Audio can provide an added dimension to your site. It creates a warm atmosphere where visitors feel like they know you. And it can enhance your reputation as an expert. Here are the top ten ways you can start using audio on your site. 1. Welcome people to your site. Toward the top of the page, add your photo or a short statement saying “Listen to a short welcome message” then a button to start the audio. Keep it brief and tightly targeted to the people you’ve brought to the site. 2. Make your bio more personal. If you’re using a one-page sales letter site, there’s a section on why they should listen to you and probably a photo. Add a caption to entice them to click. For example, “Here’s 3 ways I can help” with the audio button. This audio doesn’t have to echo what’s on the page – it can actually have an anecdote or an example to illustrate the written material. 3. Provide client testimonials. One of the most powerful techniques for using audio is to ask your clients to record a short audio testimonial. Ideally you can capture this with a tape recorder at a live event or have them call and record it on the phone. The audio testimonial, combined with a photograph, gives a powerful picture of who you are and why a newcomer would like your services or product. 4. Answer questions. If you have FAQs, consider answering some of them with audio. Sometimes it’s easier and faster to explain something verbally than to write the entire explanation. 5. Offer a guarantee. Let them hear the warmth and sincerity in your voice as you share your guarantee. 6. Give them a sample of your presentation. You can record this sitting in your office or use a clip from a live performance. Either way, your visitors will be able to hear your style and form a closer bond with you as a presenter. 7. Provide the latest information. Record a weekly update on news from your industry, then add it to your site. It gives people a reason to return to your site and gives you the status of being the most up-to-date expert. 8. Offer a mini course using email with audio explanations. Instead of all of the material being written, you can change the pace and put a lot of information into a short space by offering some segments via audio. This is especially effective if you want to share a short meditation or visualization exercise. 9. Demonstrate your coaching or consulting techniques by using a short audio clip from a client call. 10. Walk them through a process. If you have a form you want visitors to complete, use audio to walk them through the sign up. Remember to pace your remarks so they can easily complete the tasks as you’re talking.

The steady rise in a number of nations` weight gains amongst their populations has heard the alarm bells ringing at what many describe as an obesity epidemic. It is generally agreed that something must be done to put a halt to the overweight problem, otherwise the cost to health and life itself will be staggering. A public education campaign by New York city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene – five advertisements, which have been posted in 1,000 subway cars – struck a variety of themes. It was designed to make commuters aware of what unhealthy eating can do to the body, as well as showing the number of calories contained in example dishes. Childhood obesity in Europe is growing at an alarming rate and is accelerating rapidly. In 2005, 14 million children were categorised as overweight or obese with an estimated 400,000 children entering this category every year. In 2007, the number has risen to 22 million. There are serious health consequences for obese children now, and as they grow up. Around 20,000 obese children have type-2 diabetes, over a million obese children are likely to show signs for cardiovascular diseases, and over 1. 4 million may have early stages of liver disorder. Obese children are more likely to become obese adults, meaning they will be at higher risk of developing cancer, heart disease and suffering from depression. Preventative measures have been drawn up to make younger ones at school more aware of dietary needs which will, if taught from a very early age, help children learn about what goes into food, the best ways of cooking, healthy recipes and so on, so that they will benefit in their later lives. Research has shown a link between nutrition in early childhood and improved productivity and overall health later in life. And a study recently published in the medical journal The Lancet offers the first direct evidence that eating well as an infant and toddler stands to increase earning potential as an adult. It`s getting essential that children learn to cook at school. Soaring obesity levels look set to drain local health and public service budgets, which will mean higher taxes for all, experts warn. Obesity could cost NHS in England £6. 