bus with a guide. [RELATED: Educational Road Trip Games for the Whole Family] One highlight of the Arlington National Cemetery includes the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which pays tribute to soldiers who died while fighting in World War II through the Vietnam War. Another is the Changing of the Guard ritual, which is a traditional ceremony done every half hour from April 1 to September 30 and every hour from October 1 to March 31. President John F. Kennedys grave and its eternal flame are also open for viewing at Arlington. 4. Visit a museum on Memorial Day Many national history museums across America have at least one exhibit paying homage to the countrys fallen military heroes. Consider visiting the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C., or the National Museum of Jewish Military History, also in Washington, D.C. Take a guided tour or explore on your own and be prepared to learn! Any topics you want to know more about? Let us know! The Varsity Tutors Blog editors love hearing your feedback and opinions. Feel free to email us at blog@varsitytutors.com.

Interesting Facts About France

Interesting Facts About France Interesting Facts About France, French History and the French Language ChaptersFrench History Facts: Kingdom, French Republic, Empire and a Colonial PowerFrench Fact: French is Spoken in About 30 Different Countries WorldwideMore Fun Facts About France They Didn’t Teach You In SchoolLanguage is shaped by history, and French history is full of fascinating facts. Here at Superprof, we want to make sure you know as much as possible about French culture.Fun Facts About the French LanguageAre you eager to learn French? Have you already booked French classes at the Alliance Francaise or a Superprof tutor? Here are some interesting facts about  the languages of France:French is a Romance language, meaning it evolved mostly from Latin.Before Julius Caesar invaded Gaul and Latin became the administrative language, the language spoken by the Gauls  was a Celtic language called GaulishThe King of France Charlemagne did not learn to read as a child. He learned when he was an adult and promoted the founding of schools to increase literacy.In the Middle Ages, there were two main dialects  of French called the Langue d’Oc (which gave its name to a French region in the south of France, the Languedoc-Rousillon) and the Langue d’Oil. The names of these languages are  based on their word for “yes”.The French word for a novel is a “roman” - these were the first books written in the French language, also called “Roman”, rather than Latin. They were tales of chivalry and adventure.French pidgin languages combining the grammar and vocabulary of French and a local language are called “creoles”.  There are creoles spoken in Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana and various African countries.The first French dictionary dates to 1606, the first grammar textbook to 1531.Here are good French lessons for you.The dying Gaul from this famous Roman statue would have spoken Gaulish. The French language evolved primarily from Latin. Photo credit: Xuan Che on Visual hunt AnnieFrench Teacher 4.89 (9) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutor s CarolineFrench Teacher 5.00 (13) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LowriFrench Teacher 5.00 (9) £90/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarianneFrench Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ThibautFrench Teacher 5.00 (3) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AnnickFrench Teacher 5.00 (6) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DéborahFrench Teacher 5.00 (10) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SamyFrench Teacher 5.00 (2) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsFrench History Facts: Kingdom, French Republic, Empire and a Colonial PowerKingdom of the FranksWith the disintegration of the Roman Empire, Germanic tribes established new states throughout Europe. One such tribe was the Franks, ruled by the Merovigian dynasty. The earliest real king of the Franks was probably Childeric I., supposedly the son of the mythic founder of the dynasty Merovech. Childeric’s son Clovis became famous for converting to C hristianity in 496.Following the Merovingian dynasty came the Carolingians and the first de facto French empire, though it was not called by that name. Under Charlemagne, the Franks ruled over most of mainland Europe stopping at the Baltic states in the East, the border with Denmark to the North and excluding Spain to the southwest.The last dynasty to rule  over France was the Bourbons. They