3bn by 2015 if no effective action is taken says the Department of Health. According to recent statistics, obesity kills more than 9,000 Britons a year. Last year, the Government-commissioned Foresight report warned that unless urgent action was taken half of all Britons could be obese by 2050. In 2008 a warning was given that heavily overweight schoolchildren faced dying eleven years younger than their slimmer classmates. So, what is being done to improve youngster`s education with regard to cooking?In Canada, for instance, Toronto’s Rising Chefs Culinary Centre, introduced the art of food preparation to kids three and older. Classes are taught by an executive chef with more than 20 years experience and a designation of certified chef de cuisine, the highest accreditation awarded in the culinary profession in Canada. The owners say that kids who learn to cook for themselves stand a better chance at avoiding obesity. An array of week-long options are served up at this year-round kids’ cooking school. Spark an interest in global flavours with the World Tour camp; each week explores food from a different part of the world, including the Mediterranean, Europe, Asia, the South Pacific, the Americas and the Caribbean. Kids spend the day preparing two dishes and learning about the country they’re from. Tweens may prefer the one-week Culinary Boot Camp, where they’ll learn the art of food presentation, concoct delicious sauces, pastas and meat dishes, and visit local farms. Or there’s the Baking Boot Camp, which schools your child in breads, pastries, desserts and piping techniques. Ages six to 12. From their website – “Welcome to Rising Chefs home on the web!We would like to thank you for taking the time to learn more about our wonderful company. We specialize in making cooking fun! Based in the Greater Toronto Area or GTA we cater to kids, teens, and adults who want to learn how to cook. Never before has a Toronto cooking school put as much energy and time into making healthy recipes, healthy eating choices and great food come together in so many comprehensive classes. “Rising Chefs students who are five and older will get to cook themselves, while youngsters aged three and four will be introduced to gastronomy through measuring, mixing and other hands-on activities. North District Middle School in Varnville, South Carolina, USA, was selected from more than 60 applicants nationwide to receive the first-ever School Nutrition Foundation’ Winston Industries Equipment Award. The school kitchen, serving the only middle school in Hampton School District One, will receive quality commercial kitchen equipment including Holding Cabinets, Holding Drawers and a Steamer from Winston Industries, Inc. – a leading foodservice equipment manufacturer located in Louisville, Kentucky. The award was applied for in order to update the 40-year-old kitchen equipment that often needs expensive repairs. As school nutrition programs nationwide provide healthy school breakfasts and lunches to students at a national average of less than $2. 00 per balanced meal, costs to upgrade and replace kitchen equipment are often difficult to cover. For this reason, the School Nutrition Foundation’ Winston Industries Equipment Award was created in 2007 to assist school nutrition programs to secure the equipment they need to continue to offer quality, nutritious meals. About the School Nutrition FoundationThe School Nutrition Foundation, established in 1964, is a non-profit corporation that provides high-quality professional development, financial aid and research programs to child nutrition professionals and members of the School Nutrition Association (SNA. ) The Foundation’s commitment to the child nutrition community is integral to implementing positive change in school meals and, ultimately, to the health of school children. SNA is a national, non-profit professional organization representing more than 55,000 members who provide high-quality, low-cost meals to students across the country. The association and its members are dedicated to feeding children safe and nutritious meals. In England cooking lessons are to be compulsory in England’s secondary schools for children aged 11 to 14. Pupils will learn to cook for an hour a week for one term. Poorer pupils’ ingredients will be subsidised. Cooking is an optional part of the design and technology curriculum, but is not currently taught in all schools. The move is part of the strategy to tackle obesity, as experts believe 1m children will be obese in a decade. The Department for Children, Schools and Families says that about 85% of secondary schools do offer cookery, (cooking), in some form. It wants those schools to make the change immediately, and the rest by 2011. All 11-year-olds in England will be able to receive a free cookbook under a programme aimed at tackling obesity. Head teachers will be able to order the booklet, which has recipes for favourites such as spaghetti bolognese, roast chicken and jacket potatoes. Primary pupilsIt might come as a surprise to many parents but cookery – or food skills – is already, theoretically at least, compulsory on the primary school curriculum. As they learn about nutrition, food groups and the science of food, children are expected to progress from cutting up fruit to baking bread. In practice, either because they don’t have trained staff or the facilities, few schools do much, if any, hands-on cooking with children. Now that cooking is to be taught to secondary school children, public health campaigners’ focus has switched to giving younger and more impressionable children a better and practical food education. Primary school teachers are not given any training in teaching cooking, although there is a scheme for secondary food teachers to pass on skills to primary school staff. Very few primary schools have any facilities for children to cook in, either. In Wales a commitment to teach under-11s how to cook has been made. But critics have expressed concern about the practicalities of the idea. Clarissa Williams of the National Association of Head Teachers said the training of food technology teachers had been neglected for so long it would