first ascended the throne in 1589, a cadet branch of the Capetian dynasty that first ascended the throne in 987.A Republic, Directory and ConsulateUnlike America, which had a plan for after its Revolution in 1792, France just sort of stumbled into democracy. What started as a series of revolts for adequate representation in the people’s council and over poverty and inflation quickly escalated beyond the storming of the Bastille, with demagogues such as Marat and Robespierre catching the imagination of the French population during the French Revolution and instigating witch hunts for those oppo sing freedom (a vague concept, ensuring that the guillotine never slept.)At first, France was aiming for a constitutional monarchy, though they brought King Louis XVI from the palace of Versailles to the Louvre in Paris to keep a better eye on him, but when he betrayed their trust by trying to flee to Austria with his wife Marie Antoinette, that idea was scrapped under the blade of the guillotine. It then tried a Directory, which mostly didn’t function, until Napoleon Bonaparte decided to help instigate a coup and install a triumvirate, of which he was First Consul.First EmpireWith deft political manoeuvering, Napoleon set up a vote that almost unanimously decided to make France an Empire (the Directoire had already been busy bothering the neighbours by invading Italy and annexing Belgium and the Netherlands) under its first official Emperor, a young general from Corsica,  Napoleon I.Napoleon Bonaparte is a much-hated figure in England, but while the French are aware of his less-t han-stirling treatment of conquered populations, they can't help admiring his vision. Photo credit: Onasill ~ Bill Badzo on Visual huntNapoleon continued his expansionist policy, annexing southern Germany and continuing his campaign in Italy. Secure in the support of Russia, which until then had been an ally, he invaded Spain.There, he was ultimately pushed back by General Wellesley, while on the other front Russia and a coalition led by Prussia ensured his defeat in 1814.The Second French EmpireStill unsure of what it wanted, France decided to try monarchy again, installing a brother of Louis XVI, also called Louis (XVIII), as a constitutional monarch. His reign was interrupted by a brief return to power by the Corsican Napoleon Bonaparte, who was defeated at Waterloo and sent in exile to St. Helena.After two more monarchs (Charles X and Louis-Philippe), France decided to try a Republic again. It elected Napoleon's nephew Louis-Napoleon  as the   first President of France.Unfortuna tely, the new constitution did not allow him tostand for election to serve a second term - and so he declared himself Emperor.France is now on its Fifth RepublicRise and Fall of a Colonial PowerThe first wave of colonisation in the 17th century centred on North America (Nouvelle-France with Québec and Lousiana), South America (the Caribbean and French Guiana), the islands around Madagscar as a stopover for the India trade and, only mildly successfully, India itself.A series of wars and disadvantageous treaties greatly reduced the French holdings, though some, such as the Seychelles, were restored at the end of the Napoleonic Wars.The French colony of Louisana was ceded to Spain in the Treaty of Fountainebleau, only to be returned throught he Treaty of Ildefonso twenty yers later. It was then sold to the young United States. Photo credit: denisbin on Visualhunt.comThe Directoire and Consulat both took action to secure land outside of Europe, most notably in North Africa, but the sec ond wave of expansionism started under Napoleon III. France ended up with most of northwest Africa and holdings in Vietnam and Cambodia.DecolonisationThe colonies survived two further French republics, though dissatisfaction was growing. It wasn’t until after World War II that the Départements D’outre-Mer  (overseas departments) were created, allowing some of the ex-colonies (such as Guadeloupe and Martinique) to become an official part of France.Of the remaining territories, (for example, French Polynesia) some became independent, and others recieved a special status   in the French Republic, first as the Overseas Territories, and since 2007 as the Overseas Collectivities with semi-independent status. Learn more about the French Empire with our blog on  French Colonial Empire.French Fact: French is Spoken in About 30 Different Countries WorldwideFrench is still spoken in all the DOMs and COMs, where it is the official language (or one of them), but many of the ex-colonies  and territories have kept French as one of their official languages, including the Indian regions of Puducherry and Chantannagar, where it is an administrative language. In fact, many of the colonies lost before the 20th century still speak French in some form or other, such as Quebec and some parts of Louisiana.In Europe, French persists in regions once (or twice, or several times more) belonging to France, such as Belgium and parts of Switzerland. The population of several of the European microstates  in the European Union speak French as well:Monaco in the south  along the French RivieraLuxembourg,  alongside Strasbourg and Brussels a capital of the European UnionAndorra (though here it is not an official language) in the Pyrenees mountainsThere is even a little corner of Britain where a French dialect is still spoken by some of the inhabitants: the English  Channel islands, where they speak a version of the dialect spoken in Normandie.More Fun Facts About France They Didn’t Teach You In SchoolThe French island of the Mont Saint Michel is accessible on foot by low tideThe French coast of Normandy has a most spectacular tidal phenomenon. When the tide goes out, it reveals kilometres of sandy beaches and leaves a land bridge to a small island with a monastery and a town. Of course, now you can access the Mont Saint Michel at high tide, too, by means of a bridge connecting it to the mainland. It is one of the most beautiful places in France and one of the most visited along the coastline of Normandy.The first programmable machine was made in FranceWhen we think of computer progress, we think of Silicon Valley, but the first programs were for a mechanical loom invented by the French draper in Lyon, Joseph Marie Charles  Jacquard. Jacquard was well known for its woven designs, and found a way to use punch-cards on a roll to tell their mechanical loom how to adjust it sheds and shuttles to make the patterns automatically. Tourists who travel to France can visit an original at the Musée des Tissus et des Art Décoratifs in Lyon.The first computer programme was written by Ada Lovelace, Byron’s daughter, for English inventor Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine. And all without electricity.Parallel Popes in FranceFor a time, the Papal Seat was not in Rome, but in Avignon,  a city along the Mediterrannean. A disagreement between the French crown and the papacy culminated in the French king Phillip IV being excommunicated and killing Pope Boniface VIII in retaliation. Boniface’s successor, Benedict XI, reigned about a year before dying under mysterious circumstances. His successor, Clement V, was French and decided to leave Rome to live in France in 1309. Avignon remained the papal seat for the next 67 years, with 7 popes reigning from the Palais des Papes, until Gregory XI returned to Rome in 1376.After Gregory’s death, a disagreement between the elector cardinals and Gregory’s successor, Urban VI, led to the establishment of a paralle l lines of popes (called anti-popes) in Avignon. Two anti-popes resided there, Clement VII and Benedict XIII. The latter was unpopular even with the French, and he was forced to flee to Perpignan. There were other anti-popes after him, but he was the last living in France to reside in the papal palace of Avignon.The Avignon popes lived in splendid palaces within the French city. By Jean-Marc Rosier from http://www.rosier.pro, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4837734The papal palace - actually two palaces joined together - is the largest Gothic building dating to the Middle Ages. You can still visit it  as a tourist in Avignon today, where it doubles (or triples) as a tourist attraction/conference centre, research centre and exhibition hall. A must-see for your next trip to France! You can take the high speed train from Paris to Marseille and be there i a few hours.There are WWI battlefields in France still unaccessible to the publicThere are still miles of trenches an d open battlefield zones  in certain regions in France from World War I that are off-limits to the public   and where no agriculture is permitted because the soil is so saturated with the chemicals used in the various gas weapons and the concentration of bodies buried there is so high that the soil is toxic. This means that even escargot and frogs legs are off the table, and the geese for the foie gras can't be fed from anything that grows there.However, when visiting France there are other World War I battlefields that are accessible, where you can visit the trenches and see how the soldiers lived,Click here for more interesting facts about France!Or, look for french lessons to improve your language skills!