be difficult to see the strategy through. Children will have to participate in a one-hour lesson each week for a whole term, in the bid to teach nutritional lessons that put a stop to obesity. Many may think this is an excellent idea, with support from TV chef Jamie Oliver and parents that relieve themselves of the pressure to cook meals that must be green, lean and tasty because now, their children can do it. Whether just one hour a week is enough though is debatable. Just as cooking needs time, so does teaching it. Practical cookery in an hour is impossible, it limits the number of dishes taught and becomes rushed, so already many believe the Government’s plans are flawed – a two-hour lesson a week would certainly be more useful if the plan intends longevity in Britain’s educational scheme. The situation in Germany, however, is different. Neither elementary school nor high school curricula require instruction in food-preparation skills or on how to run a household. Only occasionally will a high school offer these subjects as electives. Sadly, the number of children who are taught food-preparation skills at home is continually declining. Scientists bemoan the loss as more and more students grow up without the necessary skills for running a household. This is where Aid Infoservice came into the picture. It has instituted a program of instructional building blocks for elementary students by establishing a “Nutrition Competency Driver’s License. “The core of this curriculum, comprised of six or seven two-hour classroom sessions, focuses on practical experiences with food ingredients and kitchen tools, but does not include experience in an actual kitchen lab.

Recently, Intel start to sell a new portable handheld e-reader that can snap pictures of books and newspapers and then read them back to people who have a hard time reading the printed page.   Called the Intel Reader, the device can assist the people with reading-based disabilities, such as dyslexia or low-vision, or for those who are blind.   The Intel Reader, about the size of a paperback book, has a high-resolution 5 megapixel autofocus camera with a focus range of up to one meter. With the power of an Intel Atom processor, allowing users to point, shoot and listen to printed text. For large amounts of text, Intel offers a separate device called a ?portable capture station? that makes it possible to use the reader as a scanner for more quickly capturing and converting multiple pages from a book or large documents.   For people with low vision, the Reader?s 4. 3 inch LCD display (16:9 aspect ratio) can zoom in and out of text, the size of which can be easily adjusted, according to Intel.   Prototypes of the paper-back sized device were tested with more than 400 visually-impaired users, including some who were completely blind. The reader can adjust the speed of reading, and it?s 2GB of storage can hold about 500,000 pages of text; roughly 600 pages of scanned books, claims Intel.   The device can play back scanned items, but it also supports MP3s, WAV files, text files and the DAISY (Digital Accessible Information System) format, used to publish books for people with reading problems. Of course, it is possible to download text documents (simple text files, no complex files like . PDF or . DOC) or audio files (. wav) on the device. The battery can power about four hours of playback between charges with its 3300 mAh Lithium-Ion battery.   About the controls, the Reader offers tactile buttons and voice operated menus so that visually challenged individual can control it comfortably. Those with a low vision can increase the font size of the text and also zoom in the screen to view the text clearly.   Ben Foss, who developed original concept for the Intel Reader, said the device is also intended to assist those with severe Dyslexia, an impairment he himself grew up with. ?We want people to experience the independence of being able to read on their own in a public place or anywhere they want to. ? As he says, really hope this Intel Reader can increase independence for visually impaired.   But the Intel Reader is not so perfect: it can’t recognize hand writing, and doesn’t yet work internationally (the latter is coming soon. However it is quite amazing that it makes it possible in a relatively simple way to grab a menu in a restaurant or a random document, and to turn it into text for immediate audio translation.   The Intel Reader has list price of $1499 and is available in U. S. through select resellers, including CTL, Don Jophston, GTSI, Howard Technology Solutions and HumanWare. Though the price looks expensive, it may be worth checking out against the Braille readers.   For more details of the Intel Reader, please kindly click the following link from Intel official website: http://www. intel. com/healthcare/reader/index. htm

In spite of many thoughtful and forward-thinking updates in schools, school design, and classroom curriculum, grade school cafeterias haven’t changed significantly in the past 50 years. School kids are still either buying their lunch, which they receive on a tray (”hot lunch”); or they bring lunch from home (”cold lunch”). School lunches often include a self-serve salad bar with a nice variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain rolls; a healthy improvement over years past. However, an enormous amount of good food goes to waste: whole sandwiches, uneaten fruit, unopened cups of yogurt and applesauce, and untouched bags of chips have all been found in waste audits performed at local schools. Unfortunately, these schools were not unique.   A comprehensive study from Great Britain recently revealed that one third of all food purchased is thrown away, of which 61% could have been eaten. Other studies have found that in the U. S. , an estimated 40% to 50% of all food ready for harvest never gets eaten. The average family of four throws away nearly $600 a year in edible meats, vegetables, fruit, and grain products. Returning to the grade school waste audit, it was revealed that 17% of the trash generated at the school was food waste and 24% was food-packaging waste.   Other schools have found that up to one third of their trash stream is comprised of food waste. Considering that the schools have to pay both for the wasted food AND the waste management, addressing how food comes to the schools and what happens to it is worth a closer look. So what can be done to stem the tide of good food gone landfill?Start at the beginning: reduce what is provided for lunch. While free-choice salad bar offerings are an excellent idea, kids often take more than they can eat in one sitting. Signs and classroom guidance can help everyone remember to “take what you want, but eat what you take. ” Cold lunch diners can also usually bring less food and still be satisfied – read on for more details. Pass it on: have a “no thanks” table. Anything brought from home that is unopened, such as yogurt cups, bags of chips, granola bars, applesauce cups and the like can be dropped off at a “no thanks” table where other kids can find something they like. Although there are some issues such as allergy concerns and the stigma associated with “the used food table”, they are not insurmountable. Food left over at the end of each day would be welcomed at a shelter or food bank. Tackle the tabletop culture: use reusable containers. It has been observed that when a sack lunch is packed in baggies and disposables, any leftover food – like a whole sandwich – is seen as disposable, just like the containers it came in. The same holds true for prepackaged foods, like chips, crackers or cookies in single-serve bags. However, when lunch is packed in reusable containers, uneaten food is returned to the container and put back in the lunch box. This has several immediate and valuable benefits: first, based on the quantities that come home after school, portions can be adjusted accordingly. Second, if there is any leftover food, it usually becomes a ready-made after-school snack (assuming the lunch box has an ice pack to keep everything fresh till mid-afternoon). It was recently revealed that milk cartons, contrary to common wisdom and due in part to the current economic downturn, usually do not get recycled when they are pulled out of the waste stream but are instead thrown out with the rest of the trash. Furthermore, kids rarely drink the full eight ounces of milk they provide, resulting in additional waste. Schools should consider investing in washable cups and a milk dispenser, both to eliminate the single-use cartons and to reduce the wasted milk. This also has its own issues, one of which is the time necessary to wash the cups after use. Again, this isn’t insurmountable, but may only be a shift in behavior away from stocking the refrigerated milk case to handling the wash. Students themselves can fill the dishwasher trays as well. Address the school culture: have recess before lunch. Many schools report that cafeteria time is frequently cut short because kids are in a rush to go to recess. The result is that many kids never eat at all, and spend the afternoon hungry and unable to concentrate. Several school districts throughout the U. S. have implemented a reverse strategy: kids go directly to recess for their mid-day break, after which they return to the cafeteria for lunch, where they stay until it’s time to return to the classroom. Reports from Montana schools indicate that “recess before lunch” programs improved student behavior on the playground, in the cafeteria, and in the classroom and resulted in less wasted food. One middle school reported a 50% drop in “plate waste” (food thrown away), and a decrease of 60% in disciplinary actions related to the lunchroom over a three year period. The teachers also reported better concentration and more effective time management with the recess before lunch program. Finish at the end: offer composting. Some food waste is just that – inedible parts, like banana peels, eggshells and coffee grounds. Many schools have introduced compost bins to help manage these leftover bits, often in association with school garden projects. As with any change, the usual guidance applies: find advocates among the school staff and parents; research where similar strategies have been attempted and consider whether the results would apply at your own school; consider how every step in a new program might impact classroom time, staff time, and staff resources; and communicate, communicate, communicate to students, parents, teachers, and staff. Schools are embracing, and teaching, a refreshing environmental message, but they could drive that message home if they applied it to the simplest of everyday activities such as eating lunch. By reducing food and food packaging waste, families and schools alike save money both by reducing the loss of good food to landfills and by avoiding having to pay for its disposal. In today’s budget-conscious home and school economic conditions, that’s no small potatoes.