Ask an Admissions Expert Abby Siegel

Ask an Admissions Expert Abby Siegel Varsity Tutors brings you insider tips and advice straight from nationally recognized admissions experts. Abby Siegel is a College Entrance Consultant at her self-started firm, Abby Siegel Associates. After graduating from Vanderbilt University, she went on to graduate school at Loyola University Chicagowhere she directly worked in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Abby has worked in college guidance counseling for over a decade and was a recipient of the University of Miamis Excellence in Counseling Award. See what she had to say about the college application process: VT: How far ahead of time should a student begin working on his or her college application? Abby: The earlier the better! The Common Application, the online application that is currently used by over 488 colleges and universities in the United States (and France, Switzerland, Germany, Italy and the UK), goes live on August 1st of a students senior year. At that time a student can create an account and begin the application. Colleges that do not use the Common Application also go live during August so its important to monitor their websites. Starting earlier allows students to take their time and not rush through the application, essays and individual college supplements. Most early and rolling deadlines are on or around November 1, so that gives students approximately three months to complete the entire application. In addition, its really imperative to plan ahead in case of an emergency. For example, when Hurricane Sandy hit the East Coast on October 29, 2012, thousands of high school students lost power, and therefore their ability to use a computer. Those students who had procrastinated and waited until the end to finish their applications found themselves panicking, causing much unneeded stress. Having their applications done at least a week or two ahead of time would have saved many students a lot of undue aggravation. Also, what happens if a student gets sick or there is a family emergency, leaving one unable to complete his or her applications by the deadlines? Its best to plan ahead and adhere to all deadlines.one never knows what could happen. VT: What are the best ways to go about selecting a terrific essay topic? Abby: Generally, colleges will present students with a few choices for the essay topic. When writing the essay its important for students to pick a topic with which they feel comfortable as that usually results in a more genuine piece of writing. Do not write an essay stating what you believe a college or university wants to hear. Instead, pick a topic that gives the reader a better idea of who you are, what makes you unique and whether that college or university is a good fit. The essay is the one place on the application where a student can really let the Admissions office know who they are as a person. Its an excellent opportunity for students to share information about themselves that otherwise the Admissions office may not learn through other parts of the application. Take your time brainstorm, outline, write several drafts. Remember to use distinctive detail it will make the essay stand out and get noticed. VT: Are there any essay topics you get tired of seeing or would warn students to stay away from? Abby: There are several topics that are best to avoid. Students need to remember that they do not know the values or viewpoints of the person(s) reading their applications and its best to not offend the people they are hoping will accept them for admission. Avoid controversial topics of a religious or a political nature. Other topics to avoid include, but are not limited to: How Volunteering Once Changed My Life, My Travel Diary, issues regarding substance abuse, The Big Game, listing your successes and rehashing tragic events. The essay is an important part of an application, and students should focus on topics that best demonstrate who they are as a person that otherwise wouldnt be evident from other parts of the application. The most important thing is to be honest and authentic. VT: What is the biggest mistake a student can make on a college application? Abby: There are a lot of mistakes students can make to limit it to just the biggest. Several examples include misspellings and grammatical errors, exceeding the recommended word-limit for essays, not answering the essay topic(s) at hand, using acronyms when describing extracurricular activities, submitting extra documentation that doesnt add to the overall application, forgetting to proof essays, fast-forwarding through directions and missing small details (such as listing credits for senior year courses), applying online and not hitting the SUBMIT button (there are three areas on the Common Application that have to be submitted and students commonly forget to submit at least one, resulting in an incomplete application) and being careless with social media. Colleges are looking for reasons not to accept you dont give them any! VT: What is the typical process an admissions officer goes through to evaluate applications? Abby: College admissions offices are looking to find students who will comprise a well-rounded class. An application is considered complete once all supporting documents are received. This includes the application and essays, high school transcript, counselor and teacher recommendations, official test scores and any other material required by the college. How the process works depends on the individual college. Most selective colleges will take a holistic approach and consider all parts of the application while at some colleges only the hard numbers (GPA and test scores) are considered. Many schools report having only 15 minutes to read an entire application while at some colleges an application may get as many as three reads. Each process is different and several variables are considered depending on the nature of the school. VT: What do you think is the single most important thing a student should make sure they present in the best possible way on their application? Abby: Demonstrated interest. Colleges want to know why a student wants to attend their university. Admissions counselors encourage students to reach out and start a correspondence with them. Ways to do this include meeting with counselors when they conduct high school visits, attending college fairs, scheduling an interview and definitely visiting college campuses when possible. When admissions officers are reading applications there are certain things that are harder to lift off a piece of paper, like fit and enthusiasm about a school. If youre interested, let the college know! If the admissions counselor knows you it makes a difference when reading the application. Its also important when answering a supplement question Why X College that students be very specific and not generic in their answer. List detailed things about the college that attracted you to apply in the first place. VT: How should students go about determining the culture of a university, and whether they would be a good fit? Abby: VISIT! Whenever possible, it is highly recommended that students visit prospective colleges to see what theyre all about. When students visit a college they should take a guided campus tour, attend an information session, have an interview if that option is offered, sit in on a class and stay overnight in a residence hall with a current student. While on campus also eat a meal in the cafeteria, pick up and read a copy of the campus newspaper, meet with a professor in the department of your potential major(s), talk to students about their experiences and visit the Career Center. Whether or not students are able to visit a college campus they should also research college websites to see what is offered at each school - majors, extracurricular activities, internship and research opportunities, residence life and food options, and cultural and athletic events to see if the colleges on their list are really the right fit for them. Students can also attend college fairs, high school visits made by admissions officers and regional receptions offered by colleges to show demonstrated interest and learn more about the college. VT: Early-Action, Early-Decision, Binding/Non-Binding, Regular Decision. With so many choices when applying, what do you recommend to students? Abby: It really depends on the individual student and his/her situation. If a student has a clear first choice college then applying Early Decision is advised. Students must be sure that this is the school they really want to attend as they are making a binding commitment to that school, and if accepted they are expected to attend. Several colleges are starting to take a higher percentage of their students through ED, so applying ED could, but not always, give students a better chance of being admitted. It really depends on the individual college. There are a few downsides to applying ED. If a college is a huge reach for a student then applying ED usually wont make a difference in admission. Students can only apply to one college through ED, thus limiting their chances to receive various financial aid packages by not applying to other colleges. There is also the option of applying Early Action, which is a non-binding agreement between a student and a college. This is a great option f or students when available, because if they are accepted EA they will know early on in the process that they have a college to attend. Students can apply to more than one college EA unless they applying to a college that has Restrictive Early Action, in which you can only apply to one college early although the agreement is non-binding. If a student wants to apply to additional colleges aside from those through ED and/or EA then they should apply Regular Decision. These applications are usually due on or around January 1 or 15. If a student is not entirely sure on a first-choice option, or wants to have more financial aid options available, then it is recommended they wait and apply RD. Finally, there is Rolling Admission, which is when colleges start accepting applications early in the senior year and roll over applications as they are received. In Rolling Admission it is imperative that students apply earlier in the process (and meet any Priority deadlines) because colleges with Rolling Admission will fill their class as applications are received. Students increase their chances of gaining admission by applying sooner than later. VT: How important are grades and standardized test scores when admissions decisions are being made? Abby: Most colleges will tell students that the most important thing considered in the admissions process is the transcript. This is not necessarily just the grade point average but the strength of the curriculum the student has taken. Colleges want students to challenge themselves and take as demanding a curriculum as they can handle. Admissions counselors will look at the courses offered at the high school the student attends and see if the student is taking advantage of the curriculum that is available. The importance of test scores really depends on which college to which students are applying. Many colleges, especially those with extremely competitive admissions, still care a lot about test scores. However, there are approximately 850 colleges that are now test-optional (see fairtest.org), meaning that a student is not required to submit any test scores so the focus is on other parts of the application. One thing to consider is that many colleges, whether test-optional or not, will use or require test scores to be submitted in order to be considered for merit aid, which is financial aid based on merit and not need. VT: What tips do you have for students asking their teachers for letters of recommendation? Abby: Students are encouraged to ask teachers for letters of recommendation in the spring of their junior year. When choosing which teachers to ask it is preferable that they ask one from Humanities subjects (English, Social Science or Foreign Language) and one from Math/Science. Students dont necessarily need to ask teachers whose classes they aced, but more teachers who they are confident will write them a POSITIVE letter of recommendation. Remember that writing recommendations is not required of teachers nor is it their obligation, so please be