Rocket Chinese is a popular Chinese learning program.   Does it really work?WHAT DO YOU GET WITH YOUR PURCHASE?Rocket Chinese is a software system for download or as a set of CDs.   The system consists of audio recordings, videos, and special software.   In addition, you are given access to a “Learning Lounge” where you can test your skills, and connect with other students and instructors. The basic approach is to teach Chinese by Visual Association.   “Visual association” is the same way you first learned to speak.   You SAW an object and HEARD the word simultaneously. In this manner you quickly and effortlessly learned the meanings of words. Rocket Chinese tries to duplicate this process with the use of video, audio, and software. DOES IT ACTUALLY WORK?If you are serious and willing to work with the material regularly, Rocket Chinese is a very powerful way to learn to speak Chinese.   Ideally, you should try to work with the lessons for some time each day (30min to 1hr at least).   The lessons are made to build on one another.   Because of this, being consistent is crucial.  Learning a new language is alot like learning to ride a bike. For the first 6 or 7 lessons you may think that you are not getting anywhere.   If you keep going, however, you will come to a point where things suddenly come together.   You will find that you are suddenly able to hear most of the words in the audio recordings and can create basic sentences easily.    Then you can proceed to learning more advanced vocabulary and grammar. IS ROCKET CHINESE A GOOD FIT FOR EVERYONE?Some students find it hard to focus unless there is some outside pressure such as an upcoming “exam” or an instructor checking their “homework”.  Rocket Chinese is a do it yourself program.   It is powerful but you must provide the follow-through yourselfIf you think you might need the pressure of a classroom situation in order to take action, consider classes at a local college.   Remember, however, that a class will cost more and will take longer. If you are serious about learning the Chinese language and can put aside a little time each day, Rocket Chinese can get you speaking Chinese in 8-10 weeks. Get instant access to the Rocket Chinese program at => Rocket Chinese Course

Being a good parent is a HUGE responsibility. There are so many tasks involved with child rearing and parenting that there’s really no way to be completely prepared. Late nights, diapers, reading “Goodnight Moon” and “Green Eggs & Ham” thousands of times, buying bigger shoes every few months, the list never ends. Parents want their children to grow up to be good, successful adults but it can be difficult to know what to do or how. Children depend on their parents for everything. It is up to parents, then, to give their children the very best they can: healthy food, clean clothes, good moral lessons and the best education. Good parents work hard to make sure their children are polite, that they know how to tie their shoes and dress themselves. Parents read to their children, helping them learn their letters and numbers and to speak well. All this effort is in preparation for the Big Day when their child will head out into the world and go to school. The first day of school is a milestone in a child’s (and a parent’s) life. New clothes, a new backpack filled with fresh paper and pencils. That first day is exciting for the whole family. Will the child be happy? Will they make good friends? Will they like their teacher? So many questions, so many unknowns. The truth is, most parents feel they have little or no control over their child’s school experience. They stand at the curb, waving to their child, fervently praying everything will go well. So, what can parents do to ensure a positive school experience? Actually, there is a lot they can do. Knowledge is power. The Internet provides a medium in which parents can research all of their school options. There are websites that offer parents access to the various schools in their area and to compare notes with other parents about the focus, philosophy, programs, achievements and challenges faced by each school. As every parent knows, each child is different. What works for one may not work for another. There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to education. Some children need to be nurtured while others need to be challenged. Some children thrive under military school discipline while others would wither and fail. Parents need to ask themselves if their child would do better in a large school or a small school. Does the child have special interests or needs? Only with the answers to questions like these can parents select the best school for their child. School review sites provide parents with a forum where they can learn about each school’s philosophy of education and any special programs they might offer. School profiles gives parents access to the information needed to make the best choice. How is literacy developed at each school? What physical education and extracurricular activities are offered? Are the school’s teams well organized and successful or are they neglected and under-funded? What clubs are available? What forms of technology being used and taught at each school? Does the school have a traditional approach to teaching or do they use an alternative approach? How does each school promote the fine arts? Do they have a drama club or student chorus? What about transportation and bus service? School profiles can also be used to view student diversity, school calendars, teacher-student ratios, faculty, student performance data, class sizes, before and after school programs, teacher development programs, academic resources, availability of tutoring programs, administrative leadership, enrollment procedures and fees, class placement and parental involvement opportunities. Schools can be searched by a variety of criteria including location, type of school and parent ratings. School profiles should include the school’s address and phone number, communities served, homepage information and parent reviews. The best sites offer viewers an opportunity to post their own personal reviews. Each addition to this kind of knowledge base provides parents with the information they need to make an informed decision about where their child will succeed academically. Each parent knows what works best for their child. School review sites make the information parents need about schools more easily accessible and empower them to make the best decision possible for their child’s education.