respectful during the entire process. Ask your teacher in private and without friends around. Be sure to ask, Would you be willing to write me a positive recommendation for my college admissions? If the teacher says yes, then provide them a resume or brag sheet with your accomplishments and contact information. Dont forget to send a thank you note that says you appreciate their willingness to write the recommendation letter. Thank you notes go such a long way! Once students return to school for their senior year, they should follow up with their teachers to make sure they have all the information they need. Make sure teachers know how to submit their letters, whether it is through the Common Application, snail mail or using non-Common Application forms. Make the process as easy as possible - your teachers are doing you a HUGE favor! Check out Abby Siegel Associates, LLC for more information.The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

GCSE Results Day A Guide for Parents

GCSE Results Day A Guide for Parents Mark Maclaine  - education consultant, star tutor and Tutorfair founder â€" advises on how to support your child on GCSE results day. Results day is not only a big day for your teenager, it is a big day for parents too. Your children are growing up, becoming young adults and beginning to make their own choices for the future. But they haven’t flown the nest just yet, so it’s important you’re there to offer the right guidance and support. You are the rock Remember to keep a level head; your role is to be supportive and reassuring. It is understandable as a parent to be emotional on a day that your children enter a new chapter of their lives; but this day is about your child’s feelings, more than your own. There is a strong likelihood that your teenager’s greatest fear is your reaction to the results. Let him know that, however worried you might be yourself, you’re there for him. Listen to worries offer reassurance Reassure teenagers that whatever their results, you love them and are incredibly proud of their strength or hard work during a stressful time. This may seem obvious but it’s important for your child to hear it; you are (probably) the most important influence in her life. Get rid of the elephant in the room: sit down and talk about worries, as well as expectations of results day. Take the time to empathise with her fears; think about how you would feel if you were in his position. Just knowing there’s someone to share the worry is a huge help to teenagers. Exam results aren’t everything If your teenager is unduly worried, it might help to discuss the implications of exam results â€" good or bad. Ask her: what will happen if the results are not as good as hoped? What will it actually mean for her future? Hopefully your child will realise that exam results aren’t ‘everything’, and the worst that can possibly happen â€" isn’t actually that bad. Future success isn’t decided on this one day and there are plenty of options to improve results. Let her know that ‘failure’ is allowed â€" in fact it can be very valuable. A friend of mine re-sat some of her GCSEs twice to get the grades she wanted. She later told me that she had learnt a valuable lesson from having to re-sit: how to really work hard. The work ethic she developed during this time carried her to a first class degree from Oxford. As well as offering reassurance, this mental preparation is important just in case things really don’t go according to plan, as it gives students time to process their thoughts in advance and make better informed decisions. Be patient Most teenagers want to rip open the results straight away; but some want to prepare themselves first. If your teenager is anxious about the results, then hovering in the background biting your fingernails will not help! Similarly, if he hasn’t called you to let you know the grades yet it doesn’t necessarily mean bad news. Find something to distract yourself if necessary, to give your child the space to absorb the results in his own time. What, when where? If you can, offer to accompany your child to collect results. Most teenagers prefer to collect them with friends, so don’t be offended if that’s the case â€" but try to be available to offer congratulations or commiserations. Check with the school about opening and closing times on GCSE results day, when to come in, and where to collect the results from. This could be from the school reception, your child’s form room, even the school dining room! Some schools allow online viewing of results; others refuse even to give them out over the phone. Is your child going somewhere else for 6th Form? Make sure you have contact details to hand in case the results haven’t met the entry requirements and you need to talk to someone there. Colleges do sometimes accept students who haven’t achieved their predicted results. It’s important to call as soon as possible to discuss the options open to you. Time to Celebrate? Your teen is a teen! He will likely want to celebrate or wallow on results day with his friends, and maybe even attend a book burning. This is the end of a chapter and a significant rite of passage for your child and his friends, and they will want to mark it together. Don’t take it personally, especially if the results are a disappointment â€" far better to commiserate with friends than sit in his room moping. But do plan a day to celebrate as a family - and remember: celebrate the effort, not the results! Your Teen  Didn't  Achieve Her Predicted Results â€" What now? Firstly don’t panic! Don’t feel pressured into making rushed decisions Encourage your child to talk to her school and college for advice and information If he is attending a 6th Form College, get in touch as he may be accepted anyway. If not, try another College or school for open places. Maths English re-sits can be sat either just before or after Christmas (depending on the exam boards), and others can be taken next summer. It is also possible to re-sit exams alongside her AS Levels if the school or college is happy with this.  Consider vocational options such as a GNVQ or BTEC. These courses are usually geared to specific careers and offer hands-on experience.