Rocket Spanish is an on line Spanish learning program.   Does it actually work?WHAT’S INSIDE ROCKET SPANISH?Rocket Spanish can be purchased as a downloadable software or as a CD set that can be mailed to your home.   It comes with videos, audio, and software games.   In addition to that, you are given access to the Learning Lounge where you can test your skills, and connect with other users and instructors. The basic approach is to teach Spanish by Visual Association.   Visual association is the way you learned to speak your native language.   You HEARD a word and SAW its meaning at the same time. In this way you effortlessly and quickly picked up the meanings of words. Rocket Spanish attempts to duplicate this process with the use of software, audio, and video. DOES IT ACTUALLY WORK?Rocket Spanish is powerful, IF you can commit to working with the system regularly.   Ideally, you should try to work with the lessons for some time each day (30min to 1hr at least).   The individual lessons are designed to build on one another.   Therefore, being consistent is important.  Picking up a language is alot like learning to ride a bike. For the first little while you may think that you aren’t getting anywhere.   If you keep going, however, you will hit a point when things suddenly come together.   You will find that you are suddenly able to hear most of the words in the audio recordings and can make basic sentences easily.    You can then add more vocabulary and advanced grammar to your repertoire. IS IT FOR EVERYONE?Some people find it hard to focus if there is no outside pressure like an upcoming “exam” or a teacher checking their “homework”.  Rocket Spanish is a learn at home program.   It is very powerful but you have to provide the consistency yourself. If you feel you need the pressure of a classroom setting in order to follow through, consider classes at a local college.   Remember, however, that classroom instruction will cost more and will take longer. If you are sincere about learning the Spanish language and can put aside some time every day, Rocket Spanish can have you speaking Spanish in 8-10 weeks. Get instant access to the Rocket Spanish program at =>Rocket Spanish Language Course

One of the most exciting yet tense times for a parent and a teenager is when the parent begins to prepare the teen for high school. There are many ways to make this transition easier for your child. Let’s review some of the ways: Before your child’s middle or junior high school years come to an end, encourage your child to meet with his/her Homeroom Teacher or Guidance Counselor to ask for a book or brochures that outline the high schools that are in the area. When your teen has this book, sit down with them and look through it together. Try making a list of pro’s and con’s of the schools that are listed. Discuss which school is the best fit for your child. To do this, you can read about what the schools offer, the distance from the home to the school and of course you will also want keep in mind what your child’s interests are. When you and your child have narrowed down the possible choices for High School, call the school to make an appointment with them and set up a day and time for a school visit. Usually on these visits you will meet with a representative from the school who will explain the schools philosophy with you and show you around the entire school. You may also want to keep an eye out for any High School fairs that may be coming to your child’s current school. These fairs provide a great opportunity for you and your child to learn about several schools on one day. When making the decision on which high school your child should attend, it is important to look at the selection requirements that the school follows. Ask them how many applications there are, how many new students enroll into the school yearly and see if there are any placement tests that have to be taken before the enrollment process can start. If you live in a an area where public transportation is used as opposed to school buses, it’s a great idea to have your child take a trip to and from the high school that he is considering via public transportation to see how long the trip takes. Factoring in the travel time seems to play a large role in the high school decision process. Entering in high school is a very important step in your teen’s educational career. Teens are fragile at times when it comes to change but they are proved to be resilient when supported. Anything that you as a parent can do to help instill confidence in your child to put his best foot forward when it comes to his education is wonderful. There may be some stress involved when it comes to choosing the right High School but working with your child, keeping the lines of communication open, and doing a little bit of research will make it run a little smoother. Take heart, this will be great preparation for the next big step, college!