The Art of Prioritization Helping Children Manage Their Homework Time Effectively

The Art of Prioritization Helping Children Manage Their Homework Time Effectively When children move into middle school and high school, it becomes more important than ever to manage their time effectively. With multiple subjects and teachers, it can become burdensome to keep track of everything and many children struggle at homework time with where to begin. While a solid time management system is critical, to keep homework time moving along, your child needs to master the art of prioritization. This helps you save time by identifying tasks that deserve immediate attention, those that are important but less pressing, and those that can be considered long-term to-dos. How can you help your child become an expert at prioritizing and getting things accomplished more quickly? Here are several tips: Keep a running master to-do list. Each night, your child should review his or her list of tasks for all classes, separated by subject. This list should contain any to-dos for this week, next week or further out, including nightly homework and upcoming tests, quizzes and projects. Put due dates next to each task. Make sure your child keeps tabs on what homework is due the following day and what is not due until later in the week or the following week. Every item on the master to-do list should have a due date next to it. Designate levels of importance. Before diving into homework, your child should rank all tasks. You might encourage him or her to use A, B and C levels of importance. For example, on Monday, a math test, a vocabulary assignment due, and chapter to read by Tuesday would be A priorities, whereas assignments due Wednesday would be considered B priorities, and anything due Thursday, Friday, or the following week C priorities. Divide up the A priorities. Once your child has the A list in front of him or her, its time to quickly decide in what order things need to be completed. A good rule of thumb is to focus on the most difficult tasks earlier in the evening, but each child is different. If your child prefers to check off easier tasks before digging into the more challenging or time-consuming ones, thats fine as well. When it comes to B priorities, your child should include the top one or two in his or her nightly homework list. A test on Friday, for example, deserves some study time on Tuesday and Wednesday and should be bumped up to an A priority on Thursday night. Embrace the student planner. Prioritizing is meant to help your child use his or her time wisely. Its an exercise best tackled with a calendar or planner on hand, because most children have more than just school on their plates. For example, if your child has a heavy night of extracurricular activities on Tuesday, he or she should account for that in his list of Monday night homework priorities. Make sure your child blocks out time for activities in the calendar so he or she has an accurate picture of how much time is available for homework and studying each evening. When your child masters the art of prioritization, you will discover that homework time is smoother and offers fewer opportunities to get sidetracked or stalled on less important tasks. Teach your child to embrace this consistent approach to getting started on homework each night and you will notice him or her taking ownership, staying on top of the multitude of demands that school has, and feeling less stressed overall. About Huntington Huntington is the tutoring and test prep leader.Its certified tutors provide individualized instruction in reading, phonics, writing, study skills, elementary and middle school math, Algebra through Calculus, Chemistry, and other sciences. It preps for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington programs develop the skills, confidence, and motivation to help students succeed and meet the needs of Common Core State Standards. Founded in 1977, Huntingtons mission is to give every student the best education possible. Learn how Huntington can help at www.huntingtonhelps.com. For franchise opportunities please visit www.huntingtonfranchise.com. 2017 Huntington Mark, LLC. Huntington Learning Center, the three-leaf logo, and 1 800 CAN LEARN are registered trademarks of Huntington Mark, LLC. Each franchised Huntington Learning Center is operated under a franchise agreement with Huntington Learning Centers, Inc.

Transgender Woman Rejected from Smith Educational Opportunities for Trans Students

Transgender Woman Rejected from Smith Educational Opportunities for Trans Students Mount Holyoke College transgender alum Callum Angus holding up a sign in support of Calliope Wong for Smiths QA photo campaign. Smith College, a private women’s college in Massachusetts, rejected Calliope Wong, a male-to-female transgender applicant, twice due to a government financial aid document registering Wong as male. Though born male, Wong has identified as female for several years.   She applied to Smith College in Northampton on two separate occasions, and both times her materials and application fee were returned to her on the basis that “Smith is a women’s college, which means undergraduate applicants need to be female at the time of admission,” read a copy of the rejection letter Wong included on her blog. Prior to applying to Smith, Wong extensively researched the College’s policy on accepting transgender students. On her blog she claims to have spoken with Smiths Dean of Admissions, Debra Shaver, who allegedly told Wong that as long as all of her pronouns were female, then Wong’s application would be “consistent with what Smith is expecting.” Wong claimed the two discussed all matter of application materials and documents  to ensure Wongs  eligibility,   but “nowhere was there mention of FAFSA,” wrote Wong on her blog. Once her initial application was returned and she was denied consideration for admittance, Wong was shocked and heartbroken. With a reputation as an all-inclusive collegiate institution, Smith’s actions are puzzling to many. Noah Lewis, an attorney at the Transgender Legal Defense Education Fund in New York City has stood behind Wong and criticized Smith’s actions as discriminatory and unfounded. “Transgender students just want the same educational opportunities as other students, and federal law protects them from discrimination in education,” Lewis told Boston Magazine. “The only thing standing in the way of Smith admitting transgender women is Smith’s refusal to do it.   