Rocket Italian is an on-line Italian learning system.   Does it actually work?WHAT DOES THE PROGRAM LOOK LIKE?Rocket Italian is a software system for download or as a set of CDs.   The system has videos, software, and special audio recordings.   In addition to that, you are given access to the Learning Lounge where you can test your skills, and connect with other students and teachers. The basic approach is to teach Italian by Visual Association.   Visual association is the way you learned to speak your native language.   You SAW an object and HEARD the word simultaneously. In this manner you effortlessly and quickly learned the meanings of words. Rocket Italian attempts to replicate the process with the use of video, audio, and software. DOES IT WORK?Rocket Italian is a powerful way to learn Italian, IF you are sincere and willing to put in time on a regular basis.   Ideally, you should try to work with the material for some time everyday (30min to 1hr at least).   The lessons are designed to build on one another.   Therefore, being consistent is important.  Learning a new language is much like learning to ride a bike. For the first 6 or 7 lessons you may think that you are not getting anywhere.   If you keep going, however, you will hit a point where things suddenly “fall into place”.   You will see that you are suddenly able to hear most of the words in the audio recordings and can create basic sentences easily.    From there you can go on to add more vocabulary and more advanced grammar. IS ROCKET ITALIAN A GOOD FIT FOR EVERY STUDENT?Some students find it difficult to focus if there is no outside pressure like an upcoming “exam” or a teacher checking their “homework”.  Rocket Italian is a self-paced program.   It is very powerful but you have to provide the consistency yourself. If you think you need the pressure of a class setting in order to take action, consider classes at a local college.   Remember, however, that a class will cost more and will take longer. If you are serious about wanting to learn the Italian language and are ready to put aside a little time daily, Rocket Italian can get you speaking Italian in a couple of months. Get instant access to the Rocket Italian program at => Rocket Italian Software

While many look forward to the start of the new school year, it can also be a very stressful time as people scramble to obtain the school supplies, clothing, and accessories that they need or want for the upcoming year. Endless lines form in stores and a mad rush begins. You can, however, avoid such stress and panic and turn what is usually the rush to prepare for going back to school into a few more week of rest and relaxation – the perfect way to the end summer break. The start of the new school year means that your children are either settling back into routines left behind at the start of summer vacation, or getting into new ones. Most children go to bed later during the summer than during the school year, and parents will have to get kids used to sleeping earlier again as they will have to wake up earlier for school. You should start getting your kids back into their school-time routine a few days before the end of summer vacation, so they have time to get used to the changed sleeping hours. Kids are often reluctant to go back to school, and you should do your best to make them look forward to it. Tell them about the new friends they will make or the fun new things they will learn in school. Many kids look forward to sharing their experiences over summer break with friends or teachers, and you should encourage this as much as possible. Another way to make your kids look forward to going back to school is to bring them shopping. While you should not spend exorbitant amounts of money on this, letting your children choose some of their school supplies and other things on the back-to-school supply list can do wonders. In order to beat the usual back-to-school rush, you should start your shopping early, and keep a constant eye out for deals at your local school supply stores. Some kids are not really comfortable with starting school again because they feel as if they do not know what to expect anymore. You should help to soothe your child’s fears by getting them familiar with school again before the school term starts proper. Visit school with your kids before school starts, and if possible, have them meet their new teachers. Some schools even have programs that bring kids from each class together before the term starts, letting them get to know each other beforehand. This helps to reduce the anxiety that a lot of kids feel on the first day of the new school year. Instead of being an unknown quantity, school is once again a familiar and routine place of learning, spending time with classmates and friends, having fun, and getting into trouble. Getting your kids ready to go back to school is not really a difficult task. All it takes is some effort and preparation, and you will see your kid safely out the door on the first day of school whole and happy. One of the most important things to remember is to start shopping for classroom supplies early, so as to avoid the rush right before school starts. This puts you way in front of most other parents who leave things to the last minute. Remember not to put pressure on yourself, as kids can tell when their parents are stressed, and become stressed in turn. As long as you start in on things early and make the proper plans to have everything in place ahead of time, you will not feel any pressure at all. You and your child will both be happy and ready for the new school year to begin. Remember that and going back to school will be a joyous occasion for you and your kids.