As an institution founded on principles of educational equity, Smith should just do the right thing and educate transgender women like other women.” Smith’s actions have ignited a national debate on the legal restrictions of educational opportunities for transgender students. It is a common misconception that federal law requires women’s colleges to admit only those who are or were once biologically female.  According to an article released in a 2012 issue of the Harvard Journal of Law Gender, a misuse of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is cited as the most common reasoning to account for informal discriminatory admission policies for same sex institutions:  â€œAlthough Title IX allows single-sex colleges to discriminate based on sex, they would be in violation of Title IX if they were to admit a student who was not the sex the particular institution serves. Therefore, if a woman’s college were to admit a student identifying as male (or not identifying as female), [or in Wong’s case legally classified as male,] the institution would jeopardize its federal funding.  Alternatively or additionally, instituti ons argue that if they admit individuals who do not identify as women they will be required to provide equal access accommodations, and their failure to do so would result in a Title IX violation.” As a result, Title IX does not force an institution to not admit transgender individuals, but rather it strives to force the institution to accommodate those individuals once they are enrolled. The legislation is meant to be protective but instead tends to be used as “a shield to criticism.” In short, there is no federal law explicitly requiring women’s colleges to admit individuals who were female at birth. It is merely the interpretation that several women’s colleges have chosen to adopt. Smith QA, a branch of the Smith student run organization, Students for Social Justice and  Institutional  Change contacted Wong regarding the legality of Smiths grounds for rejecting Wong and put her in contact with Jon OBergh,  Special  Assistant  Under  Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education, and Cameron Washington, Web Usability Specialist at FAFSA. After extensive discussion between the three, it was made clear to Wong that an individuals sex indicated on their FAFSA is used only for Selective Service; which according to the Military Selective Service Act  requires all males between the ages of 18 and 25  to register with the Selective Service System. The federal government is irrelevant in this conversation, wrote Wong in her blog. All concerns about my hypothetical admission endangering Smiths status as a  historical  womens college  receiving  federal funding? Irrelevant and wrong. The government does not care about my sex marker. On March 26th, Smith QA met with Smith administrators to discuss the treatment of Wongs  application and will continue to focus on creating a place for transgender women at the college. In additional support of Wong, Smith QA created a photo campaign to increase the  visibility of student and alumni support on the inclusion of transgender women at Smith. Callum  Angus, a female-to-male transgender Mount Holyoke alum of the class of 2011, submitted a photo to the  campaign. Angus is an intern at the Transgender Youth Equality Foundation  which advocates for the legal and medical rights of transgender and gender nonconforming kids and teens nationwide.  Through activism,  conference involvement, support groups and school outreach, the TYEF  provides a support network and voice for transgender youth. As a high school student applying to colleges, Ms. Wongs scenario resonates with many of the teens we work with who are looking toward college in the future, wrote Angus in an emailed  st atement.   One of the reasons we do the work we do is to educate society that a girl is a girl if she says shes a girl, regardless of surgeries and paperwork, and the same holds for trans boys. Laurie Fenlason, vice president of Public  Affairs  at Smith, eluded to the college working to create a  broader  policy that is  inclusive to transgender applicants while still faithful to its mission statement as a womens college. Similarly, Mount Holyoke College is following Smiths suite by updating its policies dealing with transgender applicants as to generate an  inclusive  admissions environment. Womens colleges are unique environments where experimentation with gender and sexuality is embraced more enthusiastically than in coeducational institutions, wrote Angus. I wont pretend to know exactly why that is, but if it wasnt for my four years at Mount Holyoke College, it would have taken me much longer to become self-aware as transgender and decide to transition.[...] I think as transgender people gain visibility in the coming years and make headway in winning civil rights, womens colleges have the unique opportunity to become key in one of the leading social justice issues of o ur time. But that wont happen if they follow Smiths lead.